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By John Beardsley
"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the
which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:15-16;
also refer to Ephesians 5:19)
Emphasis "...psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts..." Does this approve or license Christian Rock? Definitely not.
1 Corinthians 7:1
"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: [It is] good for a man not to
touch a woman."
There is positively no way to escape this verse on the issue of body surfing!
II Corinthians 6:14
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
Romans 12:1 - 2
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
These verses demonstrate we are NOT to conform to the world, exactly opposite of what
C-rock is teaching.
1 Peter 3:15
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer
to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear:"
Matthew 28:19-20
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I
have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world.
Amen."
These verses testify against c-rockers lack of a gospel message even saying they are NOT
at the concerts to preach. Not to mention where in Bible does it say to use music as the
way to preach? It doesn't, it's in the Bible to build each other up!
2 Timothy 4:2
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with
all longsuffering and doctrine."
This is what folks like myself are doing are best to do, doctrine is a foreign idea in
c-rock because they are adapting to the world's way of thinking.
2 Timothy 2:15 -16
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane [and] vain babblings: for they will
increase unto more ungodliness."
Matthew 7:16 - 20
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of
thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth
forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
Galatians 5:21 - 24
"Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you
before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not
inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no
law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and
lusts."
And where are the spiritual fruits of the C-rock?! They are not evident in the concerts
they claim are explicitly "Christian." This of itself should be enough to scare
away a teen trying to walk honestly according to scriptures.
The utterances of c-rock are vain babblings at best and are often blasphemous or
heretical.
Christian rockers are clearly "cozying-up" to the world and its ways, opposite
of Romans 12:1-2 and other verses quoted. They often sing the world's songs, mimmic
the world's dress style, have lyrics which often make no sense like their secular
counterparts, and behave like the unsaved rockers! The fast growth of Christian rock
should sound the alarm bells for parents, pastors and peachers who are seeking to follow
scriptures and protect their children! We need to beware of the arguments presented
by the likes of c-rockers as they attempt (maybe unintentionally) to undermine parental
authority introducing the seductive heresy of "Christian Rock."
The following answers the so-called "cheap
shots" we are making of c-rock as accused by the leader of the c-rock group
"Bride."
Why do I and others like me take a stand against c-rockers? This web site speaks volumes
to the why we must oppose them according to the Bible:
http://www.tcsn.net/fbchurch/fbcjudge.htm
Here's a quote from the site: - (Go to the website for the entire article)
(It makes for a good study in scripture, because God, NO MAN made these statements, here
the harmony of scripture is evident)
THIS QUESTION- "IS IT RIGHT TO JUDGE?" is one that puzzles many sincere
Christians. A careful and open minded study of the Bible makes it clear that concerning
certain vital matters, it is not only right but a positive duty to judge.
Many do not know that the Scripture commands us to judge. The Lord Jesus Christ commanded,
"Judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24). He told a man, "Thou hast rightly
judged" (Luke 7:43). To others, our Lord asked, "Why even of yourselves judge ye
not what is right?" (Luke 12:57).
The Apostle Paul wrote, "I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say" (1
Corinthians 10:15). Again, Paul declared, "He that is spiritual judgeth all
things" (1 Corinthians 2:15). It is our positive duty to judge.
False Teachers and False Teaching
"Beware of false prophets!" (Matthew 7:15) is the warning and command of our
Lord. But how could we "beware" and how could we know they are "false
prophets" if we did not judge? And what is the God given standard by which we are to
judge? "
To the Law and to the Testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because
there is no light in them."
(Isaiah 8:20). "Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16), Christ said.
And in judging the "fruits," we must judge by God's Word, not by what appeals to
human reasoning. Many things seem good to human judgment which are false to the Word of
God.
The Apostle Paul admonished believers, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which
cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid
them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus
Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the
simple" (Romans 16:17-18).
This apostolic command could not be obeyed were it not right to judge. God wants us to
know His Word and then test all teachers and teaching by it. Notice also that it is the
false teachers who make the "divisions," and not those who protest against their
false teaching. And these deceivers are not serving Christ, as they profess, "but
their own belly," or their own "bread and
butter," as we would put it. We are to "mark them and avoid them."
"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (2 Corinthians
6:17, read verses 14-18). and "From such turn away." (2 Timothy 3:5).
"Withdraw yourselves" (2 Thessalonians 3:6). "And have no fellowship with
the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them " (Ephesians 5:1 1).
"Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Romans 12:9).
