The Italian Memorandum

“…singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart…”

(Ephesians 5:19)

Notes from a presentation by Robert M. Housby, April 20, 2008 during the P.M. assembly, Cape Girardeau, Missouri church of Christ. This message was delivered from within the context of the Letter to the Hebrews

Introduction: Frequently, someone from one of the denominations asks, “Why don’t you use music?” What they mean is, why doesn’t your church use a piano, organ, or some other form of mechanical music in worship? The following is a scriptural response for those who seriously desire to know.

I. Christ qualifies us to worship; it is a privilege (Hebrews 9:11-14)

A. only in covenant relationship (Hebrews 9:15)
B. and, only according to the covenant (define: covenant and authorization)

1. Hebrews 12:28 – acceptable worship
2. Hebrews 13:21 – that is, according to “his will”
a. pleasing him (Heb. 11:6)
b. not necessarily pleasing us (though certainly possibly; Heb. 10:7)
3. Hebrews 13:15 – singing is endorsed worship (see also 2:12!)

II. If God orders worship (and he does, Heb. 9:1) then, not everything that is offered to God as worship is acceptable worship (Hebrews 12:28= principle; 11:4 = example). Either all worship is acceptable; No worship is acceptable; or, Some worship is acceptable. The latter is most certainly preferred.

III. The Hebrew writer is concerned about reverting back to the Old Testament as religious authority, and earthly forms of worship (Heb. 8:8,9,10; 10:28-39; 10:9!)

Conclusion:   Since mechanical music as worship is first traceable, at large, to the period of Pope Vitelian (about 650 A.D.; see Schaff’s Church History, Vol. 4, p. 439), and singing is authorized Christian worship, let us proceed in faith by pleasing God according to his will (see Hebrews 13:20-21; 15-16; 2:12).

“Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself”

(Hebrews 9:26, NIV)

William R. Newell said of Hebrews 9:26, “All previous ages led up to this; all succeeding ages are governed by this!” (Hebrews Verse by Verse, p. 323). Edward Fudge wrote concerning 9:26, “The singularity of Christ’s offering is expressed here in three ways. It is once for all; it is the consummation of the ages; and, it is to abolish sin. If sin is abolished, there is no need for another sacrifice. If the consummation of the ages has come, there is no time for another. And, if Christ’s offering is once for all, there can be no other” (Our Man in Heaven: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, pp. 101-02).

Johannes Schneider, former professor of New Testament at Berlin University during the Nazis surge (1933-39), said about 9:26—“ [This] section shows the three great perspectives by which the Church of Christ has oriented herself in all times. It calls attention to the finished work of redemption; the present reality of redemption; and the promised future realization of redemption. Before her spiritual eye stands the crucified Christ, the eternal high priest, and the coming Savior” (The Letter to the Hebrews, p. 91).

Not only has Christ died, he died for you.

– Robert M. Housby

Years ago, brother Walter Scott, wrote in his periodical, The Evangelist (1840) [reprinted by College Press, Joplin, Missouri] a series entitled, Cleansing of the Sanctuary. In this series, Scott enumerates the great points of the Plea for Restoration:

1. The Bible Alone.
2. The True Gospel.
3. The Name Christian.
4. The Apostolic Order of the Church
5. The Perfection of Individual Character.

Walter Scott would eventually qualify these main points of restoration (Vol. VIII. Cincinnati, Ohio, December 1, 1840. No. 12) by saying: “It is important in all our attempts at reformation that ends and means be carefully distinguished from each other. In the following schedule of reform the first four elements are means; the last is an end.

1. The Bible
2. The Gospel
3. The Name
4. The Order, and
5. The Perfection of Character

The Bible is our sole authority—neither human creed; church catechism; nor, extra-biblical revelation is above it. The gospel, as revealed in the Bible, is our only plan of salvation. The name, Christian, is the desirable name of all followers of Christ. The New Testament order of worship and procedure in faith and practice (sometimes called the ancient order) is, in fact, the only authorized and approved method of pleasing God today. And, one’s personal and spiritual devotion is required holiness (Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 12:14). -Robert M. Housby

Sometimes people in the hard sciences such as physics have said daring and even spiritually applicable things. Such is the case in the following observation-quote from the great German physicist, Albert Einstein.

