A Cappella Music
A few observations from most discussions about a cappella singing:
First: Most people I know who want to preserve it aren’t trying to make their case in terms of “it’s God’s way.” Some do. One of our Christian college presidents — not the one where I teach! — once told me that he thought the use of instrumental music would send someone to hell. (Just when you thought no one really, really, really believed that . . . . “Yes, I know you served the poor, you lived an exemplary life of compassion, justice, and worship — but you used a piano in worship . . . .”) Most are talking about the strengths of the tradition — a tradition that is preserved by several tribes. See, for example, this conference being held next summer at Pepperdine.
Second: Why did we have to have a central focus of identity (a cappella music) that is so difficult to spell? Not a capella . . . or a cappela . . . but a cappella.
Third: Most people I know who express an interest in having instrumental music are not wanting to lose the a cappella tradition. It’s not an either/or. I seriously doubt that the Richland Hills Church will give up their a cappella heritage completely.
Fourth: As I said in the comments yesterday, just because something is a matter of opinion doesn’t mean it isn’t important how a church discusses and processes the issue. That’s what Paul is doing in 1 Corinthians 8-10. The topic is food sacrificed to idols: eat it or don’t eat it? Well, it’s a matter of indifference. Sure, go ahead and eat it. But that’s not all Paul has to say about it. For the way they approach the seemingly insignificant topic (at least insignificant from our historical distance) says a lot about how they are living out the gospel in community.
Fifth: The next generation has Christian music on their ipods. They go to Christian concerts. Rarely do they listen to a cappella radio stations. And they won’t buy the old arguments (from the few who are still making them). In many cases, it isn’t that they haven’t HEARD the arguments; it’s that they see how vacuous those arguments are.
Sixth: Those who yesterday pointed out that we should not obsess on this are right. We must discuss it in Christian ways — but we must not let such discussions detour us from joining God in his work in this world. (That’s what I love about RH. This is a church that is reaching out all over Tarrant County and the world. When our church discussed the ministry of women, some on the outside thought that had become our main topic. Hardly. It was almost a sidebar as we were making serious transitions to participate with God in what he was already doing in our neighborhood.)
Seventh: Just got to say it. The a cappella tradition is nothing to be ashamed of. The only thing to be ashamed of is the exclusivism and judgmentalism with which many defended it. I still find great joy in adding my voice to a chorus of voices of brothers and sisters in Christ. I love instrumental worship, but so often I find my head aching from the guitars and drums that are deafening and I realize I can’t hear anyone singing — except the faint sound of everyone singing unison. Nearly every time we have Christian speakers from other tribes come to the Zoe conference, they stop to mention how the four-part harmony they hear is such a powerful symbol of the unity-within-diversity of the gospel. (Admittedly, not all singing services sound like the Zoe conferences. But you get the point.) When I sing I remember that God is the audience, not me; and I remember that my job is to add my part — to participate with a grateful heart. Not saying that doesn’t happen in other settings; I just love that as a strength of my own heritage.
Eighth: Autonomous. Remember that word? Godly leaders making prayerful decisions. No brotherhood pope (unless we’ve elected Randy Harris to the post).
Ninth: The body of Christ is so wonderfully diverse. So much larger than any little groups. Celebrate the diversity of those who follow Christ!
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When the prodigal son returned home there was “music and dancing” to celebrate. The CofC reminds me of the older brother standing in the field whining “Why didn’t I get a party with the fatted calf?” Being self-righteous never makes one very happy. When those who celebrate Jesus as Lord want to make music with instruments, I think the only concern the Lord has is what is in their hearts? I would rather worship with those who celebrate Jesus as Lord with a pure heart in whatever circumstance.
After reading this stuff I am always reminded of one of my teachers who once said in a public gathering of several thousand, “The Church of Christ is a big sick denomination.” Another well respected leader was asked about whether he agreed with what the preacher said. He said, “We are not all that big!”
While my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Barbados, we attended a very conservative church one Wednesday night. We chatted with the minister there afterwards. During the course of our conversation, he lamented how he was once a musician who played the trumpet in many of the hotels on the island, but now he had given it up “for the Lord’s work.” How sad that God had given this man a gift yet he worshipped in a fellowship where he felt that his gift was in fact an evil to be given up. I wonder how many musicians we have driven away from our fellowship because they were not able to serve the Body with their gifts.
Instrumental music? Necessary? Beneficial? To please God or to please man?
Have we become like Israel?
1 Sam 8:4-5 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
Must we always have what “all the other nations have?”
“DISPUTABLE MATTERS” ARE TO BE HANDLED
IN A SCRIPTURAL MANNER
Elders/Pastors/Shepherds must find more spiritual and practical ways to guide congregations in the face of disputable matters than has been the case in many congregations to date:
1. How can Elders/Pastors/Shepherds help their increasingly diverse congregations reach a consensus on issues of “disputable matters” which some might insist is the case with instrumental accompaniment to praise with singing?
2. Pure and simple, is it “sinful” for Christians to participate in some Old Testament Jewish religious practices like going to the Jewish temple for the traditional hours of prayer (Acts 2), performing fleshly circumcision (Acts 15), participating in purification rights with vows and sacrifices in the temple (Acts 21:17-27), keeping Jewish special days, following Jewish dietary laws, drinking wine as opposed to total abstinence of the Nazarites? (Romans 14:1-15:5). How did the earliest church handle such things? (See Acts 15)
3. If there is any “sin” related to Christians’ involved with Old Testament Jewish religious practices, is the sin in the “practice” or in the “imposing” such practices on the church as a condition of faithfulness to the Lord?
4. For the few who still may not see that instrumental praise is as clearly taught in the New Testament as singing, could not instrumental music be seen as one of these Old Testament Jewish religious practices to be worked out by the church leaders in the same way that other such customs were, in fact, worked out in the first century with the view of balancing individual freedom and conscience WITH congregational unity? (Acts 15)
5. For any objective student of the Word, is the use of instrumental music in praise to the Lord an issue of clearly defined biblical “doctrine” or is it an issue with which Elders/Pastors/Shepherds must engage the congregation and address with wisdom together because it falls in the category of “disputable matters” where leaders dare not permit a disruption in the unity of the church by forcing EITHER position as the ONLY acceptable course?
6. How do brothers maintain the “unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” when they sometimes arrive at different conscientious conclusions from their study of controversial issues, disputable matters?
7. Does being of “one mind” mean that all faithful Christians must understand (or misunderstand) ambiguous or “biblical silence” issues in exactly the same way? Our long-standing custom of trying to pursue unity with long division is a contraction of terms and offensive to the meaning of the Cross.
8. Does being of “one mind” mean having the “mind of Christ” (Philippians 2) where we are ALL committed to humility and the willingness to yield to others for the greater good of serving them for the sake of our Lord rather than insisting on imposing our own way?
9. Can something be “right” for one person yet “wrong” for another purely because of differing studied conclusions and conscientious convictions on the matter?
10. Is the brother with the more “rigid and restrictive” conscience the STRONG of WEAK brother?
11. Is the brother with the more “relaxed and flexible” conscience the STRONG of WEAK brother?
12. Does Paul’s instruction to “bear with one another” in Romans 14-15 suggest one side has to win the argument and impose its way on the whole congregation?
