Church of Christ?

Chanticleera said:

I thought Church of Christ churches were into the whole speaking in tongues thing. Am I thinking of something else entirely? Or is it just some of them that are? Or all of them?

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No, we do not. We believe that miracles have ceased 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.

Once the bible was completed through testimony, signs, and wonders, there was no more need for those miraculous gifts (see also James 1:25; Hebrews 2:3-4; Hebrews 11:6; Acts 17:30)

The best gifts were not miraculous gifts, but faith and love, which are not miraculous gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28-31) Paul is telling them the better way is not those miracle gifts. After all, the Holy Spirit through Paul is telling us these would eventually cease when "that which is perfect" is come. At the time 1 Cor. 13:8-10 was written, the bible was not complete yet, not until the book of Revelation.

If you were to say that the gift of tongues was still around today, then you MUST accept that the other gifts are around, such as raising people from the dead like what Paul did in Acts 20 when a young man fell from the window.

Also we would be forced to accept that instantaneous healing exists by the touch of a hand, without medicine or any sort of other influence.

The easiest one gift anyone can "claim" to have is of course tongues since they think it consists of jibber jabber. Anyone can jibber jabber without practice. Babies do it even.

However, in the Koine Greek, tongues is just simply saying "a different language", such as Latin, German, or English.

γλῶσσα glōssa, gloce-sah'; of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication, a language (specially, one naturally unacquired):—tongue; the language or dialect used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations.

When you look at Acts 2:4 for example, tongues simply means that they received the gift of speaking other nations languages, without any study in those dialects/etc, instantaneously.

So those people doing the jibber jabber have totally twisted what tongues actually meant in the Greek Koine "language", which is what all the NT is written in.

People that believe in this man made tradition that the gifts are still around today are Pentecostal, some baptists that I know of personally (not sure if they all do), and is getting quite popular in practically the majority of groups today.

The churches of Christ, if they follow the bible scriptually, do not believe these gifts exist anymore since the completion of the bible.

Chanticleera said:

*grins* I like people that answer questions with a much deeper analysis than first requested. I agree with you. And I may have possibly found a local church to attend, then. Well, when I get a chance. Working overnights this weekend so won't be today.

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Two thumbs up!

Well, it leaves more questions if I were to just say yes or no. Its better to say "yes" or "no" with reasons as to why, to help people understand better and not leave them hanging with more questions than they began with.

You have a wonder day!

Chanticleera said:

I thought Church of Christ churches were into the whole speaking in tongues thing. Am I thinking of something else entirely? Or is it just some of them that are? Or all of them?

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Hi Chanticleera,

As Acts2:38 said, we don't typically speak in tongues in the Restoration Movement churches. You might be thinking of another denomination like the Church of God, or something similar.

Peace,
2PhiloVoid

Chanticleera said:

It appears so. I've found a church of Christ in my area and plan on going Sunday.

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That sounds great. Just be aware that there are different branches among the Restoration Movement churches. Some churches sing hymns or other Christian songs a capella only--i.e. no instruments whatsoever. Others do use instrumental accompaniment during singing. I'm just suggesting you keep this in mind since I don't knolw which kind of RM Church of Christ you may be visiting. Otherwise, it should be good.

Peace,
2PhiloVoid

Chanticleera said:

I would be going to church for the wrong reason if music style alone could sway my decision. But thank you for the heads up.

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If you wish to follow the bible and its commands, there is no commands or authorization to use instruments.

A church of Christ that keeps to scripture on music will not have instruments in their worship to God.

Example verses are Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Also look to the meanings in the Koine Greek lexicon. That is why we do it acapella, because you are singing "in the heart" to God. If instruments were involved, that would mean that everyone has to play one in order to be in worship with God. I don't know about you, but I couldn't play one if my life depended on it

Chanticleera said:

Do you want to go Amish? Cause only permitting what the bible explicitly authorized is how you go amish.

I respect and admire the amish, but I do love my air conditioner...

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The bible doesn't refer to technology such as air conditioners. It is referring to your spiritual self. How to obtain salvation and how to conduct yourself as a Christian and how to worship God. Nothing to do with going Amish and nothing to do with technology like air conditioning.

If using air conditioning, for example, was a sin that would stop you from salvation, it would be in scripture. Likewise, if instruments were authorized for our worship, it would say so. It doesn't though, it says "in the heart" to God. Therefore, one must accept that when we worship God, we sing to Him from "the heart", without instrument accompaniment.

Chanticleera said:

I think that's obeying the wording but ignoring the spirit of what's being said.

That being said, it's just not a big issue to me, so if I end up in a "no instruments" church I wouldn't care. I just don't think it's important enough of an issue that I will insist on being right lol.

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Oh, no no, its not me trying to be right, I don't wish for you to think me trying to go there.

Its more of a "adding" to the scripture type thing.

If the bible tells you how to worship, are you going to add to that worship?

God told Moses how to build the Tabernacle specifically. If Moses did any more to it, would God be pleased?

There isn't one account of worship in the NT that supports music in worship. So churches of Christ (majority of them) will not have music if they plan to follow scripture.

As a christian, it is also my duty to see to it I let people know of an error. If I don't its on me. If I do, the choice is theirs and its on them.

I merely was just informing you of this subject and not trying to be the "guy on top always right" type thing.

Take care and congrats

Acts2:38 said:

There isn't one account of worship in the NT that supports music in worship.

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And therein is the basis of the split between the Independent Christian Churches and the Churches of Christ.
David Lipscomb and other leaders saw the absence of such mention as prohibiting musical instruments in worship.
Others in the RM took that lack of mention as "well, the Bible didn't say we COULDN'T use them..."