Quote:
Originally Posted by aron
And the fact that the wording of this passage in Ephesians closely parallels that in Colossians 3, where Paul said to "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" really emphasizes how deep the practice of singing the Psalms was with him and the saints in the churches. I find it ironic that the "NT revelation" of Christ is largely based on the saints' revelations of Christ in what we call the OT, and yet many of us nearly exclusively looked to the NT for revelation of Christ, and downplaying the "history" and "poetry" and "wisdom" of the OT. It took me years as a Christian, after studiously avoiding the OT as without merit, to begin to try and look at the older texts the way that the NT believers might have considered them. Because they certainly were considering them, as Paul's citation above indicates.
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In our post-LC journey we connected with the local Church of Christ congregation. Great group of believers who really love the scriptures. Their founding father, however, based on his research, decided that the early church never had musical accompaniment. For a guy like me, who can't tell a chord from a rope, worshiping in song was becoming painful. Why should we be muzzled by what some 19th century teacher said?
Paul's exhortations in Ephesians and Colossians shows how much the Psalms were a part of their daily living. "
Making melody in your heart to the Lord," shows how Paul brought the Psalms to the Gentile world. This exhortation says much about Paul's ministry in their gatherings. With the Psalms came the lyrics and the melody. Paul taught them to sing to the Lord in the spirit. That singing together in worship then invaded their private lives too. "
Hymns and spiritual songs" shows that the Psalms were a springboard to develop contemporary music in the Gentile assemblies.
As you said,
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly" opens the doors wide open. This verse is relational and interpersonal, not corporate. Paul connected the indwelling word of Christ to our relationship with our "neighbors." Their fellowship and encouragement with one another came in the form of song. For the Gentile churches with Paul, their "connection" to the scriptures was via song, whereas the Judaizers attempted to connect them through ordinance.