Lee Wilson Grace Centered Magazine: Statement of Faith

Lee Wilson of Grace Centered Magazine says: We Wrangle over: "The Core Gospel is: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Ephesians 4:5"

Grace was not a blue-eyed blond: she was a brown-eyed Greek: a homosexual goddess with a homosexual priesthood.

Scripture uses words like GRACE as pointers and then defines true grace as the power to be conformed to God's Will. Grace is derived from Chara which as Charis or Charismatic means giving homosexual favors.

Legalists attempt to DO THINGS as a way to INNOVATE or help God. Praising singing was always the most ignorant, pagan, legalistic superstition known to mankind. It was a way to keep the gods from utterly failing.

I will shortly post some important information about WRANGLING. The passage clearly repudiates what Lee and Grace Centered is trying to do. Wrangling is by the professionals and speaks of the usual, pagan sexual worship. However, the words of God must be taught.

I will also post some factoids about GRACE: she was not a blue-eyed blond but a brown-eyed Greek (probably). She was CHARA the mother of Charismatic which links directly to GRACE as the permission to worship in the Threskia or Orpheus the thracian sense. Grace or Charis almost totally speaks of homosexual rituals with music. That is why Paul wanted the melody (the pollution of apollo) and the GRACE left in the heart so that an unholy fire would not break out during the musical rituals.

Terry Rush Our stance on instrumental music is wrong: Discussed at Grace Centered Forum but rebuttal blacklisted. Therefore, I have posted a growing review.  Wade Hodges confesses that the Tulsa Soulwinning workshop really means WINNING for the NACC who spreads all of the false teachings at these meetings of the giddy gatherings.

Like Freedom's Ring, Grace Centered Magazine: "For Christians escaping legalism and awakening to the grace of God." It is too bad that latter day saints are just now discovering grace but like the Corinthians they may believe that liberty is license. The primary anti-grace legalisms of all of these ditto groups is "not using instrumental music and not feeling the need to join those who do." We will show that an instrumental method of trying to "get favors" from God is one of the oldest legalisms known to written history.

Speaking of the new Musical Sectarianism, Christianity Today Notes that:

"Since the 1950s, denominational divisions have steadily become less important in American church life. We have the baby boom generation (of which I am a part) to thank for much of this. But at bottom we are all still sectarians; we still prefer to congregate with the like minded.

Our new sectarianism is a sectarianism of worship style.

The new sectarian creeds are dogmas of music.

Worship seminars are the seminaries of the new sectarianism;

their directors are its theologians.

The ministers of the new sectarianism are our church worship leaders.

Without knowing it, they are still walking lock-step to another's tune and the new "ministry team" is quite identical to Nimrod's in downtown Babylon.

"Unwilling to follow their parents' lead, they grew up distrusting established institutions like government, schools, and churches. They have since turned this distrust into a social norm. Never has an American generation been so convinced that other cultures--almost all other cultures--are wiser and better organized than its own.

"As a consequence, baby boomers (Infantile Drummers) have reoriented our society toward peers and away from family.

They have moved the psychic center of the family away from obligations to others and toward self-fulfillment.

They have raised to new ideological heights the ideal of individual autonomy fused with democratic egalitarianism.

And they have transformed music from a carrier of cultural tradition into the symbolic fencing that marks off a noisy multitude of peer-oriented subcultures.

"Once this oversized generation decided that music would be the primary carrier (idols) of its symbols and values, music quickly became, in the words of George Steiner, "the new literacy of Western culture."

When one chooses a musical style today, one is making a statement about whom one identifies with, what one's values are, and ultimately, who one is.

As a result, music has become a divisive and fractionalizing force, Balkanizing Western culture into an ever-expanding array of subcultures--each with its own stylistic national anthem.

This is a direct repudiation of Grace which is not "liberty to do what we know is wrong and be forgiven" but the charisma or power to be conformed to the will and mind of Christ.

Unfortunately, the Baby Boomers are approaching old age but still cannot escape seeing Christ in the mirror. See an Incarnation of this self worship.

"We love music and drama because we know that it isn't true." Consistent with this self-centered new paganism, it is the common sectarian mantra that those who followed Christ for 2,000 without cultural (sexual) music are suddenly the sectarians for refusing to be run over by the children in their Little Red Wagons.

As usual, the new Musical Sectarianism goes hand in hand with the Seminar Sectarianism and are all driven by commerce riding on the back of ancient Babylonian religion.

Because, according to Enoch quoted by Jesus, Peter and Jude, God will come with ten thousands of His saints to execute judgment, the entire body of Enochian literature places the blame on those, who more ignorant than a tree which follows its commandments:

> Despises the will of God in order to impose their own "legalistic acts of worship" and for a price. This defines a Pharisee, hypocrite (actors) and Scribes (book sellers.)

> Follow the will of Lucifer (Sophia-ZOE, EVE) to over throw elder leadership and usurp their authority with what Paul defined as "sexual authority." Sister Singers, the "harem of the gods."

> The primary mind-altering "drug" is instrumental and vocal music.

> Along with the sins of Pharisaical "Post-Modernism" as well as "Sexual Authority" (outlawed by Paul) through music" (male of female) is included abortionists.

---

Perhaps one of the harsest charges against fellow believers is to identify them as legalists, not knowing Christ and not believing in grace. John Calvin defined legalism in the sense Paul understood it: living by The Law of Moses.

By the term Law, Paul frequently understands that rule of holy living in

which God exacts what is his due,

giving no hope of life unless we obey in every respect;

and, on the other hand,

denouncing a curse for the slightest failure.

To say Grace Centered automatically carves out territory it believes is unclaimed. Consistent with the thesis, Grace Centered Magazine points to church of Christ views like the non use of instrumental music as legalistic.

On the contrary, musical worship is the most works-intensive pseudo-worship imaginable.

The only people we are aware of are those who use Exodus as a pattern for community and worship.

And later, use the Monarchy, given as a curse, as liberty but not grace to free them to adopt the temple musicians which were always associated with the Temple, Jerusalem or area, dedicatory or purification rituals, always in association with animal sacrifices and to which the "people's congregation" was excluded.

When someone objects to a belief or practice not taught in the New Testament but clearly derived from the Law of Moses, that objection gets interpreted as legalism. However, all clergy and musical worship are derived from the legalistic Monarchy which was the result of firing God.

That is the "Janus" principle to take away the key to knowledge: you see left but others see right. Janus is the prototype of the Roman holders of the keys. Anyone trying to bundle free churches in either a left-wing or right wing may be imitating the error for which Jesus fired the first century prototypes. We take the centrist position and rest on the Grace of Christ. When the wings are flapping in David-like rituals this is a sign that grace has not yet been accepted.

Why is this game played? Because if you make a statement I cannot make a rebuttal because that would be judgmental. How is that? Well, we children have decided that this is the way the game is going to be played. And, lordy, do a lot of people want to play the game because smashing conservatives is the privilege of grace. The musical clergy just got violent when Jesus would not sing and dance while they piped their little flutes. Therefore, stated or not, the music issue is at the heart of unset over the Biblical believers refusal to dance.

Because every Biblical defense gets defined as legalistic or psychotic, we want to respectfully review the creed of the Grace Centered Magazine. They are perfectly free to sell the "left" view but we are perfectly free to discuss the Biblical view because it is not the right face of Janus. Our fuller comments will be in red or blue.

Statement of Faith by Grace Centered Magazine Editor Lee Wilson We quote his introduction:

Lee Wilson: "A good friend of mine confronted me, "Lee, what is this Grace Centered Magazine I have been hearing so much about?" My first thought was to ramble out our statement of faith as I had to many others, but for some reason I felt I needed to say more. "As editor of Grace Centered Magazine I am constantly giving answers as to the description of this Internet magazine, but I plan to give the main thrust here. "This magazine is not a channel by which we try and destroy our roots in the churches of Christ. It is my conviction that we must accept each other as Christ did. Open, progressive Christians should accept those who are on the other side of the spectrum even if they do not accept us.

