by Phil Sanders

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. (Phil. 4:12)

Last November my mother suffered a debilitating stroke, which left her unaware of her surroundings, unable to communicate, unable to eat, and bedfast. My wife Jackie and I rushed to the hospital in Norman, Oklahoma, and spent four days with her. She never knew we were there.

The doctors told us that she had 24 to 48 hours to live. We expected another stroke would take her life. In our crisis, we prayed that if she could not get well, the Lord would take her and save her from the life of a vegetable.

God was gracious and spared her life. In time she went to rehabilitation and to a nursing home that was prepared to continue her treatments. Today she is aware of all that goes on around her, and her memory is remarkable. With the aid of a walker she can go to the cafeteria on her own. She can use her hands and is able to talk on the phone.

Up until a few weeks ago, she was unable to eat. The Lord has restored that gift, and she is feeding herself hard food rather than enduring meals given through a tube to her stomach.

Through it all, mother has not complained. No pity parties, no "why me?" Remarkably, she has said, "God is so good to me."

God's grace, when we have borne our own thorns in the flesh, truly is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:7-10). Learning contentment is a matter of perspective. It is learning to count blessings rather than adapting a mindset of misery over what we do not have.

Contentment must be learned. We are not automatically given it. The key to contentment is in drawing close to God and in gratefully receiving what He grants us. Contentment always follows gratitude.

"God is so good to me."

by Phil Sanders

Milton Jones in The Transforming of a Tradition tells of the change his congregation made from a purely a cappella worship style to one mixed with the alternative of an instrumental "worship band." In the change, brother Jones regrets a double loss. The young people wanted a quick change and left when the congregation did not change fast enough. Many others left later, when the change did take place. Their convictions over a doctrinal issue would not allow them to remain. 

He admitted, "For some of the young we were too slow in our change. They couldn't wait. They are some place else. I'm not sure young people are going to wait on Churches of Christ to change." He believes we should cease our "traditional" practice, since we do not "have enough actual Bible itself to bind our interpretation on others or hinder people from practicing another style of worship" (82). His reason for preferring a cappella worship is due to our tradition and heritage, not because the Bible demands it.

He believes the experience of instruments with contemporary Christian music is such a strong draw that churches of Christ will lose its youth if they do not change. I respectfully disagree that we will lose all our youth. We will lose many of those who fall under the influence of teachers who have little or no convictions on the matter. We will lose those we have failed to teach. We will lose those who are so drawn to the instrument they do not want to stay, but we won't lose them all. Churches in the nineteenth century did not lose all their youth, and neither will we.

What if we do lose our youth? 

John 6 tells a relevant story. Jesus fed a great multitude on a mountain beside the Sea of Galilee. The next day Jesus spoke some difficult things this multitude did not understand or want to hear; some grumbled and did not believe. Many of his disciples withdrew and were not walking with him any more (6:66). Jesus asked the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?"

Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."

Jesus is the only way to life; popular religion will only take us away from our Lord. When many of the disciples left, Jesus did not propose softening His message to keep them. He did not chase after them, promising them a religion they would like. Jesus was faithful to His Father's message (John 6:38; cf. 8:28; 12:49-50); and we must be faithful to His.

The fact is, there is no New Testament passage that commands the use of musical instruments or gives an example of the early church using them. The Christian Scriptures abundantly support a cappella singing but know nothing of playing the instrument. If neither the Lord Jesus nor the Holy Spirit would act on their own initiative to speak things or initiate practices without the Father's permission (John 12:49-50; 16:13-15), what makes us think we have that right?

Our task is to be faithful to God and not to be conformed to this world. If we must choose between God and man, then God will be our choice.

I am not convinced, however, that we will lose all. Some will remain true to the Scriptures, just as some did a century ago. Pointing to how populated the broad way is has never stopped the few from finding life.

by Phil Sanders

In the recent book, The Transforming of a Tradition, Milton Jones compares the struggle over the use of instruments of music in worship to the Confederate flag. According to Jones those who wish to remain a cappella are like those who wish to keep the Confederate flag regardless of how it hurts others. He argues:

Why won't the ones who want a cappella music change? It is more than heritage for many. It is conviction. Even if nearly all of Christendom doesn't agree, they must be faithful. To give up the cause is to lose all for which they have been fighting. They lose identity. How would they be recognized? What would our ancestors think? (76-77)

At the beginning of the twentieth century, members of churches of Christ had pretty much divided from their instrumental brethren. The a cappella group numbered only 159,000, while the instrumental group boasted of more than 600,000. The instrumental brethren had their way and kept most of the church buildings and almost all the schools. A cappella groups were left to fend for themselves, to build their own church buildings, and to establish new schools. But according to Jones, they were the aggressors who have beat up on their brethren.

