Reference: Psalms 150:1-6
Reading the above scriptures found in thebook of Psalms, it is very easily seen and understood that the use of musicalinstruments was certainly used in worship toward Almighty God during the timethat God dealt with the children of Israel. Now the question that must be askedis whether or not musical instruments are to be used in this dispensation oftime since Christ came and instituted a new covenant with man.
Now this is a subject that must be dealtwith simply because we have today many people that are teaching and proclaimingthat musical instruments are not to be used during a worship service. Thesepeople do not use any form of musical instruments in their church services andthe reason for this is said to be that the word of God nowhere in thescriptures of the New Testament teach that musical are to be used. The churchthat does not use musical instruments is called the Church of Christ.
They have a saying that says we should besilent where the Bible is silent and speak only where the Bible speaks. Nowwhat this simply means is that if the Bible does not teach a certain thing thenwe are not to make our own doctrine about any subject that the word of God doesnot back up. Now this is certainly very true, but there is a point concerningthis statement that nobody seems to be taking into consideration. This point isthat if the Bible does not teach a certain doctrine or subject, then we are notto take a stand on saying we can teach or go along with the opposite view.
Now since the Churches of Christ teachthat God's word does not say that musical instruments are to be used during aservice, then their saying that this means we are not to use them, this inreality doing exactly what they say we are not to do. If God's word does notteach that musical instruments can be used then it's easy to see that anybodywho teaches and makes it a practice not to use musical instruments is inreality making their own doctrine and teaching it when they say that musicalinstruments are not to be used.
To teach that musical instruments are notto be used then one absolutely must have scripture to back up that teaching orelse they would be saying exactly what the Bible does not say and teach. If theword of God does not teach that the use of musical instruments is allowedduring church worship, then taking a stand and teaching that we are not to use themis just as wrong as anyone who will teach the use of musical instruments if theword of God does not teach it.
Teaching the opposite view on what theBible does not say is not allowing the word of God to be true and every man aliar. We absolutely must have scripture to back up everything that we do inaccord with true worship toward God. Anybody who says and teaches that musicalinstruments are not to be used in Church based on the fact that they have beenled to believe that God's word does not state it, then that person is just asguilty as a person who teaches the very opposite. The Bible must be the prooffor or against the use of muscial instruments in worship service or else wewould be relying on our own understanding of which the word of God is against.We are not to rely on our own understanding. There is not one subject or matterthat the word of God cannot lead us to the truth about. If this is not truethen God himself would be the one responsible for confusion.
God is not the author ofconfusion....Satan is. Any preacher or Bible teacher who says that God's worddoes not contain sufficient proof about any certain subject is making himselfto be wiser than Almighty God.
Today's Church of Christ's teachingconcerning the subject of musical instruments is a subject that the Bible mostcertainly does not teach. The Bible does say something in reguards to musicalinstruments and their use in church. If this is not a true statement then Godwould be the author of confusion.
I challenge any Church of Christ preacheror any one of it's members to show me half of a scripture or less where itstates that musical instruments are not to be used in church. If the Bible doesnot state this why then do the Church of Christ teach it??
Now it's an easy fact to prove thatmusical instruments were used in Old Testament times when God dealt withIsrael. And it's also easy to see that musical instruments are used in heavenas so stated in Revelation 14:2. The harp referred to in this scripture is certainly amusical instrument. Does the Bible say or teach that musical instruments are tobe used in this dispensation of time since Christ came and brought grace andtruth?
The apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:16 thatwe are to "Let the wordof Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing oneanother in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in ourhearts to the Lord." Now the word"psalms" is referring to the book of Psalms. I say this simplybecause Paul referred to the book of Psalms in his epistle to to the Romans(chapter 15:9-12.) If we are not to refer to the book of Psalms why then didPaul refer to them in his epistle of Romans? You will also find the apostlePeter referring to many of the Old Testament scriptures when he was preachingto the people. Christ's coming to this earth bringing in the new covenant didaway with the law of Moses concerning obedience to God etc. How much confidencecould people have in the New Testament scriptures if they never had a knowledgeabout an Old Testament scriptures?
Since Paul tells us to teach one anotherin psalms, then please read Psalms 150 and also many others concerning worshipto God. Any person who is truly led of the Spirit of God will know how torightly divide the word of truth and not get tangled up in Old Testamentteaching concerning the law.
The apostle John tells us that "thelaw" was given by Moses. David and the rest of the prophets was notMoses. God did not give the law to David, but he certainly inspired himconcerning his many psalms.
The apostle Paul makes it quite clear whenhe tells us to study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needsnot to be ashamed being able to rightly divide the word of truth. A good studyof the scriptures will easily reveal what is good and right for today and whatis not.
The teaching of the Church of Christconcerning no musical instruments in church is based on an assumption and notthe facts. Doctrinal truth must be based on Biblical facts and not on anasssumption. Today's Pentecostal movements teach that tongues are the evidenceof the receiving of the Holy Ghost. This teaching is based on an assumption andnot the facts also. The Bible nowhere teaches that tongues are the initialevidence of the Holy Ghost, but yet they teach it to be. If they get the factsabout the tongues they would find out what their purpose was. Assuming thatmusical instruments are not to be used is not basing that doctrine on thefacts.