While claiming "roots" in the non-instrumental group, this seems to confess changing sides. Therefore, you will never see any contrarian opinions because the customer base is not very large among non-ritualistic churches. Furthermore, there is this eternal whining that non-instrumentalists "don't love us." Well, most people have their hands full and just don't have the time to endorse instrumentalists even if there was such an urge.

Dwaine E. Dunning (another instrumentalists) is not hypocritical: he declares that he is going to take an axe to the non-instrumentalists and carve them down to bedrock. Because the non-use of instruments is a fundamental, Bible and history-based ROOT of the church, to claim not to be trying to destroy that position is not quite believable.

John Locke defined "Catholics who do not use the Bible for faith andpractice and Protestants who do as different religions." And so, the instrumentalists and non-ritualists are two separate religions and while there are "God's many and Lord's many" actually do find a different Christ than the one I know about.

There is no spectrum: you either use instruments or you do not.

Robertson's Notes on Music and the Guilt Clause Speaking of 1868 Presbyterians as The Church of Christ:

But notice the clear answer given by this Synod to our fourth inquiry under our first head - "Was the Church left in any sense, except a numerical one, in a condition of progressive development?"

Surely, in a Synod in which were present Peter, James, Paul, and Barnabas, there ought to have been no lack of ability or learning

to have given a progressive impulse to Christian thought,

an expansion to Christian doctrine,

an expression to the liberty of embodying the refinements of taste,

the inventions of sanctified science in the service of God.

7. Finally we are exhorted not to have too many laws; obedience is always grudgingly offered to laws regarding trifling matters. The authority of the New Testament in regard to all matters which, resting on his own private opinion, the Christian may think to be of little value, is thus set aside;

the Redeemer's own sentiment ignored, that he that is unfaithful in little will be unfaithful also in much.
And we venture to think that not those who disapprove of,
but those who introduce services and peculiarities which are trifling and insignificant,
........... are the guilty parties here.

If you listen to an organ discussion, or read a ritualistic paper,
........... you cannot fail to discover
........... that "liberty" is identified with additions to common notions.

The people who seek to hold men to unadorned notions,
........... instead of being accounted friends of liberty,
........... are held up to execration as bigots, tyrants, men of contracted notions and shallow minds;

with whom to identify liberty, is held to be as absurd as would have been for Gordon, of Jamaica, to have expected justice from a court martial of aristocratic cadets and martinets.

But the truth is that the ways which are now old-fashioned, were then new. Men had had a long trial of rites and ceremonies, - of trumpets, and psalteries, and harps, - and
........... they were new "MAKING THE EXPERIMENT OF CHANGE."

Shall we put it so? Is it so as Peter puts it? Let us recall his words,

"Now, therefore, why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear."

Hermes "yoke" or "horns." He, like Jubal, is the Greek father of musical instruments, father of liars and father of thieves.

"Slayer of oxen, trickster, busy one, comrade of the feast, this song of yours is worth fifty cows, and I believe that presently we shall settle our quarrel peacefully.

"But come now, tell me this, resourceful son of Maia: has this marvellous thing been with you from your birth,
........... or did some god or mortal man give it you -- a noble gift -- and teach you heavenly song?

"For wonderful is this new-uttered sound I hear, the like of which I vow that no man nor god dwelling on Olympus ever yet has known but you, O thievish son of Maia."

His brother was Apollo from whom he stole the cows. Apollo is Apollyon or Abbadon the beast.

Of course, if churches of Christ are on the other side of the spectrum then isn't Grace Centered Magazine on the non-church side? We don't flap on either wing but both wings are in the business of "taking away the key to knowledge." Here is Janus, the Key Holder. He has the benefit of being able to claim both sides but his side is to deprive people of God.

The task of Jesus was to take the Keys away from the clergy and give it to Peter. Peter, in turn, would reveal the key and made sure that after his death we would have a record of it:

Woe unto you, lawyers for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. Lu.11:52

Lee, you licked the usual frog: the opens are progressive are inclusives. I have explained this to the left wingers before but here goes again.

The church of Christ is congregational. That means that it recognizes no organization higher than a single congregation led by teaching, non-professional elders. Grace Centered Magazines could do a great service but, of course, criticizing churches of Christ is a new cottage industry and the agents do succeed financially.

Second, the Restoration Movement repudiated the professional pastoring by an outside surrogate "father and mother and husband."

Most sincere believers work their hearts out in order to provide a living with two incomes. They come home, tired, depressed or anxious about the next due bill. They simply do not, in contrast to those wandering from house to house seducing churches, have time or inclination to either accept or reject. There may be too much emphasis upon judging others by whether they affirm our beliefs.

The worst thing is that the watching world is not looking anxiously for us to affirm them personally or theologically.

Most believers even attending a small congregation do not know and cannot find time nor energy to "fellowship" those few. They simply do not, in order to get out of the wrath of the judges, attend, fellowship, worship with and hold joint meetings with others who just coincidentially came out of the Restoration Movement. The left wing actually came out of the Catholic, Church of Englans, Anglican, Episcopal, Methodist, Christians and on to Disciples.

God had Amos condemn Israel for their progressive worship which added David's civil music to their added daily religious festivals. What is consideedr progressive, say, instrumental music, had its traditional beginning in the garden of Eden and the Towers of Babylon with their priests, prostitutes (male and female), musicians and soothsayers.

Soothsaying was "progressed" with musical devices such as the Familiar Spirit of the witch of Endor--and old wineskin or nebel. The "sounding" of 1 Cor 13:1 was the Greek bronze, hi-tek familiar spirit used to panic the enemy by making them think that the gods were speaking to them. It was just an echo chamber but "familiar spirit, nebel or harp and sounding instrument" all have he meaning of totally empty.

Unless we are inspired there is no way to progress on essentials:

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Mt.15:9

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking (or singing). Mt.6:7

Poaluloagia (g4180) pol-oo-log-ee'-ah; from a comp. of 4183 and 3056; loquacity, i.e. prolixity: - much speaking.

See what Paul was actually saying to the Corinthians whose "assemblies do more harm than good."

In the Book of Enoch the enchanters are, in similar accounts, the musical agents of Satan We are not bound to believe this but according to scholars "there is no other tradition."

Lee Wilson's notes that the first level core gospel issues (Ephesians 4:5), cannot be comromised.

Grace Centered Magazine seems to mimic Ruble Shelly of Woodmont Hills. If you you believe in Rubel Shelly and crew who get their authority by believing in The Blessed Trinity with the Holy Spirit as a separated-out agent to make you "progress" then you do not believe in the one God.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism, Ephesians 4:5

Not even Rubel has pared down the "apple" to such a minimilist "core." He at least has seven before he denies the inspiration of the apostles by accepting that they were in conflict over doctrine.

Next, premillenialism, apostasy, miracles, dancing, drinking, church government, name of the church or the eldership are defined as "non salvation" issues.

Lee Wilson: There are truths that are not subject to compromise. The first level core gospel issues (Ephesians 4:5), are simply non-negotiable. Theories on Premilinialism, apostasy, miracles, discipleship-(dancing, drinking, etc) and church government (name of the church, eldership) are not salvational issues. My salvation and yours does not depend on having all the right answers. Jesus Christ is the only one with all the right answers and that is why we follow Him. The apostles did not agree on everything-they differed on many things (Acts 15:36, Galatians 2:11). Their unifying element was Jesus Christ, and His gospel.

Even a casual reader understands that the epistles were written to clear up these issues: if Lee Wilson can "pin the tail on the donkey" for doctrine and worship then it was perfectly correct for Peter to shy away from Gentiles in a "unity in diversity."

