Musical Instruments in Worship

I am terrified by the notion that musical instruments could be anything but a source of joy to the One who gave us the ability to hear harmony.

coc..is that church of christ?

different churches i've been to have all incorporated music into worship somehow.

Originally posted by seebs
I am terrified by the notion that musical instruments could be anything but a source of joy to the One who gave us the ability to hear harmony.

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seebs, I like your sentence, it sounds like something that belongs in a classical book of quotes. Bravo!

Originally posted by ScottEmerson
This is starting a new thread, as some on this board hold musical instruments in church to be sinful.

Here are my points:

1. Arguments from silence are logical fallacies. CoC states that musical instruments are prohibited because the NT does not speak of them. However, the NT doesn't speak of such things as hymnbooks, songs sung in English, or music leaders. DOes this mean that to include them as well is unbiblical?

2. Romans 15:9 says to "sing hymns" and uses the word psallo. This word, "psallo" literally means, "make music." It does not forbid any kind of music a person can make nor does it forbit instruments. Paul encourages the church to sing hymns by quoting Psalm 18:49!

3. While the Law was fulfilled, we do not see that the Psalms were fulfilled. The Psalms are filled with references of using music, the most known is probably Psalm 150. Jesus fulfilled the 600+ laws of the Pentateuch, but we do not see that he negated the use of instruments.

4. Revelations 14:2-3 suggests that worship in the heavens will be accompanied by music - not just singing!

So there we go. Music is commanded by God! NT worship can and should include music!

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~~AMEN!~~

arrr, without music!! *hard to imagine*

Originally posted by ScottEmerson
This is starting a new thread, as some on this board hold musical instruments in church to be sinful.

Here are my points:

1. Arguments from silence are logical fallacies. CoC states that musical instruments are prohibited because the NT does not speak of them. However, the NT doesn't speak of such things as hymnbooks, songs sung in English, or music leaders. DOes this mean that to include them as well is unbiblical?

2. Romans 15:9 says to "sing hymns" and uses the word psallo. This word, "psallo" literally means, "make music." It does not forbid any kind of music a person can make nor does it forbit instruments. Paul encourages the church to sing hymns by quoting Psalm 18:49!

3. While the Law was fulfilled, we do not see that the Psalms were fulfilled. The Psalms are filled with references of using music, the most known is probably Psalm 150. Jesus fulfilled the 600+ laws of the Pentateuch, but we do not see that he negated the use of instruments.

4. Revelations 14:2-3 suggests that worship in the heavens will be accompanied by music - not just singing!

So there we go. Music is commanded by God! NT worship can and should include music!

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It's really stretching biblical analysis to say God commanded music when in fact, Paul exhorted and encouraged us to sing. You portray God as someone who commands us, "SING! MAKE MUSIC! or you sin!" Your hermeneutic is black and white.

As for singing with instruments, what a joy! As an instrumentalist (I play many instruments,) I enjoy singing and playing Christian music and couldn't survive without it.

BUT Sunday morning worship is not an entertainment hour. If Paul could criticize the Corinthianians for turning the eucharist into a pot luck, then he would certainly have a sharp rebuke for those who turn Sunday morning into a Christian showtime. Don't you have homes to eat in? Don't you have theatres to be entertained in?

Tell me a better way to you keep Sunday service from being a glorified entertainment hour, an entertainment hour with paid professional performers doing what Paul encouraged/exhorted lay Christians to do, to wit, sing! We don't need a new level of (musical) clergy.

Musical Gadgets on Sunday! Bah! We don't need no stinkin' gadgets!

I go to a Church of Christ. Although there ARE non-instrumental Churches of Christ, ours is not one of them. We have a piano and a guitar. I grew up Pentecostal though, and we had a whole orchestra, drums, flutes, the whole works! I miss the music!

Churches who don't allow music or who say that worship is inappropriate with music really strike a nerve with me. I bet those same people get in their cars after church and turn the radio on...

And why can't church be entertaining?

Originally posted by Cammie
I go to a Church of Christ. Although there ARE non-instrumental Churches of Christ, ours is not one of them. We have a piano and a guitar. I grew up Pentecostal though, and we had a whole orchestra, drums, flutes, the whole works! I miss the music!

Churches who don't allow music or who say that worship is inappropriate with music really strike a nerve with me. I bet those same people get in their cars after church and turn the radio on...

And why can't church be entertaining?

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Good point Cammie.

Originally posted by Cammie
I go to a Church of Christ. Although there ARE non-instrumental Churches of Christ, ours is not one of them. We have a piano and a guitar. I grew up Pentecostal though, and we had a whole orchestra, drums, flutes, the whole works! I miss the music!

Churches who don't allow music or who say that worship is inappropriate with music really strike a nerve with me. I bet those same people get in their cars after church and turn the radio on...

And why can't church be entertaining?

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Indeed! Why not?! Church can be entertaining!

Just don't call it worship. Be honest. Call it entertainment.

