Instrumental Music in Worship: Part 1

I. Introduction: One of the first things that people from the denominational world notice when they worship with us is the absence of mechanical instruments (pianos, organs, bands, etc.). In fact, it is something that is frequently asked about. We must be able to give a scriptural answer to defend what we practice.

II. The issue is not a disapproval of musical instruments.

A. We have no problem with their use in secular music.

B. There would be no objection to a member having musical instruments in his home for his own enjoyment or entertainment.

C. There is no objection to using musical instruments in concert halls, high school bands, etc.

III. The issue is this: do we have New Testament authority to use musical instruments in our worship to God?

A. Singing is commanded:

B. Matthew 26:30 - ” And when they had sung an hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Acts 16:25 - ” And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God; and the prisoners heard them.” Romans 15:9 - ”…For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.”1 Corinthians 14:15 - ”… I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” Ephesians 5:19 - ” Speaking to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 - ” Let the word dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” James 5:13 - ”…Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.”

C. No one disagrees that singing is a commanded part of worship

D. None of these verses mention the use of musical instruments in worship.

E. The disagreement arises when one tries to introduce musical instruments to accompany the singing in the worship service.

F. It is interesting to note that an article written to defend the use of musical instruments in worship stated, “the SING ONLY DOCTRINE continues to divide those who might otherwise be able to communicate with each other and resolve the other remaining differences.” There has never been a division over whether we should sing in the assemblies. The author is either willfully deceitful or ignorant of the history of the church, because the division arose from the introduction of the musical instrument, not the removal of the instrument. We will note that historically, the church only had vocal music.

IV. Historical Analysis of Instrumental Music in Worship.

A. We do not use history as an authority for what we practice.

B. However, it is often helpful to look at history to see what was understood from the scriptures and how it was applied.

C. Music History

D. Religious History

E. Therefore, it is evident that the use of the musical instrument in the Christian worship was introduced later than the first century in which the church was established and was often introduced despite great opposition..

F. Again, we do not base our practice on what we can study from history, only from what we find authorized in the New Testament.

V. Argument: It was used in the Old Testament with God’s approval.

A. Psalm 150 is an example of this.

B. There are many things that were approved by God in worship: burning incense, dancing, blood sacrifices, sprinkling blood on the people, etc.

C. However, the Old Law was abolished.

D. Ephesians 2:14-15 – The Old Law was abolished. Colossians 2:14 – Blotted out and nailed to the cross. Romans 7:4 – Dead to the Law through Christ. Romans 7:6 – Discharged from the Law. Hebrews 7:12 – Priesthood changed/Law changed. Hebrews 10:9 – The first covenant removed to establish the second Since the Old Law was abolished, we are not bound by its laws. If we try to take one thing that is authorized by the Law and bind it, we are under obligation to take everything, Galatians 5:1-4.

E. Some argue that it was in the Psalms and, therefore, not abolished.

F. Jesus considered the Psalms part of the Law: John 10:34, 15:25. There is no distinction in the Old Law between the ceremonial and moral laws, they all constitute the Old Law.

VI. Argument: There are musical instruments in heaven.

A. Revelation 5:8: “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

B. Revelation 14:2: “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.”

C. Revelation 15:2: “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.”

D. We must first note that the book of Revelation is a message given in symbols.

E. There is the burning of incense, altars, a temple, etc. mentioned. We do not seek to introduce these based on the book of Revelation.

F. The second observation we should make is that these are heavenly beings, no longer part of the earthly existence.

G. If one wants to use Revelation 5:8 to prove that instruments of worship are commanded, he must acknowledge that each one had a harp.

H. If it commands instrumental worship, then it commands that each person have an instrument of worship. It would also command that each one have a bowl of burning incense.

I. Revelation 14:2, in the more textually accurate versions, use the harpists on their harps as a further description of the voice.

J. ASV: “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers harping with their harps:” Even if the original text breaks the two sentences, it is still talking of heavenly beings, not earthly beings.

K. Revelation 15:2 is so obviously symbolic that to take one element out of the heavenly scene to bind today would be foolish.

L. Gary Hargis: “If when I get to heaven God places a harp in my hand and tells me to play; then fine, I’ll do the best I can. But since he hasn’t done that here on earth in the church, then I’d better leave it alone until I get to heaven.”

M. It is poor scriptural interpretation to use symbols used by heavenly beings to authorize real practices by earthly beings.

VII. We are commanded to sing.

A. In the verses that we read at the beginning of the lesson, we realize that we are commanded to sing.

B. The command to sing excludes any other type of music.

C. There are two types of authority in the scripture: generic and specific. Generic authority authorizes all things within a particular class. Specific authority is exclusive in that it defines something to be done and necessarily excludes other things in that class.

D. Example

E. Genesis 6:14 – “wood” would be generic authority; “gopher wood” is specific. Does not require God to say, “not pine, not oak…” Matthew 26:26-29 – “food and drink” would be generic; “unleavened bread and fruit of the vine” are specific and exclude other types of food.

F. When God has specified a thing, it necessarily excludes what was not said. To introduce what God has excluded is sinful and wrong.

G. Leviticus 10:1-2 – Nadab and Abihu offered fire that was not commanded; it was strange fire. Malachi 1:8 – God rejected the lame and blind sacrifice because He specified that they bring the perfect lamb without blemish. Hebrews 7:11-14 – Jesus could not be a priest in Israel because He was from the tribe of Judah, of which God spoke nothing concerning the priesthood!

H. In the New Testament, God commanded “singing” and spoke nothing of “playing” instruments of music.

I. If God had simply commanded make music, we would be at liberty to sing, or play instruments, or both. The command to sing is specific and necessarily excludes playing musical instruments since singing and playing instruments are two types of music.

VIII. Conclusion: Some will argue that the Greek word psallo authorizes the use of the mechanical instrument in worship. Some argue that the musical instrument is merely an aid to help carry out the command to sing. We will examine those arguments in detail this evening.