Not everything that counts can be counted,
and not everything that can be counted counts.

We think that Einstein was making a statement here, not only about materially quantifiable data (including star-light), but also about a sociology of valuing people above things. As Christians, we trace our religion back to the patriarch Abraham (Romans 4:16). And, the promise of Genesis 22:17 inevitably comes to mind—“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven…” (see Hebrews 11:12).

The French mathematician Blaise Pascal also said something about the counting of the stars. In his Pensees, he wrote, On Man’s Disproportion to the Universe…
marvel at the fact that Earth is merely a tiny point compared to the stars which roll through the firmament. But if our gaze stops there…it will grow tired…For
finally, what is man in nature? He is nothing in comparison with the infinite, and everything in comparison with nothingness, a middle term between all and nothing…we are something, and we are not everything. Listen to Pascal’s breathtaking conclusion—“Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed…the universe knows nothing of this.”

Yes, man is immensely disproportionate to the stars! But, man can comprehend the stars; the stars will never reciprocally ponder man! May we learn to count again—to learn; to live; to love—the things which truly matter (John 17:3).

– Robert M. Housby

“When a man’s ways please the Lord,

he makes even his enemiesto be at peace with him”

(Proverbs 16:7)

“Now before he [Enoch] was taken he was commended as having pleased God”

(Hebrews 11:5)

Do your ways please God? The Bible is full of instances which depict: land pleasing man; woman pleasing man; man pleasing woman; servants pleasing kings; and, yes, man pleasing God (Gen. 49:15; Neh. 2:7; 1 Cor. 7:33,34; Heb. 11:5). We have noticed that there appears a rather definite theology of pleasing God in the book of Hebrews.

1. 10:6,8,38 – God determines what is pleasing, and what is not.
2. 11:5 – The example of Enoch.
3. 11:6 – The principle of faith as essential to pleasing God.
4. 12:28 – The exhortation to offer acceptable worship as pleasing.
5. 13:16 – The act of praise and doing good pleases God.
6. 13:21 – The clarification that doing his will is God pleasing when done through Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:13 reads: “…for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Do your ways please the Lord?

– Robert M. Housby

“…they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one”

(Hebrews 11:16)

Growing up in northern Illinois, where fireworks were not legally sold, naturally I was overjoyed when my friend informed me that his family was traveling to Missouri and that he had plans to bring back boxes of fireworks. That summer was spent throwing firecrackers at passing cars from a concealed location across a canal, where the culprits could not be seen. The adrenaline flowed like soda that summer. Many years later (having repented of those deeds) and now living in Missouri, with Boomland so near, I could care less. Isn’t that the way it is with immaturity? We think that we know what we want out of life, and then when it comes our way we have lost interest. Still, the “precious faith” (2 Peter 1:1) is persistently and consistently precious. It does not wane with the years; sag with the tears; or feign with the rain. The Christian faith has a hope that begins in this life and reaches into the next.

Some Christian groups (individuals), in order to pursue their immature need for the pops and cracks of adolescence, must worship with the innovations of musical bands; religious garments; incense; statues of saints; holy water; ad infinitum. But, we did not so learn Christ (see Eph. 4:20). These sensual aspects of church worship are a better reflection of pagan culture, than the Acts of the Apostles (Eph. 4:17-24).

That happy place is neither Missouri nor Boomland, but heaven (Colossians 1:5). May your hope bring you to worship God daily, in the specific splendor of the simplicity which is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3,4).

