| March 28, 1999 |
Vol. I, No. 48
|
One of the most noticeable differences between churches of Christ and most other religious groups is the absence of instrumental music in worship. We are often asked why we have no piano or organ in our meeting houses. In accordance with 1 Peter 3:15, we are happy to give an answer.
We are to prove or test all things, so as to be sure our service to God is acceptable to Him, 1 Thess. 5:21; Eph. 5:10. We note that a thing may seem right to men and yet not BE right in God’s sight. We must teach and practice ONLY what is authorized in the Scriptures for Christians to practice, 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3; Acts 20:20, 27; 1 Peter 4:11. God has made it clear that we are not free to alter His word, Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19.
Now, with this background, What kind of music has God authorized in the New Testament Scriptures? Webster defines music as “a combination of tones that is pleasing to the ear.” Note that what pleases my ear or yours might not necessarily please God’s ear. What kind of music is pleasing to God?
Music is usually divided into two distinct classes: vocal and instrumental. Of these, the New Testament is clear in specifying music that is vocal. But the New Testament is even more specific than that. Read carefully such verses as Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:9; 1 Cor. 14:15; James 5:13 and Heb. 12:2. Note that without exception all these verses authorize SINGING or SPEAKING in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. None of these passages authorize instrumental music. All speak of music that is vocal. But more precisely, they specify speaking and singing. They do not authorize humming, whistling, ooohing, aaahing, and other vocal sounds -- just speaking and singing!
It might be beneficial to note the clear contrast between Old Testament worship and New Testament worship. We will note differences between the Old and New Testaments in only three of many possible contrasts. (1) the circumcision of the Old Testament was physical, Gen. 17:12. The “circumcision” of the New Testament is of the “heart” only. Physical circumcision does not avail anything toward one’s standing with God, Gal. 5:6; 6:15. (2) In the Old Testament the law of God was written physically on tablets of stone. God’s New Testament law is to be written in the heart of men, 2 Cor. 3:3, 7-8. (3) In the Old Testament God clearly authorized the Levites to use instrumental music in temple worship, 2 Chron. 29:25. They made melody on physical mechanical instruments. But just as in the other cases cited, the New Testament practice is different. We are to make melody in our heart, Eph. 5:19. Christianity is a religion of the heart.
We can to a large degree understand WHY God has not authorized mechanical instruments in worship when we realize the PURPOSES served by the use of song in our worship. The Bible teaches Christians to use psalms, hymns and spiritual songs in order to TEACH AND ADMONISH one another, Col. 3:16. That is why it is important that we sing in such a way as to be understood by our fellow worshipers, 1 Cor. 14:12-16, that they may be edified. It is obvious that no mechanical instrument can in any way inform us of our duty or admonish us to do that duty. No piano or organ has the ability to teach or admonish, so what is commanded in Col. 3:16 cannot be done by such machinery.
A second purpose served by worship in song is that of praising God, James 5:13; Heb. 12:2. Some seek to praise God by using mechanical instruments of music, but we suggest that God is better praised by the instruments He Himself created, the human voice and the human heart. Our worship of Him is to be “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). His word is truth, John 17:17. When we depart from the instructions of His word, we depart from the truth.
We might learn a lesson from the mistake of Moses in Num. 20:7-12. He was commanded to SPEAK to a certain rock and water would come forth. Moses STRUCK the rock instead of speaking to it. Although there had been a command in the past to strike the rock, God was not pleased when Moses went back to the old, out-dated command. God considered it a lack of faith or trust, verse 12. Today, when He has commanded US to SPEAK in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, SINGING and making melody in our HEARTS, it is a dangerous mistake to go back to the out-dated command and substitute striking for speaking and machinery for hearts.
