…Before your head hits the pillow… Does it really matter what kind of music is played in church or on what day you go to church? One of the big problems the plague churches today is divisions among the body. People will go into an uproar when the order of worship is changed. Others threaten to or even leave a church if the “wrong” kind of music is played. We have had interesting discussions on this site about whether you should formally meet for worship on Saturday or Sunday. So does any of this really matter? Well it does matter in this sense. God forbids us from getting into this type of bickering. So yes, it does matter. It matters greatly to God if we get tied up in knots about these issues. Romans 14 is an entire chapter on how we are to treat other Christians. Romans 1:14 says, “Accept those whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.” My study Bible says that weak faith is immature faith that has not yet developed the muscle it needs to stand against external pressures. It gives this example – If a person who once worshiped idols became a Christian, he might understand perfectly well in his mind that Christ saved him through faith and that idols have no real power. Still because of his past associations, he might be badly shaken if he you told him that he must eat meat that been used in idol worship. His faith may not have matured to this point. My study Bible also says, “Our principle should be: In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in everything love. I know churches that have split because members didn’t like the new screens that were installed for music worship. I know others that have had great turmoil when a church moved toward a more contemporary worship style. God specifically forbids this type of bickering among ourselves. The question we need to ask ourselves when we feel dragged into these debates is: Is this an essential or a non-essential? Does our salvation depend on what type of music is played, whether there is a screen at the front of church, or if children leave the service to attend their own worship? I believe the answer to those questions is NO! None of these things are essential to our salvation. During the time of the New Testament apostles they had issues over what could be eaten or whether a person needed to be circumcised. For the most part, these are not our issues today, but we have a set all of our own. We are quick to judge another Christian church who worships on a different day that WE believe is right. What is right is WORSHIPPING God! Romans 14:5 states, “Some consider one day more sacred than another, others consider every day alike. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord.” So whatever day on which you chose to worship do it as a special day dedicated to the Lord. It is not so important WHAT day it is but that whatever we do on that day we make it special to the Lord! So please, the next time that you engage in a church debate, or quarrel with another Christian over something that is not essential to your salvation, think better of it. It is perfectly acceptable to debate important issues to see what the Bible has to say about them but to get bitterly angry about them is of no use. One such debate is whether God created the earth in 7 literal days or over a period of time. What one believes on this issue is not necessarily an issue that affects our salvation. I happen to be a person who believes that the earth was created in 7 literal days. I enjoy a good discussion about why I believe this, but I will not condemn another Christian who has a different viewpoint. We must seek the Bible in all things but in some things the Bible is silent. It is in those things that we must look to our God guided conscience. If your conscience says something is wrong, then it is wrong, but we should not look down on other Christians who exercise their freedom in the same matter. God wants unity in the body of believers. God wants love to guide all of our actions. Don’t let legalism or your own sharp opinion on a non-essential issue divide you and another believer.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 02:05:01 +0000
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