It's very interesting, as we continue our series on song and worship, the decisions that some of the early church councils have made in regard to the issue of song and worship. The earliest council where the subject of song and worship becomes an issue is that of the Council of Antioch. in 270 A.D., where the heretical bishop of Antioch, Paul, was tried and excommunicated for representing the Son of God as an impersonal attribute of the Father. Not as a person, not as equal to God, but simply an attribute of the Father. One of the acts which this council condemned in condemning Paul was that Paul, quote, stopped the Psalms that were sung in honor of our Lord Jesus Christ, as if indeed they were the recent compositions of modern men, end of quote. Paul's crime herein stated against Christ and his church consisted of setting aside the inspired psalms which honored the Lord Jesus Christ as though they were mere human authority, and rather substituting for the psalms hymns of his own composition. Then again, in 360 A.D., the Council of Laodicea met, and in Canon 59 of that council that met, They forbade the singing of, quote, Psalms composed by private individuals, end of quote. They also forbade the reading of uncanonical books as well. It was actually mandated in the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. that a bishop could not be ordained unless he had first memorized the entire Psalter. Now, I'm glad that particular requirement doesn't stand today in one sense. It would certainly be good in another sense, but I would probably still be memorizing had that been the case for me. But I think that it shows, nevertheless, how serious they took the Psalter. It also says you can't simply learn the Psalter, one would think, through simply reading it, but it would tend to emphasize the fact it was memorized by constant repetition through singing daily, every Lord's Day. That was what was sung unto the Lord. Just a few more things I want to say historically before we get into the text that's before us. From the ancient Syriac documents, we find in one document entitled, The Teaching of the Apostles. This was written somewhere between 200 and 300 AD. And we find these words, quote, The Apostles further appointed, and these are the words that this document says that the Apostles appointed, in the service of the church, repeat ye the praises of David every day. The great Augustine. who was born in 354 A.D., charged an heretical group of his time called the Donatists with these words. He said, quote, The Donatists make it a matter of reproach against us that in the church we sing with sobriety the divine songs of the prophets. whereas they inflamed the intoxication of their minds by singing psalms of human composition." He speaks of these divine songs that were sung in the church at that time as, quote, David's Psalter. And he calls David's Psalter, quote, quote, the psalmody of thy church, end of quote. And finally, the eastern counterpart to Augustine was Chrysostom. Chrysostom was born approximately 345 A.D. and he declares, quote, in the church's vigils, in all the church's meetings, the vigils, the sacred meetings together, the first, the middle, and the last are David's Psalms." He continues in that same homily by saying this, quote, David is always in their mouths, not only in the cities and churches, but in courts, in monasteries, in deserts and the wilderness. He turned earth into heaven, and men into angels, being adapted to all orders and to all capacities." It's really no small wonder that they could memorize the Psalter. If one was taught from the earliest years, those psalms by singing them over and over and over again, and throughout the day, as Chrysostom says, wherever they were, they were singing the psalms. It's no wonder that they committed these psalms to memory. Why mention these historical facts concerning psalmody of the Scripture? itself is our only infallible guide and standard for faith and life. Why even bring up these historical facts? Well, I believe the historical record that God has left behind does in fact corroborate what the scripture teaches in regard to song and worship. You see, history should never be used in order to prove what scripture is silent concerning. But at the same time, what scripture itself teaches, we should expect to find corroboration in history through God's people. And indeed, we find an abundance of evidence in history concerning the songs that were sung in worship. Thus, dear ones, I believe God has hemmed the apostolic period that we're going to be looking at for the next two or three Lord's Days. God has hemmed the apostolic period in previously with the Old Testament. On this side, the Old Testament declaring that it was God's inspired Psalms that were used in his worship. Christ continues that same practice as he institutes singing of psalms. The Lord's Supper, that New Covenant meal. On this side, the other side of the apostolic period, we find the post-apostolic fathers as well teaching, proclaiming the singing of psalms. Both sides, the apostolic period is hemmed in by the singing of Psalms. And so we're going to begin looking at that period of the epistles in the New Testament and what they have to say concerning the singing of Psalms. And I submit to you at the outset, since we have no record at all of any apostolic compositions of song in worship, that they as well followed the example of their fathers, which had sung the songs for hundreds of years, as well as the example of their savior, their prophet, priest and King the Lord Jesus Christ and they as well saying the Psalms I think that one of the things that as we look at this subject