The Amen: Biblical Framework

The point: Look up the scripture references for psalms and hymns to sing with understanding and conviction.

Martin encourages congregants to look up the psalm references in their hymnals to understand the words they are singing, using Psalm 48:9-14 as an example, to enrich their praise with understanding.

The following message was delivered on September 12, 1993, in the adult Sunday school class of the Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now, while others are finding their seats, I do want to say just two things before we begin our lesson this morning. One is a very practical suggestion about our praise to God, since we are commanded to edify and admonish one another with psalms, with hymns, and with spiritual songs. If you are not in the habit of looking up at the left-hand corner of any particular psalm or hymn that we are singing, may I urge you to do that as the pianist plays t...

0:03 - 1:26 Read in full sermon

The point: Express verbal gratitude and support to those who teach you the Word, specifically Pastor Lamar Martin, as commanded in Galatians 6:6.

Martin uses hymns by Cowper and Wesley to illustrate how knowing the hymn writer's background (e.g., Wesley's Arminianism) can add depth or nuance to one's understanding and singing, even when the lyrics express Reformed truths.

such as 309 by William Cowper, that in itself will be helpful for those who know something of the background of the hymn writer, for those of us who know that the Wesleys were not noted for their love of what we would call the doctrines of grace, or Calvinistic theology. It's amazing, when you read a hymn of Wesley, in which he speaks of my chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee. So if you've not been in that habit, may I urge you to get into that habit, and I believe it will enrich your praise. And then the second thing I want to say, before we turn to our l...

2:08 - 3:34 Read in full sermon

The point: Express verbal gratitude and support to those who teach you the Word, specifically Pastor Lamar Martin, as commanded in Galatians 6:6.

Martin shares how Pastor Lamar Martin diligently restudied 1 John from the Greek text, despite having taught it before, to illustrate the arduous labor of teaching and to prompt the congregation to express gratitude as commanded in Galatians 6:6.

from the very careful, responsible, and yet almost amazingly clear and simple exposition of the book of 1 John that Pastor Lamar has given to us. And I'm not going to ask for a show of hands, but I wonder how many of you have obeyed this verse, have communicated, in all good things, to the one who has taught you. You say, that's what he's paid to do. Well, granted he is a fully subsidized elder in this congregation, but he could have very easily taken out his notes and outlines from the two previous times he has taught this book, both in the academy and in a church setting, but I happen to kno...

3:34 - 4:59 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first reason for studying the 'Amen' is the seriousness of public worship. Martin argues that God has always been meticulous about how he is approached, citing examples from…

Martin summarizes James Bannerman's argument that after the Fall, God alone determines how sinful man can access and approach Him in worship, emphasizing the seriousness and meticulousness of God's requirements for worship.

In his masterful treatment on this whole subject of what is commonly called the regulative principle, that is, that the word of God in its positive injunctions must direct all of our expressions of approaching God, James Bannerman, in volume one of his classic work on the doctrine of the church, which, pages 325 and 326, says some of the most perceptive things I've ever read on the subject. I'm not going to quote him, but I'm going to give you the essence of what he says. And this is the point he makes. That before the fall, man had free, open-faced access to God continually.

28:25 - 29:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first reason for studying the 'Amen' is the seriousness of public worship. Martin argues that God has always been meticulous about how he is approached, citing examples from…

Martin references Cain and Abel to illustrate that God was meticulous about worship from the very beginning, rejecting Cain's offering due to his evil disposition and perhaps improper manner.

And when we turn to the Old Testament, we see that from the very first manifestation of what we would call public worship, God made it very plain that he was very meticulous. Cain and Abel. And the scripture says, Unto Cain he had not respect, nor to his offering. Cain was rejected, coming as an evil man, coming with an unbelieving disposition, coming perhaps in a manner contrary to the way of God's revelation at that time.

30:26 - 31:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first reason for studying the 'Amen' is the seriousness of public worship. Martin argues that God has always been meticulous about how he is approached, citing examples from…

Martin points to the meticulous details of the tabernacle, Levites, priests, offerings, and washings as evidence of God's meticulousness regarding his worship.

But from there on in, every segment in the Old Testament in which God addresses the matter of his worship, he shows, he is a meticulous God. A meticulous God. All of the details concerning the tabernacle, and the function of the Levites, and the priests, and the offerings, and the washings, all of those things, God is saying, I am meticulous about my worship. Remember how God underscored it very early after the tabernacle was erected?

31:11 - 31:51 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first reason for studying the 'Amen' is the seriousness of public worship. Martin argues that God has always been meticulous about how he is approached, citing examples from…

Martin recounts the story of Nadab and Abihu being struck dead for offering 'strange fire' to underscore God's severe judgment on unauthorized worship, even when there was no explicit prohibition.

Nadab and Abihu, the two sons of Aaron, the high priest. Though there was no explicit statement given in the scriptures, you shall only offer the fire that I sent from heaven, and keep it perpetually upon the altars and bring no fire of your own. Nonetheless when they brought what the scripture calls strange fire, a fire other than that which God himself had established upon the altar, thereby declaring that my name is the Lord God. My fire shall keep the sacrifices burning upon the altar.

31:51 - 32:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first reason for studying the 'Amen' is the seriousness of public worship. Martin argues that God has always been meticulous about how he is approached, citing examples from…

Martin references Uzzah being struck dead for touching the ark to further demonstrate God's seriousness and meticulousness concerning the proper handling of sacred things in worship.

