What type of music should be used to worship God ?

Should we sing "a cappella" or use musical instruments ?

What type of music was used by the early church of the New Testament?

· Matthew 26 When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, they sang together.

· The New Testament tells us that singing continued in the church.

1. Matthew 26: 30          "sung a hymn"

2. Acts 16: 25               "sang praises"

3. Romans 15: 9            "sing unto Thy name"

4. I Corinthians 14: 15   "sing with the spirit"

5. Ephesians 5: 19         "singing psalms"

6. Colossians 3: 16        "singing with grace"

7. Hebrews 13: 15          "fruit of the lips"

8. James 5: 13                "let him sing"

What type of music was used by the early church of the New Testament?

 Answer: They sang.

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What is the original definition of the word "a cappella"?

· A cappella - (Italian for "in the manner of the church" or "in the manner of the chapel" [source: Wikipedia.org]

· This definition should tell us something. The church originally  sang a cappella!

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Not until 670 AD was instrumental music introduced in a  worship setting.

· 637 years after the church was established on Pentecost (Acts 2).  

· Catholic Pope Vitalian gave his approval for the use of musical instruments.

· Should the approval of a man determine how we worship God?

Still many refused instrumental music:

· John Calvin, one of the founders of the Presbyterian church condemned musical instruments in worship.

· John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist church refused to let the musical instrument into worship.

· Adam Clarke, Methodist minister, called instruments a "corruption".

· Charles Spurgeon, a Baptist minister, preached to 10,000 every Sunday, and taught against instrumental music.

· The old preacher quoted I Cor 14: 15, "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." And then he said, "I'd just as soon pray with machinery as to sing to with machinery."

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For instrumental music to be included in Christian worship, it must be added by a man.

A principle seen throughout the Bible -

Adding to God's word is condemned.

· Prov 30: 5 Every word of God is pure. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

· Deut 4: 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

· Deut 12: 32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it.Thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

· Rev 22: 18 If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life,.

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What about instruments of music in the OT?

Psalm 92 speaks of singing praises to God accompanied by instruments of music.

Psa 92 is a Song for the Sabbath day. (See your Bible)

What is the Sabbath day?

· Exodus 16:26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.

· Matthew 28:1 In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,.

On what day did the first Christians worship?

· Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them,.

· I Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Important Questions:

1. Do we want to go back to Sabbath day worship, under the law of Moses?

2. Do we want to go back to animal sacrifices, and other Jewish practices?

· Why would the Christian want to live under a law that was before Christ?  This would be a step backward.

· Heb 8: 6 Christ is the mediator of a better covenant, which is established on better promises!

Christian singing must be in the style of the New Testament church, and not that of the Old Testament Law.

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What about musical instruments in Revelation?

(Harps are mentioned in Revelation)

· Rev 5: 8 When he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. (Does this sound like a church worship service?)

· Rev 14: 2 I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: (Does this sound like a church worship service?)

· Rev 15: 2 I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Does this sound like a worship service?)

The harps in Revelation don't teach that God desires or allows them in the worship of the New Testament church today. These beasts, vials, and harps are part of the symbolism that is used in Revelation.

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Where in the NT does it say we cannot use instrumental music?

· Illustration: When you are in a restaurant, and are given a menu, you don't tell the waitress everything you don't want, but you simply tell her what you do want. To do otherwise would take a lot of time, and would be foolish.

· God's word doesn't list everything that is not to be done in worship, it simply tells us what to do.

· We must respect what God has said, and respect what He has not said.

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We must be careful not to make assumptions.

· Should we assume that we know what God wants? NO.

· Below are examples of worshippers who assumed they knew what God wanted.

Cain, son of Adam and Eve, assumed he knew what God wanted in worship.

· Gen 4: 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.

· I John 3: 12 Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

· Heb 11: 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous,.

Nadab & Abihu, sons of Aaron, assumed they knew what God wanted in worship.

· Lev 10: 1 Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. 2 So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 3 And Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’” So Aaron held his peace.

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We must be careful not to let our assumptions and preferences guide us.

Musical instruments might make a beautiful sound to our ears.

· Is worship about what we like? …or about what God likes?

· Is it important that we follow God's commands instead of our own preferences?  

· Mark 7:7 In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, they hold to the tradition of men.

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How is our Singing?

Some Christians are firm about not using musical instruments in worship,… but then won't open their mouths to sing!

Do you sing?

· Some say, "I can't carry a tune in a bucket."

· The New Testament doesn't speak of being in tune, or hitting the right notes.

· Do your best, and sing from your heart.

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Are you singing the right way?

Col 3: 16 ..Teaching & admonishing one another in psalms and   hymns and spiritual songs..

· We should be careful of the songs we sing.

· It's just as bad to sing an unscriptural song as to teach an unscriptural lesson.

· This places extra responsibility on the song leaders.

I Cor 14: 15b ..I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

· With the spirit = with more than the lips, tongue, vocal chords,  and lungs.

· With the understanding = understanding the words and message  of the song.

· Making vocal rhythms or percussion sounds is not singing with understanding. Some modern-day gospel singing groups do this.  

Eph 5: 19a Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,..

· Psalms exalt the name of the Lord.

· Hymns give thanks, supplication & praise.

· Spiritual songs encourage us to be devoted to God.

Eph 5: 19b Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

· The heart is the instrument which accompanies our singing.

· Are you putting your heart into your singing?

If we can assist you in this, or any other study, please let us know.

Shane Hoover

Minister, Greeneville Church of Christ