the fact that we find little said in fact we find no opposition at all we find in a complete silence with regard to this whole issue of psalmody, if there had been the introduction of human compositions into the worship, after all of these years of singing psalms, one would expect to hear something in the testimony of biblical record We use that particular argument from silence with regard to infant baptism. We say, if indeed there had been a change and no longer children would be administered the sign of the covenant as they had been administered the sign of the covenant for hundreds of years throughout Old Testament history, that we would have expected to have heard something in the New Testament period. But the silence, we say, implies that children were administered the sign of the covenant in the New Covenant as well as in the Old Covenant. And I would say in the same way, because we see, and actually I would say we find more evidence, in my judgment, for the singing of Psalms than even for infant baptism, because in the New Covenant we find explicitly, expressly commands to sing, and authoritative examples of those who did sing the Psalms. But we'll focus today and next Lord's Day our attention upon, I believe, the two most significant texts concerning song in the church that are found in the New Testament, Ephesians 5.19 and Colossians 3.16. Just a little bit of background information as we look at these texts. Both Ephesians and Colossians were letters written by the Apostle Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome, somewhere between the years of 61 to 63 A.D. Thus we find So many parallels between Ephesians and Colossians. So many similarities. They are called twin epistles because there are so many things in the one that are said in the other. They were written at the same time. It would actually appear from the evidence that we have that they were sent from the Apostle Paul to the respective churches at the very same time. If you look at Ephesians, Chapter 6, verse 21. You will find this greeting to the Ephesians at the conclusion of the letter and the one to whom Paul had committed this letter to carry it to the Ephesians. He says, but that you also may know my affairs and how I am doing Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make all things known to you, whom I have sent to you for this very purpose, that you may know our affairs and that he may comfort your hearts." Turn with me then to Colossians, chapter 4, verse 7. Again, the Apostle Paul, his final greetings, he says, Tychicus, who is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts. The same individual. Though it doesn't relate specifically to what I said just now, also it would appear from Colossians 4 or 16 that there was a missing letter. We no longer know anything about that letter, but a letter sent to the Laodiceans at the same time. Because Paul asks the Colossians to pass this letter on to them, to the Laodiceans, and for the Laodiceans to take that letter and to read the one that was sent to the Laodiceans. Ephesians, just to say a couple words about each of these letters, Ephesians emphasizes, if I were to try to characterize what Ephesians teaches in just a sentence, this is what I would say concerning Ephesians. Ephesians emphasizes Christ as the chief cornerstone upon which the church is built. Paul wants to make very clear in the book of Ephesians that the church knows that it is essentially one. Wherever they are located throughout the world, they are essentially one. Though there are many different kinds of living stones from all nations, though there are many living stones from all classes of society, They all are living stones that are built upon the foundation, with Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. Whereas Colossians emphasizes Christ as the divine wisdom of God, upon which the church is built. Not the cornerstone, but the divine wisdom of God. Therefore, the church according to Paul in Colossians, must not be misled by the so-called wisdom and knowledge of man. The vain philosophies of the world. Don't be misled or misguided. Jesus Christ is your wisdom. He is your life. We find in Ephesians and Colossians that the Apostle Paul is teaching that Jesus Christ is absolutely sufficient, dear ones, sufficient as a prophet, priest, and king. We need no other prophet, we need no other priest, we need no other king. Jesus Christ fulfills those offices to his church. So in the interest of time, today I will focus my attention on Ephesians 5, and even next Lord's Day, primarily focusing my attention on Ephesians 5, but going to Colossians 3 to be able to supplement what is stated in Ephesians 5. That's one of the advantages of these twin epistles is that sometimes one epistle makes more clear what is being said in the other, and so I think we can do that where the subjects have much in common. So as we look at Ephesians, focusing our attention there, as in the case of many of Paul's epistles, Paul begins in the first three chapters by laying the theological foundation. And then in chapters four through six, he makes application of those theological conclusions to the lives of the people within the church, to the church of Jesus Christ. And so we're going to just focus our attention, then look with me at Ephesians chapter four, just very briefly. Notice, beginning with Ephesians chapter four, the emphasis upon the word walk. See, that's the experiential, that's the practical admonition that the Apostle Paul is beginning to bring based on the theological truths he's already established. In Ephesians 4, verse 1, Paul says, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. He's