A fairly common question asked by those who are unfamiliar with our worship services is: Why do you sing without instruments? Perhaps a more interesting question would be, why did the early Christians insist on going against the prevailing pagan culture and Jewish temple worship to deliberately exclude instruments from their worship? Scripture seems to provide a rather straightforward answer.
Both Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19 reveal that while our worship should contain an instructive and encouraging element toward one another, our worship is supposed to be directed "unto the Lord." We are worshipping God, not ourselves. Accordingly, God has the right to tell us what He wants. Although one aspect of our singing is to encourage each other, we must never lose sight of the fact that the fruit of our lips is to be one of the sacrifices God has requested from us. Hebrews 13:15 God has the right to describe the sacrifice He wants from us. The only scriptural descriptions or teachings we have for Christian worship involve a cappella worship. Simply put, the music of our worship is a cappella because we want to offer up to God exactly what He has asked from us.
Inevitably, someone will seek to justify themself by saying something like: "but if God's requests determine how we worship, has not God through the Old Testament already shown that He wanted instrumental music as a means to praise Him?" Psalms 150:3-5; 98:5-6
It is true that David's use of instruments in worshipping the LORD was commanded by God. 2 Chronicles 29:25 Accordingly, it was God's decree that instruments be used in their worship. Psalms 81:2-5 These verses and others indicate that Israel's use of instruments was not to merely serve as an aid to worship, but were actually used for worshipping God! This is different than the common claim as to why they are being used today, namely to assist the worshiper.
Nevertheless, Israelite worship is not our guide for worshipping God today. Why? Because that former mode of worship characterized by external regulations or guidelines for the flesh was only to be in effect until the time of the new order! Hebrews 9:1,10 The incense, the physical layout of the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant and yes, the use of instruments are characteristic of these externally based directions under the Law. The Law with its regulations for worship were only a shadow of the reality which was coming, not the intended reality itself. Hebrews 10:1
In contrast to a set of regulations dictating the type of incense which had to be offered, the adornment of the robes which had to be worn by the priests, instructions about where to sacrifice, and the instruments which should be played, the new order of worship is characterized by being in spirit. John 4:20-24; Deuteronomy 12:13-15 The stone altar with its sacrifices have been replaced by Christ's sacrifice. God's people have replaced that former temple as the locus of worship. And the instruments used for praising God in the Jerusalem temple have become the instruments of our hearts. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
If our worship is driven by offering to God what He has requested from us, are not questions about worshipping with instrumental music easily resolved? Without even weighing in on what God has done in the past when His people deviated from offering the worship He requested nor reminding us of Paul's words not to go beyond what has been written (1 Corinthians 4:6), my question is simply this: "why would anyone want to take a step backwards to a worship built upon external things?" The old has passed, we have the new order! Let's worship God in spirit and in truth!
Barry Newton, Copyright © 2003
Other Articles Which Might Be of Interest:
But Why Can't I? It Won't Kill Me!Grace Dictates Boundaries. It Does Not Empower Endless Freedom
Additional Observations on A Cappella Singing & Instrumental Worship
Gaining Perspective through QuestionsDoes the complexity of this issue arise from trying to figure out what God has asked Christians to do or does it come from other values competing with God's requests?
If someone's bottom-line is determined by a statement such as: "To me, it does not make any difference." What might this reveal?
A Closer Look at Judging
Since the New Testament does not specifically prohibit the use of instruments in worship, many people have claimed that it would be judging to say that they can not be used. 1 Corinthians 4:5 does teach that God's people are not to judge but to wait upon the Lord to reveal his judgment. But how many of those same people have taken the time to realize that when they assert, "I see nothing wrong with instruments in worship" this also involves judging.
What is judging? To act as a judge involves rising up to sit in God's seat to condemn what God has not condemned or to approve what God has not approved. In the context where Paul taught the Corinthians that they should not judge, he also taught two very important principles:
1) What matters is not whether my conscience is clear but how God will judge something.2) Instead of judging, we should follow the principle of "do not go beyond what has been written." ! Corinthians 4:6
You will notice that in this article I have neither passed sentence on worshipping with instruments nor claimed they are inconsequential. What I have tried to do is to describe the big picture of the worship which God desires from us today, as contrasted with that former worship of the old covenant. The instrument fits beautifully into the former, not the latter. The silence of the New Testament is deafening in view of the surrounding religious context and Christianity's Jewish roots. In the end, it is God who will judge whether the use of instrumental music in Christian worship is valuable (gold), neither her nor there (straw) or destructive (destroys God's temple). 1 Corinthians 3:10-16 I for one, hope it is not the latter.
As a side note, the prohibition against judging does NOT mean that God's people are prohibited from rebuking error NOR does it indicate that everything must be accepted. Why is this true? For one reason, what scripture teaches can be used for rebuking and correcting. 2 Timothy 3:16 Accordingly, the instruction to avoid judging would seem to be prohibiting making judgments where God has not indicated His will.
A Cappella Singing Is The Ecumenical Position
Everyone is united that it is scripturally acceptable to offer up Christian worship without instruments. After all, Christians are commanded to sing. Starting with the apostolic period and following on through many centuries, this was the sole practice of the church. Accordingly, a cappella music is the position of biblical unity. The introduction of musical instruments into worship has brought tension and disunity.
Heavenly Worship
Although not relevant to the discussion of Christian worship on earth, in view of our hearts being described as the instruments making the melody unto God, it is interesting to note that Revelation 14:2-3 even likens the singing of the redeemed in heaven to be like the sound of harps.