The Providence of God

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Shelby G. Floyd

How many of us can remember back when we were little children, school was out, we got up in the morning and we would play with our friends from daylight and there were no worries, no anxiety. When I was a child, I never worried about whether we were going to have food on the table; I just trusted my mom and dad and I knew that they would take care of me. I never worry about whether I was going to have a good coat when wintertime would come on; they just always took care of me, and I trusted them. I never worried about the mortgage payment or whether we would have a place to live, because I just took that for granted; I trusted my parents and they always came through. Many of us have that kind of trust, that kind of a faith in an all-powerful, all loving heavenly Father, that he will do the same for us today! I really feel like we need to get the lesson of God’s overruling Providence into our hearts in a firm and fixed way.

The Story of Joseph

One of the most beautiful stories to me is found in Genesis beginning with chapter 37 and continuing through that book. It is the story about the patriarch Jacob, and he had all of the sons. The youngest son was named Joseph. He really loved Joseph in a special way because he was born by his wife, Rachel, who he loved also in a special way. He loved him so much because he was born when Jacob was up in the years. Jacob was an old man. So, Joseph had a special place in his heart. But this created jealousy and envy on the part of Joseph’s brothers, and they hated him. They would not even speak peaceably to him and on a certain occasion when the opportunity was right, they even wanted to kill their brother, Joseph. But the way it turned out, instead of killing him, they sold him as a slave into bondage down into Egypt. Joseph was separated from his family, separated from his father, separated from his brothers. He was off in a distant land, but Joseph was a man who trusted the Almighty. He never lost faith. Whatever happened to him, he realized that God had a plan for his life. Sometimes he would be down in the very depths of despair, but he never gave up. He never lost faith; he never changed his character. He was true to his God whether he was at home in Canaan land or whether he was in the land of Egypt. God loved Joseph. God looked down from heaven, and God took care of him. God exalted him and ultimately, he became prime minister of the land of Egypt. God had a plan not only for Joseph, but God had a plan for Joseph’s father, Joseph’s brothers and God had a plan for the whole human race and Joseph was a part of that plan, even when terrible things happened to him down in Egypt. Later on when there was a great famine in Canaan and Jacob had to send his sons down to Egypt to buy corn and food so they could survive, after the second trip, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and it was fulfilled what he had earlier prophesied that they would bow down to him like the stars of heaven would bow down to the sun and they would bow down to him like the sheep that bow down to the shepherd that was in the meadow; it was all fulfilled. When they realized that it was their brother, Joseph, they became very afraid and especially after their father died, they were afraid that Joseph would take vengeance upon them for the terrible things that they had done in the way they had treated him. But in Genesis 50 Joseph makes a point that I want to emphasize this morning. He said, “do not fear what I will do to you, because you meant it unto me for evil, but God meant it for good to save many people alive this day.” Now there is the point that we wish to make. If we really love God and we trust him and we are serving him, even things that seem to be evil in our life can turn out to be for good. God can overrule any evil that happens in our life and bring good out of it. Was it evil that Joseph’s brothers sold him into Egypt? Yes. Was it evil that he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thrown in prison? Yes. Did God overrule that and bring about good in the life of Joseph? Yes. God wanted to save Jacob and his children and his posterity so Christ could come into the world, and he did that through Joseph and through all these things happening to him. Joseph was at the right place at the right time to be selected as the Prime Minister of Egypt, to overrule the dispensaries of food when the famine came and save them alive and prosper them so they would become the great nation of Israel and later bring God’s scheme of redemption and reveal it to us by the Old Testament prophets and, ultimately, manage to bring Christ into the world. That is the Providence of God.

The Providence of God

What is the Providence of God? I really believe in the Providence of God. God controls and guides the events of our world in such a way as to bless his children. This is what we mean when we talk about the Providence of God.

Robert Richerson was the son-in-law of Alexander Campbell, and he was a teacher at Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia. And in the Millennial Harbinger he made this statement about Providence: “It is indeed the very idea and definition of Providence that it is the divine agency exerted in sustaining and governing the universe. It differs from miracle in this – that its designs are brought to pass by means of the established laws and through the ordinary channels, while a miracle is the accomplishment of a purpose by other means.” He goes on to say, “By the Providence of God, then we need his care and his superintendence in preserving and governing the world. By the preservation of the world is implied in the upholding, the being, the powers and the attributes of all created things and by government is signified a controlling overruling power over everything which is thus upheld.” So, I think you can see from that definition that God and the word teaches that God is governing and superintending, and he is bringing his purposes about through whatever things are going on in the natural world. Continue reading “The Providence of God” →

Is Christ Your Life?