Jones suggests brethren have remained a cappella because they fear losing all that they have been fighting for, their identity. This is only partially true. If Jones is suggesting that churches of Christ have remained a cappella because that is what distinguishes them as a denomination, then I would object. 

If Jones is suggesting that some have remained a cappella merely because that is their tradition and heritage, he is right. Some among us are so complacent they do not see the need to stand strong for Biblical truth. Indeed, many do not know or do not believe the truth about the use of the instrument in worship.

If, however, Jones is suggesting that true, Biblical discipleship includes abiding in the words of Jesus (John 8:31-32), then I could agree. That is what I am fighting for, true Biblical Christianity. There is no warrant in Scripture for the use of musical instruments in worship; their use is a human innovation that disrespects the will of God. I have no desire to maintain a human tradition or "our" heritage; but I have every desire to please God and to do His will.

What "nearly all of Christendom" thinks is not the issue. God does not take opinion polls to determine truth.  The New Testament church should consult Scripture, not men, to determine what God wills for their beliefs and practices.

What our ancestors think is not nearly as important as what God thinks. We will not be judged by our ancestors but by the words of Jesus (John 12:48). While we may have much respect for Campbell, Stone, McGarvey and Lipscomb, we have only one Lord; and He alone is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23).

Our identification as true disciples of Jesus Christ includes a great deal more than merely refusing to use instruments of music in worship. Our identity is in living to do the will of God (John 4:34), in abiding in the words of Jesus (8:31-32), in keeping His commandments to show our love for God (John 14:15), and in putting the Lord first in every respect (Col. 1:10). Our identity is derived from an overwhelming desire to please and to serve Him by doing exactly what He asks of us (John 14:31). We are His servants, saved by grace, living by faith, and under His authority. We belong to the Lord. 

If the Lord had wanted us to use instruments, He surely would have told us. For hundreds of years early Christians understood that a cappella music was the will of God—a Divine tradition (1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6). We are willing to follow that tradition, not because men observed it but because God delivered it.

by Phil Sanders

"If war is forced upon us -- and I say "forced upon us," because use of the military is not my first choice. I hug the mothers and the widows of those who may have lost their life in the name of peace and freedom. I take my responsibilities incredibly seriously about the commitment of troops. But should we need to use troops, for the sake of future generations of Americans, American troops will act in the honorable traditions of our military and in the highest moral traditions of our country." --President G. W. Bush

As our country faces war, it is comforting to know that our President takes his job so seriously. There is also going on right now a war against Satan (Eph. 6:10-13). I hope we take that war just as seriously.

Peter reminds us, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11).

Wars are not battles but series of battles, fought until one side completely conquers the other. Satan knows how to tempt and tempt again.

In Luke 4:13, after Satan had tempted Jesus, the Bible says, “And when the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.”

The devil didn’t quit because he lost this round; he went away to plan for another day. Beware of Satan! He may show up when you least expect him.

by Phil Sanders

Of all our possessions, none is so precious as the soul. You can lose your home, and that would be tragic; but losing a home is not losing your soul for an eternity. You can lose your sight, your hearing, your hands, or your feet and still go to heaven. But if you lose your soul, you have lost it all.

If you care about your soul, you will not do anything that will endanger your eternity.

You will forgive the tresspasses of your brother, because they are small compared to your soul (Matt. 6:14-15).

You will give up that sin now, because a moment's pleasure is nothing compared to an eternity with God (2 Pet. 3:9).

You will warn your brother of temptations and sins, so that his blood will not be required of you (Ezek. 3:18-21).

You will not worry about the trials of today, for they are nothing compared to the glory to be revealed (Rom. 8:18).

You will grow to love the Lord your God and serve Him only, because your soul is in His hands (2 Tim. 1:12).

You will watch your tongue, your behavior, and your attitude, so that you might please the One who died for you (Col. 1:10).

You will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Pet. 3:18).

You will increase not only in faith but also in virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. By doing these things you will never stumble but will enter heaven (2 Pet. 1:5-11).

If your soul matters to you, you will never be lukewarm or apathetic but will strive to enter the kingdom by the narrow door (Luke 13:24-30).

Deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and put on the Lord Jesus. "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:24-25).

Paul said, "Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:26-27).

If you care about your soul, you will be diligent to make your calling and election sure. You will not wait to obey the gospel or to repent of your sin.

One day, nothing else will matter.