What Is Written 14-Mar-99: Instrumental Music

This morning we are going to examine the subject of church music as it is revealed in the Bible. What I mean by the term “church music” is the kind of music that God has authorized the church to use in worshiping him.

Instrumental music and church music are nearly inseparable in the minds of the average person. The beautifully robed choirs and the ornate organs, even huge orchestras that are often part of religious services are seen to be as much a part of Christianity and worship as steeples and belfries. As one considers all the churches claiming any association with Christ and the Bible, there are a few who refuse to use mechanical instruments of music in their worship and we are among that small number. In our study this morning we will take an in-depth look into why we do not use instruments of music when we worship God. Also, we will note some very dangerous and unscriptural trends in the field of church music that are beginning to show up in some churches of Christ.

In order to clear away any possible misunderstanding, please note that tradition has no part in our refusal to use organs, pianos, or any other instrument of music. Secondly, our refusal is not because we prefer vocal to instrumental music. The only basis for not using instruments of music in our worship to God is our view of the authority of Christ and his apostles, which is that the authority of Christ is sacred and perfect. Stated another way, we are convinced that the New Testament of Christ does not authorize the church to use instrumental music in its worship of God.

Music is unique with the human family. It is one of the arts that gratifies an aesthetic desire in man. Music marks a dividing line between animals and men, and has from the time “when the morning stars sang together at the creation” (Job 38:7) and will until the redeemed appear before the throne singing the song of Moses and the Lamb (Rev. 15:3). Singing has always connected the created with the Creator. As we survey the New Testament of Christ from Matthew through Revelation, we are made aware that music played a very important role in the lives of both Jesus and his followers. On the night of his betrayal, Jesus, after instituting the Lord’s Supper, sang with his disciples before he departed to the garden. Matt. 26:30 says, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Paul, quoting from Psa. 18:49, spoke of Jesus bringing together both Jew and Gentile. He said in Rom. 15:9, “For this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” Alone and with his disciples, Jesus sang to his father. Like other men Jesus was able to find connection with the Father through singing. Furthermore, Heb. 2:12 quotes Psa. 22, reminding us that Christ continues to sing praises unto God: “In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to you.”

This desire to bind with God through singing is evident throughout the New Testament. Jas. 5:13 says, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.” Being cheerful is not restricted to when things are running smoothly in our lives. We can be happy and cheerful in Christ even when our life has taken a turn for the worse. Such was the case with the apostle Paul and Silas his traveling companion. Finding themselves in a Philippian jail unjustly, the Bible says in Acts 16:25, “At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Because of the connecting factor between man and God, it is no wonder that God included singing part of Christian worship. From the beginning of time throughout all eternity God’s creation sings praises to him. When men are happy, despite temporary physical problems, they can connect with God by singing psalms. Eph. 5:19 says, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Also consider Col. 3:16, which says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Before continuing I believe that I need to address a growing tendency that attacks these two passages. The enemies of truth have for years said that these verses are not discussing church music. That is, we were told that these two verses were not describing worship assemblies of the church. We were told these verses were describing singing at home as a family or by the individual or anyplace but the worship assembly. Like anything else, when this was said enough it began to be believed by Christians. Today, it isn’t unusual to hear some within churches of Christ join the maddening crowd and say these verses do not apply to collective worship. On the surface this seems to be a rather innocent conclusion. But if we spend some time seeing where the advocates of this new understanding of these two passages want to take us, then we soon learn that it is far from innocent. The notion that Col. 3:16 and Eph. 5:19 do not apply to the collective worship of the church was first advocated by Christian Church preachers who were desperate to find authority for the instrument. Knowing that neither of these verses offered support for the instrument, they saw a way to avoid the sting of rebuke. They simply explained away these passages by saying they did not apply to the worship of the church. This mantra has been picked up by those who wish to conduct these so-called unity meetings in order to unite Christian Churches with churches of Christ. These unity wizards have decided that if we can make these verses refer to the individual instead of to the assembly then those who have been estranged over the instrument issue can reunite. Now, I don’t think that every Christian who has accepted this misunderstanding of Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 are wishing to form an unscriptural and unholy alliance with denominational churches. But I do believe that these Christians (including some well meaning preachers) are accepting a false conclusion and they are inadvertently paving the way for those who do desire this unscriptural confederation with Christian Churches. Anyone remotely familiar with the Bible will immediately see that these two passages cannot be individual in their application. Anyone who reads Col. 3:16 and Eph. 5:19 will instantly recognize that these passages cannot be obeyed outside an assembly of people. To illustrate what I mean, let’s reread Eph. 5:19: “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Now stay with me on this. This short verse contains three verbs. They are speaking, singing and making melody. Now, what is interesting about these verbs is — each one is plural. For example, the verse does not say speak, sing and make melody, which is what it would say if it was limited to individual action instead of group action. This is drastically different from another item of collective worship. In 1 Cor. 16:2 we read, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper.” The verb lay is singular, not plural. This was because this action is to be done by the individual. Let each one of you is how the mandate is given. However, in Eph. 5:19, instead of saying let each one of you speak, sing, and make melody, the text actually says speaking to one another. This indicates that the command is be obeyed by each individual present, but that the mandate is reciprocal, demanding more than one. That is, while each believer speaks, sings and makes melody, collectively they are speaking, singing and making melody. Music in worship must be singing in order for it to be reciprocal. Singing is to be both giving and taking. Considering also Col. 3:16 we note that another purpose of singing besides teaching one another is admonishing one another, which is another plural verb indicating a collective rather than an individual action. However, someone might be quick to point out that the rest of Eph. 5:19 says in your heart to the Lord. They may then conclude that in your heart makes the entire verse applicable to the individual instead of the assembly. The only problem these people have with their conclusion is that the word your is also plural. To help us understand the meaning of Eph. 5:19 just consider the New Living Translation, which says, “making music to the Lord in your hearts.” Therefore, the unavoidable conclusion is this: Each time you read about music in the New Testament it is singing. Each time you read about music within the worship of the church it is singing. In regulating and correcting worship Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 14:15, “I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.” But this wasn’t restricted to Paul the individual — it was expected of the entire assembly. The word sing is translated from the Greek word psallo. This is a form of the same word he uses in 1 Cor. 14:26 when he says, “Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm.”