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Shelby G. Floyd

The apostle Paul was arrested at Jerusalem, and he was sent by the governing authorities on a dangerous sea voyage to Rome. The author of the Acts said, “when we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.” (Acts 28: 16).

What was going on during Paul’s two years of imprisonment in Rome? “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 28: 30-31).

The apostle wrote Philippians from his prison. From a strictly worldly viewpoint, being in prison for no crime seemed to be a bad thing. When Christ is our life, God can take a bad thing and make it a good thing and can even make it a God thing. Paul had a positive spirit. Because of the prayers of the Philippians for him and the power of the Spirit of Christ that was within him, he believed “what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” (Philippians 1: 19).

Paul confessed that he eagerly expected and hoped that he would not be ashamed of the gospel and of Christ. He intended to be bold and courageous in exalting and magnifying Christ whether it was by life or death. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is again.” (Philippians 1:21). If Christ is not our life, we are not ready to die. Paul had already died to sin and now Christ was living in him.

 

To the Galatians he said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who love me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20). Let all who have been baptized into Christ rise to walk a new life of joy and focus on living for Christ.


The apostle Paul was arrested at Jerusalem, and he was sent by the governing authorities on a dangerous sea voyage to Rome.  The author of the Acts said, “when we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.”  (Acts 28: 16). 

What was going on during Paul’s two years of imprisonment in Rome? “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.  Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Acts 28: 30-31).

Paul wrote Philippians from his prison. From a strictly worldly viewpoint, being in prison for no crime seemed to be a bad thing.  When Christ is our life, God can take a bad thing and make it a good thing and can even make it a God thing.  Paul had a positive spirit.  Because of the prayers of the Philippians for him and the power of the Spirit of Christ that was within him, he believed “what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”  (Philippians 1: 19).

 Paul confessed that he eagerly expected and hoped that he would not be ashamed of the gospel and of Christ.  He intended to be bold and courageous in exalting and magnifying Christ whether it was by life or death. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is again.”  (Philippians 1:21).  If Christ is not our life, we are not ready to die.  Paul had already died to sin and now Christ was living in him. 

To the Galatians he said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who love me and gave himself for me.”  (Galatians 2:20). Let all who have been baptized into Christ rise to walk a new life of joy and focus on living for Christ.

Copyright © 2025 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, Minister at the Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THESSALONICA

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Shelby G. Floyd

Paul and Silas traveled in the northern part of Asia when they were on their second evangelistic journey. The Holy Spirit of God forbade them to preach the gospel in that area. They entered the city of Troas where Paul had a vision in the night of a man pleading for them to come over into Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10). At once they embarked to Philippi, where they established the first congregation of the church in Europe. After much persecution they were forced to depart to Thessalonica (Acts 16:11-17:1).

Thessalonica was one of the chief cities of Macedonia, being favorably located on the great Roman road called the Via Ignatia. At one time the city was called Therma because of the hot springs. Cassander remodeled and enlarged the city. Then he chose to honor his wife Thessalonica, by naming the city after her. (1) the Romans then made it the capital of the province of Macedonia and 164 B. C. And after the Battle of Philippi in 42 B. C. It became a free city. (2)

Paul immediately entered the synagogue of the Jews. This is probably the reason they passed by Amphipolis and Apollonia. A synagogue usually always represented a large Jewish population and Gentile proselytes. (3) Ten Jewish men were required to establish a synagogue. Then Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead. Then he plainly stated, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ” (Acts 17:2-3).

