The Sin of Being Neutral

If there was ever a time for men to be taking a stand for Truth and right, it is now. The church is facing troublesome times in its battle against sin in the face of a new liberalism and softness toward doctrinal error. We see efforts of brethren on every side trying to take a neutral stand. They think they can win the struggle for right by failing to take a stand. Evidently, they feel that by being quiet the devil will go away. Not so.

You will recall that the prophet Balaam tried to be neutral, but failed. Balak wanted him to place a curse against God’s people. Balaam knew, and confessed, that he must speak that which the Lord put in his mouth (Num. 23:12). At the same time, he seemingly wanted to please Balak. Balak’s doctrine is stated in Numbers 23:25: “And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.”

We are either for the Lord or against Him (Matthew 12:30). Let it be understood, we are not talking about personal disputes where there is the possibility of both parties being in the wrong. Instead, we are thinking of doctrinal matters. For instance, one preacher said that he is not a premillennialist, but neither was he “anti- premillennial.” Another has said, he was not advocating instrumental music, but that he was not “anti-instrumental music.” There are many who would disclaim false doctrine in their own preaching, but they will embrace those in fellowship who teach and preach false doctrines. Brethren, let us get off the fence.

In Judges 5:23 we read, “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” God’s people were in a battle for their lives. God was mightily concerned, but where was the house of Meroz? They were still abiding in their sheepfolds. They were content to remain idle and let others do the fighting, but God was displeased. He ordered a curse be placed against them.

What was their sin? The same as many of our brethren today! They wanted to remain neutral. They wanted others to do their fighting. There are those even now who will not join in the battle against error in the church. They look upon themselves as lovers of peace. They even become critical of those who are known as “fighters” or “brotherhood watchdogs.” Some of these are trying to do  a balancing act on the fence of neutrality. If the Truth prevails on some issue and error is exposed to the point that it is unpopular, they will fall off on the side of the majority and proudly claim, “We have won the victory”—yes, and “we killed a bear, but papa shot it.”

B. C. Carr

Instrumental Music - What Others Have Said

  • “The organ in the worship is the insignia of Baal” (Martin Luther).
  • “I have no objection to instruments of music in our worship, provided they are neither seen nor heard” (John Wesley, Methodist). 
  • “There can be no doubt that originally the music of the divine service was everywhere entirely of a vocal nature” (Emil Nauman, The History of Music).
  • “I presume to all spiritually-minded Christians, such aid [mechanical instruments of music] would be as a cow bell in a concert” (Alexander Campbell).
  • “What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatical prettiness of a quartet, bellows, and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it” (Charles H. Spurgeon, Baptist).
  • “The custom of organ accompaniment did not become general among Protestants until the eighteenth century” (The New Shaff-Herzogg Encyclopedia). 
  • “I am an old man, and I here declare that I never knew them to be productive of any good in the worship of God, and have reason to believe that they are productive of much evil. Music as a science I esteem and admire, but instrumental music in the house of God I abominate and abhor” (Adam Clarke, Methodist Commentator). 
  • “David formerly sang songs, also today we sing hymns. He had a lyre with lifeless strings, the church has a lyre with living strings. Our tongues are the strings of the lyre with a different tone indeed but much more in accordance with piety” (Chrysostom, 381 A.D.).
  • “The use of music was not received in the Christian churches, as it was among the Jew, in their infant state, but only the use of plain song” (Justin Martyr, 139 A. D.). 
  • “While the pagan melodies were always sung to an instrumental accompaniment, the church chant was exclusively vocal” (Edward Dickinson, History of Music).

Author Unknown

The Christian Ethic

  1. The Christian ethic is a revealed — not a speculative ethic.
  2. The Christian ethic is a unified —not a self-contradictory one.
  3. The Christian ethic is a metaphysical one.
  4. The Christian ethic is an absolute ethic.
  5. The Christian ethic is an ethic which recognizes the roles of (1) intrinsic and instrumental good (2) intrinsic and instrumental evil.
  6. The Christian ethic is a religious ethic.
  7. The Christian ethic is one which involves the thoughts of the mind (“heart”) as well as the deeds of the body.
  8. The Christian ethic is one which involves the conscience of each individual person.
  9. The Christian ethic is one of self-denial and self-sacrifice. 
  10. The Christian ethic is one vitally connected with the free will of man and with the responsibility which accompanies such freedom.
  11. The Christian ethic is an ethic of social consciousness.
  12. The Christian ethic is one of striving for perfection.
  13. The Christian ethic is one of grace.
  14. The Christian ethic is one of helpfulness (in the living of the Christian life) on the part of God.
  15. The Christian ethic is one which involves love in both directions (from God to man and from man to God).
  16. The Christian ethic is one of continued growth throughout life.
  17. The Christian ethic is one of showing mercy and kindness to one’s fellowman.

Thomas B. Warren