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No Instrumental Music?
As I write this article, I’m listening to and very much enjoying instrumental movie soundtracks playing via Spotify through a Bluetooth speaker on my desk. But does my opinion of what is beautiful to the ear in other areas of my life carry over into what is right in God’s eyes while worshiping Him? Many verses are clear on the necessity to not stray from the clear authority given in God’s word (Deut 12:32; Jn 4:24; 1Cor 4:6; 2Jn 1:9). So what does the Bible say about instrumental music in our worship today?
While instrumental music was commanded at times for Jewish worship under the Old Testament law (2 Chron 29:25-28), we know that a New Testament has now superseded the Old (2Cor 3:5-14; Heb 8:7-13). It must be understood upfront that seeking authority from the Old Testament law by people today on this issue is not only misguided but would necessitate obedience to other Old Testament requirements, such as circumcision and animal sacrifice (Gal 5:1-4). The worship instructions under the Old Law were from God and not left to man’s preference (1Chr 28:10-12, 19-20). In the Old Testament we also have many examples of God’s expectation for careful obedience to please Him with our actions (see Cain in Gen 4, Nadab & Abihu in Lev 10, Moses in Ex 20, Uzzah in 2Sam 6, etc.). Today we must seek and faithfully follow direction found in the New Testament under which we are saved (Jer 31:31-34, Gal 3:23-25, Heb 8:6 & 13). God doesn’t have to provide a list of all the possibilities He doesn’t want nor is He under any obligation to tell us why when He is clear about what He finds acceptable.
Beyond several references in Revelation speaking symbolically of events after Christ’s second coming, we can find ten passages in the New Testament that address music in worship and all specify singing without any reference to instruments of music: Mt 26:30 “sung a hymn”; Mk 14:26 “sung a hymn”; Acts 16: 25 “singing hymns”; Rom 15:9 “sing to your name”; 1Cor 14:14-16 “sing”; Eph 5:19 “speaking, singing and making melody with your heart”; Col 3:16 “singing”; Heb 2:12 “sing your praise”, 13:15 “fruit of the lips”; and Jam 5:13 “sing praises”. If even one of those verses was more general and used a word like “music” or “play” there might be authority for more, but they all are very specific to singing, the lips, and the heart. While it is true that there is no “thou shall not” in the New Testament concerning the use of instruments in worship, the silence of the scriptures in no way authorizes us to go beyond what has been shown to be acceptable.
For over a thousand years, secular history tells us this was still understood almost unanimously by all the various denominations that fractured off from the one true church established in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. Though they differed in other scriptural areas and began to teach error, the instrument was still not admitted into worship. When it was, it came with great controversy.
Because of the obvious shortcomings of appealing to the Old Testament for authority or arguing that lack of a specific restriction equals acceptance, another argument is often made, centered on Eph 5:19: “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord”. The phrase “making melody” is from the Greek word “psallo”, which originally meant to pluck, to cause to vibrate by touching, or to touch or strike the chord. Scholars agree that by New Testament times this word was almost exclusively used to mean singing without accompaniment of an instrument. Of course, if this verse did indeed mean instruments of music, it would not be suggesting their use, but commanding it. And it wouldn’t be enough to have a select few talented people playing them. A proponent of this argument would have to be ready for all Christians to pick up instruments and use for worship. This verse would demand it and any of us who didn’t would be worshiping short of God’s expectation.
Thankfully, Eph. 5:19 finishes the allusion by giving us the instrument on which the chord is to be struck and which we all should bring to every occasion of worship: the heart. Just as we might say a movie or story “tugs at your heart strings”, our singing must involve the heart. With love for our Creator and our brethren, we sing to praise God and encourage each other.
Many people notice and are surprised we don’t use mechanical instruments in our worship when they visit. Instruments are so common in other churches today that we do stand out for being different. Many churches have gone well beyond even the relatively simple accompaniment of an organ to full rock bands and performances that leave most of the church as just spectators in the worship instead of participants, teaching and admonishing each other in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Though we might be entertained by other forms of worship, we must continue seeking to follow His word without addition or subtraction (Deut 4:2). He has specified how He is to be praised in the New Testament and with our voices we will gladly sing praises to His name.
