Instrumental music and New Testament Worship
I was recently asked about music in the church and specifically asked about the lack of musical instruments in Church worship.
There are two distinct worships found in the Bible; The Old Covenant or Testament and The New Covenant or Testament.
Under the Old Law, instrumental music was commanded. (Psalms 98:5) Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. (6) With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
(2 Chronicles 5:13)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 music, 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;
Consider (Psalm 150:4) Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. (5) Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
- But –
Regardless of what the Old Testament said; we are not UNDER the Old Testament LAW! Anyone in favor of offering sacrifices of BULLS, SHEEP and other animals say I.
- The Law of EXCLUSION –
Simply states that when something is specified, all else is excluded.
- EXAMPLE –
If you send someone to the store for a loaf of bread; You have immediately excluded peas, corn, squash, and rutabagas. You only asked for BREAD and LOAF BREAD at that.
Jesus and God have done the same thing. (Matt 26:30) And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. (Acts 16:25) And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God (Romans 15:9) And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
(1 Cor 14:15) What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
(Col.3:16) 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.(Eph 5:19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (Heb 13:15) By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (James 5:3) ...Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. (Heb 2:12) In the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
With this much evidence shown for simple singing, would the Lord be pleased if we added instruments of music where God did not apply them? Furthermore, it doesn’t matter what I think. It matters what does the Bible say. If God says sing and 1 million choir directors say play the Piano, who is right, 1 million or God? REMEMBER, GOD tells what is right. (Isa 45:19) I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
Some argue that adding instrumental music is a small thing. How about Grape Kool-Aid for the Lord’s Table. It’s kind of Grape and it does taste grape? That would be a SIN and we all know why. Well if we can’t change the Lord Supper, then how can we change the singing into Piano music?
If we are going to be Christians, then we are going to have to do what Christians do. Are You a Christian? You can Become a Christian today.
You need to hear the Word of God. (Rom 10:17) “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So it’s not just hearing, but it’s hearing the word of God.
We have to believe in Jesus. Jesus said, (John 8:24) “For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Belief in Christ is essential. There is NO other way.
We must repent of our sins. Jesus said in “(Luke 13:3) “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Unless we repent, we perish. That is the consequence of SIN.
We must confess that Jesus is the Christ, The only begotten son of God. Jesus said in (Matt 10:32) “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. (33) But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
We must be baptized. “(Mark 16:16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Rom 6:4) "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Col 2:12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
(1 Peter 3:21) “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:”
Today is the day of salvation. The Baptistry is prepared and ready and now is the time to respond to the Gospel. Shall we stand?