13. Does Paul’s instruction to “bear with one another” in Romans 14-15 teach that both sides of an acknowledged controversy must make accommodations for each side to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as each side pursues its best understanding (or misunderstanding) of questions related to the “restrictiveness of God’s law” and “freedom in Christ”? Both of these principles are essential doctrinal principles.
14. How must we, as “individuals”, handle such issues in the spirit and instruction of Romans 14 and 15?
15. How can Elders/Pastors/Shepherds most faithfully approach such issues for the mutual good and unity of the congregation within the spirit and instruction of Romans 14 and 15?
In my humble judgment, the Spiritual Leaders at Richland Hills Church of Christ in Ft. Worth have set a high standard for others to follow in the way they pursued the Lord’s will for the congregation with regard to such marginal issues.
One of the biggest questions in many minds is this:
“How could our forefathers 100 years ago have been wrong by insisting that instrumental music was a point of doctrine and deserving of the power to divide one of the greatest Unity Movements since the First Century?”
This is the same kind of question we discover our Roman Catholic friends have on their minds when we try to share the pure and simple gospel of Christ with them:
“How could our forefathers 1500 years ago have been wrong by insisting that Simon Peter was the first Pope and this means centralizing of visible church leadership is essential to maintaining biblical doctrine and those who resist the Pope are responsible for dividing the Universal Church?”
“Chris wrote on December 5, 2006 at 11:40 am
In the past when I thought of instruments in worship, I thought of piano and possibly organ. How did drums and guitars get in the mix? They seem so low class, like a bar room scene. Guess it shows my age. ”
It does show your age.
Mike,
Is God REALLY the AUDIENCE? Depends on your take on whether assemblies are primarily for EDIFICATION or WORSHIP. I vote for edification… like in I Corinthians 14! (I know, you don’t have time for such discussions — “some of each”, etc.). But I haven’t yet found that verse of scripture where Christians are directed to get together for WORSHIPPING GOD. Matter of fact, Paul tells the Athenians God really doesn’t NEED ANYTHING. God hears what’s happening IN OUR HEART! We are encouraging our fellow Christians in assembly with our singing.
I wonder if it is not dangerous to assume that worship is primarily about people? Did God desire for His people to be leave Egypt and worship Him solely for their own benefit? Worship does have great measures of edification, but it is time we start thinking about worship beyond the simple terms of singing or playing a guitar. Indeed, such trivial matters have destroyed our witness because of the way we handle our discussions on the matter, but to assume that the church (speaking of the church as the body and not just those in the CoC tradition) worships for her own benefit leaves little room for God’s movement in worship. I will have a hard time being convinced that David’s half naked dance before the Lord in the streets was for anyone but God.
Bruce:
Appreciated your comment on the assembly being primarily for our edification. Our total lives are for worship. All of service “in his name” is worship: “In as much as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me!” Real worship is night and day forever and ever in His holy temple. “Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord!”
Liked this: http://reflectionsofchrist.blogspot.com/2006/12/thinking-and-rethinking.html
I’m sorry, I’ve never done this before, but I’d like to respond to Shannon’s comment left last night.
“Must we always have ‘what the other nations’ have.”
I find it really sad that some equate other Christian denominations to the “other nations” referred to in that scripture.
I am a former CofCer & HU graduate that attends a church that originally intended to be a progressive CofC, but has turned into something very different, a big unified mishmash of people. There are people there who grew up CofC, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, etc. and some who never attended church before. Two points from that:
1. We all believe that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. And yes we do teach baptism. Beyond that, there are quite a few varying opinions on you name it…heck how can two people, let alone a congregation agree on every little thing…or agree on what they even think are “essentials.” It’s been awesome to see unity at work. And you know why it works? Because we know each others hearts for God, we don’t question each others motives or love for God when we disagree, and we go to the Bible for answers (and sometimes still get different answers.)
2. No matter what we’re singing, or if there’s a solo during communion, etc. I’ve learned that I can’t not worship just because I’m not singing out loud that one song, or it’s not my type of song, etc. If I can’t worship in every situation, then I’ve really got to evaluate my relationship with God. It’s not about us, it’s not about instruments or not (a silly issue in and of itself, but yet a hot button b/c it speaks to deeper issues), it’s about God.
God made us all very different in this world. The Bible says that the nations will bring their cultural treasures to Him in heaven. He obviously doesn’t want us homogenized. So I will go on worshipping throughout the week and on Sundays knowing that my way isn’t the only way, knowing that I’ve continually got to be working on my heart, and trying to be Jesus to others. I wish I were better at that.
I just wish we (as in all denominations) could be a unified church and not so loyal to our “brand” of Christianity and go share Jesus with the actual “other nations.” It’s His true purpose for our lives here.
The “slippery slope” is losing our faith . . . the church of Christ is the one compromising. I don’t see the others changing anything. Little by little, the church of Christ (the true church) is compromising themselves to have the approval of others. It is NOT about what WE find pleasing . . . What happened to the one faith? Who am I talking to out there?? Like I said, if you want the instruments, go where they are. Don’t convince the church you attend to do the same. If you are accepting of the instruments, why do you choose to attend the church of Christ and not a Baptist or Methodist? What makes you different?
One more thing . . . you’re exactly right – God does see the heart. And He knows if we’re sincerely trying to please Him OR ourselves.
Belinda, Thank you for your good comments. It makes you wonder as to who is really pushing to have the instruments. It has been one of the distinctives ( a cappella singing ) that has had an appeal to people in the culture.Using the instrument is the traditional practice found for centuries in the Catholic church and some of the protestant denominations.
Sarah, I did not mean to imply that “other nations” (denominations) are bad, just that we often seem to believe that copying them (as Israel wanted a king) will make us better, bigger, more attractive, more accepted, etc.
My preference is a cappella, but I am embarassed at the traditional positions taken against instruments. As I previously implied, I simply find them unnecessary – and their introduction devisive. Devisive is the sad part.
Thanks for your comments.
I think I will go outside and pound my head against a wall in anguish.
Now, we argue about instruments, a decade ago it was what? Two services? Bus ministries? Well…it was something….a decade hence and we will read about what instrument is “correct” in worship and what isn’t.
Then the argument will be about to baptize or not…
Then communion…
Then…. and then…and then.
Key words that the world is influencing these discussions…
“I feel” instead of the Bible says….
It was in the Old Testament…so was wiping out your enemies and neighboring countries and burning pigeons…is that next?
“Diverse” churches…
Stop and take a breath and think..here…please!
I grew up with a rich Church of Christ pedigree. Grandfather was a preacher, I served and led church committees and regularly risked developing song-leader’s-elbow waving my arm to 6/8 time. I regret none of it. But about ten years after emerging from Abilene Christian, I made a discovery that revolutionized my life. It was not a readjustment of theology or a new translation. Rather it was a new understanding of God-given and life-encompassing purpose that changed my perspective on instrumental music.
In my younger years, worship was what happened between the opening and closing prayers, twice on Sundays and Wednesday nights. Then I came to understand that everything we do is a worship to God. That the Lord who created me and gives me breath also gave me the ability to do many things, from writing to singing and running and operating a hand saw. And that, every time I do these things, I do them by his power and enabling and with His blessing, as I do them “unto the Lord.”
