I am a Methodist, and I was wondering why we recite the Apostles' Creed.  What's the point?

Sincerely,
Method To The Madness?

Dear Method To The Madness,

The Methodist church recites the Apostles’ Creed because the Methodist Worship Manual says to.  The Apostles’ Creed is a manmade document, and even though much of it is accurate – it isn’t from the Bible.  It is a commentary on Bible teachings that has been adopted as a statement of faith by many churches… this is wrong.  God tells us to never add or subtract from His Word (Rev 22:18-19).  There is no need for creeds and statements of faith – the Bible is our statement of faith (Rom 10:17, Rom 1:16).  The Methodist church, along with many others, have left the biblical foundation of Christ and added their own traditions and systems that warp and pervert God’s true intent for Christianity (Gal 1:6-9).  The only way to rectify this is to shed all creeds, traditions, and manmade doctrines.  We must return to the Bible, and the Bible only, as our guide.  If we follow the Bible pattern for the church, we will have total confidence that we are pleasing to God.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

I recently came across a Christian music station that I have been listening to in my car.  My spouse and I were talking about it, and we both know the reasons not to bring musical instruments in to the worship service (Eph 5:19).  However, we were wondering if there is anything wrong with listening to a Christian radio station where all the music is in concert with musical instruments.

Sincerely,
Just Wondering

Dear Just Wondering,

It isn’t inherently wrong to listen to “Christian Music”, but it is worth considering the effects it will have upon your influence, your behavior, and your conscience. You are right, God asks us to worship Him through singing and making melody in our heart (Eph 5:19). God never asks for any instrument to be plucked but our heart strings. That is the worship He asks for, and that is the worship we should give Him – no more and no less (Rev 22:18-19, Deu 4:2).

If you are going to listen to religious music with instrumental accompaniment, you must understand that they recorded it as a form of worship as well as a form of entertainment… which is wrong. Therefore, by buying and actively listening to such music, you may be sending mixed messages to others and supporting an industry that is built upon a false teaching. We have to consider how our behavior looks to others (Matt 5:16). Just because you know anything but acapella worship is wrong doesn’t mean others would.

You also must consider your behavior – are you singing along with the music? If so, are you worshipping God with the words of the song? It is not always easy to discern the line between singing along as a form of entertainment and singing along as worship. You must decide for yourself if your behavior crosses the line between personal enjoyment and active participation in a form of worship God doesn’t desire.

Which brings us to the last question – does it bother your conscience? If you cannot feel completely convinced in your mind that what you are doing is acceptable before God, you have to refrain. Whatever cannot be done in faith is sin (Rom 14:23). If you consider your conscience, your influence, and your behavior before God, only then will you be able to come to a sound personal decision on whether or not you can listen.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

I have a friend who asked me a question.  He asked me about 2 Thess 2:11.  He wanted to know why God would send a "strong delusion" to man.  He feels it is God allowing Satan to cover the eyes of man.  I told him it was most likely because man is so obsessed with evil; it’s God's way of rubbing their nose in it.  I told him that when man desires evil, that's what he gets (evil).  Could you explain this whole thing to me so that I can give him the answer he seeks?

Sincerely,
Friendly Counsel

Dear Friendly Counsel,

2 Thess 2:11 is referring to only a certain group of people – those who refuse salvation because they are unwilling to love the truth (2 Thess 2:10).  What your friend is concerned about it is that God would somehow allow Satan to keep people from having the freedom to see the truth, but that isn’t what this verse is referring to.  Jhn 3:16 makes it clear that God sent His Son so that everyone would have the freedom to choose salvation, and Ezek 18:23 shows that God doesn’t desire any of the wicked to perish.  The strong delusion referred to in 2 Thess 2:11 is the same as the seared conscience mentioned in 1 Tim 4:2.  When people refuse salvation and refuse to see the truth, they will naturally become more and more wicked because they will make bad choices.  They will sear their own conscience and become deluded with evil.  If we are honest, we draw closer to the truth; if we are dishonest, we move farther from it.