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. Gal 2:11

Premillianism in its most modern formulation (Dispensationalism) claims that Jesus came to earth, got defeated by Satan (murdered re. Max Lucado), hightailed it back to heaven and is waiting for another shot. That denies that full Deity dwelled in Christ (Col. 2:9).

Because of Shelly's adoption of the slogan "the now but not yet kingdom" you probably agree. This is a repudiation of the power of Lord Jesus Christ even as you deny that Christ the Spirit led the apostles into all truth. The view of the Vinyards (Wineskins) is that the church must come under one Head in order to do the work to make God succeed this time.

15.2.0 In his early years after his Harding Graduate School M.A., this budding preacher proclaimed to the satisfaction of even the "hard-liners" the old Jerusalem gospel. He wrote brilliant essays condemning instrumental music in worship. He fought the "antis", premillennialism, and the Herald of Truth until he "saw the great light."

In February 1988 in a sermon at the Ashwood church of Christ Shelly stated, "The kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven is neither the church nor the future state of the saved." "I hope we will pray your kingdom come"

Plato noted that: "I am disposed rather to the law of the Carthaginians,

that no one while he is on a campaign

      should be allowed to taste wine at all,

      but that he should drink water during all that time,

and that in the city no slave, male or female, should ever drink wine;

and that no magistrates should drink during their year of office,

nor should pilots of vessels or judges while on duty taste wine at all,

nor any one who is going to hold a consultation about any matter of importance;

nor in the daytime at all, unless in consequence of exercise or as medicine;

nor again at night, when any one, either man or woman, is minded to get children.

I spent a few days last week with a kid with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Making lots of progress except small motor skills but you will always be able to look into his eyes and say: "His mother may have consumed 1/10 of one ounce of alcohol at the wrong time in her pregnancy." What a tragic failure when silly men make a "new wineskin" the symbol of the gospel and kingdom. Tragic, and one suspects beyond redemption.

It is not a legalism nor the rejection of grace to tell our kids: "Don't play in the freeway."

Grace Centered Magazine then notes that "salvation does not depend on having all of the right answers.

Jesus Christ has all of the answers and we must follow him. But many of those answers are called "doctrine" and not "gospel." This is why every word which comes out of the mouth of Spirit-Incarnated Christ is important with no levels of importance.

Salvation is not just a legalistic "having my ticket to heaven punched." Salvation is good spiritual health. It is becoming a co-perceiver with the ability to grasp simple truths such as the connection of instrumental music to legalism, paganism, prostitution and worse in all of the ancient literature. Salvation is not being so interested in "adding one more act" to the five legal acts of worship even though we know that the added legalism of music to "move into the presence of God" or to seduce Him is going to "sow discord among the literate and spiritual believers."

Consistent with the Rubel Shelly and Leroy Garret "core gospel," the rest of the Word is not "truth" but fodder for dialog. Why? Because the apostles were not really inspired but had different interpreters. To prove this, Lee calls up Acts 15:36 and Galatians 2:11.

Rubel Shelly uses Narrative Theology to make the "fall from grace" caused by musical idolatry into a pattern for Christian worship and community. They were our "spiritual fathers" and God held them in His arms all through the wilderness. First, look at the meaning of Narrative Theology. Then look at the first of three sermon reviews explaining how you can "take liberties" to make your own insprired version.

"Most remarkable is how the president has been basing his defense on postmodernist language theory. According to postmodernists, words do not have a definite objective meaning. Rather, meaning is only a matter of interpretation. People interpret words in different ways; therefore,

words are incapable of communicating any kind of objective truth, as such. In practice,

this "deconstruction" of language means that such texts as the Constitution and the Bible do not have fixed meanings,

but are open to unlimited interpretation.

Amy Mears is Assoc. Pastor at Buechel Park Baptist Church in Louisville and a Ph.D. candidate in Preaching at Southern Seminary (SBC). The American Baptist Churches' 4/95 WATCHword (quoting from a So. Baptist Women in Ministry newsletter) quotes Mears thusly: "

"[The apostle Paul] displays so many different shades of personality in his writings in the New Testament that sometimes it's difficult to reconcile one with the other.

"I usually find it hard to get along with Paul. There seem to be many folks around who like to read to me from Ephesians 5 and I Cor. 14 and point out for me `my place' in the church and at home based on Paul's words..." She adds: "God called me...The church 'authorities' support of my preaching and my ministry has got to be irrelevant..." Christian News (10/11/93) says there are about 900 Southern Baptist women clergy, compared with 75 in 1978 (Calvary Contender, May 1, 1995).

But then we are not trying to be judges of salvation.

Deciding who to take with you on a missionary trip is not proof that the apostles were divisive. Paul simply had the right to take someone (not an apostle) with him who would not run out on him.

Jesus knew that Peter was weak before He was picked. By using a lowly fisherman Christ could put His Word in earthen vessels and not have people worship the preacher because, in Rubel's words, he is charismatic.

Jesus had to force Peter to preach to the Gentiles and he continued to be weak. However, this does not give the critic authority to point to anything Peter revealed as flawed. The epistles show error in the process of being corrected. This is simply the way God choose to reveal His Word: find a problem and fix it. Most of what fuels the new wineskin dogma was an example of the Spirit Christ fixing problems in Corinth. Corinth was never a model of "unity in diversity" and according to history they never grasped the gospel. That is why Paul would continue to just preach the core gospel and would not mention baptism in most of our churches today: because ye are still carnal.

While divided over many issues, the apostles were united on the element of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

Grace Centered Magazine sets up a straw man: set him up, knock him down. No one ever suggested that we have all of the right answers but we certainly have more than Ephesians 4:5 which denies inspiration and does not understand "gospel."

I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Jn.17:6

Jesus wasn't "progressive" but delivered the hated word just as He heard it from the Father. He made His Spirit-Incarnated Word the central visible expression of Himself as the Invisible Word:

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Jn.17:14

"Progressive" means, according to Dr. Rubel Shelly, "to be as much like the world as possible."

"First, Paul wanted people to
........... know Christ so badly that he took the initiative to

know and be like others as much as possible. Click for the Grace Centered Magazine paradigm as expressed by Rubel Shelly

But Jesus said that as they hated Him as the Divine Word they would hate them when incarnated by His spoken Words.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. Jn.17:17

Jesus' name was not "Father, Son and Spirit" as the wineskin songbook teaches. His name is Jesus, Joshua or Jehovah-Saves.

Now, assuredly Jesus had more to spend 3 1/2 years on than just saying: "Christ and Him Crucified." The Apostles were to teach what Jesus told them to teach. I would not be too quick to belittle them. However, the meat of the Spirit is simply wasted on people who have not died to self as Jesus did in His death, burial and resurrection. Paul preached just gospel but only to the Corinthians and because they were still carnal. Until one has turned to the Lord there is simply no way to grasp any spiritual meaning. Then, we can just be settled on the fact that Christ is God Incarnated: rest and go on to higher ground which is meat or doctrine. This statement is not a proof of error-believing and practicing apostles:

And some days after, Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. Acts 15:36

Now, assuredly they had preached more than Ephesiahs 4:5. Paul had taught baptism because that was part of the gospel message to those more enlightened. The good news is that mortals can have their sins remitted by obedience of faith just as God was able to deliver Divine grace in human form and this is certainly a greater leap than salvation connected to baptism.

This "word" does not mean "core gospel." The Word is Logos: a reasoned, mentally-accepted discourse such as that contained in Paul's synagogue sermon in Romans 9-11.

That was vital, you see, because the Spirit Jesus wanted preached was not a "little person (God) inside of a BIG person (me)." Spirit was clearly defined by Jesus:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words (a topic) that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

The gospel is whatever Jesus preached as "good news." It is not a little, human-chewed apple core. Never. If the words which Jesus spoke and delivered to the Apostles do not have spirit power then we are found fighting God because the Son could not be the Son without repeating just what He heard from the Spirit realm.