I once attended a church where the young members sat listless, mumbling through the hymns. As soon as each meeting was over, they rushed to get together with guitars to raise the roof with enthusiasm, spent entirely on secular songs. Not that there is anything wrong with “secular” music, but there was definitely something wrong in that picture.
Yes, I realize there are certain special things about meeting together to pray, teach, sing, etc. But I came to observe that the way we fence off what we do in our meetings from the rest of life leads us to draw sharp and harmful distinctions between our “church life” and the rest of life.
Now, when I set hand to piano, I do so by God’s enabling, and what travels from my soul and spirit, down my arm and onto the keys, launches out of the instrument as a pure fragrance of praise to God. He made me. He made my arm and fingers. He created (or inspired) others to invent different kinds of instruments for the purpose of praise (in the OT).
I don’t believe that reality has changed. God is the same. He loves us and He delights in our every thought and action given as a worship to him. Some will jab, “Well, then why don’t you play our hand saw in church, too?” Give me a time and place “in the church” that calls for a hand saw, and I can do that, too. In the meantime, I’ll use every last breath and motion and skill and thought in my life in devotion to God. And I’ll not flip the switch back the other way between the opening and closing prayers. When it comes to worship, it is the total Christan life, or it is nothing.
Bill Smith:
Great observations about the all-inclusive element of worship being a life totally devotd to the Lord.
“I’ll add that my hope is that it really is a non-issue with them. That is, that they won’t reject the others in their midst to whom it does matter.”
Don,
I suspect that the rejection of those people will have more to do with the fact that they are willing to stand on a hill over an issue that defines their religion while the homeless and hopeless lie untouched and unloved and generally unconcerned about our particular worship methods…
More and more I am finding that this generation is dis-satisfied with “Church” issues in general and are more interested in finding authentic Christians who are engaged in the work of Christ without regards to matters of comfort….I believe that is why instrumental worship is a “non-issue” with them….they are just too busy for it:)
Brad
Just wanted to say thanks Mike for addressing an issue so many are afraid to talk about.
Big Mike Lewis
Beaverton, Oregon
No problem, a Church adds an instrumental service, know this church is on the Christian Chruch Comunion… Just an heresy. Let biblical
many of us are in agreement that “ado” and “psallo” does not mean SING and SING but includes instrumentation, SING and PLAY something!
(1) In one case, the interpretation of the passage is allegorical: insisting that the instruments called for are the “heart” NOT the “harp,” “spirit” NOT “cymbals,” and “mind” NOT the “multiple instruments” mentioned in the Psalms.
(2) In the other case, the interpretation of the passage is literal: permitting both the “harp” AND the “heart,” “cymbals” AND “spirit,” and “multiple instruments” AND the “mind.”
The safest way to interpret a Scripture is to take it literally unless to do so does injustice to the over all thought.
Look especially to Colossians 3:16—from this we recognize that the Lord calls for believers to let the Lord’s word dwell so richly within their hearts that out of the abundance of their hearts they teach, counsel and praise the Lord.
The human “heart, mind and spirit” are NOT the instruments BUT the source of our praise to the Lord! It is not the “heart” but the lips and vocal cords which teach, counsel and praise the Lord. Their message, whether teaching to other believers or praise to the Lord, springs from the source of a deeply devoted heart.
The Reformer Ulrich Zwingly was more consistent than we in wresting with the two Pauline passages (Ehesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). He concluded that the “heart” was the instrument for both the ado and the psallo portions of the praise. Therefore, he silenced both voices and instruments in congregations he served. To Zwingly in Paul’s writings, praise was to originate in the heart, mind and spirit and stay in the heart, mind and spirit—just between the worshipper and the Lord.
The adverbial phrase “in/by/with the heart” most likely modifies both the ado and the psallo portion of the Ephesian passage. This becomes even clearer in the case of the Colossians passage which states, “sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs … in/by/with your hearts to God.”
We can skip Paul and go right to Jesus himself. Jesus used a term which means “make music” in his parable of the prodigal son. The Greek word employed is sumphonia which meant and means a “unison of sound; i.e., a concert of instruments.” Luke 15:11-32 (especially vv. 22-23, 31-32) calls for vibrant celebration when prodigals come home to the Father’s house and come to enjoy new life in the Lord’s family. The Father in the parable of Jesus is our Father. The Father insisted that in his house, his family, his children must celebrate and be glad for their salvation. The Father’s directive called for (or unequivocally permitted) the household to “make music” all the way up to a concert of instruments. The church of Jesus Christ is the house of God. A “red letter” New Testament and the words of Jesus hit me like a thunderbolt!
It is not easy for me to write these things because I spent many decades as a professional preacher feeling I had to do anything possible to support the a cappella doctrine of my church tradition. This meant that I combed thousands of pages of scholarly material by Christians throughout the centuries because I felt desperate to wring instrumental praise out of the fabric of New Testament Christianity. I was not dishonest nor was I insincere. I was rabidly sectarian until the Lord drove me to my knees to either support my tradition or His TEXT.
Through John the Revelator, Jesus is pictured as standing and knocking at the door of His congregation in Laodicea, He wants all believers to see their spiritual wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness. He wants all of us to see that all of our self-righteous efforts leave us with nothing. He wants all of us to see that He alone must be “the beginning and end of our faith.” The Lord’s desire is that His grace and mercy alone be our spiritual defense and the basis for our bold confidence for all of life and eternity!
But you do not recognize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
(Revelation 3:17b-20, NIV)
As Jesus is helping me see my own spiritual wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness, I pray for all my brothers and sisters in every place to let our blessed Savior tenderly reveal their own spiritual emptiness to them as well. I pray that all of us, as disciples of the Son of God, will become rich in grace and mercy. He wants to refine us as gold by His precious and costly death for us. I pray that the only cover-up we ever dare to put on is the white robe of his gift of righteousness. I pray that we can all see clearly (in our self-righteous, unkind, judgmental and divisive ways), how far we have departed from pure biblical Christianity. Pure and unadulterated faith means just following the Son of God. I pray that we can see and accept the Savior’s love and benefit from his many different ways of rebuking and trying to discipline us.
I praise Jesus for continuing to knock at my heart’s door, after all these years, calling me away from allegiance to religious movements, sects, cults, denominations and human systems of any kind. I now realize Jesus just wants to be my “all in all.” Jesus wants to be the only source and focus of my faith and trust. Jesus wants me just to walk in his footsteps. Jesus begged me to repent of my own sectarian pride, cultic exclusiveness and divisiveness which held other sincere believers and even sincere seekers at a distance from myself and (as a result) often at a distance from Jesus.
Jesus had to knock pretty hard to get my full attention. When I let Him in, Jesus whispered to my too often guarded heart, “I want to so fully come into your heart and life that you will find the ability to accept and love all of my disciples, those who deeply love me in every place. I know you will find great joy in touching more and more lives which I have touched. I commission you to communicate my prayer which brought sweat drops of blood from my body in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was my prayer for the community of faith in all ages!”