Luke the physician became a traveling partner with them at Troas (Acts 16:10), relates to us that some of the Jews and a great multitude of the Greeks and chief women believed! (4) some say the reason so many Gentiles were converted was the fact Paul stayed on the increase directly to them after the doors of the synagogue were closed. (5) this seems highly and likely since the unbelieving Jews rounded up all the of the towns rascals and stirred up a mob riot. After he had sold the house of Jason, the brethren immediately remove Paul and Silas to Berea, knowing it was not safe for them to stay there any longer. Just exactly how long they were in Thessalonica is a question which has been answered in many ways. But Luke sets forth the fact that they were forced to leave after three weeks preaching. This seems correct, for Paul and Silas were having met many responses at Berea until the same unbelieving Jews at Thessalonica came down insert up the people. It then seems doubtful they would have been able to stay at Thessalonica any longer than three weeks! Continue reading “PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THESSALONICA” →

TEST THE SPIRITS

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Shelby G. Floyd

 

 

 

 

 

 


“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1 NIV). These warning words are from the apostle John! There are still many false teachers around today!

The author of the letter to the church of Ephesus is Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:1-3). This letter is a part of the revelation which God gave to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ gave to an angel, the angel signified to John, and John wrote it down in a book and sent it to the churches (Revelation 1:1-2).

A great blessing is pronounced upon those who read, hear and keep those things which are written in the last book of the Bible (Revelation 1:3.) John received this wonderful disclosure while he was on the Isle of Patmos. He heard a great voice behind him as the voice of a trumpet, loud, distinct and clear. When he turned to see who was speaking, he saw seven golden candlesticks and in the midst of those golden candlesticks he saw the glorified Christ, like unto the son of man, and he had in his right hand seven stars (Revelation 1:9-19). Continue reading “TEST THE SPIRITS” →

THE IMMORTAL SPIRIT OF MAN

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Shelby G. Floyd

 

Good morning! I am sure we all had a great Thanksgiving with our family and friends. The songs we have sung today are really great and go perfectly with my lesson. I really like that last song about “the soul that never dies!”

My subject today is the “The Immortal Spirit of Man!” The Bible says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of the Almighty. And the word of God is able to make us perfect unto salvation. That salvation is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:14-17). And it is in Christ that we find the complete growth and purpose of man.

GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE

 

Man has an immortal spirit. And I use the word man in the sense of Adam being the federal head of the human family. That includes man and woman. So we are talking about mankind.

We read in the Bible the question: “What is man that you are mindful of him?” And so we will answer that question in the course of this lesson. Did you know that all of us have an immortal spirit or soul? This soul/spirit came from Almighty God. Soul and spirit are sometimes used interchangeably. But there is also a slight distinction between the soul and the spirit. We will discuss that later.

In order to introduce this lesson, we must go all the way back to Genesis. The Bible says that God created man in his own image. Just think about that. We are made in God’s image. What or who is God? He made us in his image. “So God created man in his own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27 NKJV). This recounts the origin of man in one verse of Scripture. Man and woman were made in God’s image! Therefore, we were made to honor God.

In Genesis we read “The Lord created man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). This expressed the twofold nature of man. The body was made out of dust. There is not anything made out of dust today that can equal what God made out of the clay! But God did not stop after he had made man out of the earth! “He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).

And then God planted man in the garden of Eden. I have always wondered where the garden was located. Many others wonder too! It is identified as being near the river Euphrates. But we are lost in locating the other three rivers.

Anyway, in that garden, God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Trees are a great blessing. We have all enjoyed the fall scenes of Indiana. Indiana has a forest of oak trees operated on behalf of the USS Constitution and any repairs that ship may need. It is off-limits to everyone else!

Therefore God created a beautiful garden for man and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there. And it appears that man did not know the difference between good and evil until he ate of that tree. God commanded him not to eat of it.

Do you remember your innocence growing up as a child? You never committed any sin. And then the first time you committed sin; you did not have a good feeling. Then you thought, “I am now a sinner, because I know the difference between good and evil!” That will give us some idea of how Adam and Eve felt when they realized the difference between good and evil (See Genesis 2:15-17). And God said to them, “you will surely die!” Man did not die physically that day. Man died spiritually because he was separated from God. And after he was separated from God, he hid from Him because he was guilty. Continue reading “THE IMMORTAL SPIRIT OF MAN” →

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST

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Shelby G. Floyd

 


Good morning church. We thank God for a beautiful fall and refreshing rain last night. It is good to live in Indiana and enjoy this beautiful time of the year! I am thankful Jim has recuperated from his illness and is able to lead the singing again.

