Musick-al Notes

Musick-al Note # 96                 

         The situation with Covid-19 has made it impossible to meet in open fellowship with other Christians.  Our ‘fellowship’ has been severely tested and often some are forgotten and lax communication will cause many to forsake the Lord Jesus.  Everyone should be aware of the temptation to just ‘give up’ when it seems that no-one cares.  We must recognize that each person has a responsibility to follow Christ Jesus in all circumstances of one’s life.

         Sadly it has been so long since Christians have attended services regularly that in most places it is not even expected that all Christians be in attendance.  We have many who do not concern themselves with trying to attend all the opportunities for learning and worship.  It seems to be the thinking that coming occasionally is all that is necessary and coming regularly is alright even though unnecessary, but to attend every class and service is absurd if not fanatical.  All our preaching falls on deaf ears and closed minds because they have closed their minds to the true nature of Christianity.  Theirs is the satisfying self as to the demands of the law, the legal minimum of acceptability to ease their own conscience and not the response of a soul   redeemed from the fiery pit of hell.

          Have you just “joined the church” rather than having “obeyed the Lord”?  Your allegiance can be only as deep as your commitment.  In “joining the church” one’s commitment is only to be identified with the group for some personal satisfaction.  When the group fails to satisfy, then the individual will drop out, attend only spasmodically or leave entirely.  When one “obeys the Lord” the Lord adds him to the church.  His allegiance is not to the people but to the Lord, and his attendance is to be with the Lord (Matthew18:20).  No persuasion keeps such a Christian from every meeting for the Lord to satisfy the hunger of his soul.  His love for Christ binds him to the Lord of glory and he gives his body as a living sacrifice to Him. Such Christians use every opportunity to further their knowledge and show their love to the Christ.  None can keep them from meeting with the saints for they have given their loyalty to the Lord. When the opportunity opens to meeting together, such Christians will be there.

                    Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 95

     What is the differentiation of the importance of the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross?  God had commanded His people in the Old Testament times to offer sacrifices of bulls, goats, calves and birds.  These were to make atonement for their sins.  The basic meaning of the Hebrew word, “kaphar”, translated, “atonement” means “to cover”.  Elementary logic should indicate that “atonement” does not mean to “take away sins” but rather to “cover” them so that it allowed God to “wink at” sin (Acts 17:30); to overlook or cover the sin ONLY in view of the fact that they would be taken away by the blood of Christ.  It is significant that the word “atonement” is not used in the original text in talking about what the blood of Jesus did for us.  It is not rich and expressive enough.  The ONLY way the Bible reveals that God could be just and justify the ungodly is that man’s sin be paid for by the blood of Christ. This is the very center of Christianity!  In Romans 3:25, when the Authorized Version has “remission of sins that are past”, the Greek text does not have “aphesis”–remission, but “paresis”–a passing over, as the ASV puts it.  So the blood of Jesus does not merely atone (cover) our sin, it “takes away”

(airo) the guilt of sin from us as in John 1:29.  It takes us away from sin (exeletai) as in Gal. 1:4.  It disannuls the effect of sin (athetesis) as in Hebrews 9:26.  It redeems us from the world of sin (agorazo) as in Rev. 5:9. It redeems us OUT OF sin (exagorazo) as in Gal. 3:13 by paying a ransom antilutron (1 Tim.  2:6) for us.

     The superiority of Jesus sacrifice on the Cross over the sacrifices of the Old Testament is clearly seen in the effectiveness of His sacrifice over that of the animals sacrificed.  They could not take away sin (Hebrews 10:4) but Jesus took away our sins (Hebrews 9:12, 15; 10:12, 14, 18). We can have assurance before God because of the work and sacrifice of Jesus who gave himself for us that He might bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18).  His salvation is offered to all who will obey Him. (Hebrews 5:8-9; Matt 7:21-26).

                 Gordon Musick

Musick-al Note # 94

          While many of us wear or have worn second-hand clothing or shoes, and drive second-hand cars, we would rather be able to obtain new things for ourselves and our families.  To this end we are always seeking to rise a little higher on the wage scale and some even get a second job to enable their getting new things. This drive within us is natural and helps us to maintain our ambition for greater work.

