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Bible Will I Find: Instrumental Music In Worship? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: Instrumental Music In Worship? By: Gary Colley
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For centuries preachers, theologians, professors, conventions, and synods have looked for the use of instrumental music in New Testament worship. But with all of their search of the Scriptures, they have not found even one indication of its use by Christ, the apostles, or the early church of Christ. With this thought before us, perhaps our readers will want to ask their preacher for Christ’s authority to use instrumental music in worship. Surely if instrumental music is being used in the religion of which you are a member, there must be some Scriptural justification for its use. If a reference to its use is found in the New Testament, you would be our friend to call it to our attention, since we have not been able to locate it. Faithful Christians want to speak and act only as “the oracles of God” (I Pet.4:11), and this question is of great interest to all who want to worship God “in spirit and in truth” (Jn.4:24). According to this verse, we must worship God, with the proper disposition, and in complete harmony with the Truth, in order to please our Heavenly Father (Heb.11:6). Except we worship in this manner, our worship is vain (Matt.15:9). Some times it is ignorant worship, as Paul spoke of on Mars Hill (Acts 17:22-25). But we can know our practice in worship is acceptable to God when we do “all things” by the authority of Christ (Col.3:17; Matt.28:18). It is the sin of presumption to think that we have equal authority with Christ, and can do what we please in worship. Where many religionist would not think of adding some additional emblem to the Lord’s table, because the Lord has commanded the use of unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, still they seem to think nothing of adding an instrument of music to the worship God has commanded, which is singing. Singing is a specific kind of music. It is “singing” which the Lord commands, not playing on an instrument. The verses that concern music in the Lord’s church can easily be reviewed: Ephesians 5:19, Speak in song, make melody in the heart; Col.3:16, Teach in song, admonish in song; I Cor.14:15, Sing with the spirit and understanding; Heb.2:12, Praise God in singing; Heb.13:15, Our lips giving praise. TO DO MORE IN WORSHIP, IS NOT ONLY VAIN WORSHIP, IT IS SIN, BECAUSE IT TRANSGRESSES GOD’S WILL (I Jn.3:4). Would it not appear to the thinking of all of our readers, that any practice not authorized in the Scriptures goes beyond what is written, and therefore does not meet God’s approval (I Cor.4:6). To be restored to God’s favor, one must repent and abandon all wrong practices (Acts 8:22; II Jn.1:9-11).--Gary Colley