The "core" is what you preach to carnal Corinthians even if it takes twenty years. This is milk for the infantile drummers (Baby Boomers) but the meat is for the matured or the "perfected" who understood what their baptism was all about.

Grace Centered Magazine notes as if inspired, "Gospel has nothing to do with the premillenial, 1000 year reign on earth.

If Jesus preached that He will meet us in the air to live with Him in the spiritual realm; and then we accept the literal 1000 year reign in the physical dimension while we watch Him ride around on a white horse beating up on people with a literal rod of iron, then the 1000 year reign is certainly not good news and therefore not gospel.
........... No one who denies the power of God Incarnated has any gospel to preach.

If you play God and decide that "gospel" is three facts or Shelly's seven facts about Jesus then there is no good news. When we hear Ephesiahs 4:5 we then ask: "So what?"

So what is that Jesus prescribed a way for the forgiveness of sins not available under the law.
........... Grace is not liberty contrasted to license.

Grace is power of THE New Testament contrasted to no power under THE law of Moses. Music was both cause and symbol of that lack of grace and power.

Gospel is not just three facts about Jesus in contrast to all that Jesus taught as The Christian System.
........... Gospel is the good news that we are freed from clergy-wrangled laws.

Jesus put that grace (opposed to law) in accepting His will for our lives in baptism as opposed to trying to "mount up" to heaven with religious rituals. That is gospel because it is good news. What better news than the forgiveness of sins?

That method of accepting His grace is good news and is therefore gospel.

Grace Centered Magazine then declares that "Gospel is not a 'correct' view of instrumental music in the worship service. Ne confesses that many of us have forgotten what real gospel is.

Or, in the common mantra: "Christ didn't die to save A Cappella music."

Jesus came and died to remove the burden laders from off our back: the doctors of the law who "take away the key to knowlege" and spin yarns about progressive faith and musical practices. The laded burden was "spiritual anxiety created by religious ritual." Christ's permission to "just say no" is gospel, good news.

So, Christ didn't die for A Cappella music (choirs) but He did die to remove the Pipers who try to force everyone to dance to their tune. Judas was such a piper, you know.

Jameson, Fawcett, Brown define the burden of pagan religion repeated by Israel:

Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low; their idols are borne by beasts of burden. [a] The images that are carried about are burdensome, a burden for the weary. Isa 46:1

Nebo--the planet Mercury or Hermes, in astrology. The scribe of heaven, answering to the Egyptian Anubis. The extensive worship of it is shown by the many proper names compounded of it: Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuzar-adan, Nabonassar, &c.;

were upon--that is, were a burden (supplied from the following clause) upon. It was customary to transport the gods of the vanquished to the land of the conquerors,

who thought thereby the more effectually to keep down the subject people (1Sa 5:1, &c.; Jer 48:7 49:3 Da 11:8).

carriages--in the Old English sense of the things carried, the images borne by you: the lading (Ac 21:15), "carriages," not the vehicles, but the baggage. Or, the images which used to be carried by you formerly in your solemn processions [MAURER].

Keliy (h3627) kel-ee'; from 3615; something prepared, i. e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon): - armour ([-bearee]), artillery, bag, carriage, / furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, that is made of, * one from another, that which pertaineth, pot, / psaltery, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, / whatsoever.

When Israel fired God and demanded a king who would let them worship like the nations, God warned of the kings:

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 1 Sam 8:11

And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments (musical) of his chariots. 1 Sam 8:12

were heavy loaden--rather, are put as a load on the beasts of burden [MAURER]. HORSLEY translates,
........... "They who should have been your carriers (as Jehovah is to His people, Isa 46:3,4)
........... are become burdens" (see on Isa 46:4).

2. deliver--from the enemies' hands.

........... ........... burden--their images laid on the beasts (Isa 46:1).
........... ........... themselves--the gods, here also distinguished from their images.

3. in contrast to what precedes: Babylon's idols, so far from bearing its people safely are themselves borne off, a burden to the laden beast;

but Jehovah bears His people in safety even from the womb to old age (Isa 63:9 De 32:11 Ps 71:6,18). God compares Himself to a nurse tenderly carrying a child; contrast Moses' language (Nu 11:12)

The "rest" Jesus came to give to all but legalists trying to find a new, more exploitive machine for church growth is: "Relax, cool down, just say no, come sit with me under the shade beside still waters and let Me tell you something beyond just gospel." That is the meaning of Grace. Grace does no mean the freedom to go beyond what is written or revealed.

So, yes, it is true: Christ died for Non-Instrumental music as a burden to keep all of the people under control.

Now, Jesus progressed further by saying that worship is not in your temple nor my temple, not at your time or my time, not with your rituals or my rituals. Worship is in spirit. That means in the mind where when "God is in His holy temple we keep silence before Him." That is good news. John was in that temple on the Lord's Day.

It means a pox on performance preachers of their word the harmony singers or instrument singers or the theatrical performers or musical worship teams or organist or Rock band.

That is gospel. Call it Gospel-Pox.

Paul went around telling the believers that they were free from circumcision, keeping days, free to eat meants, free from the tithe, free to give or not give. That was the gospel which Paul preached, but only to those not still carnal.

Instrumental music was what Paul warned about to the Corinthians whose women doing uncovered "prophesying" may have just come from Delphi where they were the singers, musicians and deliverers of oracle sermons induced by music, wine and drugs. And prostitutes.

Gospel is that we are free not to have our feet nailed to the floor with the low frequencies while the high frequencies frazzle our nerves.

Jesus freed us from that also by refusing to sing and dance while the clergy piped. Gospel is freedom from preachifying the Word and lecturing the lambs.

Grace Centered Magazine notices that: "Because many of us need a reality check, we can only say:

True, true. Here is how:

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits (old wineskin, harp or sounding gong), and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? Isaiah 8:19

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20

Amos warned about the Marzeah: a feast with and for dead ancestors.

It seems that the call for grace and love cannot tolerate dialog. Paul's statement in 2 Tim. 2:14 declares that "you" cannot wrangle over "my words."

Lee Wilson: Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:14 that we are to "avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening." Many of us have been "ruined." Some of us think that we are going to heaven because of the name of our church (words), the name of our clergy (words), and many other things that are simply English words along with a mountain of opinion. We have got to remember that it is Jesus who does the saving, and no one can be good enough or ever do enough to deserve it. Being exactly right or completely wrong doesn't matter, we are still saved by a grace that we can never win.

I am not sure where Lee Wilson ever heard anyone say that they can be good enough to be saved. However, flashing the Grace Card always seems to be a confession that instrumental music is wrong. Not to worrry, however, one can be completely wrong and grace will life me. Nope! Grace is "the power or charasma to conform to the will of Christ." Grace is never "unlimited forgiveness for unlimited sins."

Like all of the recent converts to the anti-anti-instrumental side, this is as clear a statement of Calvinistic predestination or irristable grace as you will ever hear: you cannot do anything to be saved and if you are "predestinated" you cannot do anything to be lost. I told you, we are talking of different religious systems here.

Interviewed a preacher once: "Well I don't know what them words says but I know what it means." Nonesense. God speaks using words: He is as smart as we, eh?

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 2 Tim 2:11
........... If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 2 Tim 2:12
........... If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 2 Tim 2:13

Which of those words would you not defend?

Of these things put them in remembrance (words, words),

> charging (to attest or protest earnestly) them before the Lord
> that they strive (trifle) not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. 2 Tim 2:14

If we take the words of Jesus which He defined as Spirit and Life and make them something different or not important we are trifling with His Words.

We have divine permission to trifle with the words of men.

No profit is like sexual intercourse as an occupation:

Chresimos (g5539) khray'-see-mos; from 5540; serviceable: - profit.

Chresis (g5540) khray'-sis; from 5530; employment, i.e. (spec.) sexual intercourse (as an occupation of the body): - use.

