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.