calling people to live consistently with the calling that God has extended to them. God has brought about his effectual call in your life. Walk accordingly. Live accordingly. And then again, as we continue, look at verse 17 of chapter 4. This I say, therefore, in testifying the Lord that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk in the futility of their mind." Here he says, don't walk like the Gentiles, like the pagans and heathens, the unbelievers of this world. Don't walk like them. Don't live like them. They're vain in their understanding. They're futile in their minds. They have no knowledge, though they purport to have much knowledge. They have no knowledge of the things of God. So don't walk like them. And then in chapter five, verse two, he says, and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us and offering in a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. Walk in love. Live according to the example of Christ's love Himself. You're going to imitate someone's walk? Don't imitate the Gentiles, the heathens, the pagans. Imitate the walk of our Lord. The way He was willing to lay down His life, that was true love. In chapter 5, verse 8, For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. God has brought you out of darkness, dear ones. He's delivered you from the darkness of Satan's kingdom and brought you into the kingdom of light, even the sun of his love. Live like you're walking, or live as if you are in the light. Live like what you've been called into, which is into the light. Don't live as if you're walking in darkness. Don't live and walk as if you don't know which way to turn. God has given to you his word. Walk in that light. Walk as children of the light. And then we find, finally, in verse 15, see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Here, the Lord, through Paul, commands us to walk Circumspectly that is to walk carefully not as fools, but as wise Throughout the book of Proverbs One of the characteristics of a fool Is that he wastes time He squanders his time He does not walk circumspectly. He procrastinates. Whenever the word duty arises in the heart of the fool, he becomes afraid. That's a fearful word, duty. That you must actually obey the Lord, whether you feel like it or not. In fact, the word duty kind of sends a chill up his back. He doesn't like that word. It's a scary, scary word to the fool. You see, again, it's the wise man who knows how to use his treasures and not waste his treasures. It's the wise man who knows how to use his talents and abilities and not to squander them and waste them. It's the wise man who knows how to use his time. It's a fool that says, but that's not fun. That's not pleasurable. But it's the wise man that says, what does God want me to do? That's what's best for me, whether I feel like it or not. A fool says in Proverbs 22, 13, there's a lion outside there. I can't do that. He's always got a reason. Why he can't perform his duties. Why he can't be obedient. There's always a reason. And if you care to listen to them, you could be there for quite a while. But God doesn't listen to our excuses. God calls us fools when we waste our time. It's the wise man who redeems the time, who buys back the time, not squanders and wastes the time. How we need to impress that, dear ones, upon our children, at a very young age. That time is something. Once it's expended, it's gone. It's gone. I don't want to be and I hope you don't want to be on your deathbed living in regret of having wasted and squandered years of your life. That's a sad, sad commentary on any man's life. And I don't want to see my children in that situation either. I pray you don't. But where do you begin? You begin right now by impressing upon your children to walk circumspectly. To redeem the time, whether it's in their studies, in their homework, whether it's in their housework, whether even if it's in their athletic activities, they're redeeming the time in all that they do. They're doing it for the glory of God. How are you redeeming the time through your calling? Through your vocation? Are there ways in which you can better use your time within your vocation? See, we're always, and we always should be thinking along these lines. How can we use our time to extend the kingdom of God? Through our vocations. Time is one of those commodities and gifts that God gives to us that's equally given to all of us. There's none that are more rich, none that are less poor. All are given the same amount of time. Dear ones, are you wise or are you a fool? in the way you use your time. The only way you'll be wise in this area is by being filled. According to this text, the only way you'll be wise in the use of your time is in being filled with the Holy Spirit. In verses 18 through 21, there are two commands. The first is, do not be drunk with wine. The second command is, but be filled with the Spirit. Now, it's that second command, be filled with the Spirit, that is illustrated for you as to its practical outworking in the lives of Christians in the Church of Jesus Christ through five participles. five participles that we find in verses 19-21. Let me just indicate those five participles that show the practical outworking of what it is to be filled with the Spirit. First participle is speaking. Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. The second participle is singing. The third participle is making melody. in your heart to the Lord. The fourth participle is giving thanks. Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the final participle is submitting. That's another one of those words that sends chills up our backs, isn't it? Submitting. Submitting to one another. in the fear of the Lord. Not simply submitting to your elders. Not simply submitting to your husbands. That will come up in the next passage. In verse 22, submitting to one another. You see, whenever one brings the Word of God to another person, there's the responsibility, the duty on our part to be submissive. Whether it's brought to the pastor or an elder, if one of my children bring to me the word of God and they say, Dad, this is what God says, but you're not doing it. I'd better listen and I'd better submit to my child in that case, as well as my wife, I'm going to be in big trouble. Those particular participles describe the effect of the Holy Spirit's filling in the life and practice of the Church of Jesus Christ. And I don't have time in our series to preach on each of these participles, to bring out the full implications of them, but I do want to address the three participles that we find in verse 19, because they pertain expressly to our topic. And so, let's focus our attention in the remaining time that we have upon those participles. Verse 19. Speaking to one another in songs and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. First, I'd like to point out that the general context of Ephesians 5 has to do with a daily practical walk in wisdom. However, many scholars understand Paul, and I would tend to agree with them, that Paul here is contrasting the foolishness of pagan religious services that were characterized by drunkenness, a waste of time, if you will, with the wisdom of Christian worship services which were characterized by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Not filled with wine, not filled with drunkenness, but filled with the Holy Spirit. And allowing that filling to manifest itself in speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. You see the word in verse 19, and it's translated in different ways. In the King James version, it says, speaking to yourselves in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In the New King James, it says, speaking to one another. The King James is accurate as far as the literal translation. That is what it says, speaking to yourselves. But the idea is not that you're speaking simply to an individual here, and then at another time you're speaking to an individual there. The idea of what is being communicated is rather speaking among yourselves. And that's why many of the modern versions translate it to one another. Speaking among yourselves, in concert. with singing of songs and hymns and spiritual songs. The second point that I'd like to make is that it says, and we'll spend our time developing this now, one expression of the Spirit's filling is that Christians within the church are to speak to one another, quote, in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. As we look at that particular phrase, those three words, psalms, hymns, and songs. We'll talk about the word spiritual next Lord's Day. We're not going to be looking at that this Lord's Day. So we're kind of at this point. Finally, conclude the message today. You're going to say, but there's much more to be said, and I agree, but I just couldn't get it all in one sermon. And so we will come back and visit the rest of the text next Lord's Day. But let me simply point out to you that those three words, psalms, hymns, and songs, are used as an example of Hebrew parallelism. That is, in Hebrew parallelism, what is done is that it emphasizes the same thought or meaning by using different words or phrases. The different words or phrases that are used in a particular passage are not intended to say different things. The different words or phrases are simply intended to amplify, to make more clear what is being said, to emphasize what is being said. For example, Let's look at a few cases in the Old Testament of Hebrew parallelism. In Exodus 34 7, we find I'll begin with verse six, and find these words, and the Lord passed before him, that is, before Moses, and proclaimed, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty. visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and fourth generation. Here we find this Hebrew parallelism in repeating the same concept, iniquity and transgression and sin. Is the writer intending to contrast those words and say that those words each are saying something different? Or is he using them to emphasize the same truth? Well, Hebrew parallelism points out that that is an emphatic way, a way of emphasizing and drawing out the meaning of a word. It's not a contrast at that particular point at all. In Deuteronomy chapter 30, verse 16. Deuteronomy 30, 16. Another case of Hebrew parallelism began with verse 15, where it says, See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes and his judgments. Again, there is not intended, by those three words being repeated, is not intended to say that each word means something entirely different than the previous words that are mentioned. Commandments, statutes and judgments all are saying the same thing. They are parallel thoughts. And then one last Old Testament passage is in Psalm 19, Psalm 19, verses 7 through 8. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Now, there's more parallelism there than in simply law, testimony, statutes and commandment. There are other parallels. As you look closely at those two verses, you see other parallels that are used in that passage. That is a quality, an attribute of Hebrew writing that is found throughout the Old Testament. And particularly you find it in poetry, but you find it also in prose throughout the Old Testament. Well, I also want to say that Paul, being a Pharisee of the Pharisees, being one who had ascended to the highest ranks within Judaism at that time, sat under the famous teacher, Gamaliel, had also learned, through his reading and through his writing, this particular method or style of Hebrew parallelism. And we see it many, many times throughout the writings of Paul. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12 The Apostle Paul says truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance in signs and wonders and mighty deeds What is the distinction between signs and wonders and mighty deeds Now that's a challenge that I'd be willing to put out to any scholar and to tell me what the distinction between those words is. The distinction that implied, as if there was a distinction implied in the use of those words. Again, that's a case of Hebrew parallelism. In Ephesians, the very book we're looking at, There are quite a few examples, and I'll just give you two or three. Ephesians chapter 1, verse 8, says, which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. You may say understanding or something of that nature. Wisdom and prudence. I would submit that wisdom and prudence are used as parallel terms. In verse 21, notice how many words are stacked here, one upon the other. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named. See all the terms that are just stacked one right on top of the other. Hebrew parallelism. And then, since we are also looking at Colossians, notice the way in which in Colossians, these two examples of Hebrew parallelism, Colossians 1, verse 16, Again, a very similar verse is what we just read. It says, for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. I'm not intending to say that each one of those terms is something different from what occurred previously. And then finally, Colossians 1.22. Verse 21 says, And you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable in his sight. Why the continual emphasis? Well, that is just a stylistic method in that particular kind of writing. Not intended to contrast, but to basically to emphasize and draw out the fullness of that meaning. And so I believe we ought not to be so quick to write off the likelihood that when we come to Ephesians 5.19 that we are confronted here again with Hebrew parallelism. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Especially since the conjunction that's used to connect these three words is and. Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. We might say that if the word or was used, that those who want to see a distinction might have a good case. Psalms or hymns or spiritual songs. But it uses the conjunction and. And when you look at Colossians 3.16, this is where I'm using Colossians to help us understand Ephesians. When you look at Colossians 3.16, we actually find that the best textual reading of Colossians 3.16, I believe, and most of the critical Greek texts that I have checked anyway, all agree on this particular point. that the word and is even omitted. The word and is not even used in Colossians 3.16. They simply have psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. There is not even an and present. I think that's particularly significant because it's like putting a hyphen Between each of those words What kind of songs are we talking about what we're talking about the psalms hymn spiritual songs kind of songs That puts them together in a very neat package as to what is being referred to I Also want to make the point that And this is, again, as I think I mentioned in the last sermon, some of the more technical kind of information that I think is very important to point out if we're going to understand the text to write. I think it's very important that we note that many scholars honestly confess as they look at Ephesians 5.19 and Colossians 3.16 They confess that there is really no way to biblically distinguish these three words, since throughout the scripture they are used interchangeably. To their credit, many of them even liberals, to their credit, they have honestly said it's impossible. And I just wanted to make that clear. For example, Edouard Loos has said it is impossible to differentiate exactly between these three terms. How should him be interpreted here next to the other two terms? How should the three be distinguished from one another? That is a bone of contention. From the time of Jerome up till our own day, this question has been debated time and again without any definite solution emerging. We are at a loss concerning these terms which stand side by side. What distinction there is between those terms? Murray J. Harris has said, quote, it is impossible to differentiate these words with any precision, end of quote. Mr. Dowling, Dr. Dowling, in Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament states, quote, there is nothing to suggest that psalmos, the word there in Greek, psalmos, which means psalm, and homnos, which means hymn, relate to texts of different genres or styles. Greek-speaking Judaism, he says, now notice, he says, obviously, obviously does not make any general distinction between homnas, which is hymn, and psalmas, which is psalm, or ode. which is song. He says, obviously, he says, this should be obvious, Greek-speaking Judaism does not make a distinction between those terms. And he summarizes everything by simply saying that there is no sign that we have here different genres or styles of religious song. And finally, A.T. Robertson has noted, quote, the same song can have all three words applied to it." End of quote. You know, we, in our modern context, might try to distinguish between those three words. Because down through the ages, they've become, they've taken on different meanings. And