About three weeks ago I spoke to you on the subject “Can a Bride Forget Her Attire?” (Jeremiah 2:32). Today, I am speaking on “The Bride of Christ.” Someone might say, “I didn’t know Christ was married!” I believe you will know that Christ is married after this lesson today. I have made a fresh study on the subject, and I have learned a lot about this topic. The Bride of Christ is actually a metaphor in figurative language with Christ as the bridegroom and the church pictured as the bride.

OUTLINE OF A BIBLICAL WEDDING

 

Our weddings today follow to some extent the biblical weddings. But they were more expanded than our weddings today. Here is a brief schedule of how weddings were carried out in the days of Jesus Christ:

1. The fathers of the bridegroom and bride would come together and they would plan the wedding. This involved when it would take place and everything that would happen. So they would produce an outline of the wedding.

2. Next, the bridegroom would agree to pay the “bride price,” or bride gift! (cf. Genesis 24:12). Jacob agreed with his uncle Laban to work seven years for his daughter Rachel. He did so, and then Laban gave him her not so pretty sister! Paul told the Corinthians that the church was bought at a price, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20). The church was purchased with the blood of Christ – the bride price!

3. Then the groom and bride would sign the marriage covenant or contract. This was called the betrothal, or as we would call it today, “the engagement.” (Compare Isaac and Rebekah in Genesis 24:58-60).

4. But after the betrothal they did not come together. The groom would depart to his father’s house to prepare a home for his bride. Sometimes it would be a year or more before they came together. That is exactly what the bridegroom of the church did. He ascended to heaven and the angel said he would come back to take his bride home. (Compare Acts 1:9-10). That is the way it will happen when Jesus comes to take his bride to the heavenly home.

5. While Jesus the bridegroom is a way, his friends wait to escort him to the new home. But they must keep their lamps shining and not let them go out. (Compare Matthew 25:5-6). The bridegroom will come at a time when he is least expected!

6. Suddenly, the groom returns for his bride and escorts her to their new house. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

7. And then finally, there is a great celebration called, “the marriage supper of the Lamb!” (Revelation 19:7-9). So those are the steps in biblical weddings and in the wedding of Christ and the church!

CHRIST IS THE BRIDEGROOM

 

Jesus was questioned about fasting one time. They asked him why the disciples of John and the Pharisees fasted, but his disciples did not fast. Then Jesus gave them his answer. He asked them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?” (Mark 2:18-19). In Matthew’s account he says almost the same thing: “Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:14-15). Pay attention to the words, “the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them.”

John the Baptist was the friend of the bridegroom Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled” (John 3:29). So John the Baptist came on the scene before Christ. And he was very happy that he was the friend of the bridegroom. And he rejoiced among the people. He prepared and pointed the people to the bridegroom!
So while the bridegroom was with them, the people rejoiced in eating, feasting, and drinking with Christ. “Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?” And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days” (Luke 5:33-35)? The emphasis is that the bridegroom will be taken away from them. And then they will be able to fast because they are sad! Continue reading “THE BRIDE OF CHRIST” →

CAN A BRIDE FORGET HER ATTIRE?

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Shelby G. Floyd

Good morning! We just had an uplifting song service. And that prepares us to study the wonderful word of God. Today I am speaking on a text that I have never used in 63 years of preaching. The Bible is in exhaustible and infinite just like God who gave it to us!

Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, prophesied to Israel during the years 700 BC to 575 BC. During this time God’s people were backsliding. They were becoming like the idolatrous and adulterous nations around them. And our world is a lot like that today and we see some of the same things in the church of our Lord today. The danger is that the church, like Israel, will become like the world and many will end up lost. Not to reach the promised land of heaven is the ultimate failure of life.


The Prophets Warned Israel!

 

The prophets warned Israel of impending disaster. And they urged them to return to the Lord and he would bless them like he did in the days of old! God’s prophets spoke to Israel and Judah. I will stop right here and explain why we have Israel and Judah. When God’s people left Egypt they were just the 12 tribes of Israel. But later they had a division. And the 12 tribes divided between Israel and Judah. Israel ruled from Samaria and Judah ruled from Jerusalem. Therefore the prophets now speak to them as Israel and Judah. But formerly they were all just Israel.

The Prophets Used Figurative Language!
The prophets spoke to them in highly figurative language. Figures of speech can be very powerful in communicating truth to the people. We do not use this form of speaking as much as the ancients, but it is still very powerful in conveying great lessons to God’s people. Therefore, these prophets urged Israel and Judah to return to the husband that had loved them at the beginning when he led them out of Egypt. Our text today is just one verse: “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32 NKJV).

