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Question #89

Is your website conservative or liberal?

Is this supposed to be an ultra-conservative website? I am conservative myself. Why do you support Faulkner University? They aren't ultra-conservative by what I've seen. They have an acapella group called "Corner Stone," which makes instrumental and vocal percussion sounds with their voices. You are making things very confusing. People are having trouble understanding this website. You say that Songs of Faith and Praise has so many unscriptural songs and is hazardous to the worship service. I don't believe Church Gospel Songs and Hymns is much better, because it has unscriptural songs in it too and you say we should use it instead of the others. Sometimes it just depends on how you look at the songs. There are some songs that can't be taken any other way, but a lot of them depend on how you interpret it. Most congregations have the Songs of Faith and Praise. That doesn't mean they are going to hell for using it. This website is very awkward and confusing. It looks like you are trying to be ultra-conservative and at the same time supporting a few colleges that are a little more liberal. You really need to make up your mind about this website. It is very confusing.

The Answer:

This website may be many things, but confusing it is not! You apparently had no problem understanding what we said. The real problem that you have is reading things into what has been said. For example, this website never said that anyone was “going to hell” for using or not using any particular song book. It does have opinions about some books being better than others and has stated them plainly. It is true that some songs that are unscriptural on the surface may be “explained” in a manner that is not unscriptural. Unfortunately, I have never been in a worship service where such explanations were given when the songs were sung. My conclusion is that it is best to leave such songs unsung. There are many good, solid songs we can sing without worrying about how other songs unscriptural in their literal unexplained words are going to be taken. Sometimes it seems that the only reason for singing them is to stand up in the face of those who object to certain songs as being unscriptural.

But to the real issue at hand and the real reason for your question. You claim that you are confused as to whether this website is liberal or conservative. That may indicate that it is doing something right! Let me assure you that this website is not aiming to be either conservative or liberal. It does not pass its content by those on the left or the right. Where this website seeks to stand is right in the middle of the Book. It is the Bible, the word of Christ, by which we shall be judged (John 12:48). That is the only test we try to meet and the only standard up to which we seek to measure.

I have heard Cornerstone, and I have never heard them make such sounds while singing religious songs. Have you? Faulkner’s policy is that Cornerstone may make such sounds while singing secular songs but not while singing religious songs. I know where Faulkner stands on instrumental music in worship. Do you? I have read Faulkner’s statement as to where it stands. Have you? While it is not posted there at the present, I have requested that its statement of where it stands be posted on its website. Please check it in the next day or two.

One of the problems that some (not all by any means) who call themselves conservative have is that they tend to accept unsubstantiated rumors as gospel truth. Such a practice is not good.

God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)