“My prayer is not for (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
“May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are ONE; I in them and you in me. May they be brought to COMPLETE UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
(John 17:20-23, NIV)
Google is the best search engine
I came from a non-instrumental Church, but now have fellowship with a Church congregation that makes use of a piano. I am now the song leader in most Sundays. To me, the piano is simply an instrument to accompany the singing. Our edification comes from the words of the song, which by the way, is composed by using musical instruments. I used to sing the tenor voice and most of the times, my attention is in focused on reading the shaped notes, and how to sing it in perfect harmony, but not in understanding the message of the song. In some congregations where they do not have a natural base voice, the song leaders raise the pitch of the song in order to accommodate the base part which is sung by tenors or baritones. As a result, the sopranos struggle with their singing instead of being edified or encouraged by the songs.
Let us make use of musical instruments as a tool for a more organized worship, but let us be warned that these instruments are made by men. Nothing made by human hands can ever produce spiritual enlightenment.
Terry
I find it interesting that so many on here do not believe that how we worship is not a matter of salvation. Especially considering Jesus said we must worship “in spirit and in truth,” and you look at what happened to Nadab and Abihu. They performed a “scriptural” act of worship, yet were destroyed. Why? Because the changed something about it: they used a piece of fire/ash/burning item from an incorrect and unholy and unauthorized source. Were they sincere? Most likely (although the context suggests they might have been drunk when doing it… consider Moses’s words later on about drinking), but they are eternally lost for ONE moment of unauthorized worship. God hasn’t changed, people. He still commands our respect for His commandments, ESPECIALLY for worship. After all, who is worship truly about and for? Us? Or God?
J, you point out (correctly) that God “still commands our respect for his commandments”. I don’t know of a commandment that He made regarding this issue.
I would argue, from the other side, that God has told us not to add to or detract from scripture. The angel who told John that was apparently talking specifically about the revelation that he was being given, but I think the instruction applies to all scripture, as completely as we can identify it. When we say that this issue, which God has not addressed, is a salvation issue, are we not adding to the scripture at our own peril?
I sense you have a deep desire to do things in a way in which God will be pleased. I do, too. I think this is what he looks for, and what constitutes worship in spirit and in truth. Nadab and Abihu apparently didn’t have that.
I just re-read your post, and though my initial feeling was that you are opposing the use of the instrument in worship, you didn’t actually say that, either. I am adding to your post in that assumption. It’s awfully easy to do, and while I’m probably right, I really can’t say that from what you’ve written. Your post is about the gravity of worship, and I infer what I do from what I know of the issue and the arguments. It’s impossible not to do that to some extent. We must try to stay away from that when binding matters of importance on other worshippers, and stay with what God has actually required: worship in spirit and in truth.
As one who makes a living as an instrumental musician I have followed the a cappella discussion with great interest. It is interesting that so few comments have been about the music. Thank you Mike for bringing up the “new” musical reality that exists. It is not the same old argument as others have suggested. We should remember that many of the good old hymns we have sung for many, many years were written by organists, other instrumental musicians or people who attended instrumental churches (Fanny J Crosby, William Kirkpatrick, Charles Wesley, Catherine Winkworth–to name only a few). The reality is that the hymn tradition works well in both settings–instrumental and a cappella–because of the nature of the music.
We are now dealing with a musical tradition–pop/rock/folk based music and “praise” music–that doesn’t translate as easily. I could say a great deal about this but I’ll refrain. However, it is certainly the musical reality in which many churches, and the people who inhabit them, now live. Thank you Mike for bringing up the point so beautifully in your list.
A word of caution from a musician–I grow very tired (sorry Mike) of the discussion about the “loud guitars and drums” or the overbearing organ. That is not a comment about the musical genre, that is a comment about the people you happened to hear playing that day. A sensitive, musical organist is one of the great joys to experience. Musicians sensitive to the purpose of worship can be found in any musical tradition, as can the other type. I’ve been to many a CoC and wished they would turn the praise team down–WAY down. Or wishing a few of them would learn to hold the microphone right so it didn’t sound like a bass solo. Or wishing the person running sound–had a clue. These things detract from worship just as much or more than than an organist with a heavy foot or a drummer who can’t draw a line between Sunday morning and the Saturday evening garage band. I think it is great to adore the a cappella tradition, or to love instrumental music, but let’s make sure we base our reasoning on sound arguments, not the classic “loud ol’ organ” nonsense. Adore a tradition? Prefer one or the other? Great–but let’s be smart about why.
Lots more I could say I guess–enjoy the discussion.
Mike,
Concerning your first point on instrumental music in worship, you’ve missed the point. The university president you mentioned stated that using instruments in worship will send someone to hell; you say it won’t. Yet, your negation of his statement is based upon what? That’s the problem with our brotherhood right now; we are not discussing the real issue, and I brought this up in an earlier post, and no one dealt with it. Perhaps, someone will do so here.
It’s not enough to just say, “Instrumental music is not a salvation issue.” Nor is it enough to simply say it is. The central question (that hardly anyone discusses) is, “How do we determine which issues are salvation issues and which are not?” You mentioned several issues (serving the poor, life of compassion, justice and worship, etc.). Are these salvation issues to you? Is an exclusive belief in Jesus as the Christ a salvation issue for you? If so, based upon what? What are all the beliefs or issues that one must believe correctly (if any) to be saved? When we begin to have this discussion, we’ll begin getting to the real matter. As for you, your statement is no more authoritative than that of the college president.
Concerning point 4 and related to point 1, you seem to imply that the use of instruments in worship is an opinion issue. Again, I ask, “Based upon what?” You have assumed something that you cannot find (or you at least have not shown us) from the text or logical reasoning. I hope you will address this.
Concerning point 5, once again, the new generation of youth in Churches of Christ are not the standard. Some most youth in Churches of Christ (I would actually take issue with this assessment, but that’s not the issue) don’t believe it’s a salvation issue. And? How does this change the discussion one bit? Let’s just say, for the sake of argument, that it is a salvation issue and your assessment about the youth is correct? Now what? If the issue is a salvation issue, we are bound to respect that if we want salvation, notwithstanding the current trends among young people. Again, I could say (just as easily as you could negate it) that the current trends among the youth in the church are a consequence of Satan and not the Spirit of God, as we are so often told.
On your sixth point, I agree that instrumental music is not the cental issue in the Christian faith. However, we still have not addressed the real issue. Can an issue, deemed not to be the central issue to the Christian faith, still cause one to be lost if not believed correctly? If you say no, you must support that answer. If you say yes, you, likewise, must give biblical support. What is the main issue, as far as you are concerned, and is salvation based only upon that main issue?
Concerning point 8, autonomy, Mike, is not a smokescreen to just do what you say is not a salvation issue. Can I hide behind autonomy and pray to Mary or worship an idol (praying to Mary is nowhere prohibited in Scripture, and this is a type of argumentation used by those who say the instrument not a salvation issue)?
Lastly, you want diversity, but how much? There is diversity in the religious world in general; should we celebrate that? I assume that you would reject unity with the Muslims and non-believing Jews based upon their rejection of Jesus, yet would I be fair in characterizing you as one who eschewed diversity? Mike, please be fair in your comments. Those who reject the instrument are not against diversity no more than you are when you refuse fellowship with Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Atheists, etc. Now, if you would like to include these groups into your fellowship at Highland, we’ll know so when you respond.
