Instrumental Music in Instrumental Music in Worship?Worship?

What is Right?What is Right?

Instrumental

Music

Soloists

Congregational

Singing

A capella Singing

QuartetsChoirs

Is it really important?

Praise Teams

God Says it isGod Says it is……

• 1 Peter 4:11 “ If any man speak, 1 Peter 4:11 “ If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of let him speak as the oracles of God” God”

• John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”commandments.”

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

The Penalty of The Penalty of DisobedienceDisobedience……

• Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-3)Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-3)• Offered sacrifice with unauthorized fireOffered sacrifice with unauthorized fire• God had commanded which fire to useGod had commanded which fire to use

– ““Burning coals from off the altar” (Lev. Burning coals from off the altar” (Lev. 16:12)16:12)

– Fire to be continually burning (Lev. 6:12, Fire to be continually burning (Lev. 6:12, 13)13)

• They offered unauthorized worshipThey offered unauthorized worship• Such does not sanctify nor glorify GodSuch does not sanctify nor glorify God

The Penalty of The Penalty of DisobedienceDisobedience … …

• King Saul (1 Samuel 15)King Saul (1 Samuel 15)• Commanded to utterly destroy AmalekitesCommanded to utterly destroy Amalekites• Listened to the people instead of GodListened to the people instead of God• Peter and other apostles: “We ought to Peter and other apostles: “We ought to

obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29)• Saul saved: King, spoils, sheep, and oxenSaul saved: King, spoils, sheep, and oxen• Sheep and oxen were to be sacrificed to GodSheep and oxen were to be sacrificed to God• Human wisdom says: “It’s for a good cause”Human wisdom says: “It’s for a good cause”• What does God say?What does God say?

God SaidGod Said……

To obey is better than To obey is better than sacrifice, and to sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat hearken than the fat of rams. of rams.

(1 Samuel (1 Samuel 15:22)15:22)

In Order To Be Like In Order To Be Like The Church We Read The Church We Read Of In The New Of In The New Testament We must…Testament We must…• Speak where the Bible speaksSpeak where the Bible speaks

• Be silent where the Bible is silentBe silent where the Bible is silent• Do Bible things in Bible waysDo Bible things in Bible ways• Call Bible things by Bible namesCall Bible things by Bible names• Accept the Scriptures as our sole Accept the Scriptures as our sole

authority in matters of faith and authority in matters of faith and practicepractice

• Leave human opinion at the doorLeave human opinion at the door

The Witness of The Witness of HistoryHistory

“ “ From the apostolic age From the apostolic age singing was always a part of singing was always a part of divine service, in which the divine service, in which the whole body of the Church whole body of the Church joined together; and it was joined together; and it was the decay of this practice that the decay of this practice that first brought the order of first brought the order of singers into the Church.”singers into the Church.”

(McClintock and Strong; Cyclopedia of Biblical, (McClintock and Strong; Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature)Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature)

““Now all of you together Now all of you together become a choir so that being become a choir so that being harmoniously in concord harmoniously in concord and receiving the key note and receiving the key note from God in unison you may from God in unison you may sing with one voice through sing with one voice through Jesus Christ to the Father.”Jesus Christ to the Father.”

Ignatius of AntiochIgnatius of AntiochAround 110 A.D.Around 110 A.D.

““The early worship of the Christian The early worship of the Christian church was completely church was completely congregational, so far as we can tell. congregational, so far as we can tell. However … the increasing power and However … the increasing power and sophistication of the church was sophistication of the church was accompanied by the development of accompanied by the development of trained choirs and music leaders. trained choirs and music leaders. Church history records that about the Church history records that about the fifth century congregational singing fifth century congregational singing was largely eliminated in Christian was largely eliminated in Christian worship, and the music was given to worship, and the music was given to choirs…” choirs…”

Donald P. Hustad, Moody Bible Donald P. Hustad, Moody Bible InstituteInstitute

““It is scarcely necessary It is scarcely necessary for us to say to our for us to say to our readers, that we regard the readers, that we regard the organ and violin worship, organ and violin worship, and even the fashionable and even the fashionable choir singing of our choir singing of our country as mockery of all country as mockery of all that is sacred.”that is sacred.”

Tolbert Fanning (Restoration Movement)Tolbert Fanning (Restoration Movement)

““The choir in a church is composed The choir in a church is composed of artistic performers, who sing for of artistic performers, who sing for the church; sing difficult pieces the church; sing difficult pieces that the masses cannot sing, for that the masses cannot sing, for music and musical display, to music and musical display, to attract, entertain, and gratify the attract, entertain, and gratify the people – to charm them with people – to charm them with music. These are professional music. These are professional singers, chosen without any regard singers, chosen without any regard to their moral character. They sing to their moral character. They sing to show how they can sing, amuse, to show how they can sing, amuse, and entertain.”and entertain.”

Ben Franklin Ben Franklin (1800’s)(1800’s)

What Saith The What Saith The Word?Word?

Speaking to yourselves in psalms Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God one to another in the fear of God

(Eph. 5:19 )(Eph. 5:19 )

What Saith The What Saith The Word?Word?

Let the word of Christ dwell in you Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, word or deed, dodo all in the name of all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.God and the Father by him. (Col. 3:16-17) (Col. 3:16-17)

Speaking to Yourselves

Teaching and Admonishing One

Another

Vocal

Congregational

Reciprocal

Psalms, Hymns, Spiritual Songs

Eph. 5:19 Col. 3:16

Hasn’t God Made It Hasn’t God Made It Plain?Plain?

• We are told We are told whatwhat to do and to do and howhow to to do itdo it

• ““One another” - Each person One another” - Each person teaches and admonishes the otherteaches and admonishes the other by singingby singing

• ““Speaking to yourselves” – singing Speaking to yourselves” – singing in unisonin unison– The whole congregation “speaks” to The whole congregation “speaks” to

each othereach other– Excludes choirs, quartets, solos, etc.Excludes choirs, quartets, solos, etc.

Singing/Making melody in your

heart to the Lord

Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord

a&|dw “Ado” – To sing (using voice)

ya&llw “Psallo” – To pluck or twang

Sing with voiceTo strike the chords of your

heart

Eph. 5:19 Col. 3:16

Giving thanks to God in the name of

Jesus Christ

Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks

to God

Thankful heart = Obedient heart

In the name of = By the authority of

In the name of Jesus…or man?

Eph. 5:20 Col. 3:17

We Are To We Are To SubmitSubmit

• ““Submitting yourselves one to another Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:21)in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:21)

• The “pericope” of Eph. 5:18-21The “pericope” of Eph. 5:18-21• Applies to the act of singingApplies to the act of singing

– The fear of God involves submission to The fear of God involves submission to othersothers

– Singing must be done in submission to Singing must be done in submission to othersothers

– Excludes any “special music” in which one Excludes any “special music” in which one is not on the same level as others in is not on the same level as others in singingsinging

Why Do We Gather Why Do We Gather To Worship?To Worship?

• To please man? Do as you wish!To please man? Do as you wish!

• To please God? Do as He To please God? Do as He commands!commands!

• True worship seeks to magnify GodTrue worship seeks to magnify God

God is a spirit and they that God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.spirit and in truth.

(John 4:24)(John 4:24)