Here is another article from calvinlives I thought was interesting.

Grace & Peace. tom

CL note: Below what follows you will see the relevant quotes from Steelites. I
cite them as the basis for what I am about to say. I urge the reader to read
through them.



Some Steelites in a recent disussion (and they are the only ones I am dealing
with here) have made the point that they are NOT the ONLY TRUE CHURCH and that
non-Steelites who engage in idolatrous acts by singing other than the Psalter,
etc. are not idolaters.

According to them, that should be the end of it. No more needs to be said or
should be said. So when someone like me comes along and points out that while
such claims may be "technically" true, it is in fact nothing more than
"double-speak," well then I can only be a trouble-maker determined to cause
dissension among the brethren.

But you see I’m thickheaded Irish/Italian who has never been bothered by those
kind of accusations when truth is an issue. And that’s what I think is at stake
here. Let the cards be put on the table, let’s be done with the "pious
platitudes," the self-righteous claims of being persecuted, misunderstood,
misrepresented, falsely accused, etc., etc, etc. and tell it like it really is!
And although much more could be cited, I believe that the evidence cited below
is more than sufficient to prove what I am claiming.

The point that I have made before, and make now again, is that while Steelites
do claim that they are not THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH, they also claim that they are
presently "the purest church on earth." All other churches and denominations are
corrupt and if they do not sing the Psalms exclusively their members are
committing "idolatrous acts." The faithful should therefore forsake these
corrupt and idolatrous churches (including other Reformed and Covenanter
denominations) and are morally bound to join "the purest church presently on
earth," which are the Steelite churches. How do we know this? Because if the
Steelite churches are not presently the "purest churches on earth," then the
Steelites would be morally bound to join those churches and recommend them
exclusively! True, there is not total unanimity among Steelites on every issue,
but on the present view of the state of the church they agree. Do Steelites
recommend non-Steelite churches? Ask them as I have and you will find out that
they don’t.

To date, NO ONE has challenged the accuracy of the above. They have spent much
time telling me how "mean-spirited" I am, but I have yet to see them dispute the
basic facts as I have listed them here.

So yes, Steelites say that they do not claim to be THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH, and
that is true, they don’t. But take a close look at what has just been pointed
out, and you make up your own mind if that claim is nothing more than a
"smokescreen" on a practical level. The only church any of us should be in is
"the purest church presently on earth." And according to Steelites, the only
church that presently fits that bill is the Steelite church.

Secondly, Steelites claim that they do not hold that non-Steelites are
idolaters. But they do believe that to engage in the singing of anything but the
Psalms in worship or the use of musical instruments in worship are idolatrous
acts and is idolatry. What does that mean then? It means that according to
"Steelite logic," those who commit idolatry by engaging in acts that Steelites
deem to be idolatrous are nevertheless NOT idolaters. One Steelite even went so
far as to say that he didn’t even consider that Aaron was an idolater when he
made the golden calf for Israel to worship, so how could he consider non-Psalm
singers to be idolaters? May I suggest that is more a demonstration of faulty
logic than it is a proof that either Aaron or non-Psalm singers are not
idolaters?

The performance of an idolatrous act is idolatry, and those who commit idolatry
are idolaters. Therefore, according to Steelites, the singing of other than
Psalms or the use of musical instruments in worship are idolatrous acts and is
idolatry, and those who do idolatrous acts are idolaters by definition.

Steelites not only need to be honest with themselves, but with those whom they
accuse. It may not win them friends, but it will be more honest and it will end
their charade.

CL





STEELITE QUOTATIONS:

CL note: Instead of using their real names, I refer to them as Steelite
Conventer (1-4) or as (SC). All of these are taken either from comments made by
each of them in Groups or from documents that they referred to in those
comments.



The First Steelite Covenanter said:

"Let it be known that I do NOT believe, as has been alleged by some,
that my small group of like-minded believers is the only True Church
of Jesus Christ. Nor do I hold all "non-Covenanters" as being idolaters.I NEVER
made that allegation."



The Second Steelite Covenanter said:

I would simply point out, The PCA practices Idolatrous worship, by
incorporating things that the LORD has not commanded as elements of His public
worship.

A dear brother in Christ...who was once a member of the PCA, has written a
short book entitled, "WHY THE PCA IS NOT A DULY CONSTITUTED CHURCH and Why
Faithful Christians Should Separate From This Corrupt "Communion" It can be
found free at: http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualnls/PCAbad.htm


(The Most Faithful Church] We do see that Christ commands
that the Church is to be ONE and UNIFIED, and that unity is to be
based on a Faithful Testimony of the True Religion. Since all other
bodies have fallen short of that faithfulness, we must remain
separate from all other denominations and distinct.