Don,
I disagree with your assessment of Nadab and Abihu’s worship. You said that Nadab and Abihu were condemned simply because they didn’t have a desire to do things in a way that God would be pleased, but you have no text to support this. I am sorry, dear brother, but you’re not going to get away with this. The text actually says why their worship was condemned, and it was not as you say. “They offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command.” (Lev. 10:1, NIV). The phrase “contrary to his command” explains why the fire was unauthorized. Nothing is said about their disposition or attitude in worship, so how can you suggest that that was the reason why the worship was rejected when the text explicitly states otherwise? You’re adding to the text. The text is clear; just accept the text.
This is a problematic text for those who claim that “in spirit and in truth” simply means a desire to do what pleases God and not actually doing what pleases God. Yet, the Scripture is replete with examples (OT and NT) of those who were sincere in their approach to God, but they were condemned because they simply didn’t do or believe the right thing. Do you need examples?
Several things must be addressed for NT teaching. 1. Does this “unauthorized” principle apply for NT teaching and theology? 2. Do we have a command concerning how we are to worship?
This brings us to another statement you made: “I don’t know of a commandment that he made regarding that issue.” Please clarify. Is there no command in the NT about how we are to worship?
Dear maddog:
When we will stop trying to equate instrumental music in New Covenant worship with the forbidden “strange fire” of Nadab’s offering? I sincerely preached it that way more than 45 years until the Lord opened my eyes and heart to some very obvious material on praise in the New Covenant Scriptures.
There is more than ample New Covenant Scriptural support to indicate that the Lord is pleased with instrumental music and certainly has never suggested it is a sin that will send a man to hell!
If we are really interested in discussing this from a scriptural, RATHER THAN PURELY SECTARIAN, perspective, I beg you to go back and seriously read my three contributions to this blog on the following dates:
Dec. 6, 2006
Dec. 7, 2006
Jan. 9, 2007
Let’s ALL prayerfully study the solid impact of NEW COVENANT SCRIPTURES and not ignorantly assume that God shut down instrumental accompaniment to our praise when Jesus died on the cross. We have been fed a SECTARIAN line that the NT has nothing to say about any kind of praise other than a cappella singing.
I love you brothers, but we really need to become serious students of the word of God again and not just echos of an ignorant tradition! Honestly, there is more basis for honest confusion about the primacy of Peter as Pope (from a Catholic hermaneutic of Matthew 16) than for the exclusive bindig of a cappella praise as doctrine (from a “Church of Christ” hermaneutic!
As one raised in a church with instrumental music, namely the organ and the piano, I can plainly state that it was much easier to sing along with the music, the choir, and the song leader. You didn’t have to worry much about singing off key either. In addition, now we see guitars, drums, flutes, violins, the bass and any other instrument of interest utilized in our worship service to God. I myself play the harmonica (as limited as I may be) and I enjoy playing spiritual songs.
However, in true worship to God, it’s not about me, it’s not about the instrument player, the band, the song leader or the soloist or the choir singing one of the favorite hymns or something new. It’s about True Worship to our Father in Heaven. “in Spirit and in Truth” It’s about our Saviour Jesus Christ, and spiritual edification of the brethren. Worship to God is not about conforming to wordly ways, or compromise with others and the way they feel, or what they like or prefer.
Let us put our attention to where it belongs. On our God, our Saviour, and in the Spirit, worship our heavenly Father, “singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord” collosians 3:16
If you can’t here the words over the loud musical instruments, what edification is there. The worship service is not to be a provocation to jealosy or envy, in who can sing the best, or who can play the best, who makes the choir, but I’ve seen it be just that with many. Jesus, and he alone should be on the pedistal.
We could all argue and never agree, concerning instrumental music to be pleasing or not to God. But we can all agree that singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, is pleasing to God.
I am not an advocate for instrumental music in Worship to God, for several reasons. There is to much of a worldly tone with their use in the worship service to our Father. You think, that maybe God in his wisdom, knew where the use of musical instruments would help to create a decadent society.
Ehesians 5: 18, 19. …;but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; …
Not as I was taught or raised, do I choose to worship God in singing and without the use of musical instruments. I find singing as Truth, without question.
As the redeemed, we’ll someday be in the midst of Gods Glory, we will All sing in praise to God. If playing a musical instrument is included, we will All sing and ALL play in praise to God.
Kieth,
Please slow down, go back and reread my post. My intent was not to equate the Leviticus 10 episode with the modern-day usage of mechanical instruments in worship to God; I was simply showing how Don’s view that Nadab and Abihu’s worship was not accepted because it was done in the wrong spirit was not based on the text. The text tells us why their worship was rejected, and the key word is “authority.” That word is in the text; it’s not my word.
A couple of questions for you:
1. Why was Nadab and Abihu’s worship rejected by God? If the reason was not that it was unauthorized, please give the reason and support with Scripture.
2. If going “contrary to His command” was reason enough for God to destroy them in Lev. 10, does He feel the same way about those today who go against His command?
3. Is there any command in the NT about how we are to worship?
4. You said that using instruments in worship would not send someone to hell. How, then, do you determine what is a salvation issue? Which issues can someone believe and practice wrongly and still be saved? Which issues are the core, salvation issues?
I look forward to your responses.
Hello…I worshipped with instruments the first 23 years of my life and I have worshipped a cappella the last 10. I have a great love for both! I certainly understand both sides. The one point I like to make is that it SEEMS that if you are accustommed to a cappella and then give instruments a try that the loudness of instruments SEEMS to stands out, and from the perspective of those who say that (I’ve actually felt that at times)it can be true! But I never noticed the loudness when I worshipped BA (Before A Cappella)I had nothing to compare it too, and it was the worship I had to offer to the LORD, and it still was my all. So it makes sense that some of us have felt it to be too loud, we have something to compare it to, and it works both ways. I know that it has been hard for those who have gone from instruments to a cappella too, they feel something is missing cause they have something to compare too. So the next time it seems too loud, just understand that you have the comparison of the beautiful a cappella singing and those you are among you with the loudness don’t think it’s too loud and are worshipping with you, and vice versa. Can comparison of worship styles hinder you from truly entering the throne room of God? I think so…it’s hard not to do it, but let’s keep trying to keep the ONE we are praising the focus…Great Post Mike
Dear Maddog:
Here is what the New Covenant Scriputres say about praise and worship:
Praise in worship in the N.T comes under two verbs–many of us are in agreement that “ado” and “psallo” does not mean SING and SING but includes instrumentation, SING and PLAY something!
(1) In one case, the interpretation of the passage is allegorical: insisting that the instruments called for are the “heart” NOT the “harp,” “spirit” NOT “cymbals,” and “mind” NOT the “multiple instruments” mentioned in the Psalms.
(2) In the other case, the interpretation of the passage is literal: permitting both the “harp” AND the “heart,” “cymbals” AND “spirit,” and “multiple instruments” AND the “mind.”
The safest way to interpret a Scripture is to take it literally unless to do so does injustice to the over all thought.
Look especially to Colossians 3:16—from this we recognize that the Lord calls for believers to let the Lord’s word dwell so richly within their hearts that out of the abundance of their hearts they teach, counsel and praise the Lord.
The human “heart, mind and spirit” are NOT the instruments BUT the source of our praise to the Lord! It is not the “heart” but the lips and vocal cords which teach, counsel and praise the Lord. Their message, whether teaching to other believers or praise to the Lord, springs from the source of a deeply devoted heart.
