[Biblemat] A) QUESTION AND ANSWER

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  A very good Friday morn-
ing to each and everyone.  May God bless you and yours.  Here
is a question and answer from my ancient files:

QUESTION AND ANSWER

QUESTION: -- I have been a member of the church of Christ
                       for many years now, and am wondering more
                       more why the church does not use instrument-
                       al music in the worship services?  They are 
                        found in Psalm 150 you know.

ANSWER: -- The beginning of this question is a sad comment-
                     ary on the church today.  First, that one would 
be in the church for years and not hear teaching from God's
Word on this subject.  Second, that one would wonder about
this for years and not be able to find someone who could 
Scripturally answer question.  Third, it is sad that one would
be in the church for many years and not learn the difference
between the Old Testament Law and the New Testament Law.

     The simplest explanation as to why instruments of music
are not used in the worship of the church is this: "They are
not authorized in New Testament worship."  You see, the
question is this:  "Does God want what He has authorized in
worship, or is man free to invent unto himself the elements
he will use in his worship?"  There can be no doubt that God
has always accepted only what He Himself has authorized in
the worship offered to Him.  Nadab and Abihu offered "Strange fire before the 
Lord, which He commanded them not" (Lev. 10:1), and God destroyed them then 
and there on
the spot for it.  God would not allow them to offer what THEY
wanted; He required what HE commanded.  Has that principle
changed?  When God commanded Noah to build an ark of
gopherwood, would Noah have pleased God by mixing in some pine or oak or 
cypress?  Would God accept our worship in the Lord's Supper if we added hamburger 
and Coke?

     Speaking of Psalm 150, it does speak of mechanical instru-
ments in the worship: "Praise Him with sound of trumpet; 
praise Him with psaltery and harp.  Praise Him with timbrel
and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise Him upon the loud cymbals" (vss. 3-5).  But may I
remind you that this is in the Old Testament laws that govern-
ed the Jews only and governed their lives until the Christ should come.  What 
was written in the Old Testament, con-
cerning the worship of the Jews, was written for our learning
and example of God's dealing with his chosen people, the 
Jews, to guide them until Christ should come and fulfill the
need for such laws.  Remember, that Christ said He did not
come to destroy the Law of Moses, given to guide the Jews
until the Seed should come, but that He came to fulfill it.  To
fill the purpose of it in the first place.  We are told that it was
given to the Jews, and to them only, because of transgress-
ion UNTIL the Seed, Christ, should come.  (note: (1 Cor. 10:11
Rom. 15:4,etc.).  These Old Testament Laws of Worship do
not govern our lives that live under the New Testament Laws
of Worship.  For instance, they were commanded to offer up
meat and grain offerings on a regular basis in their worship.
Our governing laws are found in the New Testament, not in
the Old:  "For this cause He is the Mediator of the New Testa-
ment...For a testament is of force after men are dead" (Heb.
9:15-17).  Christ removed the Old Testament, "nailing it to His
cross" (Col. 2:14).  As is explained in Heb. 7:12; 10:9, "The
priesthood being changed, there was made of necessity a
change also of the law...He taketh away the first, that He may
establish the second."  We today, live under the second not
the first.  The New Testament, not the Old.  So, to authorize
mechanical instruments from the Old Law would also author-
ize and require all the other elements of worship required by
the Old Law, such as, animal sacrifices, incense burning, sabbath keeping, 
tithing, etc.  We live, and worship accord-
ing to the teaching found in the New Testament not the Old.

     There is no authority from the New Testament to use mechanical 
instruments of music in the worship of God today, any more than there is to offer 
animal sacrifices.  If
one item of the Old Law is held on to, all must be held on to
as well.  One cannot pick and choose what he desires to use
from the Old Testament in the worship, any more than he can
pick and choose what is required in the New Testament in
carrying out the worship of God.  He must accept and pract-
ice every element required or he doesn't accept any of it.

     The New Testament requires singing on the Christian's 
part, every Christian, not just an appointed few, in their wor-
ship to God.  Note: Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16 and several other 
passages that authorize "singing and making melody with
the HEART."  But no passage authorizes using mechanical
instruments of music in the worship of God today.  It seems
that this ought to settle this question.  But many are not sat-
isfied with that and they say: "Well, it doesn't say NOT TO
use mechanical instruments of music in so many words."
But, we refer you back to the second paragraph to show you
that God only accepts what He Himself has authorized in His
word.  He does not have to say: "Thou Shalt Not" in so many
words, all He has to do is tell us "What To Do" and that should eleminate all 
other items in worship.  He told Noah to
build the ark out of gopherwood, He did not have to say "thou
shalt not use pine, oak or cypress."  God has not authorized
Christians to worship Him with the use of mechanical instru-
ments of music.  He has only authorized singing without the 
accompaning mechanical instrument.  ----- An adaptation of
an article by Clem Thurman in Gospel Minutes, Vol. 30, No. 
32, August 7, 1981.   </HTML>
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