          In the realm of religion, many people have settled for a second-hand religion with no ambition to do differently.  In no other area of life are people satisfied with second-hand things. Yet in the area of religion you hear people say “If it was good enough for Mother and Father, its good enough for me” indicating that their mind is closed about the subject.  Too much of the Christianity displayed today is nothing more than a second-hand Christianity handed down from the parents to the children and of course there is no freshness, no honor, no glory and certainly no zeal when it is displayed to the world.  Such second-hand religion is obnoxious and hated by everyone who seeks to think and to own valuable things.  Such Christianity can well be paralleled to the people described in Judges 2:10 who came after the generation of Joshua, which “knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel.” Their religion was a second-hand religion and they really knew not the Lord God.  Their ignorance contributed to their down-fall and they did evil in the sight of the Lord.  How much different are they from the children of Christian parents who have no vital faith of their own; who feel cramped and hemmed in because of their parents’ convictions; who attend services only because they have to; who do not enjoy spiritual things as singing, prayer, preaching or partaking of the Lord’s supper?  They laugh, talk, play with the babies or write notes during worship periods; they chew gum and blow bubbles during the communion and use the activities of the church to be with boy-friend and girl-friend.  How different this generation will be by maturity without a knowledge of God, without understanding the Bible, without faith in the Almighty and His Son and without desire to support the Lord’s work (Joshua 2:10-15).  God blesses every individual who has a vital faith in Him.

          Is your religion second-hand, handed down by parents or preacher?  Everyone should follow the Word of God that they might follow the God of the Word.  Build a close, personal relationship with the Son of God that your religion will not be in vain.

                 Gordon Musick

Musick-al Note # 93       

          The Bible is our guide to eternity with God.  The following of God’s teachings as revealed in the Bible is of utmost importance to those who would make heaven their home.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), thus all are under the sentence of death (Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23).  The only recourse for any person is in Christ Jesus who paid the penalty (death) for us.  God is the giver of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord (Hebrews 5:9).  We cannot earn enough or work enough to merit salvation, but we can accept the amazing grace of God, the free gift of everlasting life, given to us in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23).  With great joy, we praise the Lord for His mercy extended toward us, for the remission of our sins in obedience to His Son.

          How presumptuous then for any man to doubt the Word of God that was given by Jesus, God’s own son to whom He gave all authority.  The word reveals both the Father and the Son that we might have life (John 10:10 & 17:3).  No man has the authority or the right to change any command of the Word of God (Galatians 1:6-9).  God has spoken and to nullify or to teach men that these commands have no meaning for people today will find that such teaching is fighting against God.  A person doing so is presumptuous, self-willed and deceived.  It would be better for such a person had they never been born.  We all will stand before God to answer for the life we have lived and be judged with righteous judgment by the words of Christ Jesus..  How sad indeed to receive punishment because we disobeyed, but worse still to know that others have followed our deceit to be lost in eternity.  God is mighty and ever will be.  He loves us and seeks our salvation, but He will not look lightly upon those who presumptuously change his divine will and thwart His divine purpose among men.

                Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 92

     We need to be careful of our words when we speak about baptism lest we lead anyone to disobey God’s Word.  Those statements can range from subtle inference and humor to outright rejection of Scriptural teaching.  It matters little how it comes but greatly concerns those who desire to be pleasing to God in all things.  Every word spoken that causes an individual to reject the teaching of Jesus, whether by humor, inference, inflection, denouncement, subtlety, or false instruction, will require an answer before God in the Day of Judgement.  The New Testament teaches that believers in Christ are to be baptized (Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16).  On the Day of Pentecost following Jesus resurrection, Peter boldly told the multitude to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).  Paul was told to ‘rise and be baptized and wash away your sins’ (Acts 22:16). Paul taught its necessity for one becomes a child of God when baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27).  These ‘babies’ are beginning the Christian life.  Baptism is the ‘line of separation’ from living in the world of sin to living in righteousness.  Everyone who believes the teaching of Christ, repents of all sin, confesses Christ as Lord and is baptized into Christ undergoes a great change in life.  They may look the same outwardly but the inward person is no longer the slave of sin but now freely serves in righteousness (Romans 6:16-22).  All Christians who hear of another baptism greatly rejoice for it marks the beginning of a ‘new life’ in Christ.  It is no wonder that Christians look forward to and rejoice when a missionary reports many baptisms.  To denigrate those reports in any way causes harm to the work of Christ by discouraging missionary efforts to save the lost through teaching the Gospel.  Let us rejoice in every report of baptisms that brings new lives into Christ through their obedience.

                  Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 91

       Every Word of God is important (Matthew 4:4).  The following Scriptures should be kept in our hearts be used in helping others to know God and give assurance of eternal life with Him.