So there is the problem! They had forgotten who they were, and that they were married to the Lord. Therefore my lesson today breaks down into three parts: 1. God Married Israel; 2. God Divorces Israel; and 3. God Renews His Marriage With Israel. This is a very simple message, but I believe it to be very powerful to all of us today!

 

I. GOD’S MARRIAGE TO ISRAEL

 

Continue reading “CAN A BRIDE FORGET HER ATTIRE?” →

THE REJECTED CORNERSTONE

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Shelby G. Floyd

That was a great song service! Let us all send the light. This praise to God inspires us to take the gospel into all the world. We have the September issue of House to House available in the foyer. Please pick up a copy and hand one to a friend or neighbor. It is good to see the large group of young people setting down here at the front of the auditorium. We do have a full house today, with only a few empty seats.

Today, I am speaking to you on the subject, “The Rejected Cornerstone!” The New Testament mentions “The Rejected Cornerstone” about five times. Including the Old Testament references it occurs about nine times. These references give us our topic today—The Rejected Cornerstone!

About two weeks ago we took a trip down to Bloomington, Indiana for a wedding. And when we drove up to the place of the wedding, I noticed there was an old rusty factory that was not in use. And as we drove into the parking lot and I was amazed to see a lot of big stones eight feet long, six feet high and four feet wide! And they stacked them on top of each other three or four rows high. And I thought to myself, that is amazing. So, while we were at the wedding, I asked some of the people what the factory did before they shut it down. They said, “they cut those big stones you see that are stacked up all around the parking lot.”

When I returned home and did some research, I was amazed at what I found. I told you before that Indianapolis and the surrounding area is actually setting on top of a giant gravel pit. But when I did further research, I discovered that north of Bloomington there is a giant vein of limestone that runs under the city of Bloomington and under the city of Bedford, Indiana. Therefore, these two cities are sitting on top of an amazing bed of the best limestone in the country. Most of the buildings in Washington DC have Indiana limestone on the building. Builders used Indiana limestone to repair the Pentagon building after the attack on 9-11. Continue reading “THE REJECTED CORNERSTONE” →

IS YOUR BURDEN TOO HEAVY?

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Shelby G. Floyd


Paul wrote a letter to the Galatian Christians in which he urged them to bear and share the burdens of life. He said, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). But we should not expect others to do it all. Everyone has a personal responsibility. So, Paul adds, “For each one shall bear his own load” (Galatians 6:5).

But when our burdens are too heavy for us and our brothers and sisters, we are to hand them over to the Lord, as the word of God teaches, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

“Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34).

For thus says the High and Lofty One
Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who has a contrite and humble spirit,
To revive the spirit of the humble,
And to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).

Copyright © 2024 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

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Shelby Floyd, Minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

I ALWAYS WONDERED WHY?

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Shelby G. Floyd

We have a good audience today. It is good to see all of you. I hope you picked up a copy of our Newsletter. Next Sunday, you are invited to the surprise 65th wedding anniversary of Benny and Gail Stephens. I hope many will honor them. Benny has preached at several congregations in the Indianapolis area over many years. We are thankful for his service in the church.

Rick Wheat is visiting from the Lehman Avenue church of Christ in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Please welcome him. It is good to see all of you!

Our singing was really good today, as it always is. Several months ago, we were discussing with several people how beautiful our singing is here at Heartland. And during that conversation a person said to me, “I have always wondered why we do not use instrumental music in our worship to God.” After some thought about that statement, I realized that it is good for us to wonder why we do certain things. Therefore, we need to present more sermons on why we sing a cappella in our worship to God. The word a cappella means “in the style of the church.”

While my thoughts were on singing praises to God, my mind drifted to the Songbirds. It is like God created them to sing and they cannot hold back. But they must sing their songs of praise to their creator God. And that is the way we are here at the Heartland church. We are like songbirds! We love to sing all the beautiful hymns and spiritual songs that have been handed down to us by great writers of music!

King David, a man after God’s own heart, loved to sing praises to his God. And in the book of Psalms he said,

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.                                      (Psalms 104:33 NKJV).

And so, David praised God continually with his praise songs in the book of Psalms!

