Joyful Noise

I will give a few random thoughts and then make a few comments that might upset some.

I enjoyed the fellowship of the ABA this year. The feeling of harmony was all around. Those that I met, I truly enjoyed. I have come back to my Church (not the one I own, mind you, but the one I pester and that is not a misspelling.) with renewed purpose and a desire to change some things and get about the Masters business. Now there may be some that felt the new Missionary Committee overstepped their authority. I believe that they simply communicated with the sponsoring Church and Missionary what was occuring financially. The Church and Missionary had to make the decision to not recommend.

NOW: the fly in the ointment is the clapping. I have read and studied the worship of the Old Testament and have read where the Word calls them a Solemn assembly and have read the New Testament where Paul refers to the music and I am led to wonder about the appropriateness of the clapping phenomenon. I do believe it has been borrowed from the SBC and Indepedents who borrowed it from the Pentecostals and Chrismatics. Why do we feel we have to borrow things from unscriptural sources. Go ahead and borrow their doctrine if we are in the borrowing position. Some may get in a twitter – not the phone type – over these statements. Please keep it together to have a rational discussion on this issue.

I have never seen a theological, Biblical argument that has been rationally laid out in a systematic manner that could possibly prove that clapping in a solemn assembly, which is our worship service, is appropriate or would even be acceptable to God.

While thinking on these things I did provide my self with an argument for and an argument against clapping. They are both very simple. If the Bible does not specifically state a command against, then the practice is okay. That is my argument for. This opens the door for liturgical dance which I consider to be the dance of the prostitutes in pagan temples and many other things that clapping proponents would be against. This argument fails for obvious reasons.

I would like one wise in the word and with the ability, to put forth a reasoned systematic theological based argument with scripture that supports clapping in worship.

Understand: this leaves out the verses that refer to trees and hills clapping. It is hard to lug these into our houses of worship.

Spiritual Gifts 4

SPIRITUAL GIFTS 4

Spiritual Gifts Are To Be “Stirred Up” And Used.

According to I Timothy 4:14s, a spiritual gift can be neglected.

God’s intent is that it be “stirred up,” II Timothy 1:6 through searching the Word of God, giving “thyself wholly” to it, and using it to the glory of God, I Peter 4:11b.

According to Romans 12:6-8, God expects us to concentrate on exercising our gift in the church. This is seen in the words, “let us” and “let him.”

Joy Comes In Exercising The Spiritual Gift.

The Greek word which is translated “gift” in our English Bible is ‘charisma.’ This comes from another word, ‘char,’ which means JOY. (The word ‘charis’ means “grace.”)

Thus we see spiritual gifts in the light of God graciously giving us the desire to do His will – Philippians 2:13.

In Studying The Subject Of Spiritual Gifts, The Word Of God Takes Precedence Over “Experience.”

Isaiah 8:20. If experience is our basis then we logically have to accept all experiences.

If experience is our rule of faith and practice, then we are judging the Bible to be true or false according to our experiece. The Bible is to be our rule of faith and practice in all things, and what we experience is to be judged by the Bible, the Word of God.

If we were to say, “I have looked into the eyes of a man and I saw his soul and he has not been saved; the Bible would judge us on the truth or falseness of that statement.

A PORTFOLIO OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS

A list of spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament is compiled from the following Scriptures:

Bible Listing Of Spiritual Gifts.

1. Wisdom – I Corinthians 12:8
2. Knowledge – I Corinthians 12:8
3. Faith – I Corinthians 12:9
4. Healing – I Corinthians 12:9,28
5. Miracles – I Corinthians 12:10,28
6. Prophecy – I Corinthians 12:10; Romans 12:6; I Peter 4:11
7. Discernment – I Corinthians 12:10
8. Tongues – I Corinthians 12:10,28
9. Interpretation – I Corinthians 12:10
10. Helps – I Corinthians 12:28
11. Governments (Ruling) – I Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12:8
12. Ministry – Romans 12:7; I Peter 4:11
13. Teaching – Romans 12:7
14. Exhortation – Romans 12:8
15. Giving – Romans 12:8
16. Mercy – Romans 12:8

Bible Listing Of Gifted Men.

Ephesians 4:11

1. Apostles

The office of “apostle” has ceased.

Although the Greek word ‘apostolos’ means “sent one,” or “missionary,” the Biblical qualifications for the office of apostle were that they must have been:

1. 1. An Eye-Witness Of The Resurrected Christ.

Acts 1:22; I Corinthians 9:1; 15:8

1. 1. Audibly Called To Be An Apostle By The Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:5; Romans 1:1

1. 1. Been baptised by John.

Acts 1:22

For this reason we do not have apostles today. There is no such thing as “Apostolic Succession.”

1. Prophets

The office of “Prophet” was two-fold.

The “fore-telling” aspect of the New Testament prophet ceased with the completion of the New Testament Scriptures.

According to Romans 16:26, the human writers of the New Testament were prophets.

1. Evangelists

An Evangelist primarily establishes or builds up a church NUMERICALLY through Gospel preaching. (Acts 8:5-12,26-40; 21:8.) He is a “Gospeller” – or a missionary.

1. Pastors And Teachers

A Pastor primarily builds up an established church SPIRITUALLY through preaching and teaching the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:27,28; I Peter 5:1-3.)

According to Ephesians 2:20, the temporary offices of apostles and prophets were FOUNDATIONAL – whereas the permanent offices of evangelist and pastors and teachers are FUNCTIONAL. (These offices are not mutually exclusive – a pastor is to “do the work of an evangelist.” – II Timothy 4:5.)