Subverting words are progressive words going beyond what is written:

Datastrophe (g2692) kat-as-trof-ay'; from 2690 an overturn ("catastrophe"), i.e. demolition; fig. apostasy: - overthrow, subverting.

If you have watched any of the old Bible movies you notice that the really strange people in Sodom and Gomorrah were always playing instruments. Therefore, this wrangling over human words advocating musical worship can be overthrown:

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow,
........... making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 2 Pe. 2:6

Sodom was Egypt from which Israel brought Apiis worship and rose up to play: to sing, dance, play instruments. Smith's Dictionary calls it idolatry.

Sodom was also Jerusalem where the people who had rejected Christ the Rock now rejected Christ the Word.

> If all the Bible and all church history associates instrumental music with perverted religion. Saul was turned into another man which means "perverted." On verson properly translates David's making himself vile in a desperate attempt to move the ark of the covenant.

> and if churches of Christ and their ancestors have always held faithful to that,

> then any effort to make instrumental music into Rubel Shelly's third order truth is subverting the people with words they should not trifle with.

The elders must be able to teach without "wrangling."

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; 2Ti.2:24

Grace Centered Magazine observes that "Many of us have been "ruined." [I am truly sorry] Some of us think that we are going to heaven because of the name of our church (words), the name of our clergy (words), and many other things that are simply English words along with a mountain of opinion.

That may not be a salvation issue but if Christ is the Head perhaps He might appreciate that being acknowledged. If He is the Husband of the Bride He might not want a liberated, progressive bride. Grace causes us to pick up any hint of what pleases our Head.

I don't remember anyone trusting their salvation to the name over the church. However, this jab in the ribs is to give freedom from those pealing the paint saying 'Christ' off their sign as fast as they can move. The superstition is that "the church of Christ" is somehow evil and needs to honor "community" more than Christ. The church has always been identified as The Church of Christ. Therefore, we believe that there is something in a name because the Grace Centered people named "Jones" don't like it if you call their wife "Mrs. Clinton."

God fired the clergy so they have no names. Or, perhaps Paul's Super Apostles or "trained in the theater" or robbing people because their words were superior while Paul's were not worth pay and therefore He did nto accept pay. Christ commanded and Paul commanded evangelist to preach the word: the whole word. If they just preach the 'core' gospel then they should, like Paul, move on after a day or two.

God did not define the local group as The Family. That implies that the local community church is governed like a family. The word the Spirit used was "assembly."

"The Greek word ekklesia, which came to mean church, was originally applied in the Classical period to an official assembly of citizens. In the Septuagint (Greek) translation of the Old Testament (3rd-2nd century BC),

the term ekklesia is used for the general assembly of the Jewish people,
especially when gathered for a religious purpose such as hearing the Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 9:10, 18:16)." Britannica

There is simply nothing the "left wing" can grab hold of in the way of enhancing or progressing or innovating the church without destroying the meaning of "synagogue" or "church" to be the place to learn the Word of God and honor Christ as the One who brought the only Grace by eating the Lord's Supper which has no leaven attached to it.

Everything which is added to the simple gathering of people in a local community to dress it up for the world is absolutely going to add burdens which Jesus died to remove by removing the burden-laders who must, if they are going to serve, become burden-bearers.

There was no praise service for the general population under the Law, under the Synagogue or under the Church. The word is not "sing to one another" but "speak" or "preach" to one another using the Word of Christ (Spirit) and the singing and melody is in the heart because singing (as symphony) was secular or pagan and "melody" means to "grind you into a fine powder" somewhat like the SOP Jesus hand shreded for Judas whose "bag" carried "the mouthpieces of wind instruments."

The fatal error is for the group to assemble and refuse to listen:

And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the Lord spake with you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly. Deut 9:10

According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. Deut 18:16

The synagogue also assembled to hear the Word of God. There was no praise service in the synagogue nor in the Ekklesia.

But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. Num 10:7

Grace Centered Magazine seems to have grasped that "Jesus does the saving" and that no one is good enough or can ever do enough to deserve it.

But, then, their Calvinistic theme of grace-only is astounding and frightening:

Grace Centered Magazine now declares the "holiness of sin": "Being exactly right or completely wrong doesn't matter, we are still saved by a grace that we can never win.

The ground upon which the progressive, grace-centered cult is built is that those who do not believe them must assuredly reject Christ as Savior. And, they cannot believe in GRACE. "How do I know? Well, I just know that anyone who doesn't progress or innovate cannot know about grace."

Grace actually prevents anyone from even wishing to be progressive and going beyond what Christ delivered to us: once for all.

Certainly Jesus does the saving. That is why we dare not "wrangle" over his commands about baptism in all versions. But we can wrangle over pretender's words and must. Grace is why we do not collect hundreds of years of musical training and experience and then have them "work really hart" in order to "move the worshipers into the presence of God."

Grace comes for ignorant sin. There is no grace for those who with a high hand introduce things into the worship believing that it has the power "to move the worshipers into the presence of God." That is legalism. Nor is there any grace for those who deliberately become a musical, sectarian knowing that they are going to "sow discord among the brethren."

And we certainly doubt that one is saved by grace who is completely wrong. Really doubt it. There is no grace for unbelievers and Jesus said that those who do not believe His words about baptism will be damned. Now, He has a right to change His mind but I wouldn't give people my divine permission to trifle with God's commands.

Next, 1 Timothy from the NIV is quoted by Grace Centered Magazine. We will quote the KJV with context because we are not trying to fool you.

First, notice that Paul is not forbidding us to condemn as pagan and sexual the public singing of praise songs.

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 1 Tim 6:2

Therefore, to misapply it is to promote strife, railings and evil surmisings.

If you have been brain drained by effeminate musical worship singing sisters (whatever the sex), yu may have missed a few points:

If any man teach otherwise, and
........... consent not to wholesome words,
........... even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ,
........... and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 1 Tim 6:3

Gracie the Grace-Centered often has one goal in quoting this passage: to silence anyone who would condemn as sin females standing in the holy place claiming that they are gods.

However, this is the same "singing" passage with the universal message:

Romans 15: Teach "that which is written" with ONE VOICE as the ONLY way to glorify God.

Ephesians 5: TEACH (preach) the Spirit or Word of Christ (John 6:63).

Colossians 3: The Word of Christ.

Therefore, to quote this to silence the opposition so that you can sing SISTER SINGER SONGS is a direct violation of the direct command.

Next, doctrine is the teachings of God through Christ: silly, sentimental and erotic praise songs violates thiis direct command. Godliness means pious or reverent and you cannot do that singing, clapping and exposing your sexual authority (authentia) in direct violation of Scripture and the laws of common decency.

Again, in Romans 15, Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3, the Words of Our Lord Jesus Christ were the wholesome words to be taught "with one voice" with the singing and melody in the heart.

Now, Jesus gave us a pattern of not being an ego-maniac: what He taught are wholesoms words. What man substitutes are unwholesome words.

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 1 Tim 6:4

Nothing produces more strife than the new pagan worship schemes and scams: thousands of people are driven from the church they bought and paid for and the baby boomers (infantile drummers):

The world's literature is 100% in favor of the fact that musical worship has always been the power-usurping device of sexually perverse people whose minds are corrupted and who wil never be able to "hold" truth any better than a sifter:

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,

The contemporary musical worship craze is a crass commercial effort and has been the biggest money making scam in church history: sure, better than indulgences:

supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Tim 6:5

and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 1 Tim 6:5NIV

Don't all musical ministers (slaves") have a CD or are lusting for one and USING AND ABUSING the church to get their experience and exposure?

But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Tim 6:6
........... For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Tim 6:7

Using the "inspired" songs of the Sister Singers or the "God-inspired" musical talent of the musician is what has always caused constant friction. This friction will automatically go away if everyone speaks the same thing which is what Jesus spoke for our pattern.

In the Gospel of Thomas:

28 Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in flesh I appeared to them.

