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Below are some commonly asked questions and
answers concerning music in the Church of Christ. This list is not meant
to be exhaustive. If you have further questions regarding this or any
other topic concerning the Lord's Church, feel free to
e-mail us
and we will try to respond as soon as possible.
1. Question:
What about instrumental music being used in the Old Testament?
Didn't David play music on a instrument? Was this
not pleasing to God?
Answer: David did a lot of things in worship
to God that we do not do today. For instance, he offered animal sacrifices, worshipped at
the Tabernacle, observed
holy days such as Pentecost and Passover, and anything
else in keeping with the Law of Moses. All of this changed when Christ was
put to death on the cross.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:15 that Christ
"...Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in
himself of twain one new man...".
The writer of the book of Hebrews described the Law of Moses as "... having a
shadow of good things to come..." [Hebrews
10:1]. Again, Paul wrote about Christ in
Colossians 2:14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took
it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"
It is obvious that God intended the Old Testament to lead us to Christ but He also intends the
Gospel of Christ to
supercede the Old Law. So it really doesn't make
any difference what worship practice David employed, what matters is the kind of
practice that Jesus has
instructed us to use. Vocal music and vocal music
alone is the only type of music worship mentioned in the New Testament.
2. Question:
As long as Christians sing, what difference does it make whether or not a person accompanies them on a musical instrument?
Answer: The
difference is that Jesus nor his apostles have specified the use of musical instruments in worship to Him. Over
and over throughout the
scriptures, we are cautioned that God's intentions are
firm and often times not understood by man. God through Isaiah has told us
"For my thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the
LORD". [Isaiah 55:8] The writer of Proverbs also warned "There
is a way that seemeth right unto a
man, but the end thereof are the ways of death".
[Proverbs 16:25] Jesus himself said in Mark 7:7 "Howbeit in vain
do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men". It is clear that man
will come up with ideas and notions about worship that seem right to him but are not always
alright to God. God has
always insisted that man does what He has
commanded in the way that He has commanded and has provided punishment for anything
else.
3. Question:
But if God has not said that it is wrong to to use instrumental music in worship then what could be the harm? After all,
using instrumental music to
accompany vocal singing only makes the singing more
beautiful and uplifting to hear.
Answer: If you tell a child to do a
particular task and tell them the way that they are to do it, that precludes the child performing the
task in any other fashion. The
end does not justify the means. This is true in
so many areas of life so why should it not also be true in religion. God
through the Apostle John warned of the
dangers of changing what He has said for us to do. John
wrote in Revelation 22:19 "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, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in
this book". Even though the
Law of Moses is not in effect for us today, the Old
Testament is still valuable for the lessons that it teaches. In Leviticus 10:1 we
read "And Nadab and Abihu, the
sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put
fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the
LORD, which he commanded
them not." In Numbers 26:61 we find
"And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD".
Those that would argue that it couldn't be
wrong to change that way that God has decided music in
worship be preformed should keep in mind the lesson of Nadab and Abihu who
changed the way God
said for them to provide the fire and incense.
God simply does not accept tasks preformed in any way other than that which He has
ordained.
4. Question:
Isn't this stance on the type of music used in worship an example of closed mindedness and pickiness?
Answer: We simply state what is in the Bible
and hold the scriptures to be the basis upon which we live our lives on the earth.
Paul told Timothy "And that
from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may
be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works". [2 Timothy
3:13-17] As long as we can find reason for what we are doing in the scriptures, then we
know that we
are keeping God's wishes for us. To say that this is closed
minded or picky is the same as saying that God is closed minded and picky because it
is His
words that we read and teach.
New Antioch Church of Christ