I hadn't mentioned it, that post describing Sunday's church service. I hadn't mentioned how riled I was because of something the preacher said. I have heard this quite a few times, and it never fails to incite me to anger. That they would have such confidence in their belief, even to mock any other way. That they would mercilessly condemn those who do not agree. That they would make it a first teaching in their religion, and believe God will reward them for it.
It's really quite shocking. If you are not familiar with the belief, you would be surprised - to say the least - to know that this denomination makes this belief one of the strict deviding points from other groups.
"We believe the New Testament church worshipped without instruments, and that is how we choose to worship, too."
That is how one church nearby puts it on their church bulliton. But it goes deeper than that. Though I know of, and have even met, a good amount who would not condemn anyone for using instruments in worship, there are also a good many die-hard non-instrumentalists. They are strong in their beliefs, and this is why they think so.
In several scriptures - Ephesians 5:19 ("Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord") and Colossians 3:16 ("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") are examples - it is mentioned that we should sing. They use those scriptures, and a few others (that when I actually heard them for the first time used in that context, I was utterly shocked that they were being used to promote Acapella worship) to prove that it is un-scriptural to use instruments.
In this particular sermon, the preacher deviated from his subject slightly to expound on this subject. What exactly he said, and the tone he used, and the response from the people sitting in the pews nearly made me sick.
He called on one of the men to read a scripture for him. I think it was the Ephesians one, chapter five, verse nineteen. So the man called upon read it out loud. The preacher, talking in a very loud voice, if not shouting, (okay, well they don't have a microphone, if that's any excuse) emphasized each word; "Speaking - not blowing [such as with a trumpet], not pressing down [piano] keys, not banging [a drum], but speaking....." -then to the middle of the verse- "singing; not strumming, not plucking strings, not playing an instrument, but singing."
Amens rang out. They really believe this. This is them. They like to be affirmed.
Very well. If you want to believe that way, do so. I guess you would say, too, "It says singing; that means no clapping, no tapping your foot, no humming, no whistling, no nothing. Don't go beyond what is written, eh?" It is foolish. I cannot believe that they are so convinced. And it angers me that they lead so many astray in this belief; that they indoctrinate those who are not wise enough to resist it. Those who do resist, and leave for lack of acceptance, are spoken of in pitied tones, "So-and-so loved the world too much. Let us pray for him, that he may be enlightened." Indeed. Over my dead body.
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