The Reformer Ulrich Zwingly was more consistent than we in wresting with the two Pauline passages (Ehesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). He concluded that the “heart” was the instrument for both the ado and the psallo portions of the praise. Therefore, he silenced both voices and instruments in congregations he served. To Zwingly in Paul’s writings, praise was to originate in the heart, mind and spirit and stay in the heart, mind and spirit—just between the worshipper and the Lord.
The adverbial phrase “in/by/with the heart” most likely modifies both the ado and the psallo portion of the Ephesian passage. This becomes even clearer in the case of the Colossians passage which states, “sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs … in/by/with your hearts to God.”
We can skip Paul and go right to Jesus himself. Jesus used a term which means “make music” in his parable of the prodigal son. The Greek word employed is sumphonia which meant and means a “unison of sound; i.e., a concert of instruments.” Luke 15:11-32 (especially vv. 22-23, 31-32) calls for vibrant celebration when prodigals come home to the Father’s house and come to enjoy new life in the Lord’s family. The Father in the parable of Jesus is our Father. The Father insisted that in his house, his family, his children must celebrate and be glad for their salvation. The Father’s directive called for (or unequivocally permitted) the household to “make music” all the way up to a concert of instruments. The church of Jesus Christ is the house of God. A “red letter” New Testament and the words of Jesus hit me like a thunderbolt!
It is not easy for me to write these things because I spent many decades as a professional preacher feeling I had to do anything possible to support the a cappella doctrine of my church tradition. This meant that I combed thousands of pages of scholarly material by Christians throughout the centuries because I felt desperate to wring instrumental praise out of the fabric of New Testament Christianity. I was not dishonest nor was I insincere. I was rabidly sectarian until the Lord drove me to my knees to either support my tradition or His TEXT.
Through John the Revelator, Jesus is pictured as standing and knocking at the door of His congregation in Laodicea, He wants all believers to see their spiritual wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness. He wants all of us to see that all of our self-righteous efforts leave us with nothing. He wants all of us to see that He alone must be “the beginning and end of our faith.” The Lord’s desire is that His grace and mercy alone be our spiritual defense and the basis for our bold confidence for all of life and eternity!
But you do not recognize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
(Revelation 3:17b-20, NIV)
As Jesus is helping me see my own spiritual wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness, I pray for all my brothers and sisters in every place to let our blessed Savior tenderly reveal their own spiritual emptiness to them as well. I pray that all of us, as disciples of the Son of God, will become rich in grace and mercy. He wants to refine us as gold by His precious and costly death for us. I pray that the only cover-up we ever dare to put on is the white robe of his gift of righteousness. I pray that we can all see clearly (in our self-righteous, unkind, judgmental and divisive ways), how far we have departed from pure biblical Christianity. Pure and unadulterated faith means just following the Son of God. I pray that we can see and accept the Savior’s love and benefit from his many different ways of rebuking and trying to discipline us.
I praise Jesus for continuing to knock at my heart’s door, after all these years, calling me away from allegiance to religious movements, sects, cults, denominations and human systems of any kind. I now realize Jesus just wants to be my “all in all.” Jesus wants to be the only source and focus of my faith and trust. Jesus wants me just to walk in his footsteps. Jesus begged me to repent of my own sectarian pride, cultic exclusiveness and divisiveness which held other sincere believers and even sincere seekers at a distance from myself and (as a result) often at a distance from Jesus.
Jesus had to knock pretty hard to get my full attention. When I let Him in, Jesus whispered to my too often guarded heart, “I want to so fully come into your heart and life that you will find the ability to accept and love all of my disciples, those who deeply love me in every place. I know you will find great joy in touching more and more lives which I have touched. I commission you to communicate my prayer which brought sweat drops of blood from my body in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was my prayer for the community of faith in all ages!”
“My prayer is not for (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
“May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are ONE; I in them and you in me. May they be brought to COMPLETE UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
(John 17:20-23, NIV)
Kieth said,
“I love you brothers, but we really need to become serious students of the word of God again and not just echos of an ignorant tradition! Honestly, there is more basis for honest confusion about the primacy of Peter as Pope (from a Catholic hermaneutic of Matthew 16) than for the exclusive bindig of a cappella praise as doctrine (from a “Church of Christ” hermaneutic!”
Kieth,
Do you realize how historically inaccurate that statement is? I find it amazing that so many members of Churches of Christ truly despise Churches of Christ that their bias leads them to overlook even the obvious. You talk as if Churches of Christ are the only ones who don’t use mechanical instruments of music in worship for theological reasons. What about the 15 million Orthodox Greeks (compared to the not even 3 million in Churches of Christ) . . . now you wouldn’t dare call their tradition “ignorant,” would you, Kieth? Don’t you know this (instruments in worship) was a polemic issue in religious history some 1200 years before it became contentions in the Restoration Movement? Do you even know the reasons why the Greek church doesn’t use instruments?
I repeat . . . I think some are so bent on casting Churches of Christ in a negative light, they’ll do and say things about Churches of Christ that they would not do or say with another group that advocates a similar teaching. So, let’s see if you call Orthodox Greeks ignorant and not serious students of the word like you just did with Churches of Christ.
Kieth,
You really didn’t answer the questions I asked you. The 3 that you didn’t address, I’m giving them to you again so that you can address them; please do so. Then, I’ll respond to what you wrote.
1. Why was Nadab and Abihu’s worship rejected by God? If the reason was not that it was unauthorized, please give the reason and support with Scripture.
2. If going “contrary to His command” was reason enough for God to destroy them in Lev. 10, does He feel the same way today about those who go against His command?
4. You said that using instruments in worship would not send someone to hell. How, then, do you determine what is a salvation issue? Which issues can someone believe and practice wrongly and still be saved? Which issues are the core, salvation issues?
Concerning my question, “Is there any command in the NT about how we are to worship?” you say, if I understand you correctly, that certain passages in the NT permit the usage of mechanical instruments in worship. I have a couple of questions.
1. Which passages permit the instruments? You listed Col. 3 and Luke 15. Are there any others?
2. Do these passages demand mechanical instruments in worship or simply permit them as an option if so desired?
3. Did the 1st century church use them in worship?
I’ll go ahead and address your usage of Luke 15 and address all the other passages once you list them. Honestly, I was very shocked at your (mis)use of Luke 15. Is it your claim that everything the father did in response to the son’s newfound condition is a pattern for acceptable worship to God in the church? The father had a calf killed; would this be acceptable and permitted like the instrument as worship in the church? It must be, if consistency is to be maintained. The father put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet; could this be done in today’s church and labeled worship because the father did it to the son in Luke 15? If you’re going to use Luke 15, you must explain why the celebration is pattern for the NT church, but none of the other actions are.
Dear Maddog:
Examine the ways we have employed or not employed the “music” passages in the New Covenant Scriptures:
Luke 15:22-32–This is a parable of lost sons coming home to the Father’s house (that is the church). This suggests that we worship the Father ause of his grace, mercy and salvation. We worship by celebrating the return of the lost. This celebration involves music (from symphona which means music from many instruments). How did we miss that passage in our “red letter” additions of the New Testament with the very words of Jesus? Question was raised about killing the calf, putting sandles on the feet, robes on the bag and a signet ring on the finger. These are all things which the Father in the story did. The Father is our God and Father. Father did kill the calf, the sin offering for our return home to him. Father did put sandles on our feet because he does not want anyone to think we are slaves but true sons. Father did put a signet ring on our finger by making us not only sons but sons of royalty. We mneet Father in worship. He has done our part; now our part is to celebrate our return home with all kinds of music. Why do I know that is true? Because Jesus taught it in our red letter New Testament.
