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The Restoration Plea
By jimmy | December 22, 2008
What About the Restoration Plea - by Jimmy Allen - Searcy, Arkansas
In a former article, I pointed out that the theological winds in our movement are blowing from the left and the right. I have now taught at Harding University for more than forty-seven years. During this period I have believed we did a good job in occupying a centrist position. Some have thought I am a liberal because of my book entitled Rebaptism? The truth is the book defends the position taken by the majority of our people as late as the 1930s. As a matter of fact, the Gospel Advocate continued to uphold the book’s thesis when B.C. Goodpasture was its editor. The truth is I have never varied from believing and practicing the concept of restoring first century Christianity to the twenty-first century. This means we should seek to be undenominational, New Testament Christians as were Peter, Paul, James, and John.
With a group of like minded individuals at the home of Abraham Altars in the southwestern comer of Pennsylvania (apparently the date was 1808), Thomas Campbell said, “Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent.” Andrew Munro then said, “Mr. Campbell, if we adopt that as a basis, then there is an end of infant baptism.” To which Campbell replied, “Of course, if infant baptism be not found in the scriptures, we can have nothing to do with it” (Earl West, Search for the Ancient Order, vol. I, pp. 47-48). From these remarks, it is seen that the motto of speaking where the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent means to engage in activities authorized by the scriptures and refuse to participate in activities unauthorized by the scriptures. If this is followed, wherever it goes, real New Testament Christianity can be practiced today as it was in the apostolic age.
My claim to fame is travel. I have spoken in forty-two states and seven foreign countries. Furthermore, travel has brought many of my students from other parts of the world to Harding. From my experiences away and in the classroom, as well as what I read, I have concluded that the winds from the left are blowing far harder than winds from the right. We had a scrap here in 1969 which was simply a precursor of what is now taking place across our brotherhood. These winds blow not only on the churches but also on the schools. Because of its attitude toward instrumental music in worship, in my judgment, we have already had one of our schools to take at least one step away from the Restoration Plea.
Nine times in the New Testament we are told by command and example to sing. As baptism by immersion excludes sprinkling and pouring; as baptism for believers excludes infants; as praying to the Father through Jesus excludes Mary; as Christ being head over the church excludes the pope, the use of vocal music (called acappella which means according to chapel or church style) excludes instrumental music. If the instrument is not an additional kind of music, how can one add to it? Is it impossible to corrupt the teaching of the New Testament concerning singing? Furthermore, if the use of instrumental music in worship is simply an innocent expedient, why did those who professed to be Christians fail to use it for 600 to 800 years after the church was established? It certainly was not because instruments were lacking.
Responses I Have Heard
More than one brother has told me “there is no pattern” for the church. If this is correct, is there nothing to be bound today religiously or morally? Surely, there is something in the New Testament we are expected to follow and whatever that is must be pattern. The issue is not pattern but how large or small is the pattern to be followed.
Recently, another brother dismissed the issue by saying, “Give me a break.” By this, he justified the use of the instrument in worship. Can you imagine one being so asinine to say this in light of the problem this controversy has been in the American Restoration Movement for almost 150 years and the millions of people who have been affected?
Still another brother, an elder in the church, told me that the leadership in his congregation had studied the issue in view of the Greek language and found our case to be a little weak. My reply was that the western (Roman Catholic) and eastern (Greek Orthodox) church was split in 1054 and instrumental music in worship was part of the reason for the division. I also pointed out that most of the Greek churches, made up of approximately a hundred million people, use only vocal music. Apparently, for them the Greek is more than a “little” weak on the subject. I was on top of traditional Mt. Sinai with a Greek monk stationed at Mt. Catherine monastery in 1964. I asked him what the word “psallo” means. He said, “sing.” I replied that a that a few Greek churches in America were using the instrument. Immediately, he said, “That is wrong.” When I asked him for the meaning of “baptizo,” he said it meant “to immerse.”
A number of times students have cited Rev. 14:2 and said the saints play harps in heaven so we can use instruments here.
First, it would be worthwhile to notice the different translations of the verse (also see Rev. 5:8-9, 15:2-3). The NIV, JB, and TEV all say that what John heard was “like” the sound of harpists playing their harps. However, other translations do say it is harpers harping with their harps.
Second, is this language to be interpreted literally? If so, try the same reasoning on Rev. 11:19. There, the ark of the covenant is depicted as being in God’s heavenly temple. We all know the ark belonged to Judaism and that the ten commandments, which included the keeping of the Sabbath Day, were in it (I Kgs. 8:9). Does this mean we are to observe the Sabbath today as did the ancient Hebrews?
Third, since they are all playing on their harps, if literally interpreted, would not this mean that each one of us would have to play an instrument in worship (a lady in the comer with the piano would not be enough). If not, why not?
Fourth, Rev. 1:1 says, “And he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John”(NKJV). “Signified” is from “samaino” which means to indicate by signs. A modern speech translation says, “He showed them by signs.” I did the research for a Master’s thesis on the eleventh chapter of Revelation. To do this, it was necessary to learn something about Apocalyptic language. Revelation is called the Apocalypse in Greek. All of the scholars know that apocalyptic writing is filled with symbolism and imagery and is written during crisis times for God’s people. Instead of literalizing the harps, one should ask what do they symbolize. The same should also be done with rushing waters and peals of thunder. Maybe the harps symbolize harmony or rhythm and the ark of the covenant God’s faithfulness to covenant. I suppose by now we have all heard the instrument justified by, “We are saved by grace and not by perfect doctrine.” The statement in and of itself is true because none of us is perfect in life or teaching. However, it can be misused. Paul wrote, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1-2). I was told of several Mexican men going to a gospel preacher to be immersed in harmony with Bible teaching. However, they remained in Catholicism surrendering to the pope, praying through Mary, making confession to human priests, partaking of the Mass, etc. Does the statement that we are saved by grace and not perfect doctrine apply in their case? If not, why not? Shall we continue in unauthorized activity that grace may abound? Frankly, I do not know how far God’s grace will reach. I hope it is long enough and broad enough to get me into heaven. However, one cannot logically dismiss a highly controversial subject simply by saying and implying that grace will take care of it and all argument should cease.
Conclusion
Dr. David Burks, president of Harding University, wrote an article dealing with “Core Beliefs.” In it, he stated that we could not give up our stand in favor of acappella music. He also mentioned other doctrinal matters. I complimented him on the article. In reply, he said, “Jimmy, the only ones who have said that to me are older people.” That is frightening to me.
Dr. Milton Sewell, president of Freed Hardeman University, said, “We’re not going to worship with the instrument, and we are not going to promote it here.”I think Burks and Sewell are right. Do not be blown off the foundation of the Restoration Plea by the winds from the left. The music issue is just the beginning.
Dr. Jimmy Allen taught in the Bible Department at Harding University
in Searcy, Arkansas for fifty years before his retirement in 2008.
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