Now, let’s just pause and seriously consider what we have discussed so far. All we have attempted to do is read the several verses from the New Testament discussing music. As a matter of fact we have read exactly nine verses and in all nine we read about singing. Not one time did we read anything at all about instrumental music. Therefore, I wish to say again that the issue with us is a matter of authority. The New Testament of Christ does not authorize the use of instrumental music in worship either individually or collectively. It isn’t a matter of whether we enjoy the sounds that can be made on instruments. I personally think that organ, piano, and orchestra music are all beautiful. But what I personally think or feel about the matter is worthless. The question is: What does God think? How does God feel about the matter of music? Isn’t it obvious? If God desired that the church engage in worshiping him with instruments of music, wouldn’t he have told us so somewhere in the gospel of Christ? The reason that many people (including the majority of denominational churches) do not appreciate the kind of music God has authorized is because they fail to understand that so-called church music is not art but worship. Music in the context of classics or culture or the Renaissance is art. But in the context of the church it is worship, and all worship must be governed by God. Worship is defined not by the ones offering it but by the one receiving it, and that is God. Jesus put it like this in Matt. 4:10: “You shall worship the LORD your God, and him only you shall serve.” In Christianity, God is set forth as he one to be pleased and not the worshiper, not man.

The New Testament discusses four kinds of worship in which men and women might engage. I say this again! There are four and only four kinds of worship mentioned in the New Testament:

First, there is vain worship. Jesus said in Matt. 15:9: “And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Whenever the worshiper decides to substitute the doctrines of men for the teaching of God, any worship offered will be vain. Vain means empty or hollow. Anytime men decide to ignore the commands of God and substitute their likes or desires then whatever they offer to God is empty. Any worship built upon man’s wishes and not the command of God is vain.

Second, there is ignorant worship. When Paul went into Athens, Greece he entered the religious and cultural center of the first century world. They had almost any form of worship that man could have imagined. Yet, this is how Paul responded to these worshipers in Acts 17:22-23. He said:

I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.

After this statement Paul launched into a sermon designed to inform them about the one true God and his son Christ Jesus. However, the point we need to receive from this is that worship might be sincere yet ignorant. And ignorant worship is hopeless worship. Later in Acts 17:30 Paul said, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” The adage that says, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you,” is false when it applies to worship. Therefore, it becomes primary that you and I know the kind of music that God desires in worship is singing.

A third kind of worship revealed in the scriptures is what is known as will worship. In Col. 3:23, after discussing the whims of men that were being imposed upon those seeking to know God, Paul described it in these words: “Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship.” Will worship is worship that springs from the will of man and not the will of God. Will worship results when man says, “I don’t care what the Bible says, I am going to...,” and then you fill in the blank. As far as this study is concerned the blank is instrumental music. Many say, “I couldn’t care less that the Bible does not authorize instruments of music, I intend to use them.” This is will worship. And will worship is egotistic and barren worship.

The only worship acceptable unto God is the fourth kind mentioned in scripture. In Jn. 4: 24 Jesus says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” As this verse relates to our discussion this morning, true worship must be according to truth. Many people seem to be like Pilate who condemned Jesus. They struggle with deciding what is truth. The answer is very simple. Truth is what is revealed in the word of God. Jesus said to the father in Jn. 17:17, “Your word is truth.”