I found them all drunk,

and I did not find any of them thirsty.

My soul ached for the children of humanity,

because they are blind in their hearts and do not see,

for they came into the world empty,

and they also seek to depart from the world empty.

But meanwhile they are drunk. When they shake off their wine, then they will change their ways."

It is easy to believe that just accepting the false definition of the New Wineskin and a religion like that created by new wine, have blinded themselves and cannot see the truth.

Wrangling from perverse men creates division and sows discord. Why? Why, because these men are professional religionists and see Christian as "occupation."

That is what I have always said. Wholesome words give "sound health." Otherwise it is corrupt doctrine.

What is doctrine? Why, it is teaching what Jesus taught.
Wrangling can happen only over our words--and destructive words.

So, when we say "gospel yes, doctrine no" we are saying that the teachings (doctrine) taught by Jesus have no value. We won't listen to what He said, we just wanna know three or seven facts about Him.

Now, get this: gospel is not three facts, gospel is "The Gospel Scheme" as opposed to "The Law Scheme." Grace and faith are also used of "The Faith" which is not opposite of unbelief but opposite of The Law of Moses.

Eusebei (g2150) yoo-seb'-i-ah; from 2152; piety; spec. the gospel scheme: - godliness, holiness.

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2Pe.1:3

If someone teaches that instrumental music is one of those optional words or third order truth then that person is definitely interested in sowing discord and creating controversies and quarrels. People who introduce instruments know before hand that they will sow discord, so they do it with a high hand. I hope there is grace for them.

Rubel Shelly and others use Romans 14 to prove that Paul permits instrumental music. However, as Jesus spoke in parables to the Jewish Clergy, Paul was speaking some words difficult to be understood and dangerous. Paul was speaking of the two groups in Rome just out of Orphic or Dionysic worship. both used instrumental music and depended on the sexual authority of Sister Singers. We will post our research here.

It is testing the spirits and teaching the most basic of Biblical and spiritual principles to tell the reading world that such words are trifling with the Will of God.

And grace centered magazine means not to make mountains out of mole hills. Who are these mountain-builders? Why, those who simply desire to debate and bring up controversy. Such sowing of discord is not in accordance with the spirit of Jesus Christ.

Lee Wilson: Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:3 "If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction (doctrines) of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind..." Again Paul tells us that we are not to make mountains out of mole hills. How many people do you know who are like this? People who simply desire to debate and bring up controversy. That is not in accordance with the spirit of Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, innovators or progressives want to install the mountain of music to help the worshipers "ascend up to the presence of God." That is where the people found their gods (triads) at the Tower of Babylon with music. They don't want to debate: you betchum, Red Rider. Now, that we have sowed discord among brethren, if you object and try to debate us out of it then you are guilty of sowing discord and "you have had your first warning." Violent warnings.

And to teach that grace is just an easy path is debating and bringing up controversy. Those who even belittle those who will not participate in other's sins are debating and bringing up controversy in the face of the Bible and most of church history.

I can get another parable from the same place the writer got his: "Paul warns us not to make mole hills out of mountains." "Progressive" means that Biblical truths are not just mole hills.

Next, Jesus Christ established a system to make weirdoes and misfits comfortable. And He was tough on religious people who had convictions.

Lee Wilson: Jesus Christ made weirdoes, and misfits feel comfortable around Him. He was always harder on the religious people, who thought they had it all together, than He was on the misfits and the ones who knew they didn't have it together. The reason for this is that while breaking God's set laws is a terrible thing, binding or adding where God has not is even worse because it is "conceited." It is acting as though we could save ourselves without God.

The religious people were primarily those of the temple. They still practiced music and fertility rituals just lke the Dionysus song and dance they tried to induce into Jesus by piping. He identified these musicans as "children playing funeral and wedding in the streets." His mission was not to establish a "Weirdo-Seeker" religion but to change them from weirdos into believers: The common people heard Him gladly but the big shots essentially told God that He was a liar because they were not baptized by John.

These were not the Pharisees but the temple people. They usurped the high priesthood and conspired with the sicarri (Judas Sicarri, whose bag was for "carrying the mouthpieces of wind instruments")

In reviewing Joe Beam's contribution to Grace Centered Magazine, we note that the Phraisees were marked by two "Post-Modern" views:

They took the liberty to improvize new rules simply because they didn't want to follow the Word of God. And,

They and their pals, the Scribe or book writers, were so extreme that they would take widow's houses in exchange for their services.

Grace Centered Magazine then notes that: "The reason for this is that while breaking God's set laws is a terrible thing,
........... binding or adding where God has not is even worse because it is "conceited."
........... It is acting as though we could save ourselves without God.

Can't remember Jesus making law-breakers feel comfortable. Being poor or outcast does not make people evil: not being an outcast can raise problems about whose spirit is in us.

One of those ADDED AND BOUND on people after almost 2,000 years was the use of INSTRUMENTS (weapons). If someone forces an organ AT THE HOLY PLACE then they become the SECTARIANS of sowers of discord.

We are not talking about laws but gospel, truth, freedom to "come aside by still waters and rest with Jesus." And Jesus said "freedom from the clergy who 'took away the keys to knowledge' and whose religious rituals created spiritual anxiety." Now, "just saying no" is Gospel and Grace abounding.

Those who do not use instruments do not bind them on anyone.

They originally were not musical Baptists, Methodists or Presbyterians or even Catholics and they were not musical church of Christers. John Calvin and Martin Luther informed those not afflicted with the Disciples 'High Church' or Anglican (Catholic) view. Even the Catholic Encyclopedia agrees that our view of music is correct and the ideal which needs to be restored.

The early church was historically called The Church of Christ and universally did not use carnal or lifeless instruments in an attempt to bring God into their presence.

Adding music is binding and adding that which is specificially prohibited in Scripture and that is a fact: not changing from two thousand years is not binding nor adding.

Instrumentalists have always created the musical sectarians and therefore were the legalists.

> Most people who accept instrumental music can worship without it because they know that there is no Biblical authority.

> However, those who introduce instruments are "binding" music on old members who bought the building and have to be cast out in their old age. Like the Pharisees of old, changing the laws to fit the times meant, along with the Scribes or book writers, stealing the homes of widows. I know such widows who have to meet in a private home.

> > Taking church property by infiltrating Christian church members is stealing the homes of widows.

> I know whereof I speak and Jubilee and the Zoe Group are the facilitators. This happened with J. W. McGarvey and, as usual, objecting to the forced instruments was sowing discord. I believe that Satan has to be behind such illogic. See Satan's guilt clause.

Jude quotes Enoch and the only resource we have shows, along with many similar records, that Satan caused the fall of the faithful by teaching the young but ignorant how to organize mixed-sex choirs and play musical instruments and drink wine. You may not believe it but one of the latest and well recognized scholars agrees that "there is no other tradition" but that musical instruments were introduced into worship by the demons or gods.

In All Things to All People, Rubel Shelly makes claims about the religious practices of Paul which are not in my Bible. Following in the paths, Grace Centered Magazine believes that Jesus was criticized for "taking too much liberty." Luke 7:33, 34. These liberties are claimed to be pure gospel because James extablished the "law of Liberty." (James 1:25).

Gospel is the "milk" or "first principles" which must be instilled before one is able to be baptized. After that, church members are to be guided by the "doctrines of Christ" which were fully taught and recorded by Spirit-inspired apostles. A fundamental part of "gospel" is that people don't have to hear the loud music which warns them away from the temple while the priests and Levites "bear the burden" for the people in the horrible, gagging spectacle of killing thousands of animals: sacrificing the people's property to make them fully aware of the horror of refusing to hear and obey the inspired Words of God.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 8:12

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:13

THEN verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. Hebrews 9:1

Instruments were not part of the divine service for the "people's congregation" but for the king, clergy and princes.

