Instrumental Music in Worship
“The piano makes me feel so good in worship. Without it, worship would not feel right.” Statements
like these are often offered as support for instrumental music in worship. Although God is concerned with feeling, there
is a more pertinent question that must be asked. Does God authorize mechanical instruments of
music in worship? Is there anywhere in
the New Testament we can find support for instrumental music? Let us see what the New Testament teaches.
The premiere passages in the New
Testament on singing are Ephesians 5:19 & Colossians 3:16. Paul commands us to, “speak to one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart
to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). The emphasis
in this verse is the speaking and singing to one another. Can an instrument speak? Absolutely not! Where is the mention of an instrument in this
verse? There is none. In the letter to the Colossians Paul said,
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16).
From this passage we learn that our singing is also a teaching event. Again, can an instrument teach anyone anything? Absolutely not! There is no mention in the New Testament of
mechanical instruments of music.
Christians are to make melody in
their heart! We make melody in
our heart when we “sing with the spirit and the understanding” (1 Cor. 14:15). Every
New Testament passage on music teaches that it is accomplished with the voice
and without the addition of instrumental music (see Matt. 26:30, 1 Cor. 14:15; Romans 15:9; Heb. 2:12; James 5:13; Rev. 15:3;
Acts 16:25). Dear friend, there is no
authority in the New Testament for the use of instrumental music.
While the New Testament does not
authorize instrumental music in worship, there are many who still use it. Why is this?
Many will say, “The New Testament doesn’t say we can’t use it.” This statement gets to the heart and core of
the problem with modern religion. The
Bible teaches we can only do that which we are told to do. Paul said, “Whatever you do in word or deed,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” (Col. 3:17). To do something in the name of another means
that we do it by their authority (Acts 4:7).
The Bible teaches that we must not go beyond what is written (1 Cor. 4:6; Rev. 22:18-19).
Too many people have their argument backwards. Just imagine how big the Bible would be if
God had to tell us not only what to do but everything we are not to do. Biblically speaking, Christians only do what
they are authorized to do (Prov. 30:6). Then there are those who will say, “They had
Instruments in the Old Testament, therefore we can have them today.” The problem with this argument is that we are
not under the Old Law. It is evident
from the Scriptures that the Old Law was nailed to the cross (Eph. 2:14-15;
Col. 2:14-15; Heb. 8:11-13). Therefore,
we cannot appeal to the Old Law as an example of authority for instrumental music. How many of us would offer animal sacrifices,
or go to
Today, there are many in our modern
religious world who use instruments of music in
worship. Dear friends, this is sinful
because God has not authorized it in the Bible.
Do you remember the example of Nadab & Abihu. These men were priests in the worship of
God. The Bible tells us that these men
offered an unauthorized fire
to the Lord in worship. It was really a
small thing. Maybe they started the fire
a different way. We don’t know. All we know is that they did something they
were not authorized to do. How serious
was this to God? So serious that they
were lost because of it (Read Leviticus 10:1-2). From this lesson we learn that if we do
anything in worship that is not authorized God will not be pleased with
us. May God help each of us to only do
what we are commanded in the New Testament.