SOME PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS

And that takes us back to the beginning of the church when singing without instrumental music was practiced in worship to God. And so, for hundreds of years, the New Testament church in worship to God only sung psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs without instrumental music accompaniment!

About 600 A. D. after the establishment of the New Testament church, there was a group that wanted to introduce instrumental music into the worship. This created so much opposition that they took it out and the controversy died. About 800 A.D. there was a movement to bring the instrument back into the worship again and it flourished in the apostate church. And then later during the Reformation movement beginning about 1500 A.D., most of those new churches that were started used instrumental music in their worship to God.

But here in America in the 1800s there was a movement to restore the New Testament church in all of its essential features. And since there were no passages of Scripture that authorized instrumental music in worship to God, their worship was simply singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19).

I believe that we should preach more biblical fundamental topics, because young people are growing up in the church. And if they do not know why we sing in worship without instrumental music, when they get out into the world, some slick tongued preacher will convince them that singing with instrumental music is exactly what God wants. And they will not know how to answer and counter with the truth of the gospel. And perhaps then they will make the same statement that we started our lesson with today, “I’ve always wondered why we don’t use instrumental music in worship of God!”

And people could say that about a lot of different subjects. Why does the church observe the Lord’s supper every Sunday, 52 weeks a year? Because many churches only observe the Lord’s supper monthly, quarterly, and some only once a year at Christmas time.

But Jesus said to the woman at the well,

“Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21-24). 

Jesus emphasized that in the new order worship must be in spirit and truth!

THE NEW TESTAMENT AUTHORIZES SINGING IN WORSHIP

Therefore, we must go to the New Testament to discover the teaching that authorizes true worship to God. And when we do, in the area of music God only authorizes singing. The following scriptures will reveal to us how we can sing in worship to God “a cappella” without the use of instrumental music.

1. In Matthew 26:30, after Jesus had established the Lord’s supper and the beautiful ceremony was over, they went out and sung a hymn in worship to God. The word sung in the Greek language is humneo. The word hymn derives from this term. This word is always translated by the English word sing.

2. Singing in Acts 16:25 took place when Paul and Silas were in the city of Philippi. They were mistreated, thrown in jail, and their feet were fastened in the stocks. And I am sure they were downhearted. But they never gave up hope that God would take care of them. At midnight, Paul and Silas were “praying and singing hymns to God.” The other prisoners listened to them. They were not religious and were not singing or praying. It is a joy to serve God, pray and sing hymns at midnight. Again, the word singing is from the Greek word humneo, so literally, they were “hymning hymns!” Our next scripture is,

3. Romans 15:9, …and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles And sing to Your name.” In Paul’s writings to the churches, he expressed his desire to go to Rome on several occasions. Rome ruled the world at that time. He desired to encourage the church in Rome that was undergoing great persecution. The Greek word for sing is psallo. This action verb psallo commands us to sing to the glory of God. And this word is always translated sing or an equivalent synonym.

4. 1 Corinthians 14:15, is our fourth scripture that authorizes singing in our worship to God. Paul wrote to this congregation and said, “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.” According to the teaching of Paul, both praying and singing requires the spirit and the understanding of the worshiper. That is what we would call “wholehearted worship!” And here again the word sing translates the Greek word psallo. And psallo is always translated by the word sing or its equivalent synonym!

5. Ephesians 5:19, and this is the key verse in our discussion on why we should not use instrumental music in worship to our Creator God. Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and said, “… speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Where do we sing and make melody? We do that in our heart to the Lord! Is there an instrument involved in singing and making melody to the Lord? Yes there is. It is the human heart! In this case what is the human heart? It is your emotions, your intellect, your conscience, and your willpower. So, we sing and praise God in our heart with all of our physical and spiritual being.

And in this Scripture, we are introduced to a novel word on the subject of praising God with the human voice without instrumental music. We are to sing and make melody! The word sing translates from the Greek word ado. And then the words “make melody” translate from the Greek verb psallo! We noticed that word psallo in several other scriptures and it is always translated sing. But why is it translated in this particular passage by the words “make melody”? It would sound redundant in this particular case to translate psallo by the word sing. Then the passage would sound something like this, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and singing in your heart to the Lord.” Therefore, the translators simply used a good synonym of the word sing to translate this passage. And that synonym is “making melody” in your heart to the Lord.
The Internet dictionary gives these synonyms for the word “sing”: chant, in tone, croon, carol, and warble! But in my judgment, the translators in 1611 chose the best synonym in the words “make melody.” But the word must be sing or a true synonym. The action is to be done is “in your heart to the Lord”! The heart of man is the great workshop from which we praise our God and Creator in the worship of the church.

