Arguments For Instrumental Usage in Worship Services
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Why does the church of Christ not use mechanical instruments in our worship?
Why does the church of Christ not use mechanical instruments in our worship?
Before you answer this question the next time someone ask you.
Follow up with this statement: I’m happy to answer that for you but can you answer a few questions for me first? Why do you use musical instruments in worship and can you show me in the bible how instruments are used in worship services?
I can tell you most of them don’t have any idea of why they use instruments during worship services, they just know that they like them or they might say “oh it just adds so much to the worship service”.
One of the main problems with people today is that they are focused on their desires instead of God’s desires. You cannot find one scripture in the NT which authorizes mechanical instruments by a direct command or by example.
Another argument people like to make is that it was OK for us to use them in the OT so it should be OK for us to use them in the NT.
Another argument people like to make is that it was OK for us to use them in the OT so it should be OK for us to use them in the NT.
Now I have already answer this argument in the beginning of this lesson because I clearly have shown that our authority comes from the NT and not the OT and if you try to bring one thing over from the OT you must logically be able to bring over all commands including animal sacrifices.
Now real quickly I do want to show you a verse in the OT that does show that the use of instruments was commanded by God. 2 Chronicles 29:25
Now real quickly I do want to show you a verse in the OT that does show that the use of instruments was commanded by God. 2 Chronicles 29:25
25 He then caused the Levites to stand in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with harps, and with lyres, according to the command of David and of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for the command was from Yahweh by the hand of His prophets.
So you can see in this verse God did command the use of instruments in the OT but he did not command their use in the NT. If God had wanted us to use them he would have commanded us to do so.
So you can see in this verse God did command the use of instruments in the OT but he did not command their use in the NT. If God had wanted us to use them he would have commanded us to do so.
It wasn’t until 1851 and beyond that people started embracing the use of instruments.
I have a question: So if that is the case, instruments were not used in worship service until 1851 AD. Who gave them the command or authorize the usage of instruments in church worship?
I have a question: So if that is the case, instruments were not used in worship service until 1851 AD. Who gave them the command or authorize the usage of instruments in church worship?
Man did!!! So does man have any power to make changes to Gods words?
So let me ask you another question: If God wanted us to us instruments during worship under the New Covenant would he have not given us a command to do so?
So let me ask you another question: If God wanted us to us instruments during worship under the New Covenant would he have not given us a command to do so?
Now one thing people love to say is that the “NT doesn’t specifically say that you cant use them.”
Now one thing people love to say is that the “NT doesn’t specifically say that you cant use them.”
In other words they want a verse that says do not use musical instruments. Using this kind of logic a person could engage in all kind of sinful things because the Bible doesn’t specifically say I cant smoke weed or snort cocaine up my nose so it will be OK.
But what they don’t understand is the that Bible does specifically teach against using instruments and these are the verse that do illustrates it. Eph 5:19 & Colossians 3:16
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.
You see when the word of God commands us to sing and names the instrument as our heart than he has excluded everything else including the musical instruments because God means what he says. These same people who try to argue this on this passage will not argue it on other passage that they hold sacred.
For instance if you asked them if it would be OK to use hamburger and lemonade for the Lords Supper they would quickly say no you cant do that. But you see the Bible doesn’t say any where that you cant do that so it should be OK. You see they wont like if you apply their logic to the Lords supper because they can understand that unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine are to be used and everything else is excluded.
Now let me show you a real simple argument that is very powerful. Look at these 2 verses: 2Cor 5:7 & Heb 11:6
Now let me show you a real simple argument that is very powerful. Look at these 2 verses: 2Cor 5:7 & Heb 11:6
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—
6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Now I want you to really think about this. We as Christian must live our life by faith which would include our worship to God because without faith it impossible to please God. Now look at, Romans 10:17
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
Do you see what Paul has just told us. He saying where there is no word there can be no faith and where there is no faith we cannot please God and since the NT does not command us or give us an example of using mechanical instruments they cannot be a part of faith and therefore are not pleasing to God. This a very simple argument but it very powerful at the same time.
So lets take one moment to compare the Commands of the bible from Eph 5:19, Col3:16
So lets take one moment to compare the Commands of the bible from Eph 5:19, Col3:16
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
Can you speak in song with your Voice? Can you speak in song with an instrument?
Can you make melody from the heart with your Voice? Can an instrument make melody from the heart?
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.
Can you teach using your voice? Can you teach using an instrument?
Can you Admonish using your voice? Can you Admonish using and Instrument?
So as you can see from the questions a mechanical musical instrument does not fit this command.
So as you can see from the questions a mechanical musical instrument does not fit this command.
Another argument that is made is that the use of a instrument is no different than using a song book or a song leader.
Another argument that is made is that the use of a instrument is no different than using a song book or a song leader.
So they would say that an instrument is simply an aid and not addition. Well the first thing we need to do is define what an aid and addition is.
An aid is something that is used that doesn’t make a change to a command. An addition is something that is added and does change the command.
An aid is something that is used that doesn’t make a change to a command. An addition is something that is added and does change the command.
For instance when we use different dishes to transport the Lords Supper these dishes are aids and do not change the Lords Supper. However if we added hamburgers and lemonade to the Lords Supper then we have made an addition and changed the command of God.
A song leader or a song book are aids. The song leader is choosing the songs and starting them and the song books contains the words that we are singing. In both of the instances singing is what is being done and that command has not been changed.
However when we add an musical instrument and it is being played something other than singing is occurring. You can say melodies are coming from the instruments along with the singing. So you can obviously see that musical instruments or any other sounds other than singing are addition and not a aid when singing.
Another argument people like to make is that it was ok for them to use them in the OT so it should be ok for us to use them in the NT.
Another argument people like to make is that it was ok for them to use them in the OT so it should be ok for us to use them in the NT.
Now I have already answer this argument in the beginning of this lesson because I clearly have shown that our authority comes from the NT and not the old and if you try to bring one thing over from the Old you must logically be able to bring over including animal sacrifices. Now real quickly I do want to show you a verse in the OT that does show that their use was commanded by God because I have heard some Church of Christ preacher teach that God never commanded it and that David just simply made them and God tolerated them.
In this lesson I have done my best to share you what the Bible teaches on singing and how it is to be done. I have tried to cover every argument that have heard on this topic and I have shown through the scriptures and good old fashion logic that it is a sin and it an addition to Gods word to use mechanical instruments of music. I hope that you will share this message with all who are willing to listen.
In this lesson I have done my best to share you what the Bible teaches on singing and how it is to be done. I have tried to cover every argument that have heard on this topic and I have shown through the scriptures and good old fashion logic that it is a sin and it an addition to Gods word to use mechanical instruments of music. I hope that you will share this message with all who are willing to listen.