Acts 2:42-47–The earliest Christians gathered daily in both private homes and the Jewish temple court. When and whereever they gathered they were praising the Lord in the way the Lord commanded for the Temple. It seems very likely that the first congregation of the Lord’s church regularly (even daily) praised the Lord with instruments. How did we miss that “necessary inference”? If God ever commanded instrumental praise, how did we ever create such a schizophrenic out of Him to turn His commandment into a sin?
1 Corinthians 10:14-14:40–This is the only detailed discussion of the church assembly in the New Covenant Scriptures. From this exhaustive discussion by Paul, we learn that the earliest disciples used music as part of their assembly time. They may have even understood that psallo sometimes included instruental accompaniment. This conclusion is especially relevant with Paul’s mention of five mechanical instruments in the passage. How did we miss the mention of those instruments and draw the conclusion of some hidden prohibition against instruments between the lines of the text? If we really followed our Restoration premise of “Being silent where the Bible is silent” we never would have legislated God’s damning prohibition out of the thin air of textual silence.
Ephesians 5:18-21–Contextually, this is not even a passage about a church assembly but about life. The early disciples’ praise found its source in their being “filled with the Spirit. They understood that praise, while being addressed primarily to the Lord was also shared with fellow Christians. They recognized three resources sources from which to select their praise music: the Psalms, Hymns of NT Scripture, and later Christian praise songs. They were given TWO verbs for praise and worship instruction. Two different kinds of praise are called for as an offering to the Lord–BOTH sing and make music (ado & psallo).
Colossians 3:15-17–Contextually, this is not a passage about a church assembly but about life. Two concerns are addressed: (1) Let the peace of Christ rule our hearts and pursue the unity of the body of Christ. (2) As to praise ado, not psallo, is used to say “speaking and sings” but part of the singing is of the Psalms and many of the Psalms call for instruments. By citing Psalms as legitimate praises for Christians, the prohibition against instruments is not only mute but absolutely irrational. Note this: if the “human heart” is the exclusive instrument of the “psallo” in Ephesians 5:19, then the “human heart” is also the exclusive agent of “ado” in both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Therefore, the Church of Christ hermeneutical “law of silence and exclusion” would consistently eliminate all music, singing or instrument, except silent meditation. In fact, the Reformer Ulrich Zwongli prohibited all audible music in the Zurich church because he insisted that the “human heart” was revealed as the exclusive agent or instrument of praise, eliminating both voice and muchanical insturment. Zwingli was more consistent that we but he too missed the point.
Revelation 5:6-14–The first 20 chapters of John’s Revelation may be seen as a parabolic narrative to instruct and comfort the church on earth. The Revelation of John ties together both the earthly and heavenly portions of the Lord’s new sanctuary-the Lord’s church where the curtain between the two rooms has been torn away by the death of Christ.
It is most likely that this is a parabolic picture of the “church” age and not primarily a picture of eternity after time has ended. This is most likely true because when time ends, Jesus will not be on the throne but will turn all Kingdom rule back to the Father (1 Corinthians 15). It is clearly a picture of “church age” also because Christ is on the throne/mnercy seat in heaven as “the one who was, and is, and IS TO COME.” The sacrificial Lamb of God is receiving adoration from the elders of the church “holding golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints” AND each is also praising the Lord with both singing and the music of harps.” Millions of angels join the elders in worship to the Lamb. Heaven and earth become fully “one” in the new Jerusalem where the unshaded brilliance of the Son of God is the temple, because where we are together in the presence of Jesus, there is the true temple in all its fullness.
Revelation 7:9-17–The spiritual leaders of Revelation 5, who are praising Jesus with singing and instruments, are joined by the great multitude which no one oculd count from every nation, tribe, poeple and language. All the angels of the Lord are present. Who makes up the great multitude? All who “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” Their worship is not Sunday-only! Before the throne, they serve Him DAY AND NIGHT in his temple. The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd: He LeadS them to springs of living water, etc. What would it do to our worship if we saw the assembled multitude like John did? What would it mean if we were to see worship as serving the Lord day and night in His temple?
Maybe this is part of what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The real church, the body of Christ is not just the congregation at a given location, nor is the church just made up of of all the living believers in the here and now.
Hebrews 12:18-29–In light of the “heaven and earth” implications of John’s Revelation passages, if we were to capture the full meaning of the Lord’s church, the grand assembly, we need to vastly enlarge our view of the church to embrace the Lord’s faithful in all ages, the holy angels, the spirits of righteousness men made perfect, and come fully into the presence of Jesus Himself!
It the presence of His majesty, our worship wars look like little children playing with noisy toys in church if not much worse!
The most irrational aspect of the “prohibition against instrumental accompaniment to our praise” is our insisting something is a SIN this side of the cross which was COMMANDED by the Lord before the cross.
Even if we were to insist there is no specific New Testament mention of instrumental praise (which is not the case as cited by many passages above, it would NOT be SINFUL for Christians to participate in some Old Testament Jewish religious practices
–Like going to the Jewish temple for the traditional hours of prayer (Acts 2)
–Performing fleshly circumcision (Acts 15)
–Participating in purification rights with vows and sacrifices in the temple (Acts 21:17-27)
–Keeping Jewish special days, following Jewish dietary laws, drinking wine as opposed to total abstinence of the Nazarites? (Romans 14:1-15:5).
How did the earliest church handle such things? (See Acts 15)
1. If there is any “sin” related to Christians’ involved with Old Testament Jewish religious practices, it is NOT IN THE PRACTICE BUT IN THE IMPOSING such practices on the church as a condition of faithfulness to the Lord?
2. For the few who still may not see that instrumental praise is as clearly taught in the New Testament as singing, WHY CANNOT INSTRUMENTAL PRAISE BE SEEN AS ONE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT RELIGIOUS PRACTICES to be worked out by the church leaders in the same way that other such customs were, in fact, worked out in the First Century with the view of balancing individual freedom and conscience WITH congregational unity? (Acts 15)
3. For any objective student of the Word, the use of GOD-COMMANDED instrumental music in praise to the Lord IS NOT AN ISSUE of clearly defined biblical “doctrine”! It is an issue with which Elders/Pastors/Shepherds must engage the congregation and address with wisdom together because it falls in the category of “disputable matters” where leaders dare not permit a disruption in the unity of the church by forcing EITHER position as the ONLY acceptable course? (Romans 14:1-15:7)
The world’s Christian scholarship is in essential agreement that “ADO” and “PSALLO” does not mean SING and SING but includes instrumentation, SING and PLAY something!
(1) Out of the debates over 100 years ago, the interpretation of the passage became allegorical for the first time: insisting that the instruments called for are the “heart” NOT the “harp,” “spirit” NOT “cymbals,” and “mind” NOT the “multiple instruments” mentioned in the Psalms.
(2) The predominate view of scholars in each age of the historic church is that the interpretation of the passage is literal: permitting both the “harp” AND the “heart,” “cymbals” AND “spirit,” and “multiple instruments” AND the “mind.”
