SHOULD WE USE INSTRUMENTS IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP?

by Stafford North
  1. Christians must worship only as God has authorized.

    1. Old Testament passages

      1. Lev. 10:1-2--Nadab and Abihu "offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them." When God told them how to offer incense, they were not at liberty to do it differently.
      2. I Samuel 13:13--Saul, not a priest, offered a sacrifice and was told, "you have not kept the commandment of the Lord." When God had named Levi as the tribe for priests, it was a violation of the commandment for one from another tribe to offer the sacrifice.
      3. I Chron. 15:13--when David’s men moved the ark on a cart, instead of on poles as he commanded, Uzza was struck dead. Later David said, "we did not seek Him according to the ordinance."
      4. Jer. 32:35--Judah built altars to Baal and caused their "sons and daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them."

    2. New Testament passages

      1. I Cor. 10:11--OT examples are "written for our instruction."
      2. I Cor. 4:6-- "not to go beyond the things that are written"
      3. I Cor. 11:23-- to correct the Corinthians departure from the proper way to take the Lord’s Supper, Paul said "for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you" so you are "guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord" for having worshipped improperly. (v. 27)

    3. God’s people of all ages, then, have been told how to worship, they have not been at liberty to change God’s plan, they have been expected to follow what God has authorized  without change, they have been punished severely when they departed from it.

  2. Singing is authorized but instruments are not.

    1. Singing is authorized for Christian worship.

      2. I Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; James 5:13; Acts 16:25
    2. There is no command or example of the playing of instruments in Christian worship even though they had been used in the Jewish temple worship for centuries.
    3. Old Testament verses that authorize instrumental music do not apply to Christian worship any more than do verses commanding animal sacrifices and burning incense.

      4. (II Chron. 29:25-28)
    4. Our intent should be to worship as the early church did because they were guided by the apostles. We know that what they did which was approved by the apostles was acceptable to God. We do not have that assurance on changes we make in the nature of worship.

  3. Instruments cannot be considered merely an aid.

    1. Under the Jewish worship, using instruments was an act of worship on its own, not just an aid to singing (Psalm 150:3). By what authority can we make an approved act of Old Covenant worship to be an aid in New Covenant worship. Can we do this with animal sacrifices, burning incense, or priestly rituals?
    2. Instruments should not be used, even as an aid, because the command to sing excludes other types of music. When one is told to buy CocaCola, Dr. Pepper is excluded. When a student is told to answer questions on page 20, the questions on page 30 are excluded. Thus, when the Lord commands vocal music, other types of music are likewise excluded. The command to use unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, for example, excludes the use of other food in taking the Lord’s Supper.
    3. Instruments should not be used as an aid, because they tend to emphasize the external rather than the internal. Christian worship is to spiritual--our spirits reaching out to God who is spirit (John 4:24). Our worship should put the emphasis on the state of the heart rather than on the sound. The use of instruments, on the other hand, tends to put an emphasis on the sound, the artistry, the entertainment--thus leading participants away from communication directly with God.
    4. Instruments really do not aid the singing. Congregations that sing acapella usually have better participation by the audience than those who rely on instruments. Often the instruments so overpower the vocal sound of the congregation that it becomes more difficult to sing. Even if instruments were allowed as an aid, it is doubtful the case could be made that they really aid participation of the audience in meaningful, thoughtful singing. The point of singing is not to have a beautiful sound but to express heartfelt messages to God.

  4. Instrumental music has been a major cause of division in Christendom.

    1. Instruments were not used in the first century. All available evidence is clear on this point. The term "acapella" means "according to the church." So it has long been      recognized that first century church singing was unaccompanied.
    2. Any use of instruments was strongly opposed by the church fathers. (See Ferguson, Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, 630-631).
    3. Thomas Aquinas, a catholic theologian about 1250, strongly opposed the introduction of instruments.
    4. About 1400 the use of instruments began to become more acceptable in the Catholic Church.
    5. Calvin and many of the other reformers opposed the use of instruments.
    6. The division between churches of Christ and the Christian Church was primarily over this issue.
    7. While in our time most churches use instruments, this has not always been the case. Instruments have been opposed strongly by many in a wide range of churches.

  5. Justification of instruments in Christian worship tends to bring other departures from New Testament teaching.

    1. Which approach to scripture shall we follow?

      1. Do only what is commanded?
      2. Do anything not forbidden?

    2. As people have adopted the "not forbidden" philosophy to justify the instrument, they have tended to accept other departures as well.
    3. This is one reason why the instrument question is so important. We can be true to our approach of worshipping as nearly like the church did when it was under the guidance of inspired apostles in not using instruments. When we use them, however, we obviously can no longer claim to be doing in worship only what is commanded or  what we know by way of example from the first century. To justify instruments, then, one begins to use a different approach to scripture.
    4. Neither as direct worship or as an aid to worship, then, can instruments be justified on the basis of the teaching or practice of the apostles and prophets of the first century. To bring in this unauthorized addition, then, has in the past and likely will in the future lead away from strict adherance to following scripture as the guide in spiritual matters.
(For more on this subject see Jimmy Jividen, Worship in Song. Ft. Worth: Star Publications, 1987.)