– Robert M. Housby

(Hebrews Chapter 1: Regarding Jesus Christ)

“…let us hold fast our confession”

(Hebrews 3:6, 14; 4:14; 10:23)

A number of years ago, I was in a public library when I overheard a gentleman going on and on about the first chapter of Herman Melville’s, Moby Dick. He bestowed on this particular chapter the ranking of— “best chapter in all of literature.” As I listened, I determined to go read this chapter from Melville. Although, we need not prefer one chapter in the Bible over any other, the first chapter of Hebrews does call our attention to Jesus in a classical style that is absolutely riveting. The Hebrew writer urges his readers to hold on to their faith in the face of difficulties (3:1;4:14). Then, he tells with certain and superior pride in his Lord just exactly who it is that occupies the substance of the Christian confession—

1. God’s prophet son (1:1,2)
2. the heir of all things (1:2)
3. the co-creator of the world (1:2)
4. the radiance of the glory of God (1:3)
5. the exact imprint of his nature (1:3)
6. [who] upholds the universe by the word of his power (1:3)
7. [who] making purification for sins, sat down (1:3)
8. [who] is greater than angels

What a dynamic foundation for Christians! The Hebrew writer opens in he most powerful way possible— clarification of Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

– Robert M. Housby

“Greet all your leaders and all the saints.
Those who come from Italy send you greetings.
Grace be with all of you”

(Hebrews 13:24,25)

A large portion of the New Testament is composed of personal letters. These letters are known as epistles (from the Greek, epistole). This epistolary form includes a greeting, which may come at the beginning of a letter or at the end.
Greetings were generally very important to the Jews (Matt. 23:6f.; Lk. 20:46; 11:43). The greeting was also customary among both non-Jews and non-Christians—“And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” There is a reference by Jesus which suggests that the disciples were not to greet
anyone while on the mission of Luke 10:4—“…greet no one on the road.” But, this exception was not the norm, as Matthew 10:5-6 would indicate; and so it is called the limited commission, in contrast to the great commission of Matthew 28:18-20.
Notice the principle laid down in Matthew 10:12-16 about greetings—“As you enter the house greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you… ” In Christian ministry we encounter those who are friendly and those who are antagonistic. But, note that Jesus’ followers are to initiate the greeting.
(Matt. 10:12). Only then, will you be able to discern who will listen and who will not listen. We need not force ourselves upon those who are already unprepared soil for the gospel. But, in closing, do be kind and greet those about you this winter.

– Robert M. Housby

[A list of references of the causes of salvation. This list refutes and exposes those groups which subjectively select one cause over another. See Acts 20:27; Ps. 119:160. It is a given that God is the ultimate author of salvation –Tit. 2:13; 3:4; Heb. 5:9]

1. Grace (Ephesians 2:8)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith…”

2. Mercy (Titus 3:5)
“…according to his mercy he saved us”

3. The Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
“Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved”

4. Jesus’ Name (Acts 4:12)
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”

5. Hope (Romans 8:24)
“For in this hope we were saved”

6. Preaching (1 Corinthians 1:18)
“…but to us who are being saved it [“the word of the cross”] is the power of God”

7. Confession of faith (Romans 10:10)
“…with the mouth one confesses and is saved”

8. Obedience (Hebrews 5:9)
“…he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey”

9. Love of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
“…because they refused to love the truth and so be saved”

10. Ourselves (Philippians 2:12)
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”

11. Baptism (1 Peter 3:21)
“…Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you”

-Robert M. Housby

How Samson Prefigures Christ

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

(Philippians 4:13)

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jepthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice …”

(Hebrews 11:32,33)

The Hebrew scholar, Dr. John Willis, entitles Judges 13-16, “The True Source of Strength” (The Message of Old Testament History, Vol. 2, p. 81). This is the story of Samson. While Samson does not prefigure Christ in all ways, there are some remarkable Messianic similarities:

1. Both were men of faith (Hebrews 3:2,5; 11:32,33).
2. Both received angelic birth announcements (Judg. 13:3,6,7; Lk. 1:30,31).
3. Both men were empowered by “the Spirit of the Lord” (13:25; 14:6,19; 15:14; Matt. 3:16).
4. Both men were deliverers (Judg. 13:5; Matt. 1:21).
5. Both men were mocked in their last hours (Judg. 16:23,25,27; Lk. 18:32; 23:35-38).
6. Both men died between two verticals, left and right (Judg. 16:25; Lk. 23:32, 33).
7. Both men died in victory (Judg. 16:28-30; Col. 2:15).

The story of Samson, as the story of Christ, mingles tragedy with triumph.

-Robert M. Housby