The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
August 21, 2005
In
This Issue:
"Rock"
Music
by
Steve Klein
Attitude
Toward the Scriptures
by
Lynn Headrick
"Rock" Music
The best kind of music is "Rock" music. Do you agree? Maybe not. Normally when we think of rock music we think of the head-banging sound generated by loud guitars, pounding drums and screaming vocals. The lyrics of that kind of rock music often strike themes that are worldly, materialistic and sensual. But there's another kind of Rock music that ought to be the favorite music of every Christian. It is music that praises the Lord our Rock! It's not like the rock music played with guitars and drums -- "their rock is not like our Rock" (Deuteronomy 32:31). "Nor is there any rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2).
God is often likened to a Rock in Scripture because He is solid and stable, and He provides protection, like an ancient fortress built on a mountain of rock. As David said, "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer (2 Samuel 22:2). When we contemplate the safety, security and stability provided by the Lord our Rock, we are motivated to praise Him and pray to Him.
PRAYING TO OUR ROCK IN TIME OF NEED
Ancient men often hewed gods from stone and then prayed to the
stone that they themselves had fashioned. Their "rock"
could "neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell"
(Deuteronomy 4:28). But our God is a living Rock. He has ears
that hear! And He can be counted on to help us when we are&ldots;
-
In need of guidance. The Psalmist prayed to God, "Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me. 3 For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name's sake, Lead me and guide me" (Psalm 31:2-3).
- In need of refuge. In Psalm 62:6-8 David declares,
"He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall
not be moved. 7 In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my
strength, And my refuge, is in God. 8 Trust in Him at all times, you
people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
- In need of protection. "The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies" (Psalm 18:2-3).
PRAISING OUR ROCK
The Lord our Rock is "worthy to be praised"!
He is worthy, not only because He hears and answers our prayers, but
also because of His perfect works, His just ways, His awesome power
and His wonderful salvation. "For I proclaim the name of
the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God. 4 He is the Rock, His work is
perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without
injustice; Righteous and upright is He" (Deuteronomy 32:3-4).
"The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation
be exalted" (Psalm 18:46).
If the Lord God is our Rock, we will pray to Him and praise Him continually. If we are relying on Him daily for guidance, protection and salvation, songs that praise Him will often be in our hearts and on our lips. "Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation" (Psalm 95:1). Now that's real Rock music! Let it resound in your life.
--Steve Klein
The Word of God is a precious treasure. It is the truth (John 17:17), and for us to have the truth in our own language is a wonderful blessing.
Through the years, people have taken different attitudes toward the Bible. Some have denied that it is the Word of God and have been out spoken in their rejection of it. Others have claimed to believe the Bible, but, in practice, they say that the Bible contains much fiction, citing the story of the creation and the account of Jonah as examples. It seems to me that these "semi-believers" do more harm than those who flatly say that they do not believe the Bible to be from God. Some claim to be followers of Christ and to believe that the Bible is from God, but their conduct betrays a lack of interest in truth because they use the Bible to store family pictures, a lock of hair from a loved one, or a flower from a special occasion. It is used as a centerpiece for coffee tables. It is often talked about, but seldom read. It often gathers dust enough that one could inscribe their doom on the cover with their fingers.
"Oh, how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). Many thousands through the years have loved the Word of God and counted it as a lamp unto their feet and a light unto their path. Each one of us should say, "Through thy precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:104).
Before 1500, men like John Wycliffe and John Huss loved the truth enough to translate it into the language of their people, and this love cost them their lives. In 1521-22, Martin Luther took a stand to follow the Bible alone. This took much courage because he was a Roman Catholic and the Roman Catholics do not take this view. By appealing to the Word of God as the final religious authority, Luther was, through Catholic influence, declared a legal outlaw. He fled for his life and was given sanctuary by friends in Wartburg Castle. During this time, he dressed in the garb of a knight and took pseudonym of Squire George. It was here that he translated the New Testament into the German language. Obviously, Luther loved the Bible. It is unfortunate that, while being a staunch believer of the Bible, his attitude was whatever is not expressly forbidden by Scripture may be retained. This opens the door for permitting infant baptism, instrumental music, and much more that is unscriptural.
In the early 1600's, John Calvin was a strong advocate for the Bible being the Word of God. While he believed that the Bible was the infallible guide for the church, he had the mistaken notion that the Bible could only be properly understood by "the elect". The average person, he thought, could not read and understand the Bible for himself. Today, many people have this attitude and, instead of reading the Bible for themselves, they go to the "clergy" for what to believe. Our faith is not dependent upon another person's understanding. We need to "search the scriptures" for ourselves (Acts 17) and to "prove the spirits whether they are of God" (I John 4:1)!
In America, James O'Kelley (1735-1826) left the Methodist church, which follows a creed besides the Bible, and said concerning the Bible, "Brethren, this is a sufficient rule of faith and practice. By it, we are told that the disciples were called Christians, and I move that, henceforth and forever, the followers of Christ be known as Christians simply." In 1804, Barton W. Stone and others declared that they would leave the Presbyterian church with its written confession of faith and take the Bible only as their guide. They wrote a "will" which said, "that people henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven; and as many as are offended with other books, which stand in competition with it, may cast them into the fire if they choose; for it is better to enter life having one book, than having many to be cast into hell." In 1808, Thomas Campbell preached to a gathering in Washington, Pennsylvania and concluded by saying, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; and where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent." This was based, of course, on I Peter 4:11, "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God."
Are we willing to totally commit ourselves to taking the Word of God as our only guide? Can we truly say, "Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way"? The wise person builds his life on the word of Christ (Matthew 7:24). Let us learn not to go beyond what is written (II John 9). At the same time, let us diligently strive to have a zeal for God, which is according to knowledge gained from careful study of His word. We must not push our personal opinions, but we must "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). Let our lives be conformed to the great pattern revealed in God's Word.
--Lynn Headrick