AN OLD APOSTASY IN A NEW AGE--4

True worship is described by Jesus in John 4:24: “God is spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

God—The Object of our worship
In Spirit—The Attitude of our worship (sincerely; from the heart)
In Truth—The Standard of our worship (God’s Word)

We can offer up vain worship, according to Matthew 15:8-9: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Instrumental music is according to the commandments of men; thus, our worship would be in vain if we used it and taught that it would be OK to use it.

Let’s consider some arguments made in favor of it.

“The Bible does not say, ‘Thou shalt not use instrumental music.’”

1. Neither does it say, “Thou shalt not put pizza and Coca-Cola on the Lord’s Table.” We serve God by what he says in his Word.
2. As we saw earlier in this series, the command to do a specific thing excludes the doing of another. God commanded the Israelites, “kill a lamb in the Passover.” He did not have to say, “Thou shalt not kill a pig.”
3. When God commands us to sing, playing an instrument is excluded. He said, “Sing.”

“Instrumental music is an aid, like a song book, communion cups, or a microphone.”

1. When God specifies a thing to be done, whatever is needed to obey him that does not change the nature of the thing is authorized—like communion cups in the Lord’s Supper, or a microphone to be able to better hear those who lead worship.
2. He commands us to sing; the songbook provides words and does not change the nature of the command.
3. Instrumental music brings in another kind of music altogether, and changes the nature of what is done.

“They used instrumental music in the Old Testament.”

1. They also circumcised their male children, kept the Passover feast, offered up animal sacrifices, and executed those who broke the Sabbath.
2. We do not serve God today under the Law of Moses.
3. (Galatians 5:1-4) “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”

“Instrumental music will be in heaven.” Revelation 14:2, 3 says, “And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders.”

1. What did John hear? “A voice.”
2. What were they doing? “They were singing.”
3. What did it sound like? “Harpists harping with their harps.”
4. There will be babies in heaven; can we baptize babies into the church?
5. We will be judged by what we do on earth in worship; not what might happen in heaven.

AN OLD APOSTASY IN A NEW AGE--3

What does the New Testament say about music in worship? Matthew 26:30 states, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” In Acts 16:25, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” Paul writes in Romans 15:9, “And in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, ‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.’” 1 Corinthians 14:15 reads, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” In Ephesians 5:19, Paul writes, “Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.” Similarly, in Colossians 3:16, he says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” The Hebrews writer declares in Hebrews 2:12, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” Finally, in James 5:13, it states, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” How do we prove a thing to be scriptural? There are several ways: —By a direct statement of Scripture. (John 4:24 is one such passage: “God is spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”) —By an apostolic example of a commanded practice. (Acts 20:7 says the disciples came together on the first day of the week to break bread, which was the Lord’s Supper—commanded by Jesus to be eaten.) —By a clear implication of Scripture. (My name is nowhere mentioned in Scripture, but the Bible applies to me; it is clearly implied in John 3:16!) There is no direct statement in Scripture where instrumental music is authorized in worship on earth. There is no apostolic example of it being used, and there is no clear implication in Scripture that it was ever used in the 1st century church. Therefore, it cannot be said to be Scriptural. We also cannot add to or take away from Scripture. (1 Corinthians 4:6) “I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written.” (2 John 9) “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” (Revelation 22:18-19) “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” When instrumental music is used in worship, we add to God’s Word.