Psalms 150 and Instrumental Music

Question:

I have to disagree with your teaching about instruments. I think you need to refresh yourself with Psalms 150! friend, God loves singing with or without instruments! Let's not be so legalistic and critical against those who worships with instruments!

Submitted by GS on May 16, 1999.

Answer: (Given by Bro. Brian Tipton)

Some Background Information

Before I answer the questions you asked, it is essential to give you some background material to your question.  This will largely answer the first question and provide a needed foundation for the second question regarding instrumental music.
 

Unity

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent me.  The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent me, and loved them, even as You have loved me."  (John 17:20-23 - NASB)

Jesus prayed that those who desired to believe in Him would all be united.  Why? Because through our unity the world would know that Jesus was sent by God!  The world would know that Jesus was the Messiah!  However, today, many different denominations exist.  Do they teach the same things?  No.  There are similarities, but no two denominations are the same.  The church of the first century was a non-denominational church.  They were, for the first several years, perfectly united in the Apostle's teachings.

Paul warned the church at Corinth that unity is a necessity to the faithful church.  In I Cor. 1:10, Paul writes, "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete, in the same mind and in the same judgment." You see, the church at Corinth had begun to choose sides in a secular way.  Some would say that they followed one teacher, some would say that they were better because they followed another teacher.  You might say that Baptists and Methodists (as well as others) do this today.  Paul goes on to say in 1 Cor. 4:6 that the way to keep unity in the church is ".. Learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other." (I Cor. 4:6b)

If we do not exceed what is written and follow the Bible the way the Bible says we are to follow it, then we can all be united (I Cor. 4:6).   It is only when we twist the scriptures to suit our own needs that religious divisions occur.

Christ taught in several places that if we love him, we must obey him.  Let's look at the following verse:

     "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15 - NASB)

Christ is telling us here that we show our love for him by keeping his commandments.  The apostle John puts it this way,

"By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep his commandments.  The one who says, "I have come to know HIM," and does not keep his commandments, is a LIAR, and the truth is not in him;" (I John 2:3-4 - NASB)

The book of Revelations goes on to say that  "the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murders and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all LIARS, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Rev. 21:8 - NASB)

Paul writes in first Thessalonians that , "...the Lord Jesus will be revealed from Heaven with His mighty Angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power." (I Thess. 1:7-9 - NASB)

Let's summarize what we have learned:

1. The church of the first century was completed united in thought, action and deed when it was instituted on the day of Pentecost.  (Acts 2, I Cor. 1:10)
2. Christ desired all believers to be united in Him (John 17:20-23)
3. The Apostles taught that there were to be NO DIVISIONS AMONG BELIEVERS. (I Corinthians 1:10)
4. The Apostles taught that divisions would not exist if we never exceed what is written (I Corinthians 4:6).
5. If we love Christ we will obey him (John 14:15)
6. If we do not obey Christ, and say we love him, we are liars. (I John 2:3-5)
7. If we are liars, we will go to hell (Rev 21:8, I Thess. 1:7-9)

Keeping in mind that we cannot exceed what has been written (I Cor. 4:6).

You see division in the eyes of the Bible among believers in Christ is arrogance.  Simple arrogance.  This arrogance in countered when you and I can sit down together and both arrive at what the Bible says and accept that as doctrine.  It is when we LEARN NOT TO EXCEED WHAT IS WRITTEN that believers everywhere can be united in the same faith, the faith of the Bible.

So, let's start by seeing what the New Testament has to say about music in worship to God. What we want to find out is what type of music does the New Testament authorize a Christian to use in worship.  Let's look at a couple of verses,

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:18-19)

Let the word of Christ richly dwell with you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  (Colosians 3:16)

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15)
 

All admit that the purpose of singing in worship is to teach one another, to exhort and admonish one another, and to offer praise to God.  The New Testament does not say much about music. The above verses speak volumes as to what type of music the New Testament approves.