        MAN IS GOD’S CREATION – Genesis 1:27.  All souls belong to God – Ezekiel 18:4

GOD expected men to obey Him. From the Garden of Eden to the present time.  He gave Adam and Eve one command (Genesis 2:17) which they disobeyed.  The consequences were terrible and they were separated from the tree of life. Jesus came that we might have life, giving God’s Word to follow in love (John 14:23-24). All have failed to live pure lives (Romans 3:23, 1 John 3:4) and sinned

 (1John 1:6-8).

       God has always promised forgiveness to men when they do His will.  In the first dispensation of God’s will for man, God said, ‘you must overcome sin* (Genesis 4:6-7). In the Mosaic period, He said, “You must obey the Law (Leviticus 5:1-10). In the Christian Age, we must be ‘In Christ’ (Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:3-10).  By obeying the Gospel, we get into Christ (Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:3-11).   

       GOD WILL BE THE JUDGE OF ALL

He will judge righteously – Acts 17:31, Hebrews 10:30, 2 Corinthians 5:10 Sin has a penalty – death – Ezekiel 18:3, Romans 6:23  God has the power to execute judgement – Luke 12:5, 2 Peter 2:4-9, Jude 14-15  GOD HAS MADE PROVISION TO SAVE MAN – Luke 19:10, John 14:6, Hebrews 5:9 The Gospel is God’s power to save – Romans 1:1 The Gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 We must re-enact the Gospel by baptism in water – Romans 6:3-6, Acts 8:35-39) We must obey from the heart to receive salvation – Romans 6:17-18, Acts 22:16

                 Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 90         

      The question has been asked about the meaning of the phrase ‘the seven spirits of God’ recorded in Revelation 1:4, “John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth” Also Revelation 4:5, “from the throne came flashes of lightening, rumblings and peals of thunder.  Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God”, and Revelation 5:6 “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth”.

       The only Scriptural explanation that I have found is recorded in Isaiah 11:2-4. “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him – the Spirit of wisdom, and (the spirit of) understanding, the Spirit of counsel and (the spirit of) might, the Spirit of knowledge and (the spirit of) fear (reverence) of the Lord; and his delight shall be in the Lord.  He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with (the Spirit of) righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth”. Please note that I have entered ‘the Spirit’ within parenthesis to give clarity to the different ‘Spirits’ mentioned in Isaiah.  These ‘Spirits’ certainly are evident in the life of the Lord Jesus, and of God, our Father.

      Now, please recognize that as followers of Jesus, we should strive to be like Him.  We can possess as much of these same attributes of Christ as possible. Strive for them!

           Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 89             

       Paul declared that Jesus’ death for the sin of every man (Hebrews 2:9) was part of the ‘Gospel of Christ’ in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.  Sin incurs a debt or penalty that is placed upon everyone that sins (Ezekiel 18:4) ‘The soul that sins shall die’.  Just as Adam and Eve died when they disobeyed God – they lost oneness from God – not a physical death but a spiritual death.  Paul said in Romans 6:23, ‘The wages of sin is death’ – if you sin, you must pay the wage – death.  Jesus paid the price (wage) for sin – the sinless One died for all men (Hebrews 2:9). Does this mean that all sin is just wiped away and all men made clean and whole at that point in time?  If so, why did Peter on the day of Pentecost tell the Jews to ‘repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins’ and receive the promise the gift of the Holy Spirit’?  And why did Ananias tell Paul to be baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 22:16) calling on His name?  Obviously, while the penalty for sin was paid by Jesus, man must obey the Gospel of Christ to receive His blessings and be saved (Hebrews 5:9).  Paul revealed in the second Thessalonian letter that those who did not obey the Gospel of Christ would suffer the wrath of God (2 Thessalonians 1:8).  Everyone must understand that after Jesus paid the debt of sin by His death, He was raised from the dead and sat at the right hand of God on His throne.  Reaching that perfection, Jesus became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9).  We must believe that God sent Him into the world; that He died for the sin all men; that He was buried and that He rose from the grave to be at God’s right hand.  We obey Him by dying to sin in repentance, being buried so our sin is washed away in the water of baptism, rising again with Him, through faith in God’s work, to walk in newness of life.  Baptism marks the beginning of our New Life for when one dies to sin and is buried with Him, God gives that person both forgiveness and new life in Christ (Romans 6:2-11).  Everyone who obeys Him becomes His child (Galatians 3:26-27). 