The First Steelite Covenanter said:

[Quoting another] "I do not want to see any brethren no matter the
denomination..to go away from this club offended."

Then I certainly wouldn't recommend the title "Why the PCA is an
Unduly Constituted Church and why Faithful Christians Should Flee
from this Corrupted 'Communion'" as someones first exposure to the
issue of lawful separation from churches!

I know that this document was not writted to "win friends and
influence people," and it certainly has alot of great quotes in it by
some heavy-weight Reformers, and I'm sure that the guys to whom Mr.
Birger wrote this may have required this kind of lashing, but how
well do you think it did with [names two non-Steelites].


The Third Steelite Covenanter said:


Hi CL,

Here are the answers you asked for:

CL: For clarification then: any church that does not sing the Psalms of
the Lord Exclusively, or allows ceremonial components of worship
i.e., musical instruments, or allows women's heads to be uncovered is
unfaithful to God? That's your position?


A: YES, it is DE-formed. In regard to Exclusive Psalmody and Musical
Instruments (which the Lord has not commanded), they are commiting the sin of
Idolatry, as you are dear friend, with them. The headcovering issue, is a
modesty and moral sign issue. I cannot comment at the moment, until I finish
some recently received commentary.

CL:Are such churches "duly constituted churches," or are
they "corrupted" so that "faithful Christians" should withdraw
from them?

A: YES, they are churches in being that have separated themselves from the
teaching of Scripture.

CL: And I take it, given your position, that your church in
Pottstown is a "duly constituted, uncorrupted, and faithful
church" so that those who would withdraw from the "corrupted churches" could and
should join yours?

A: I am not a "member," but a semi-regular attendee (still learning)with my
family. I am praying about where the Lord would have me and my family to attend.

We drive usually 270-300 miles each Lord's Day to worship faithfully, which is
difficult, but the fellowship is quite edifying.

Hope that helps you, CL.



Third Steelite Covenanter again on this:

[Question asked of him] For clarification then: any church that does not sing
the Psalms of the Lord Exclusively, or allows ceremonial components of worship
i.e., musical instruments...is unfaithful to God? That's your position?

A: YES, it is DE-formed. In regard to Exclusive Psalmody and Musical
Instruments (which the Lord has not commanded), they are commiting
the sin of Idolatry, as you are dear friend, with them.

[Question asked of First Steelite Covenanter about 3SC statement just noted]

You either agree with that answer or you don't. Which is it?



First Steelite Covenanter answers:

I don't see how what 3SC here states is in any disagreement with the
qualifications I've made explaining our position.


The First Steelite Covenanters’ stated "qualificatiions:"

I am saying,

1) I agree...that things not prescribed by God are not to be admitted at
elements of worship.

2) I agree...that admitting this as elements of worship which God did not
Himself prescribe is, in a broad sense, idolatry.

3) I believe that God prescribed Book of Psalms, and no other hymn
book, to be used in the ordinary worship of God.

4) I believe therefore that worshipping God with hymns other than the
ones God Himself prescribed and provided for the ordinary worship of
God (the Psalms) is, in a broad sense, a form of idolatry.

5) But I do NOT automatically consider all hymn-singers to be
idolaters any more than I would sum up Aaron (God's High Priest) as
being an idolater (and Aaron committed a far more gross and explicit
form of idolatry).

6) I hold a distinction between those who sit in the pews doing what
their Pastors and Elders are teaching them to do, and those Pastors
and Elders who ought to know better than to lead the sheep in those
directions contrary to, in addition to, or in subtraction from, the
Word of God.




Fourth Steelite Covenanter said:

"A Testimony Against Prominent Errors of Our Times," pp. 23, 25; I strongly
encourage all readers to examine carefully this succinct but devastating work.
Its method of critique applies well (obviously, with certain modifications) to
other so-called Reformed denominations, like the O.P.C. and the R.P.C.N.A.,
enabling one to conclude that these, as well, are constitutionally unsound and
have abandoned (and are even fighting against) many important truths once held
valiantly by our forefathers in the faith (and thus should themselves, as
denominations, be abandoned; Particularly sad is the case of the R.P.C.N.A., who
claim the title 'Covenanter', but who seem to have little or no idea of what
that title originally entailed practically and doctrinally.










---------------------------------
Do You Yahoo!?
HotJobs, a Yahoo! service - Search Thousands of New Jobs

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]