The safest way to interpret a Scripture is to take it literally unless to do so does injustice to the over all thought.
Look especially to Colossians 3:16—from this we recognize that the Lord calls for believers to let the Lord’s word dwell so richly within their hearts that out of the abundance of their hearts they teach, counsel and praise the Lord.
The human “heart, mind and spirit” are NOT the instruments BUT the source of our praise to the Lord! It is not the “heart” but the lips and vocal cords which teach, counsel and praise the Lord. Their message, whether teaching to other believers or praise to the Lord, springs from the source of a deeply devoted heart.
The Reformer Ulrich Zwingly was more consistent than we in wresting with the two Pauline passages (Ehesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16). He concluded that the “heart” was the instrument for both the ado and the psallo portions of the praise. Therefore, he silenced both voices and instruments in congregations he served. To Zwingly in Paul’s writings, praise was to originate in the heart, mind and spirit and stay in the heart, mind and spirit—just between the worshipper and the Lord.
The adverbial phrase “in/by/with the heart” most likely modifies both the ADO and the PSALLO portion of the Ephesian passage. This becomes even clearer in the case of the Colossians passage which states, “sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs … in/by/with your hearts to God.”
We can skip Paul and go right to Jesus himself. Jesus used a term which means “make music” in his parable of the prodigal son. The Greek word employed is sumphonia which meant and means a “unison of sound; i.e., a concert of instruments.” Luke 15:11-32 (especially vv. 22-23, 31-32) calls for vibrant celebration when prodigals come home to the Father’s house and come to enjoy new life in the Lord’s family. The Father in the parable of Jesus is our Father. The Father insisted that in his house, his family, his children must celebrate and be glad for their salvation. The Father’s directive called for (or unequivocally permitted) the household to “make music” all the way up to a concert of instruments. The church of Jesus Christ is the house of God. A “red letter” New Testament and the words of Jesus hit me like a thunderbolt!
Brothers and Sisters, really pray about these matters. Go just to the text of the word of God.
It is not easy for me to write these things because I spent many decades as a professional preacher feeling I had to do anything possible to support the a cappella doctrine of my church tradition. This meant that I combed thousands of pages of scholarly material by Christians throughout the centuries because I felt desperate to wring instrumental praise out of the fabric of New Testament Christianity. I was not dishonest nor was I insincere. I was rabidly sectarian until the Lord drove me to my knees to either support my tradition or His TEXT.
Through John the Revelator, Jesus is pictured as standing and knocking at the door of His congregation in Laodicea, He wants all believers to see their spiritual wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness. He wants all of us to see that all of our self-righteous efforts leave us with nothing. He wants all of us to see that He alone must be “the beginning and end of our faith.” The Lord’s desire is that His grace and mercy alone be our spiritual defense and the basis for our bold confidence for all of life and eternity!
But you do not recognize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
(Revelation 3:17b-20, NIV)
As Jesus is helping me see my own spiritual wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness, I pray for all my brothers and sisters in every place to let our blessed Savior tenderly reveal their own spiritual emptiness to them as well. I pray that all of us, as disciples of the Son of God, will become rich in grace and mercy. He wants to refine us as gold by His precious and costly death for us. I pray that the only cover-up we ever dare to put on is the white robe of his gift of righteousness. I pray that we can all see clearly (in our self-righteous, unkind, judgmental and divisive ways), how far we have departed from pure biblical Christianity. Pure and unadulterated faith means just following the Son of God. I pray that we can see and accept the Savior’s love and benefit from his many different ways of rebuking and trying to discipline us.
I praise Jesus for continuing to knock at my heart’s door, after all these years, calling me away from allegiance to religious movements, sects, cults, denominations and human systems of any kind. I now realize Jesus just wants to be my “all in all.” Jesus wants to be the only source and focus of my faith and trust. Jesus wants me just to walk in his footsteps. Jesus begged me to repent of my own sectarian pride, cultic exclusiveness and divisiveness which held other sincere believers and even sincere seekers at a distance from myself and (as a result) often at a distance from Jesus.
Jesus had to knock pretty hard to get my full attention. When I let Him in, Jesus whispered to my too often guarded heart, “I want to so fully come into your heart and life that you will find the ability to accept and love all of my disciples, those who deeply love me in every place. I know you will find great joy in touching more and more lives which I have touched. I commission you to communicate my prayer which brought sweat drops of blood from my body in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was my prayer for the community of faith in all ages!”
“My prayer is not for (the apostles) alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
“May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be ONE as we are ONE; I in them and you in me. May they be brought to COMPLETE UNITY to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
(John 17:20-23, NIV)
I missed this one. Great thoughts. I just have two questions – are you saying Randy Harris is qualified to be pope because he is single? If so, will he have to stop wearing black to be the pope?
CHRISTIAN PRAISE MUSIC EXAMINED HISTORICALLY
Instrumental music was not an issue in the first century church because it wasn’t an issue with God. Instruments of worship are not new. They were abundantly available back in Jesus and Paul’s day.
God does not require us to use instruments and he does not prohibit us from using them. It seems clear to me that God approves of instruments since Paul tells believers to be Psalm-singers (Eph. 5:19) and several of the Psalms specifically call on God’s people to praise him with instruments (Psalm 150 is a notable example).
Further, the Greek word translated “psalm” itself includes songs sung to musical accompaniment.
For many of us, however, unaccompanied singing is a tradition, not a matter of scriptural requirement.
Christians who think that instrumental music displeases God ought not to use it, for they cannot do so in good faith. It would be sinful for them to violate their own consciences (Rom. 14:23).
The earliest Jewish believers in Jesus continued to worship in the Temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1), where instruments were used.
The very word translated “Psalm” originally meant a song sung with a stringed instrument. It later included an unaccompanied song, but it kept its original meaning as well. Revelation, though symbolic, pictures harps in heavenly worship (Rev. 14:2-3).
Through the centuries, those opposing instrumental music have argued that it is not “spiritual,” or have rejected instruments because someone else used them — whether the pagans or Jews, or Roman Catholics or “the denominations.”
Some early church Fathers also rejected singing in harmony. Many early Protestants sang in harmony but rejected “uninspired hymns” — singing only biblical Psalms.
The New Testament neither requires instrumental music in worship nor forbids it. What one makes of that silence has nothing to do with respect for biblical authority. It has everything to do with the human assumptions which one brings to the interpretation of Scripture.
I follow Paul
I follow Zwingli
I follow Campbell
I follow Luther
I follow some other man
I follow tradition laid down as recent as 150 years ago
Jesus said – ?
I left an instrumental church tradition, not because I didn’t like to hear music w/instrumentation, but because I accepted the Scripture (both OT and NT) as the only authority in matters of worship and religion. Brethren we are drifting away from sound biblical worship and moving towards a market driven/man pleasing search that has led liberal denominations to accept gay marriages and every ungodly thing under the sun. This will move us in a direction we will not want to go eventually. What I read in this forum are people building straw men arguments in order to do what they want to do in the first place–shameful. Until we understand it is about what God desires and not what man wants, there will never be unity on this issue or any other. Those who pontificate on unity in the body are now promoting division. For me and my house we will serve the Lord.
For some really great scriptural study on this subject go to oneinjesus.info! Changed my outlook on a many of subjects including on our approach to studying the Bible.