In chapter twelve Paul dismissed the sacrificial system to which David added instruments but not for the common people:

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, Hebrews 12:18

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: Hebrews 12:19

This first sound of the trumpet is connected to Israel's rejection of Grace and adding musical worship.

Musical Sowers of Discord will be in a trumpet quartet when Jesus' voice speaks to us. The "grinders" will be left to themselves.

Yes, Drinking wine is the theme of the wineskin dogma but we quote:

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mothers womb. Lu.1:15

Albert Barnes taught that "strong drink" was simply fermented wine. "Strong drink" means fermented to such an extent that it can intoxicate. In the Old Testament shekar means "strong wine."

For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. Luke 7:33 (may need to be institutionalized, yet)

The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say,
........... Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber,

The Greek is oinopotes. Luther translates it winedrinker. Since wine can be intoxicating, it was a false accusation that in whatever he drank, including the product of the grape, that he was a drinker of intoxicants. Most juice develops some ferment but it is not intoxicating: in the drinking bouts you usually got sick before you got drunk. Remember the vomitorium?

Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: Proverbs 23:20

And It was also a false accusation that Jesus took the liberty to be friendly with sinners:

a friend of publicans and sinners Luke 7:34
........... But wisdom is justified (rendered innocent) of all her children. Luke 7:35
........... But I am sure you can always justify your inconsistencies." Luke 7:35LIV

In our language Jesus actually said: "You are liars." And so they were. Teaching Publicans did not "affirm" them. John the Baptist as a Nazarite would not touch any product of the grape. Even grape seed would pollute. This was to guarantee that no leaven or intoxicants entered his body.

As king, prince and priest Jesus could not drink intoxicants and be on duty. Therefore, it is pure assumption that Jesus ever drank fermented wine.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; Proverbs 31:4

The "Law of Liberty" does not mean the freedom to "sin that grace might abound." It was not "progressive." Rather, libery means to be a citizen, be unbound, be free to move about, not be a slave, be a freeborn son of God.

A free person is free to follow Jesus even when being baptized might get him fired, disinherited or even murdered. Freedom means freedom from the musical noise during the maggog-gagging animal sacrifices even though the new libertarians denounce you as being legalistic. This liberty does not free us from the constraining will of God:

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer,
........... but a doer of the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1:25

You see, the law of liberty does not allow sin but insists that the New Covenant is a law of liberty rather than a law of oppression. Oppression under the law was by the clergy which used the musical Levites to oppress the people. Yes, they are called oppressors or "Excellers."

James went further and excluded legalistic rituals:

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

Now, the law of liberty does not promote freedom to "be as much like the world as possible." Rather, it means freedom to run for your life from the spotting influence of the world, in or out of church, without fearing the ancient and modern Pharisees insisting that you obey their new traditionalism of instrumental worship.

Throughout the Old Testament, one justified by faith was never justified by going to the Temple and getting musical. Rather, the words "righteousness and justice" always defines true religion: doing right and practicing social justice.

Liberty from "spiritual anxiety created by religious rituals" is gospel and it frees me from worship teams presuming to be mediator between me and God. That is gospel and Jesus died for defending it against the temple rituals.

If the "law of liberty" is freedom from the Words of Christ then this means that one is free to continue forever in being liberated from the Word. Not true. That is Anti-Gospel.

Stephen was murdered for, among other things, reminding the Jews of the fatal idolatry at Mount Sinai. That idolatry was with singing, wine and instruments; just as in Egypt. They were as progressive and innovative as the Tower of Babel:

And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Acts 7:41

Jesus was tested for His suitablility to be King and Priest for the Jerusalem bunch. They tried to seduce Him into the effeminate Dionysus dance while they played their instruments. When neither He nor John were found to be 'soft' they were certainly not suitable for the Jerusalem team. Therefore, they were murdered. John was murdered and his head brought to the dancing lady who is the only other one in the New Testament who performed the dance they tried to get Jesus to do.

Jerusalem was the fulfillment of the Sodom story:

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Re.11:8

Nothing can be clearer than that the effeminate practices by the clergy is what made Jerusalem's and most other priesthoods full of the unholy Sodomite spirit and not the holy Spirit.

You can see an artist's rendering of this attempt to triumph over Him but Psalm 41 says that Judas would not triumph over where triumph means to play wind instruments and make a joyful noise.

So, again, we have turned it upside down. Stephen and Jesus were murdered for repudiating the musical idolatry which began at Mount Sinai.

This, then is the purpose of the Grace Centered Magazine: "Real, core Christianity--no legalism allowed."

Lee Wilson: We are merely humans saved by the grace of God. Not one of us has it all together. We should be patient with each other (Hebrews 8:12), and do as Jesus did. Remember, He too was criticized for taking too much "liberty" (Luke 7:33,34), and He established the "law of liberty" (James 1:25)

Does that mean: "We have a law of exclusion to legalism?" The "core gospel" was taught to people who were still carnal and not "perfected" to be able to understand the Doctrines of Christ. It is totally provable that those who reject these doctrines have not truly turned to Christ and Paul would still "preach Jesus and Him crucified" until you get the point and are able to "eat the meat of Doctrine."

According to John Calvin who condemns musical worship as legalism, charging people with legalism may be the harshest judgmentalism one can muster:

By the term Law, Paul frequently understands that rule of holy living in

which God exacts what is his due,

giving no hope of life unless we obey in every respect;

and, on the other hand,

denouncing a curse for the slightest failure.

 

Grace Centered Magazine knows no one like that.

 

This Paul does when showing that we are freely accepted of God,

and accounted righteous by being pardoned,

because that obedience of the Law

to which the reward is promised

is nowhere to be found.

Legalism is righteousness based upon keeping the Law of Moses. Libertines are the only ones we know who actually use the Law to justify clergy, musical worship teams like Levites and the use of instruments even without animal sacrifices.

Hence Calvin appropriately represents

> the righteousness of the Law and (the righteousness of)

> the Gospel as opposed to each other.

The law was "given because of transgression" and instruments were part of the discipline (curse) of a "like the nations" worship which god conceded to because the elders in effect fired God and demanded a king like the nations so that they could worship like the nations.

Therefore, because the law was discipline for the lawless:

"To sing the praises of God upon the harp and psaltery," says Calvin, "unquestionably formed a part of the training (discipline) of the law and of the service of God under that dispensation of shadows and figures,

but they are not now to be used in public thanksgiving." (On Ps. lxxi. 22)

"But now, when the clear light of the gospel has dissipated the shadows of the law and taught us that God is to be served in a simpler form,

it would be to act a foolish and mistaken part to imitate that which the prophet enjoined only upon those of his own time." (On Ps. lxxxi. 3.)

> The prophecy of Psalm 41 was that Judas would attempt to Triumph Over Jesus and that means with instrumental music.

> The Dead Sea Scrolls defines this as "standing in the gap" to get Jesus defeated to the sound of musical instruments.

They have overtaken me in a narrow pass (gap) without escape

And there is no rest for me in my trial.

They sound my censure upon a harp

and their murmuring and storming upon a zither." Ps.41:11

> The clergy "piped" trying to pollute or triumph over Jesus by making him do the "knee bending" dance of Baal or the Dionysus choral of the effeminate.

> When the musical temptation was over, Jesus is prophesied to say:

I will groan with the zither of lamentation

in all grief-stricken mourning and bitter complaint

until iniquity and wickedness are consumed

and the disease-bringing scourge is no more.

Then will I play on the zither of deliverance

and harp of joy,

on the tabors of prayer and the pipe of praise

without end.

Yes, Jesus died for A Cappella singing.

The "gospel" is not remotely restricted to the three or seven facts about Jesus. Rather, when the believer accepts the nature of Christ as his then it is possible to go to phase two: eating meat or the doctrines (teachings) of Christianity. This teaching clearly prescribes a non-legalistic (i.e. non-paganistic) worship in spirit rather than worship of the body:

[Nor from the beginning was there any other method of worshipping God, the only difference being, that this spiritual truth, which with us is naked and simple,

was under the former dispensation wrapped up in figures. And this is the meaning of our Saviour's words, "The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).