so many more modern scholars have tried to identify Psalms, for example, as the Psalms of the Old Testament. Hymns as being hymns of the New Testament. And Psalms as being those which are supernaturally inspired on the spur of the moment. But those distinctions are not carried out throughout the scripture. One cannot biblically make those kinds of distinctions with regard to those three words. You know, the position that we hold in teaching that those three words are used synonymously for the entire inspired Psalter sometimes is ridiculed And is said, well, that's ridiculous because what Paul would be saying is that we're just saying Psalms and Psalms and Psalms. But again, I ask. I plead with those who do not. Agree with this position to show us biblically. How him and song are distinguished. within the Scripture. If Psalms refers to the Old Testament Psalms, hymns and songs, I believe, at least from that perspective, they're going to have a very difficult time showing how those two terms are distinguished in the Scripture. But I'm convinced they will come out having to conclude If we're saying psalm and psalm and psalm, they're going to have to conclude they're saying psalm and hymn and hymn, or psalm and song and song. Because there are no biblical distinctions, as has been already stated, that can be made between those three words consistently at all. I wonder if they want to apply that principle to 2 Corinthians 12, 12, where you have signs and wonders and mighty deeds. Was Paul simply tripping over his words and saying what he performed were signs and signs and signs? Or wonders and wonders and wonders? Let's apply this consistently, if that's the case. Furthermore, in Ephesians chapter 5, verse 19, the last two participles in that verse, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, literally singing and psalming in your heart to the Lord. Again, I ask if If we are to make a distinction between the way in which Paul uses these words, what is the distinction between singing and making melody in your hearts, or singing and psalming? What's the distinction there? Again, I believe that Paul is using, in those two participles, he's simply using again Hebrew parallelism. And so I submit to you that there are no biblical distinction between these words. That the latter two words, hymns and songs, simply fill out the meaning of the first word, which is Psalms. That all three point to the inspired Psalter. These were, in fact, the very Psalms, dear ones, that were being sung throughout the Greek-speaking world in Jewish synagogues. Wherever you went, wherever Paul went to preach the gospel, what would he hear being sung in those synagogues? He would hear the Psalms being sung. He would himself, as he teaches and preaches the word, he would be preaching from the Greek Septuagint. The Greek Septuagint Bible, the translation of the Old Testament Scriptures into Greek, uses those words, and we'll look more closely at that next time we meet, uses those three words throughout the Inspired Psalter interchangeably. And I think it's especially incredible to find ministers, it seems to me, taking a passage like this and saying that these words even may mean uninspired compositions of men. Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. When there is not one command throughout the Bible to sing an uninspired composition of man when there is no authorized example that we can point to where an uninspired song of man was sung and where there is no good and necessary inference that we may draw that uninspired songs were sung or should be sung. And it seems to me to be especially incredible I want to conclude by simply having you look with me again at Colossians chapter three. Colossians three. For 16. Whereas in Ephesians 519, it says, Be filled with the spirit In Colossians 3.16, the command there is, Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you. These are equivalent commands. Be filled with the Spirit. Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you. Now, the word of Christ, as it's used there, may refer to the word which comes from Christ, which is derived and has its origin in Christ, that word which he has inspired, in other words, or it may refer to the word which speaks concerning Christ, or about Christ, Christ being the subject of the word. Now, as we considered the whole issue of of psalmody, we can say very clearly that the inspired Psalms are both the word from Christ. For as we look at first Peter chapter one, we find that Peter says in verse ten of this salvation, the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what or what manner of time? The Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating, when he testified beforehand, the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." That certainly includes the Psalms. They were inspired by Christ, therefore they are the Word of Christ. It's not simply the words that Jesus spoke during his earthly ministry that are the words of Christ. The word of Christ is all of biblical revelation, and included in that are the Psalms. But it also, the word of Christ, may also mean that which is concerning Christ, the word which is concerning him. You remember in Luke 24, how when the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead, he appeared to his disciples, and it says that he explained to them, expounded to them, all of those words concerning him that were found in Moses, in the Psalms, and the prophets. And so, the Psalms, as well, speak concerning Christ. I believe that the word of Christ, dear ones, is all of God's word, but I want you to know that Christ himself lives and breathes throughout his inspired