AN OLD APOSTASY IN A NEW AGE-2

In the first part of this series, we called attention to a church in Alabama that has announced its intent to introduce instrumental music into its Sunday morning worship. I also indicated that this is a signal of a departure from New Testament Christianity. When it comes to the music we use in worship, every member of the church should be thoroughly taught on this subject. There are thousands upon thousands of people who don’t understand why churches of Christ do not use instruments in worship. There are also thousands of members of the church who don’t understand why we don’t use instruments, and the sad thing is, many of them don’t have a problem with bringing them in. Some folks think we don’t use instruments because we don’t think they are right in any setting; but, that is a misguided view. There are some things that are not wrong in and of themselves, but are wrong in religion. I love to eat pizza and drink Coke. There’s nothing wrong in and of itself with eating pizza and drinking Coke. What if I were to bring in a big pizza and a two liter Coke and set them on the Lord’s Table next Sunday morning? Would it be OK for me to add that to the Lord’s Supper? What if I were to bring in a big jar of grape jelly? There’s nothing wrong with jelly, in and of itself. Jelly makes bread taste better. But, it would be religiously wrong. Jesus specified the bread and the fruit of the vine. That excludes jelly, pizza, Coke, and anything else. Likewise, the New Testament specifies the music we are to make. It says we are to sing. That excludes man-made instruments. As anyone who knows me can testify, I grew up in a musical family. My late father, who was a preacher, played three instruments--guitar, fiddle, and mandolin. My sister is a great guitar player. I play the bass guitar. My uncles (both living and deceased) all played instruments. I have several cousins who are very gifted in playing instruments. Instrumental music is not sinful in and of itself. It is when it is introduced into worship that it becomes a problem. Many people claim that this is a small matter over which we need not be concerned; however, God does not measure sin the same way as man. Eating a piece of fruit in the garden of Eden could be considered a small matter; Moses smiting the rock instead of speaking to it may have seemed insignificant to some. When Uzzah touched the Ark of the Covenant, it might have been perceived as a small matter. The fact is, we should not think of any disobedience as being too small or insignificant to be bothered about. God looks on the heart of the person. Sin originates in the heart, and the act is just the symptom of the sin. I would like for us to examine what the New Testament teaches concerning singing. We will also look at the reasons why people think instruments are right, and see what the Bible says in response. In the course of this series, we will also examine what history tells us about the use (or non-use) of instruments in worship.

AN OLD APOSTASY IN A NEW AGE-1

George Santanyana is attributed to having said the following: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." While Santanyana has been misquoted often on this socre, and much debate continues as to what he actually meant, the statement itself is true. As it applies to history, it has often been borne out to be so. This is even clearer in religion. Recently, a large congregation of chruches of Christ in Alabama announced its intent to introduce instrumental music in its Sunday morning worship. While the elders of that church are welcoming feedback from the congregation before it makes the final decision, the eldership affirmed that it believes instrumental music in worship to be acceptable to God. Thus, the debate in Alabama among churches of Christ over instrumental music in worship--once thought to be a long dead issue--has been rekindled. In the 19th century, churches of Christ and the Christian Church went through a major division, in part, over the instrument. Now, one hundred years later, the rumination of Santanyana rings true. A new generation clamors for the kind of music it has been exposed to in entertainment, and among its religious friends. "Why not have it? It will make our services more 'user-friendly' and 'exciting.'" While the question of "Why do this?" may be legitmately asked, such should not be the focus. Rather, the focus should be on the central issue: BIBLICAL AUTHORITY. If the New Testament is our authority for all matters of faith and practice, then where is the authority for the instrument in worship? Does it matter? (MORE TO FOLLOW)