Following God's Lead
GOD WILL NEVER CONDEMN US FOR FOLLOWING WHERE HIS GUIDING HAND LEADS US: GOD WILL NEVER CONDEMN US FOR FAILING TO GO WHERE HIS HAND DOES NOT LEAD US. To go where God does not lead us instead of going where he does lead is to show a lack of faith. We need to have faith in God's plan. To substitute man's way for God's way shows a lack of faith in God's way or plan. The reason that God did not furnish an example of the use of mechanical instruments of music in Christian worship is that He did not want it used. The reason that we have no example of one church overseeing part or all of another church's work or worship is He did not want it that way. God did not give us an example of the "sponsoring" church method because He did not want it. It is not because He is not as wise as some brethren. Brethren use the "sponsoring" method because they think it better than God's method. That is a lack of faith in God's plan. It is going where His hand failed to lead us. Some of the advocates of the "sponsoring" plan, including Brother Cecil N. Wright, admit that we do not have a New Testament example of the plan. Brother Wright also admitted that there are dangers in "cooperation." In a December, 1954 issue of the Gospel Advocate he admitted that some of the ablest of the advocates of the plan would not "tangle" with the opponents of the plan! He needs to admit one thing more: why they will not. A lot of us know why.