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The Cornerstone
This is the Stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the Chief Conerstone." Acts 4:11
Pulbished to Support the Work of the West End Church of Christ, Richmond, Virginia
Volume 7 * Number 4* January 28, 2007
"Singing"
Singing Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs can be so uplifting. It is no wonder then that God, through His infinite wisdom, included singing as an act of our worship to Him.
Singing is:
1) An act of Praise to God. Colossians 3:16 "...singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Ephesians 5:19 "singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Hebrews 2:12 "Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee."
2)A Form of Teaching. Colossians 3:16 "...teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,. . ." Ephesians 5:19 "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,. . . "
3)A Form of Admonition (caution, warn, put in mind, reprove). Colossians 3:16 "...teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,…"
Singing must be:
1)Understood. Psalms 47:7 ""For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding."
I Corinthians 14:15 "... I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."
Singing is great in difficult situations:
1)Paul and Silas in prison. Acts 16:25 "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them."
Singing is great for happy times:
1)James 5:13 ". . . Is any merry? let him sing psalms." Proverbs 29:6 "In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice."
Singing is great after difficult trials have been overcome:
1)Jeremiah 20:13 "Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers."
2)Deborah, Barak and the children of Israel. Judges 5:3 "Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel."
Singing is good:
1)Psalms 147:1 "Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely."
Singing is eternal:
1)Psalms 104:33 "I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being."
Singing is a wonderful way to show that we believe in God, His promises and His ways. Let us sing heartily! Col. 3:17
Stacy Crim
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Ask Where is the Good Way
"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls…" (Jeremiah 6:16a)
With frequency and regularity, man throughout all of history has left the tried and tested old paths to look for new and better religious ways. A departure from the old path happens sometimes very slowly as men make ever so subtle changes to the Word of God. In 606 A.D. Boniface III assumed the title of "universal bishop" and ruler of the Roman catholic church. The first step to this evil end was a departure from God’s "good way" as men began to oversee the work of several congregations. A clear departure from the "old path" were each congregation is to have it’s own eldership, and the oversight of that eldership limited to the flock among them.(I Peter 5:2-4)
The thoughts of Jeremiah 6:16 continue to ring true as God’s people must continually ask for the old paths and the good way. The way is clearly marked within New Testament passages. There is only one head of the church, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:23) Did Jesus establish the church that you belong to? His church began on the Day of Pentecost when nearly 3,000 people were added to it. (Acts 2:41,47) When did your church begin? Those added to the church, believed in Jesus as the Son of God (John 3:16), repented of their sins (Acts 2:38), confessed their belief in Christ (Romans 10:9-10) and were baptized for the remission of their sins(Acts 2:38). Is this what you have done to have your sins forgiven and for the Lord to add you to His church? Do you worship God in spirit and in truth, (John 4:24) by partaking of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week, (I Corinthians 11:20-30 & Acts 20:7)singing from the heart without an instrument (Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16), giving of as you have prospered each first day of the week, (I Corinthians 16:1-3, II Corinthians 9:6-8), praying, and learning the will of God? If not, why not?
These identifying markers of the old paths lead us in the good way. We must continually remind ourselves of them, ask for them, and stay within the path of righteousness. Jeremiah would also proclaim, "…It is not within man that walketh to direct his steps." (Jeremiah 10:23) We simply do not know the way without God’s guidance. What will our attitude be? The people of Jeremiah’s day said "We will not hearken." (Jeremiah 6:16b)
Stacy Crim
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