For by these words he meant not to declare that God was not worshipped by the fathers in this spiritual manner, but only to point out a distinction in the external form: that is, that while they had the Spirit shadowed forth by many figures, we have it in simplicity.

But it has always been an acknowledged point, that God, who is a Spirit, must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.]

That, to John Calvin, Martin Luther and all of the church fathers excluded any form of celebrative praise service or external attack upon the body through the emotions.

Dr. Shelly and the Core people have not caught on to the fact that just preaching Christ and Him crucified meant that Paul just preached milk. Why? Because they were so carnal that he was happy that he had not baptized too many:

AND I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 1 Cor 2:1
........... For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Cor 2:2

According to 1 Cor 15 he always began with the facts of Christ's role: if they could not accept that then he needed to go no further.

Those who preach just core gospel, based on the nature of their sermons, have not themselves decided to follow Jesus and therefore do not, cannot, lead people any closer to Christ than they are personally.

However, to the perfected Paul spoke a language which the princes or doctors of the law could not even imagine because Christ keeps it from them (Matthew 13). Therefore, the "core" is the product of those to whom neither Jesus nor Paul taught:

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: 1 Cor 2:6

When one pushes the "core gospel" they are teaching the wisdom of the world and are still carnal. Furthermore, they "take away the keys to knowlege" by assuming that the "audience" is just as carnal as the Corinthians:

AND I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 1 Cor 3:1

The meat of the word is defined by Karen Armstrong in The History of God as masculine while the ritualists are feminine. Real men can discuss the Words of Christ and not be put off by false arguments that they should not refute the false view of grace as liscense.

in His Grip,

Lee Wilson (Editor) of Grace Centered Magazine.

Jesus turned me loose: grace does not grip you but makes you at liberty; true sons of God able to function in the real world not addicted to commercial religion or music as the most addictive drug-producer known to mankind.

Again, grace means power to be what Christ wants us to be.

Lee Wilson then defines legalism for us:

Lee Wilson: What is Legalism? When I use the phrase "grace centered churches," I mean a church that does not speak where the Bible is silent

Grace centered churches ADD instruments when the Bible is VERY LOUD in condemning them as arriving on earth in the garden of Eden along with Lucifer, the harp-playing prostitute as the king/queen of Tyre.

Those filling Grace Centered Magazine and other claiming grace for their collection of churches, insist, quite falsely that the anti-instrumentalists literally invented The Law of Silence for no other purpose than to deny grace to others.

When people don't play instruments they don't make a law: you are perfectly to hop, skip, dance, wave your hands and play instruments to your hearts content.

Instrumentalists do make a law out of silence because they say: "If you worship with us we will insist that you have to violate your Bible-trained conscience and therefore we will make you sinners.

Therefore, this is not the truth. It is not even a half truth. Therefore it is a lie. The Law of Silence is a clear Biblical principle even though the grace-centereds cannot find it.

Second, the Law of Silence has been recognized by all Christian scholars prior to the liberal 19th century. Many of the church Fathers state it clearly to warn people about those paganizing the church or attending pagan rituals with musical instruments. Yep. A fact.

Third, the non-instrumental Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and othe non-Catholic groups had always repudiated "the works of men's hands" as a worship device.

The Restoration Movement which came out of these groups would not have thought of attempting to worship with instruments. In fact, those who added instruments confessed that it would be a sin if used for worship rather than as just an aid to worship. This surely is a legalism.

Those who added instruments, at times with a vote of 51 to 49, did so knowing that they were sowing discord and without any pretense of a Biblical or historical precedent.

Those who didn't use instruments before the Disciples confiscated the properties didn't use instruments after the instrumental people "stole the widow's church homes."

Therefore, since they did nothing inconsistent with 1800 years of church history and their understanding of the clear Biblical prohibition, they CANNOT be defined by Biblical and secular definitions as the Musical Sectarians.

The attempt to force non-instrumentalists to join or endorse the instrumentalists is based on one of the most ancient stories attributing the use of seductive instrumental music and "Sister Singers" to Lucifer or Satan. The king of Tyre and of Babylon and the end-time Bablonian story in the Bible confirm the accounts.

And in 1842 instrumes were very much based on a restoration of the Law of Moses.

Lee Wilson: A church that simply seeks Jesus and does not condemn other Christians for their opinions.

If you find the Jesus I seek you will understand that He made a career out of denouncing and condemning the temple system which totally depended on music. You will understand that "music" was the prophetic symbol and actual "weapon" used to try to defeat Jesus. You will find Jesus confronting the musical mourning team and "casting them out more or less violently." You will never find Him in the temple singing with instrumental accompaniment. You will find Him promising the demise of the temple, the sacrificial system and Jerusalem. Knowing the facts, this is proof-positive that Jesus would put an end to carnal attempts to worship Him. The Jewish clergy understood that and therefore needed Him dead.

Next, Grace Centered Magazine and the other Liberty Bell Ding a Lings make a career out of condeming non-instrumental churches for their opinions. Is that not a fact. So, why the claim to superiority while building a commercial web page out of trashing those who can still read the Bible rather than follow the pied pipers back into Judaism.

Based on our research, you have to condemn the majority of the world's religion which do not attempt to seduce an invisible God with mechanical means and Sister Singers who were always know as "the harem of the gods."

If you have some supernatural adviser then you can "seek Jesus beyond the sacred page" but for the rest of us we believe that we honor God only by honoring the Son and His Word.

Lee Wilson: Legalism in the Christian world is an extreme concentration on law to the point that laws are made where none exist, and those imaginary laws become more important than Jesus, lost souls, or God's grace.

Lee is still listening to the false teachers who claim that the non-use of instruments is based on silence. Paul commanded "teaching" or preaching with the Biblical material with the singing and melody in the heart (worship in spirit and in truth). Even a deaf man can not call that silence.

Instrumentalists clearly defend instruments based on a Legalism: "God did not say 'thou shalt not use instruments.'" Therefore, instrumentalists are legalists and ritualists lading people down with the burden Jesus died to remove.

Legalism is doing something in the belief that you can "lead the worshipers into the presence of God" with musical worship. Legalism is claiming for the team the role of "presiding over" in place of the elders and "mediating between man and God." Musical performance is the most works-intensive thing one can do in the name of Spiritual religion.

"...an immediate relation is seen by some Biblical scholars between music and magic. It cannot be denied that this relationship is assumed in the myths and legends of the religious systems surrounding Judaism. Nor can it be denied that music and magic are linked in religious systems of primitave cultures everywhere. Furthermore,...the influence of the Greek Philosophical system still has overtones in much of today's thinking regarding musical values. In one way or another the Church, esp. the Roman Catholic and in less systematic ways, much of Protestantism, has adopted this philosophy... Current use of music... seems to suggest that music has somewhat intrinsic powers to change behavior" (Zondervan Pict., Music P. 312).

Legalism, in Paul's language, is keeping the days, festivals, sacrifices of the Law of Moses. Keeping of these days and animal sacrifices was the only justifiable role for "instruments" but it was called "noise" and not music. Legalism believes in the magical power of music to "pay the bills"" that it can sow discord among brethren. By repeating the lies one becomes a joint participator with the evil men who made a new Musical Sectarianism on the face of the earth when none had existed in non-Catholic influenced Christendom.

John Winebrenner whom we quoted defends instrumental music based specificially on animal sacrifices, the temple and keeping of festival days for the "muster-age" males.

Grace Centered Magazine gives Lee Wilson the authority to pass judgment and tell false tales about non-instrumentalists. In the classical "hit and run," Grace Centered Magazine refuses this grace to those just refuting false and malicious teachings.

Ken Sublett: The At Liberty Contender over false words

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