I was reading a debate about playing instruments in worship, and found it to be fascinating issue. What's fascinating is that there's an issue at all.
I'm going to present a case why I believe instruments are allowed in worship, as secondary to voice, per preference and executed gracefully. I'm interested to hear what others think.
First, Jesus gives us two commandments upon which all law hangs - to love our God and to love one another (Matthew 22:37-40). At the same time, we are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). And really, can love be established by law? It's absurd to even think that. Love is established by God's love towards us and by us loving Him and each other, through the help of His Spirit. So we really are not under the law but grace.
Right here, at the beginning, we see that "musical instrument in worship" can't be a law issue. It has to be preference executed respectfully and humbly, while being secondary to voice since everybody can sing.
Also, we are not given laws for worship ritual. We are given worship principle - to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). And really, since we are worshipping God who is in Heaven and not of this world, we are to worship with nonmaterialistic part of our being - our soul - the only part of us that's connected to God through His Spirit. That's why there are no hard rules for "material" side of worship. Further, when we remember that we are not under the law but grace, it gets even clearer that materialistic part of our worship only follows the principle of doing it in spirit and in truth under grace.
Does playing an instrument in glory to God, respectfully and humbly, breaks the principle of worshipping in spirit and truth? I don't see it.
So, even before we get to technical parts of the issue, the issue is solved - instruments are allowed. At least that seems to me. But let's get somewhat technical.
...continued below
I'm going to present a case why I believe instruments are allowed in worship, as secondary to voice, per preference and executed gracefully. I'm interested to hear what others think.
First, Jesus gives us two commandments upon which all law hangs - to love our God and to love one another (Matthew 22:37-40). At the same time, we are not under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14). And really, can love be established by law? It's absurd to even think that. Love is established by God's love towards us and by us loving Him and each other, through the help of His Spirit. So we really are not under the law but grace.
Right here, at the beginning, we see that "musical instrument in worship" can't be a law issue. It has to be preference executed respectfully and humbly, while being secondary to voice since everybody can sing.
Also, we are not given laws for worship ritual. We are given worship principle - to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). And really, since we are worshipping God who is in Heaven and not of this world, we are to worship with nonmaterialistic part of our being - our soul - the only part of us that's connected to God through His Spirit. That's why there are no hard rules for "material" side of worship. Further, when we remember that we are not under the law but grace, it gets even clearer that materialistic part of our worship only follows the principle of doing it in spirit and in truth under grace.
Does playing an instrument in glory to God, respectfully and humbly, breaks the principle of worshipping in spirit and truth? I don't see it.
So, even before we get to technical parts of the issue, the issue is solved - instruments are allowed. At least that seems to me. But let's get somewhat technical.
...continued below