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). It
would be
impossible to obey these injunctions of God's Word unless it were right to judge! And
remember, nothing is "good" in God's sight that is not true to His Word.
The Apostle John wrote, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [test, judge] the
spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world
" ( 1 John 4:1 ) . Again he wrote, "For many deceivers are entered into the
world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.... If there come any unto
you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God
speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John
7,10-11). This Scripture commands us to judge between those who do, and those who do not
bring the true doctrine of Christ.
Whenever a child of God contributes to a denominational budget that supports Modernist
(liberal, compromising) missionaries or teachers, he is guilty before God, according to
this Scripture, of bidding them, "God speed " in the most effective way
possible. And he thereby becomes a "partaker" with them of their "evil
deeds" of spreading soul damning poison. How terrible, but how true! Arouse yourself,
child of God. If you are guilty, ask God to forgive you and help you never again to be
guilty of the blood of souls for whom Christ died. When we are willing to suffer for
Christ, we can readily see the truth of God's Word on this tremendously important matter.
"If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him" (2 Timothy 2:12) .
Misunderstood and Misused Scripture
One of the best known and most misunderstood and misapplied Scriptures is "Judge
not" (Matthew 7:1). Let us examine the entire passage:
"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why
beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest
not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull
out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite,
first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt
thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye" (Matthew 7:1-5).
Read this again carefully. Notice that it is addressed to a hypocrite!-not to those who
sincerely want to discern whether a teacher or teaching is true or false to God's Word.
And instead of being a prohibition against honest judgment, it is a solemn warning against
hypocritical judgment. In fact, the last statement of this Scripture commands sincere
judgment-"Then shalt
thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." If we take a verse
or a part of a verse out of its setting, we can make the Word of God appear to teach the
very opposite of what it really does teach. And those who do this cannot escape the
judgment of God for twisting His Word (2 Peter 3:16). Let this be a warning to us never
again to take a text of Scripture out of its context.
Many who piously quote, "Judge not," out of its context, in order to defend that
which is false to God's Word, do not see their own inconsistency in thus judging those who
would obey God's Word about judging that which is untrue to the Bible. It is tragic that
so much that is anti-Scriptural has undeservedly found shelter behind a misuse of the
Scripture just quoted. The reason the
professed church of Christ is today honeycombed and paralyzed by satanic Modernism is
because Christians have not obeyed the commands of God's Word to judge and put away and
separate from false teachers and false teaching when they first appeared in their midst.
Physical health is maintained by separation from disease germs. Spiritual health is
maintained by separation from germs of false doctrine. The greatest peril of our day is
not too much judging, but too little judging of spiritual falsehood.
God wants His children to be like the noble Bereans who "searched the Scriptures
daily, whether those things were so"(Acts 17:11).
Romans 2:1-3 is also addressed to the religious hypocrite who condemned himself because he
was guilty of the same things for which he condemned others. James 4:11-12 refers to an
evil spirit of backbiting and fault finding, not to judging whether teachers or teachings
agree or disagree with God's Word. The Bible never contradicts itself. To understand one
portion of
Scripture we must view it in the light of all Scripture. "No prophecy of the
Scripture is of any private [isolated] interpretation" (2 Peter 1:20).
"Comparing spiritual things [words] with spiritual" (1 Corinthians 2:13).
The "Wheat and Tares" parable of Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, is much misunderstood.
First of all, our Lord is talking about the world, not His Church-"the field is the
world." He goes on to say that "the good seed are the children of the Kingdom;
but the tares are the children of the wicked one" (Matthew 13:38) . They are the two
groups in the world; children of
God-those who have received Christ (John 1:12), and the children of the devil-those who
reject Christ (John 8:44). When any of the "children of the wicked one" get into
the professed church of Christ, as they have always done, a definite procedure for God's
children is set forth in His Word. First, it is their duty to tell them that they have
"neither part nor lot" in Christ (see
Acts 8:21-23 and context).
If the children of the devil do not leave voluntarily, as is generally the case, God's
children are commanded to "purge out" (1 Corinthians 5:7) these unbelievers. But
God's people have disobeyed His Word about this, and so unbelievers [and disobedient
brethren- 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14-15] have gotten into control, as is now the case in most
denominations. Therefore, those who
purpose to be true to Christ and His Word are commanded to "come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord" (2 Corinthians 6:17), regardless of property or
any other considerations. When we obey God's Word, we can trust Him
to take care of all the consequences of our obedience.
---end quote----
Again for the entire article I refer you to:
http://www.tcsn.net/fbchurch/fbcjudge.htm