Aaron was silent as he understood the message of God. And you remember the instance of Uzzah? The ark being carried, and he puts forth his hand, and God strikes him dead. And, well, we could demonstrate again and again throughout the Old Testament that God takes very seriously all that pertains to his worship.

32:39 - 33:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Consult God's Word to determine what is well-pleasing to Him in worship, rather than relying on personal ideas.

Martin uses the metaphor of a 'tame little purring pussycat' to describe the modern evangelical church's idolized version of God, contrasting it with the biblical truth that 'our God is a consuming fire'.

Not their God was a consuming fire. And our God in the new covenant is a tame little purring pussycat.

34:58 - 35:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second reason is the widespread confusion about congregational participation in contemporary worship. Martin describes various approaches, from liturgical revivals and…

Martin describes a hypothetical charismatic service with spontaneous prophecy, tongues, interpretation, and unrehearsed songs to illustrate the 'hang loose' approach to worship that some advocate, contrasting it with biblical order.

Maybe Norman will get a word of prophecy today, boom, he's on his feet, and maybe Ann will have an utterance in tongues and so she's going to take off in tongues and maybe Ernie's going to have an interpretation. And someone else is going to have a sudden impulse of the spirit and break out in this beautiful unrehearsed, unplanned song and sing in the spirit, oh boy, wouldn't that be wonderful? Never know what's going to happen, any given Lord's Day. A lot of people have bought that, some of you, your fans are dripping, shame on you.

38:14 - 38:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second reason is the widespread confusion about congregational participation in contemporary worship. Martin describes various approaches, from liturgical revivals and…

Martin describes the use of mime, drama, and dance in some contemporary worship, even in 'reformed circles,' to illustrate another form of confusion and unbiblical participation.

So all the singers will do their thing and we'll have four or five different choirs and special musics. And then the people with the acting ability will do their thing and we'll have skits. And those who have unusual acting ability who can convey everything with their hands and their faces, they'll be the mind group. And so you have an even so-called spiritual group.

39:46 - 40:06 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second reason is the widespread confusion about congregational participation in contemporary worship. Martin describes various approaches, from liturgical revivals and…

Martin uses the metaphor 'bumps on a log' to describe congregants who resist any change or instruction from the Word, preferring to do only 'what we've always done,' illustrating another form of unbiblical passivity.

And nobody ain't going to teach us nothing new. We're just going to do what we've always done. And so they sit like bumps on a log. And if they're instructed from the word of God, they say, we ain't never done it that way and we ain't about to start.

40:35 - 40:47 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We will then be of the same mind one with another according not to our background not to our temperament not to our previous experience not to our cultural orientation according to Christ Jesus

Martin describes Trinity Baptist Church as a 'church universal in microcosm' due to its diverse cultural, religious, and social backgrounds, using this to explain why a unified understanding of the 'Amen' is particularly important for them.

And so we're taking up the issue, not only because of the seriousness of all that pertains to the public worship of God, but secondly because of the confusion which exists on this issue in our day. But then thirdly, we are taking it up because of the peculiar complexion of our congregation, because of the peculiar complexion of the church. That 읽 Cyn atteinung пиш против imaginse es onn randomungoto par militarூ But secondly, because of the inلفese cominvisis on this issue, it might Santos, it's a� of the peculiar complexion of our congregation. We bless God that what the Lord has done in our ...

41:15 - 42:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We will then be of the same mind one with another according not to our background not to our temperament not to our previous experience not to our cultural orientation according to Christ Jesus

Martin describes a background where 'amen' was said mindlessly, even during announcements, to illustrate how cultural conditioning can lead to unthinking, unbiblical practices.

I'm smiling. I'm not saying anything with any edge of bitterness, I assure you. But in this assembly, we have a tremendous mix of cultural backgrounds, religious and social influences, and temperamental inclinations. We have some who come out of backgrounds where saying amen was sort of part of breathing correctly in church. Your mind could be a thousand miles away, but if you didn't have a staccato amen along the way, you'd be just weren't part of it. So you picked it up as a little kid and amen. The pastor's giving the announcements. Tomorrow night we're going, amen.

42:38 - 43:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate a corporately enlightened conscience concerning the biblical teaching on the 'Amen' and a corporate determination to obey scripture regardless of past practices.

Martin notes that in some Oriental cultures, everyone recites and prays aloud at once without confusion, illustrating how cultural conditioning shapes perceptions of appropriate congregational participation.

And you would not be confused if the level of the number and intensity of the amens in this congregation were increased a hundredfold. You were brought up like some of our people and I understand in certain oriental cultures they learn in a context where everyone recites out loud at once. Though it's not surprising in their prayer meetings everyone prays out loud at once and they don't find it confusing. They've been culturally conditioned for such a situation.

43:27 - 43:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate a corporately enlightened conscience concerning the biblical teaching on the 'Amen' and a corporate determination to obey scripture regardless of past practices.

Martin uses the analogy of different physical vocal attributes (mouths, larynxes, diaphragms) and temperaments to explain that while the 'one mouth' of Romans 15:6 allows for individual differences in volume and expression, the underlying unity of accord is paramount.

isn't that beautiful one accord inwardly one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ envisions the congregation that takes all of its perspectives from the common Lord that they will be of one accord the inward disposition but they will be as one mouth glorifying God so that in this matter this very specific matter if all of our minds are subject to the basic principles of the word and will of the Lord Jesus as revealed in the word of Jesus in the Old and the New Testaments for it is the Spirit of Christ that speaks in the Old Testament as well as the Spirit of Christ who gui...

46:53 - 48:22 Read in full sermon