So many time there are real questions I want to seek the answers to but because of the nature of the questions and the individuals that the questions must be asked of, the questions will never be answered. It is not so much that the questions are of vital importance but the questions would most likely be perceived as confrontational even though I know (in most cases) the questions are legitimate.
One question I want to know is why, if God saves us by grace, would He not make it clear that musical instruments used during worship service are sending me to an eternity in hell. I do not understand why God would make this critically important point veiled in Holy Scripture. God is very clear about other points – no adultery, no murder, and such. Why would He not be equally clear about musical instruments if eternity rests on this point?
And if God saves us by grace, then why would He then take away our salvation for a point that is not explicitly stated? Grace is grace, not grace plus something else.
If I ask this question to certain people, they will again most likely perceive it as an attack. I could, of course, make it an attack but that would be pointless in this case.
I was reading Augustine this morning. He was talking about how knowledge of certain things is important for the understanding of scripture – from languages like Greek and Hebrew, to animals, nature, and numbers. Of course this leads us to the question of hot debate – should the psaltery of ten chords have just so many strings?
And it is a question which it is not out of place for learned men to discuss, whether there is any musical law that compels the psaltery of ten chords to have just so many strings; –Augustine
His point if not specifically about the strings of course but it brings forth the question about music. There are many such questions that cannot be asked without careful consideration. This makes it difficult to come to an understanding of another person’s point of view. Not to confuse their point of view (or my own) with truth which of course comes from the Creator.
This does not even begin to cover the much larger question I have. Where does your authority to interpret the scripture come from? Augustine discusses both the majority of churches and churches “of greater authority” as those “thought worthy to be the seat of an apostle and to receive epistles.” (Book 2, Chapter 8). Can we even look to the majority of churches in this case? Can we even begin to seek out authority among the churches? Such chaos.
God does not appear to be a god of chaos but a god of order.
Lots of good patterns to think about.