Again, we might learn a similar lesson from the mistake of Nadab and Abihu in Lev. 10:1-2, 10. Nadab and Abihu’s mistake was in offering in worship something God had not authorized. In verse 10, we learn what was wrong with their form of worship. They had failed to make the proper distinction between things that were holy and things that were not. There was nothing wrong with kindling a fire. The error was in kindling a fire FOR USE IN WORSHIP, when God had not authorized that fire. Such fire to cook a common meal, or to heat water to wash clothes or to take a bath, would not have come under condemnation. But to build a “strange” (foreign, unauthorized) fire BEFORE THE LORD was something else. For us to sing country, popular, blues or folk songs with instrumental accompaniment for personal entertainment in domestic and social gatherings is one thing. To sing psalms, hymns and spiritual (holy) songs with such unsanctified accompaniment is something else again. Let’s take care to note the distinction.
Now, let us look at Paul’s statements to the church in Corinth. “So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue WORDS easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken... I will SING with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding... In the church I would rather SPEAK five words with my understanding, THAT I MAY TEACH others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” This plainly shows that our worship is not for theatrical purposes, but for the praise and glory of God.
Greek scholars agree that the words used in the New Testament show that the kind of music God has commanded for us today is SINGING. To this agree Thayer, Sophocles, Bagster, Green, Contopolous, Vincent, and numerous others. They define PSALLO: “In the New Testament, to sing praises.”
History also testifies accordingly. The early church did not use mechanical instruments of music in its worship. The organ was introduced into churches by Pope Vitalian in A.D. 666. The Greek Orthodox Church, which still uses the Greek language has been very slow to accept this innovation. Justin Martyr, about 139 A.D. wrote, “The use of singing with instrumental music was not received in the Christian churches, as it was among the Jews in their infant state.” Virtually all the older Protestant denominations began without the use of mechanical musical instruments. Reformer John Calvin stated: “Musical instruments in celebrating the praise of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps, and the restoration of other shadows of the law.” Charles H. Spurgeon, noted Baptist preacher of an earlier generation said, “What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartet, bellows and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it.” John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, stated: “I have no objection to the instruments being in our chapels, provided they are neither seen nor heard.”
In conclusion, let us affirm that the use of mechanical music in New Testament worship violates the principles set forth in 2 Peter 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Acts 20:20, 27; Rom. 10:17; 2 John 9-11; Rev. 22:18; Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Peter 4:11 and numerous other verses, as we consider that our Lord never authorized its use. As long as the Old Testament was in force, Jesus was not allowed to be a priest because the law of Moses made no provision for priests from the tribe of Judah, Heb. 7:13-14. Likewise, we have never allowed instrumental music to become a part of our worship, because God said nothing to indicate that He desires us to do so. The New Testament clearly does not authorize such.
--CRJ
In Matt. 9:20-22, Matthew tells us that as Jesus was passing through a crowd on the way to raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead, “Suddenly a woman who had a flow of blood for 12 years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment; for she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter, your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.”
Both Mark and Luke give fuller accounts of this miracle, Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48. For instance, we learn from Mark that she “had suffered many things from many physicians... had spent all that she had and was not better, but rather grew worse.” Note that she had tried perhaps every doctor who had been recommended to her, and most likely numerous home remedies as well. But, then Mark tells us, “She heard about Jesus” (verse 27). Jesus was her one last hope.
Mark also records, “And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, ‘Who touched My clothes?’ But His disciples said to Him, ‘You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, “Who touched Me?”’ And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace’” (Mark 5:30-34).
There are three observations we want to make from this unusual incident. First, the woman was healed by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment and power went out of Him. Even Jesus could not give without cost to Himself. He later gave the greatest gift of all at supreme cost: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Second, we note that great things can sometimes be going on around us while we are not even aware of what is taking place. The disciples of Jesus did not know a miracle had occurred. Neither did the crowd in general.
This brings us to the third point we want to make, emphasizing the importance of confessing Christ. The woman for 12 years had been troubled with a serious health problem. Her flow of blood made her, by Moses’ law, unclean, Lev. 15:25-27, thus shut off from public worship and severely limited in her association even with family and friends. Her illness was embarrassing and humiliating -- but only by her confessing Christ could others come to know what she knew about Him. If someone else had not spoken in her presence of Jesus and His power, she would never have come to Him or found healing in Him. Without her public confession of her new-found faith, someone else might never come to know of Jesus and His compassionate love and power.
--CRJ