Therefore, in summary we have three verbs that are all translated sing or its equivalent. And those three words are ado, humneo, and psallo. And none of them include instrumental music in worship to God.

THE LAW OF GENERICS AND SPECIFICS

Let us now discuss the Law of Generics and Specifics as it relates to our singing and praising God in worship.

One of you men decide you want to purchase a new truck. You approach the salesperson and instruct him that you are interested in a new Red Dodge one half ton truck with an extended cab and the largest v-eight engine. The salesperson disappears and shortly returns with a Ford Truck. We all understand that specific instructions excludes anything outside of the specific parameters! When we specify something, that excludes anything outside of those specifics.

The law of generics and specifics is illustrated in the following chart on biblical principles.

Example One: The Ark-Gopher Wood

In preparation for the great flood, God said to Noah, “Make and ark according to my instructions. Make it out of “Gopher Wood!” There were various kinds of wood then as there are today. There was Acacia, Almug, Olive, Sycamore, and Cedar wood. Isaiah added Myrtle, the Oil tree, Cypress, Pine, Oak, and the Box tree (Isaiah 41:19; 44:14). God specified these distinct kinds of wood for other projects. But for the building of the ark God plainly instructed Noah to build it out of Gopher Wood (Genesis 6:14). It is an unknown wood today that simply vanished with the flood. Noah might have said to his three boys as they were building the ark, “boys, we are out of material, go for wood!” Seriously, Noah understood and acted upon God’s specific commandment!

Example Two: The Passover-Lamb

The Passover that occurred in Egypt is our second example. God instructed the Hebrews to paint the door post and lintels of their house with the blood of the Lamb. They obeyed his specific command and not one Hebrew lost a firstborn son. God also instructed them to offer up different animals such as a turtledove, a heifer, or a goat on other occasion. But at this time God specified the blood of a lamb. Surly this was a type of the precious blood of our Passover Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. The specific instruction is given in Exodus 12:1-13). The specific blood of a lamb excludes all other animals.

Example Three: Music-Singing Vocal

This brings us to example three. What kind of music does God accept in the worship of the church? There are only three kinds of music: vocal, instrumental, and a combination of both. Out of these three coordinate species of music, God named one kind – singing. The church can only obey God by using the kind of music he specified. When God selected singing, that eliminated all other kinds of music. These three examples of the law of generics and specifics are all parallel and understood by most people.

THE GENERIC TERM “MUSIC”

In summary, our topic is what kind of music does God specify in the worship of the church? We have noticed several passages, and they all speak of singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to the Lord. The generic term music is only found one time in the New Testament, and it is found in the story of the prodigal son.

Remember, Jesus told the story of the prodigal son who got tired of living at home. He asked his father for his inheritance, which his father gave him. He then went out and wasted it in riotous living. When his money ran out, he came to himself. He said that in his father’s house even the servants had plenty to eat. But he was eating the pods that the pigs ate! So, he said, “this will I do, I will rise and go back to my father and say, father I have sinned against you and against heaven. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”

But the father loved his son. He called his servants. “Kill the fatted calf, put new shoes on his feet, and put a robe on him. We are going to have a party! This is my son who was lost and has returned home. Let us all rejoice!”

The older son was in the field working. He was a good boy. He had stayed home and obeyed his father. And he never gave him any trouble. But when he heard the music and dancing going on, he returned to the house. What is going on? Have you not heard? Your brother came home. Your father is giving him a party. But my father never gave me a party he said. He had a bad spirit!

But our point here is he heard “music and dancing.” The word music translates from the Greek term sumphonia. This refers to a harmonious union of the sounds of musical instruments (Luke 15:25). “Symphony” derives from this Greek word. If God wanted instrumental music in our worship, He would have used a term like this.

It is my prayer that no one will leave this worship service and wonder why we do not use instrumental music in worship to God. Now you know why. Thank you for reading this lesson on the singing worship of the New Testament church. 

Copyright © 2024 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, minister, delivered this sermon August 4, 2024, at the Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142.