So you see the issue is worship and not merely a study of music. If church music was limited to a discussion of art and art appreciation then churches would be free to choose what is desirable to them. However, the subject of church music is actually one of worship. This limits it to what is revealed in the Bible, God’s word of truth. And as we have seen this morning, the Bible does not in any way, shape, matter, or form authorize any kind of music for worship other than vocal music. The Bible only authorizes singing. It does not authorize instruments of any sort. Now, if we are content with what is written in the book of God then we will never use instruments in our worship. Yet some will offer a hopelessly flawed attempt to use instruments by appealing to the Old Testament scriptures. Often someone will say something like this. “Since King David used instruments of music in worship, and since he wrote the psalms authorizing their use, then we have authority for them today.” I contend that this is hopelessly flawed authority for two reasons. One reason is that the Old Testament (including the writings of David) has been removed as a source of authority. The New Testament says the Old was nailed to the cross of Christ, thus removing it as a binding document upon Christians. Col. 2:14 says, “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” This means that today we are to hear Jesus and not Moses or David. This means that Jesus is our lawgiver and not Moses or David. A second reason this argument is flawed is because it is blatantly inconsistent. If we can bring the instruments from the Old Testament, then consistency demands that we also bring David’s dance. We must also bring the burning of incense and the offering of animal sacrifices. Each of these was used in worship. If we are permitted to return to the Old Testament for David’s harp and stringed instruments and flutes and loud cymbals, then we can retrieve his dancing with an ephod, and his incense, and other aspects of temple worship. Instead of making a futile appeal to the Old Testament, why not become content with what has been revealed in the New?

In discussing the subject of church music I want to now direct my remarks to what I believe to be some dangerous and unscriptural trends being taken by some churches of Christ. One has to do with churches using choirs, singing groups and solos in their worship. As we enter the twenty-first century, we are seeing a trend among some churches of Christ that reeks of denominationalism. It isn’t at all unusual to hear about churches scheduling special performances with singing groups and talented individuals in an effort to “present the word in song.” And what is also alarming about this is that many young people, even some young preachers, say they see nothing wrong with it. Well, let me throw some cold water on the practice of choirs, groups, quartets, and solos. There is not one shred of New Testament authority for the practice. It does not exist either by means of a command, an example, or by an unavoidable conclusion. The practice has been borrowed from Protestant denominationalism without the approval of heaven. I recently received a letter from a church in Terre Haute advertising a music concert using special singing groups. A man with the unscriptural title of Family Life Minister signed it. Let me read to you from the first paragraph of the letter. It says, “We would like to invite you to our second annual concert to be held at the ________ church of Christ. Last year over 500 people attended and spent the evening in praise and adoration with three singing groups.” This is designed by a local church to be worship. It is not merely a get-together for some Christians. It is a period of praise and adoration designed and sponsored by a local church. The letter further says, “We would like to invite you to come and spend an evening of praise and fellowship with us.” What that church is doing is unscriptural, yet some do not seem to have problems with such activities. Some will tell us there is no difference in having a singing group to perform and a songbook. That is, if we can have songbooks and pitch pipes then we can have quartets. Besides revealing that they either do not understand Bible authority or they do not respect Bible authority these people have made worship a period of entertainment instead of a way to honor God. Worship is something in which each Christian actively participates. Concerts with quartets or singing groups and the use of choirs or soloists encourage congregants to become spectators rather than worshipers. Need I remind us again that church music is part of worship, and as a result scripture regulates it? Being controlled by the Bible, we must remember that all singing is to be reciprocal, which is giving and receiving. Whenever congregants use songbooks, they are doing nothing other than singing, which is authorized. However, whenever a singing group is brought in or a choir is used, the congregation becomes passive. And worship becomes mere entertainment and not exaltation. Often during Vacation Bible School, classes are asked to perform for the rest of the congregation whenever all assemble in the auditorium. Perhaps it is the first and second graders or the Junior High students. But whoever is performing, the rest have become spectators. This practice is no different from asking these quartets in to perform. If a church can establish a choir of grade school students, why can’t it design a choir of adults to perform? The Bible does not authorize the use of special singing groups, quartets, or choirs to perform within the worship of the church. Singing is worship and as worship it is to be engaged in by all. “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

Now, let me address another trend that is being widely accepted and that is the use of so-called vocal bands. These are folks who are able to imitate musical instruments with their voices. Some have become very good at this and perform professionally. And when you listen to their music you think you are hearing instruments but the sounds you think are instruments are made with the voices. There even seems to be a naive kind of pride that no instruments are being used, but it sure does sound like it. The singing authorized in the New Testament involves an expression of ideas, and uses words to express those ideas. Remember the music to be made must teach and admonish. Merely making vocal sounds is not singing. Whenever one is imitating drums or base guitars, no singing is occurring. All the humming and doo-wopping that one can do to imitate instruments is not singing even though it is done with the mouth. Just because it’s vocal doesn’t make it scriptural. Tones and rhythms do not by themselves teach and admonish. The sounds of instruments may be imitated by the voice but such is not singing. I’ve two questions for those who participate in or support these vocal bands. First, if instrumental music is unscriptural, why would we want something that would serve as a substitute for what is sinful? Are we ashamed that God has not authorized instrumental music so we devise ways to make it seem we have instruments? And second I would ask, what spirit would prompt us to desire to sound like instruments of music? Is it a spirit to teach and admonish or is it a spirit to make church music more contemporary? I believe it is the latter!

Let’s be content to abide within what is authorized and that is speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.