Ephesians 5:18-19 says that we are to "speak to one another", "singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord".  It states that we are to speak and we are to sing and we are to make melody, all with our heart.  Colossians says that singing is for teaching and admonishing.  It makes no mention of instrumental music.  Hebrews 13:15 says that it is the "fruit of lips" by which we give thanks to His name in Praise.  None of these verses say that it is proper to use instrumental music.  To add instruments to our worship would be to go beyond what has be written for us in the Bible.

Another way to look at it is this, our voice can "speak to one another" (Eph. 5:19), an instrument cannot.  We can sing and make melody with our hearts (Eph. 5:19), an instrument has no heart and cannot accomplish this.  Note that the melody is to come from the heart, not an instrument. Our voices can teach and admonish (Col. 3:16), an instrument cannot.  Praise to God is to come from our lips (Hebrews 13:15) and not an instrument.

It is written that we are to sing and make melody with our hearts (Eph. 5:18-19, Col. 3:16).  In order to include instrumental music, we must EXCEED WHAT IS WRITTEN. I Cor. 4:6 warns us not to exceed what is written.

So, what about the Old Testament?  Instruments were used there, right?  Instrumental music was used by David and those after Him in worship to God.  True.  All of those people lived and died under the Old Law, the law of Moses.  You and I live under the New Law, the Law of Christ.  We are not bound to the Old Law.  We cannot use the Old Law to justify our worship practices today.  Let me explain.

In Colossians 2:14, Paul writes, "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;"  Christ took the law, the ordinances that were against us and took them out of the way.  He blotted them out, nailing the law to His Cross.  The law died along with Jesus.  The writer of Hebrews bears this idea out further saying, "When He said, "A new covenant," Has made the first obsolete."  (Heb 8:13a).

The New Covenant that Christ established made the first covenant, Old Law of Moses, obsolete.  It had fulfilled its purpose.  Its purpose was to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

Since the Old Law was nailed to the cross, blotted out, taken out of the way, made obsolete and had fulfilled its purpose, we cannot use it to justify our worship services today.  This simple idea is, in my opinion what causes 90% of the religious division that exists in "Christianity" today.

In Summary, we have:

1)  The New Testament says that we must obey Christ (I John 2:3-4, John 14:15).
2)  The words Christ left say not to exceed what has been written. (1 Cor. 4:6)
3)  The words Christ left say to sing and make melody with our hearts. (Eph. 5:18-29)
4)  The words Christ left say to use our lips for praise to God. (Heb 13:15)
5)  The New Testament does not mention instrumental music.
6)  The New Testament does not authorize instrumental music.
7)  To add instrumental music to our worship today is exceeding what is written.

We cannot use instruments in worship to God, because he has not commanded it.  Doing so would be going beyond what is written.

We know from the Bible that sin is a transgression (a going against) God's law. I John 3:4 simply states, that sin in the transgression of the law.  When we transgress God's law, we sin.  We sin by not keeping God's law, by not obeying Christ's commandments.  According to God's law:

1) We cannot exceed what is written. (I Cor. 4:6)
2)  Instrumental music is not written. (It cannot be found in the New Testament)
3) Therefore, instrumental music exceed what is written.
4) Using instrumental music is, therefore, a transgression of God's law.
5) Instrumental music is a transgression of God's law and is therefore sin.
6) Anyone using instruments in their worship to God is committing sin.
7) Anyone using instruments in their worship to God is exceeding what has been written.
8) Anyone using instruments in their worship in wrong, according to the Bible.

You need to realize that the Bible says how we are to sing to God.  We do not have the power to legalistically say that "Well it doesn't outright condemn them, so it is OK".  We must take the High road and examine the intent of the law (not being legalistic as you are being) and not nit pick instruments into worship.  These are not my words, but the words of the Bible.  If you have any questions at all regarding this letter or any other Biblical question feel free to ask.

God loves singing, true.  But he loves obedience as well.  He commands us to "sing and make melody with our hearts" not a man-made imperfect instrument.  I pray that you will study the bible and take what it says over what you have been taught.  It is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

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