“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.”

Col 3:16

It Is Not Because:

• We don’t like itWe don’t like it• We can’t afford We can’t afford itit• We’ve never We’ve never had ithad it

We do not useWe do not useInstrumental music in worshipInstrumental music in worship

We do not useWe do not useInstrumental music in worshipInstrumental music in worship

Why we do not useWhy we do not useInstrumental musicInstrumental musicWhy we do not useWhy we do not useInstrumental musicInstrumental music

It Is Not Authorized

Must Have Bible Authority

“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Col 3:17

Singing Is All ThatGod Has Authorized

Mt. 26:30 & Mk. 14:26 = Sung

Acts 16:25 = singing hymns

1 Cor. 14:15 = sing

Eph. 5:19 = singing

Col. 3:16 = Singing

Three Positions taken...Three Positions taken...

1. Commanded

2. Optional

3. Forbidden

1 Pet. 3:15 “...be ready to given an answer...”

1. Talents1. Talents

Musical talent used to glorify God

Mt. 25:15 ~ misunderstanding

No Bible authority

What about others with TalentsWhat about others with Talents?

Basketball

Artist

Cooking, sewing

Woodworking

Worship to GodIs not a Talent Show

2. Aid2. Aid

Difference between aid & additionDifference between aid & addition

Aid = helps without changingAid = helps without changing

Addition = alters / changesAddition = alters / changes

AuthorizedAuthorized AidAid AdditionAddition

Mother – son to get bread

Bag Candy bar

Car to get Oil change

Wrench

Funnel

4 new tires

Bread

Fruit of Vine

Table

CupsPizza

Coke

AuthorizedAuthorized AidAid AdditionAddition

Sing

Eph.5:19

Col.3:16

Song book

Pitch pipeOrgan

Piano

Additions are wrong

Visual Aids in Sermon ????

See and hear aids learning

Printed outline

Blackboard

Projector

Truth is not changed by visual aids

Instrumental Music is an additionNot an Aid

3. Home3. Home

If We use it in the home,Then we can use it in the church !

The Home is a separate institution from the Church

In the Home we can do many things that would not be right to do in the worship of the church!!!

1 Cor. 11:33-34

4. Not condemned4. Not condemned

God did not say we could not useInstrumental music.

God specifies that excludes God specifies that excludes everything else !everything else !

Noah – Ark – Gopher Wood – Gen.6

Lamb – without blemish – Ex. 12

Brass Serpent – Num. 21:8

The question is not: Where did GodExclude, but “Where did God includeInstrumental music”?

God says to Sing – Eph.5:19Cannot add or take away

Deut. 4:2Rev. 22:18-19

5. Good Crowd5. Good Crowd

Bring in a big crowdPeople like this kind of music

Give money

Give away new car Jn.6:26

Our Purpose is to please GodNot get a crowd

6. Instruments in Heaven6. Instruments in Heaven

Instrumental Music in HeavenRev. 14:1-3 = harps

If Harps are literal then...

That is figurative Harps figurative

Throne, bowls, incense literal- Rev. 5

Names on foreheads literal – Rev. 14

Seven plagues, smoke literal–Rev.15

Horses, armies literal – Rev. 19

Not literalNot literalBut symbolicBut symbolic

Suppose instruments are authorized in heaven !!

That does not authorize them for today in the worship.

7. Beautiful7. Beautiful

It makes the singing sound more beautiful

Melodeon at Midway, KY

What is beautiful to God?

Beautiful Sound ?

Beautiful Heart ?

Singing is not judgedBy how much man is pleased

8. Used in Old Testament8. Used in Old Testament

Instrumental music was usedby many in the Old Testament.

If it was ok for them then itWill be Ok for us

We are not living under the O.TWe are not living under the O.T.

We live under the New CovenantNew Covenant

Col. 2:14-17

Old law replaced by Gospel

New Testament Authorizes Singing Only

Instrumental music is opposedby those who respect God’s word!

• Some say “I want it anyway”

•“O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” Jer. 10:23

1.Talent

2.Aid

3.Home

4.Not condemned

5.Popular

6.Heaven

7.Beautiful

8.Used in O.T.

It is not a matter of what we like or dislike!

It is not that we want to be contentious!

But it is having proper respect forGod and His word!

We can only do what God has authorized.

In worship God has authorized singing.

That excludes instrumental music!

John 4:24

““God is a Spirit: and they that God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”in spirit and in truth.”

Truth = SingingTruth = Singing

•By Arthur PigmanBy Arthur Pigman•Evans Church of ChristEvans Church of Christ•Evans, GeorgiaEvans, Georgia•Sunday Morning – 19 September 2004Sunday Morning – 19 September 2004