Why Do We Not Use Musical Instruments in Worship?

I. Introduction: When someone from a denomination or who is not religious visits us, one of the first things that they usually notice is that we do not use musical instruments in our worship. In a small church, the visitor may think that the church is too poor or they have no one who can play but in a larger congregation, it is hard to believe that there is no organ or band to accompany the singing. Our answer is that we do not believe the scriptures authorize the use of instruments and we will endeavor to show that this evening.

II. Text: Colossians 3:12-17

III. The issue is not a condemnation of instruments in general

A. Many have pianos and other instruments in their homes on which they play non-religious music.

B. We do not object to musical instruments in concert halls, high school or college bands, or other non-religious uses.

C. The issue is their place in the worship of the church.

IV. Singing was commanded and practiced in the New Testament church

A. Matthew 26:30

B. Acts 16:25

C. Romans 15:9

D. 1 Corinthians 14:

E. Ephesians 5:19

F. Colossians 3:16

G. James 5:13

H. What all can readily agree to:

I. None of these verses mention musical instruments in worship Singing is a commanded part of our worship The disagreement arises when one tries to introduce musical instruments in the worshipA defender of instrumental music 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; division arose from the introduction of the musical instrument, not the removal of it.

V. What about musical instruments in the Old Testament?

A. Many things in the Old Testament that were approved by God are not in the New Testament worship

B. The Old Law was abolished by Christ

C. Romans 7:6 Hebrews 7:12 John 10:34 – Psalms are part of the Law

D. We cannot take things from the Old Law just because they suit us

VI. What about musical instruments in heaven?

A. Verses

B. Revelation 5:8 Revelation 14:2 Revelation 15:2

C. There are many symbolic elements in Revelation

D. There are several Old Testament elements mentioned in Revelation

E. No one would argue that we need to incorporate any of these things into our worship because they are in the book of Revelation

F. Shall we wage physical war with our enemies? Shall we build a temple with an Ark of the Covenant, candlesticks, etc.? These things represent something spiritual; why would the harps be the only literal thing in the symbolic book?

G. 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.”

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

VII. Psallo

A. Some argue that the Greek word Psallo in Ephesians 5:19 implies instruments

B. Strong’s definition Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words

C. Ancient meaning of the word meant to pluck or to twang but by the New Testament times, according to Greek scholars, it meant to sing.

D. What if Psallo still meant, “to pluck?”

E. Word meant “to pluck as with a bowstring or a carpenter’s chalk.”

F. Only stringed instruments could be used

G. No wind or percussion instruments could be used No electronic synthesizer could be used Everyone must play an instrument for everyone is commanded to psallo in Ephesians 5:19

H. Would not authorize musical instruments for psallo is a verb needing a direct object

I. The word throw needs a direct object; the verb does not imply what is thrown The word psallo needs a direct object; the verb does not imply what is plucked In Ephesians 5:19, the direct object is the heart Other versions reflect this meaning

J. It is poor interpretation to demand instruments because psallo is used

VIII. Are musical instruments an aid?

A. It is an aid to singing like a tuning fork or pitch pipe.

B. To compare a piano, organ, or band to a pitch pipe is comparing apples to oranges.

C. Funk and Wagnall’s dictionary defines music as the combination of notes to form a melody or harmony. A musical instrument must form a combination of rhythmic notes to make a melody or harmony. Neither the pitch pipe or the tuning fork can do this. Tuning forks and pitch pipes never accompany instrumental or vocal groups in the secular world. A pitch pipe or tuning fork gives the starting note, then ceases to be used when the song begins.

D. It is an aid like songbooks.

E. We have songbooks in order to carry out the command to sing.

F. In order to fulfill the command to sing, we must have some song to sing.

G. We could uses the book of Psalms and sing to an agreed upon melody. We could sing from memory. We can purchase songbooks that have songs to allow us to fulfill the command to sing.

H. The musical instrument is not parallel with songbooks.

I. Songbooks are not another type of music. The musical instrument creates another type of music.

J. Parallel Argument: The Lord’s Supper.

K. We are commanded to partake of the Lord’s Supper We must have containers to serve the bread and fruit of the vine. The containers, like the songbooks, are not an addition to the command, but are aids to allow us to carry out the command. We are not free to substitute Coca-Cola for the fruit of the vine or biscuits for the unleavened bread; nor can we substitute instruments for singing. We cannot add food, such as cheese, to the fruit of the vine and the unleavened bread nor can we add instrumental music to vocal music When God has specified something through His commands, we are not free to change it to suit our needs; adding instrumental accompaniment adds another type of music to that which God commanded.

L. An aid cannot be divisive

M. Churches and denominations have been divided by the introduction of instruments, not their removal.

N. The Midway church in Kentucky has the distinction of being the first recorded church, bearing the name Church of Christ, to introduce an instrument.

O. They did it in 1855 amidst great opposition The action ultimately split the church Some people say, something so little and insignificant as instrumental music should not divide God’s people; I agree. Let us get rid of the instruments that God did not command and cease dividing His people over the innovations of men.

IX. Some will say the “details” do not matter (ie., “It doesn’t matter whether you use instruments or not in worship…everything else is just details that matter to men and not to God.)

A. Did it really matter where the fire came from for the sacrifice? After all, the important thing is to sacrifice to God and fire is fire—Wrong, Leviticus 10:1-3.

B. Did it really matter the Israelites carried the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem? After all, the important thing is to put the Ark back in the tabernacle where it belongs. How to carry it is just the details. And if there is a problem, isn’t it alright to touch the Ark just to steady it; after all, we do not want it to fall and break—Wrong, 2 Samuel 6:3, 6-8.

C. Did it really matter who offered the sacrifice; isn’t the important thing to praise God and encourage the people of God? Ask Saul, 1 Samuel 13:7-14

D. The Old Testament was written for our learning and one thing that I learn from the Scriptures is that the little things—the details—have always mattered to God.

E. We must not be quick to dismiss what God has specified.

X. Conclusion: The last part of the Bible reading from Paul’s letter to the Colossians regarding singing, he wrote “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Our worship must be by His authority for He will judge us one day. The New Testament church that He established did not use instruments, neither will we.

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