                Gordon Musick                 

Musick-al note # 88                    

       The Creator:  Maker of all things – from nothing?  NO!  From the storehouse of eternity!  Hebrews 11:3 by faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear.”  David declared that by the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the LORD, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood forth. (Psalms 33:6-9)    

      His works are so wondrous that man can only marvel at the majesty of creation.  Do you know the balancing of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge, you whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind?   Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a molted mirror? (Job 37:16-18).  Can you look into the starry sky at night and fail to see the handiwork of an awesome God (Psalms 19:1-4)? Can you measure the water of the oceans in the palm of your hand or enclose the dust of the earth or weigh the mountains or even the hills with a balance (Isaiah 40:12)?

      How can one describe God?  Isaiah said by inspiration said that God sits above the circle of the earth so that the inhabitants are like grasshoppers.  He stretches out the heavens like a curtain to dwell in (Isaiah 40:22).  All the host of heaven were created by God and he names them and sets them all out each night. Job stated that all knowledge and wisdom comes from God who sees everything under the heavens.  He gave the wind its weight, measured the water and even decreed how it would rain and the rules for lightning and thunder which he established (Job 28:29-27).   The Psalmist, David declared that God has been the dwelling place for all men because He was the everlasting God before the world was created and be everlasting after the world comes to an end (Psalms 90:1-2). How can anyone say his life is hidden from God who is everlasting, the creator of all things and whose understanding is unsearchable and does not grow weary? (Isaiah 40:26-28, Jeremiah 27:5).  Isaiah continues: God inhabits eternity, dwelling in a high and holy place but also with the contrite and humble (Isaiah 57:15).  He knows the hearts of all men! (Acts 1:24).

     The books of Psalms and Proverbs speak of the eternal nature of God. Many prophecies concerning the Son of God also speak of Christ’s eternal nature and being with God in the creation of the world (John 1:1-3, 14, Hebrews 1:1-3, 1 John 1:1-2).  Jesus is declared to be the judge of all men (Matthew 25:31-32, Acts 17:31, Romans 14:10-12, 2 Corinthians 5:10). Knowing this then, we ought to be eager to make our calling and election sure, for if you do, you will never fail and a rich welcome awaits in the eternal kingdom (2 Peter 1:10-11).

            Gordon Musick     

Musick-al Note # 87 

         Perhaps all of us indulge in wishful thinking at times as we begin to plan for greater works to be accomplished.  Such dreaming has its place in the lives of leaders for these people know they must put their thoughts or ‘wishes’ into action to bring about great accomplishments in their lives.  These people know that ‘wishing’ won’t make it happen if all they do is wish.   Young people have a lot of desires.  They ‘wish’ they had more friends.  They ‘wish’ they had more money.  They ‘wish’ they had a car.  They ‘wish’ they were more popular.  They ‘wish’ that things were different.  They ‘wish’ their parents and teachers would get off their backs. They ‘wish’ for many things which others seem to have and they do not have.  YET all their ‘wishing’ won’t make it happen.  To have friends, one must be friendly (Proverbs 18:24).  To have money or the things money will buy, one must work (Ephesians 4:28).  To get parents and teachers to cease nagging and harping about school work, one must get his assignments done.  To cause things to be different, we must become different and this requires working at the job.

         Older people have not all leaned this lesson.  We ‘wish’ we had more Bible knowledge.  We “wish” the church was friendlier.  We ‘wish’ the church would grow.  We ‘wish’ others would do more or be more dedicated.  In short, we ‘wish’ things were different.  Yet all our ‘wishing’ won’t make it happen.  We must work to make the church grow.  We must visit, teach and convert other people to make the church grow.  Turn your back upon visitation, teaching and evangelizing and all our ‘wishing’ will not cause the church to grow. To have a friendly congregation, we must be friendly.  If we rush out the door, never greet the stranger, and fail to associate with others in their homes, never have company to your home, and never gather with others in the church for friendly association with them, the church will always be unfriendly.  To grow in the knowledge of the Bible, we must study, meditate and study the Book.  No other method will bring it about.

         We ‘wish’ things were different, that others would do more or that others were more dedicated.  We cannot ‘force’ others to accept their responsibilities nor can we ‘make’ them do more in the church. Only by changing myself and by rededicating my life to the Master, we can make a ‘difference’ within the church.

         ‘Wishing’ won’t make it happen but ‘working’ will.

                      Gordon Musick