We are not at church to be entertained.. we are at church to give glory to God and to be taught by him....

Aren't we????.. poop... all this time ive been going to church for the wrong reasons!! what a waste of 19 years!

So if musical instruments in church are a sin, then what about musical instruments out side of the church (the building)??

1 Samuel 10:5
"After that you will go to Gibeah of God, where there is a Philistine outpost. As you approach the town, you will meet a procession of prophets coming down from the high place with lyres, tambourines, flutes and harps being played before them, and they will be prophesying.

Genesis 31:27
Why did you run off secretly and deceive me? Why didn't you tell me, so I could send you away with joy and singing to the music of tambourines and harps?

1 Samuel 16:23
Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

2 Kings 3:15
But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha

1 Chronicles 15:16
David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

1 Chronicles 25:1
David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service:

1 Chronicles 25:6
All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the LORD , with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king.

Psalm 33:2
Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

Psalm 43:4
Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.


SINNERS!!! hahaaa.... hmm.. unless of course the harp isn't a musical instrument! What a thought.....

Laume

Originally posted by ScottEmerson
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Psalm 150 sure sounds like it is a command - or at least a strong suggestion.




So, singing with an organ makes it Christian showtime? Such statements as you make are not accompanied by Biblical evidence, you know. Again, you are arguing from silence. In this manner of argument, are you not adding to the Bible, which is a cardinal no-no in the CoC faith?



Another non-Biblical argument. Face it, there is no prohibition of musical instruments to be found anywhere in the Bible. Music Ministers in the Baptist church are paid to minister in worship - they are not paid performers. Throughout Biblical times, we see people who are in charge of leading the worship - it was their special position. Music Ministers are contemporary versions of that - they teach us about worshipping God, whether or not that includes worship.

I notice you didn't answer my Biblical assertions, so can we take those as a given? The CoC has no Biblical support in not using music in their services, and in my opinion they are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to worship God.

BTW, does your church use a pitchpipe? (The two CoC's I have been to did. Why do they not count as musical instruments?)

SEC

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Your black and white hermeneutic needs to make room for admonitions which appear in the imperative.  Even if I sit in church and never sing or play music, only someone with your black and white hermeneutic would conclude that I have sinned.  If you weren't so interested in arguing, you might have noticed that amending your hermeneutic does nothing to undermine your position on musical instrument. 

BTW you have NO clue what my position is if you are asking me to defend the things you mention above.  Listen before you attack.

 

Originally posted by ScottEmerson
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Psalm 150 sure sounds like it is a command - or at least a strong suggestion.

Throughout Biblical times, we see people who are in charge of leading the worship - it was their special position. Music Ministers are contemporary versions of that - they teach us about worshipping God, whether or not that includes worship.

SEC

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If you had bothered to read my post before launching your crusade, you might have noticed I support the use of musical instruments to praise God.

Does anyone know where I can get a ten stringed lyre or should I just stick to my electric guitar? Does it really matter? Either way God ordains the use of instruments.

Originally posted by laumelilu
So if musical instruments in church are a sin, then what about musical instruments out side of the church (the building)??

Laume

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You're jousting with windmills.  Praising God with instrumental accompaniment is not a sin.  Who ever said it was?  I believe wisdom dictates you should leave them out of corporate worship but I say enjoy them.  You sin if you do NOT use your instrument in praise of God for whatever you do in word or do, do it in the name of the Lord.  You should come hear me perform some of my music sometime---you won't even have to lose your Sunday morning seat to do so.

... Even if I sit in church and never sing or play music, only someone with your black and white hermeneutic would conclude that I have sinned. 

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I've been in churches that feel that way. I also left those churches. I lead worship for a very large church and many people just sit and listen to the music in reverence. I believe they are truly worshipping. I just chose to worship loudly!

Originally posted by muzikdude
I've been in churches that feel that way. I also left those churches. I lead worship for a very large church and many people just sit and listen to the music in reverence. I believe they are truly worshipping. I just chose to worship loudly!

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You describe a religious disease not worship.  When worship descends to a non-participative audience, something's wrong.  Modern play theory correctly recognizes that it has to get the audience involved in the play or the art dies.  Paul's admonition to sing back and forth to one another represents the reality of spiritually healthy worship.

While I wouldn't go as far as saying that church should be entertaining--I think entertaining has negative connotations in this instance--I believe that worship and fellowship should be joyful and exciting. Listening to beautiful music is a wonderful experience--and it is heightened by the addition of instrumental music to voices.

In fact, I would find it difficult for worship to be joyful and not exciting. And while entertainment is exciting too, I don't think that because we can feel the same way about simple pleasures means that those feelings shouldn't be part of our worship services.

However, I don't think that we are commanded to use musical instruments in our worship. We are commanded to praise God with what we have--most all of us have voices to lift up in song and hands to clap, but we don't all have instruments or the ability to use them. When we have a talent (in this case a musical one), we should use it for the glory of God.

--tibac