Psalms. The church is not a building, dear ones, like a motel where Christ is to stop once in a while when he passes by and is in town. The church is not like a motel, temporary occupancy. Rather, the church of Jesus Christ is rather to be like a home where Christ and his word find permanent dwelling and abide continually within the church And oh, how, dear ones, Christ fills His sanctuary with His Word, when His Word is not only read and preached, but when His words from His own inspired psalms fill this room and ascend as sweet fragrance and aroma unto Himself. In Revelation 3, verse 20, The Lord Jesus speaks to a lukewarm church, whom he wished would stop being lukewarm, but rather be cold or hot, because he says he's going to spew them out of his mouth if they do not repent. But he says in verse 20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice. How does Christ speak? He speaks through his words. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with me. You see, Colossians is emphasizing the fact that Jesus Christ and his word must find within our church and within our own individual lives A permanent place and lodging where he's not the servant, where his word is not the servant, but the master. And the word of Christ, dear ones, is not simply the word that's preached. It's the word of Christ that is sung. It's the word visible that's administered in the sacraments, the Lord's Supper and baptism that's receiving and welcoming into our midst Jesus Christ when we receive his word, when we welcome it in that manner. It's not simply going through the motions. It's not simply partaking of the Lord's Supper. It's not simply uttering the words of the Psalms. It's not simply listening with our natural ears to the sermon. It's welcoming it. It's inviting Christ and his word into our lives to take a permanent residence, to not be a stranger, but to be one who owns. this home, this tabernacle in which we dwell. And so I ask you, beloved, is Jesus Christ a stranger? Is he a permanent resident in your own life? because you so earnestly welcome and invite him in. The Word of Christ, when it dwells within us, beloved, we will not then be led by our feelings and our emotions. We will be led by the objective truths of Christ speaking to us, his people. We will be able to know, as it says in Ephesians chapter 5, understand what the will of the Lord is. We'll be able to discern truth from error as we hear the Word of God and take it in, as we sing the Word of God, as it says in Ephesians and Colossians, with our hearts. As we partake of the Lord's Supper, not simply as a ritual, but as something that is life-changing. One last quote before I close. This comes from an early church father, Vassal of Caesarea, who lived and was born about 330 A.D. and it's an extended quote, but I want you to listen to what he says about the singing of the Psalms. He has captured what it means to let the Word of Christ dwell in you through the singing of Christ's words in the Psalms. Listen. He says, Psalmody is the calm of the soul, the repose of the spirit, the arbiter of peace. It silences the wave and conciliates the whirlwind of our passions, soothing that which is impetuous and tempering that which is unchaste. Psalmody is an engenderer of friendship, a healer of dissension, a reconciler of those who were inimical, For who can longer account that man his enemy with whom to the throne of God he hath raised the strain? Wherefore, that first of blessings, Christian love, is diffused by psalmody, which devises the harmonious concert as a bond of union, and connects the people in choral symphonies. Samadhi repels the demons. It lures the ministry of angels, a weapon of defense in nightly terrors or respite from daily toil, to infant a presiding genius, to manhood a resplendent crown, a balm of comfort to the aged, a congenial ornament to women. It rends the desert populace and appeases the form's tumult. To the initiated and elementary instruction, to proficiency, a mighty increase, a bulwark unto those who are perfected in knowledge. It is the Church's voice. This exhilarates the banquet. This awakens that pious sorrow which it has referenced to God, Psalmody from a heart of adamant can excite the tear. Psalmody is the employment of angels, the delight of heaven, and spiritual frankincense. Oh, the sapient design of our instructor, appointing that at once we should be recreated by song and informed by wisdom. Thus the precepts of instruction are more deeply engraven on our hearts. For the lessons which we receive unwillingly have a transient continuance, but those which charm and captivate in the hearing are permanently impressed upon our souls. From hence may not everything be acquired, Hence mayst thou not be taught whatever is dignified in fortitude, whatever is consummate in justice, whatever is venerable in temperance, whatever is sublime in wisdom. Here the nature of penitence is unfolded. Patience is here exemplified. Is there a blessing to be named which here resides not? The splendors of theology beam effulgent. Jesus is predicted. The resurrection is announced. Judgment is proclaimed. The sword of vengeance is unsheathed. Crowns of glory glitter. Speechless mysteries astonish. All these are treasured up in the book of Psalms as in a common treasury of the soul. Let the word of Christ Dear ones, dwell in you richly. May God add to our understanding that kind of spiritual insight into the singing of His own words, the Psalms. 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And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, either came into my heart, from his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.