The Church Jesus Established

Lesson 10 - Worshipping in Song

Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs in worship is an act of worship authorized by the New Testament.  Notice below how singing as an act of worship in the congregational setting is set forth in  Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16.

The Scriptures that mention how we are to worship God in song are as follows:

Matthew 26:30 - "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives."

Acts 16:25 - "At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God..."

Romans 15:9 - "I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name."

I Corinthians 14:15 - "I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding."

Ephesians 5:19 - "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."

Colossians 3:16 - "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.''

Hebrews 2: 12 - "In the midst of the congregation I will sing praise to You."

James 5:13 - "Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.''

The Kind of Music Specified in the New Testament

All who examine the Bible freely admit that instruments of music were used under the Old Covenant. We also know that under the Old Law their were such things as the burning of incense, animal sacrifices, special feast days, a Levitical priesthood, and a 7^th Day of the Week rest. Heb 1:1-2 reminds us, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things." As we saw in the passages at the top of the page, the only realm of music authorized by passages in the New Testament is "singing".

The Command To Sing Is Specific And Excludes All Other Kinds Of Music. If God had simply said, 'praise God with music', then any form of music would have been authorized. But the category to 'make music' is not found in the New Testament. The specific category to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is found. If one orders someone under his authority to buy a dozen oranges, what is authorized? Any kind of fruit? Or just oranges? God's command for Gopher wood in building the ark eliminated any other kind of wood (Gen. 6:14). God's command to Aaron to offer two he goats and a ram in the atonement sacrifices excludes other animals (Lev. 16). God's command for a priesthood of Levi eliminated a priest from any other tribe. (See Heb. 7:11-18). The law had to be changed before Christ, who was from from the tribe of Judah (not Levi), could be a lawful priest. God's command to sing excludes any other kind of music. There are only two kinds - vocal and instrumental. God specified vocal!

Note: Some have suggested that instrumental music is nothing more than an aid to singing, like songbooks. Let's remember that an aid is an expedient to fulfill obligation. Aids must not add to or take away from what is to be accomplished. For example, in the Lord's Supper an aid would be a plate on which to pass the bread. Someone could not add tomatoes to the Lord's supper, for we would all understand that that would be an addition which would  add a whole other type of element. Instrumental music is not an aid, because the Lord specified the type of music authorized in worship, the voice. Instrumental music adds a whole other kind of music into worship.

Secular sources such as The New Oxford History of Music tell us, "As we know from the apostolic and post-apostolic literature: instrumental music was thought unfit for religious services; the Christian sources are quite outspoken in their condemnation of instrumental performances" (Vol. 1, p. 135). Clearly, the New Testament references and the historical records point only to vocal music. But where did instrumental music come from?

The McClintock and Strong Bible Cyclopedia records, Pope Vitalian, in A.D. 660, was the first who introduced organs into churches…Students of ecclesiastical archaeology are generally agreed that instrumental music was not used in churches till a much later date. In fact, Thomas Aquinas, A.D. 1250, has these remarkable words: "Our church does not use musical instruments…to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize" (Vol. 8, p. 739).

Congregational Singing is Authorized

This is admitted by all. No one says that congregational singing is wrong. Reciprocal action is required in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16. "One another" in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 are reciprocal pronouns. Both Vine and Thayer, in their respective dictionaries and lexicons of New Testament Greek point out the reciprocal nature of heautou, the word translated "one another" or "each other": Vines: "used as a reciprocal pronoun, e.g., Eph. 5:19, RV, `one to another' (KJV, and RV marg., `to yourselves')". Thayer: "It is used frequently in the plural for the reciprocal pronoun allelon, allelois, allelous, reciprocally, mutually, one another: ... Col. 3:13,16". Reciprocal in grammar means "expressing mutual action or relation: as, each other is a reciprocal pronoun" (Webster's New World Dictionary Of The American Language).

Beyond the Scriptural argument, we must realize that Solos, Quartets, Choirs and other special singers are questionable in regard to what is expedient. Their potential for abuse and turning worship into entertainment to appeal to the fleshly side of man is a real problem.

The Manner in which Music is to be Rendered

•     "Unto God" (Acts 16:25; Rom. 15:9; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). It is not to please the fleshly tastes of men, but to please God. It is not entertainment, but worship.
• "With the heart" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). In other words, it must be done sincerely with one's mind in accord with the sentiment of the song sung.
  
• "With the understanding" (1 Cor. 14:15). We need to understand the words that we are singing.
  Understood by all. "Speaking one to another" (Eph. 5:19). "Teaching and admonishing" (Col. 3:16). The tune or melody cannot teach. Words teach. The words must be sung plainly enough for all to understand or else the purpose is lost.

The Kind of Songs to be Sung

"Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs".  `Psalms and hymns' appear to have been used interchangeably and not only convey the character in general but also that such compositions are to be `spiritual.' Such could scarcely be descriptive of the Star Spangled Banner or Yankee Doodle.

Questions:

1. If instrumental music was used in the Old Testament, why can't Christians use it?

2. Compare Jesus comments in Matthew 15:3-5 with what we know about the history of instrumental music.

3. How can we be sure that congregational singing is authorized?

4. Is it wrong to view worship as entertainment? Why?

 [ Introduction - The Pattern Concept]   [Lesson 1 - Defining The Church]  [Lesson 2 - Authority Over The Church]  
  [Lesson 3 - How Scripture Authorizes (Pt. 1)] [Lesson 4 - How Scripture Authorizes (Pt. 2)] [Lesson 5 - The Universal - The Local Church]
[Lesson 6 - Church Not A Denomination]    [Lesson 7 - Timeline -  Church's Establishment]    [Lesson 8 - Worship Christ Designed]
[Lesson 9 -Observing The Lord's Supper]  [Lesson 11 - Worshipping in Prayer]   [Lesson 12 - The All-Sufficient Church]  
  [Lesson 13 - Elders] [14 - Deacons ]  [Lesson 15 - Evangelists ]   [Lesson 16 - The Social Gospel]     
     [Lesson 17 -Benevolence-According to the Pattern]

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This page last updated: October 27, 1999