Musical Instruments in the
Church
For two thousand years, churches that have aligned
themselves with Jesus Christ and his Gospel have incorporated
musical instruments in their worship. During the last century,
however, some out-of-the-mainstream groups (sects/cults) started to
eschew musical instruments, citing the New Testament (NT) absence of
any specific guidelines regarding their usage.
So heretics like Alexander Campbell, who split off
from the Baptist church, and other ‘Church of Christ’ derivatives,
took up the refrain: “Speak where the Bible speaks; be silent where
the Bible is silent!” Since the NT is silent on the subject of
musical instruments in corporate worship, these groups assume, and
falsely so, that God somehow forbids or bans their usage. Since God
doesn’t specifically ‘authorize’ them in his Word, the Church that
uses them is in disobedience.
A few exercises in biblical logic will dismantle this
argument. First, the Old Testament (OT) clearly sanctions the use of
musical instruments in worship. In 1 Chronicles 15:16, we read: “And
David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to
be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and
cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.” So we see that
the Levites were ‘appointed’ to be the singers and instrument
players.
In 1 Chronicles 16:42, the Bible says: “And with them
Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should
make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of
Jeduthun were porters.” Note that (1) the sounds of trumpets and
cymbals ‘should’ be made, and (2) the instruments became God’s
instruments when so dedicated for that purpose. In other words, God
was pleased when HIS instruments that HE authorized were played unto
HIM in the corporate worship.
This text in 2 Chronicles 5:13 needs little
commentary: “It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers
were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking
the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and
cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For
he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was
filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD….” Here we see that
God’s glory (cloud) filled the house of worship as God’s people
offered praise and thanksgiving accompanied by musical instruments.
There are other references, such as “musical
instruments” (Nehemiah 12:36), and the classic text from Psalm
150:4: “Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with
stringed instruments and organs.” The bottom line is musical
instruments were both appointed and authorized in the OT scriptures.
The opponents of musical instruments say the central issue is
whether there is any biblical ‘authorization’ for using them. That
argument has no legs on which to stand. Neither is there any
biblical authorization for church carpeting, paving church parking
lots with asphalt, et al!
With OT authorization firmly established, we are
obliged to ask a few questions and make a few observations. First,
is there ANY scripture wherein God told his Church to discontinue
the use of musical instruments as he had authorized in the OT? No,
that biblical reference does not exist! The apostle Paul, who penned
the majority of church epistles, made no mention of musical
instruments. That’s because his focus was on the big issues of the
Gospel and apostolic doctrine (such as justification by faith,
redemption, reconciliation, election, adoption and predestination)
and not on things that were ancillary or optional. Those who argue
against musical instruments in our church worship are therefore
obligated to cite the specific point in time when God changed his
mind and ceased to be pleased with the sound of musical instrument
accompaniment as part of corporate worship. Such empirical evidence
does NOT exist either in scripture or in history! Therefore NT
silence does NOT make the argument for their cessation!
Secondly, are God’s people forbidden from playing
musical instruments outside of corporate worship (i.e., in their
homes or as part of a musical group)? Absolutely not! In fact,
development of one’s musical talent (playing an instrument) as a
good steward of God’s gifts is pleasing unto the Lord that gave
them. Can a child of God use musical instruments in his/her private
devotions in a manner that pleases the Lord? Absolutely! I know of
no intellectually honest individual who would argue that God is OK
with his people playing a musical instrument as long as they are NOT
used in the context of worship. Such argumentation would be absurd
on its face!
Thirdly, musical instruments can be used to honor God
or abused in a manner that brings him displeasure. The overriding
guideline for the use of musical instruments is found in Colossians
3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of
the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” See
also Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to
the Lord, and not unto men.”
Fourthly, it’s clear that God has little interest in
musical instruments for the instruments’ sakes. Whether a church
decides to use musical instruments or not as part of their worship
is optional. Yes, it’s optional. The Lord neither requires them nor
forbids them. God’s churches are not the BETTER for their absence.
Nor are they the WORSE for their presence. Musical instruments are
NOT a major issue, but a minor one. That is the reason for NT
silence.
Fifthly, what God desires are “psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs” that come from the hearts of his people (Ephesians
5:19; Colossians 3:16). It’s all about the heart with God!
Regimented and routine worship, even when offered without the use of
instruments, is displeasing to God. So for one to reason that God
bestows favor on our worship simply because we avoid instrumental
accompaniment is biblically ignorant and foolish. Equally foolish
are those who believe that the introduction of a musical instrument
into corporate worship is somehow met with displeasure from the
Almighty.
In closing, two observations are in order:
-
Church historians, over two millennia, have
documented and attested to many movements of Holy Ghost power,
conversions to Christ and spiritual renewal within various
denominations and congregations that incorporated musical
instruments in worship. How do the Johnny-come-lately opponents
of musical instruments explain this heavenly phenomenon?
-
The opposition to musical instruments is seldom
if ever a standalone issue. In other words, opponents are
usually part of a theological thought system that has several
false doctrines in the mix, such as baptismal regeneration,
denial of grace alone through faith alone, et al.
When ANY church or group
of churches attempts to argue against musical instruments as an
accompaniment to worship, they have wandered off the biblical
reservation into the swamp of humanistic rationalism and twisted
logic. The argument against musical instruments in church worship,
when God authorized it and found pleasure therein in OT times, is
futile, and CANNOT be made from biblical truth!
Top |