Is (instrumental) music acceptable in Christ's church?

Question

Ephesians 5:19 (KJ21, 21st Century King James Version)
19speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

Colossians 3:16 (KJ21, 21st Century King James Version)
16Let 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.

I already have an opinion on this, I want to hear y'alls.

We live under the New Testament. Jesus nailed the Old Law (Old Testament) to the Cross.

Galatians 3:23-29 (KJ21, 21st Century King James Version)
23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, being shut apart from the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But after faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; 29And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Answer 1

Christ says he has "all authority" and the disciples were to teach the things He had commanded.(Matthew 28:18-20) No where in the New Testament did the apostles teach or show an example of the use of instrumental music in worship of the church.

ALL of the verses in the New Testament that talk about music in the church the music is singing. To use another type of music can not be done from authority found in the New Testament because the New Testament no where authorizes its use. The authority to use instruments in the Christian church therefore does not come from God. If used it must be authorized by men. If we follow a man's authority (teaching), does Christ have "all authority"?

One of the verses that teaches about music is Col. 3:16. This verse specifically tells us to sing. The very next verse (verse 17) says, "Whatever you do in word or deed, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS." "In the name of" means by the authority of, or according to the instructions. Jesus and the apostles did not authorize the use of mechanical instruments in the New Testament church. You cannot play an instrument by the authority, according to the instructions of, or in the name of Christ because he did not instruct it. The New Testament did specify "singing" as the type of music we are to use in worship.

To do anything else is to follow the commandments of men rather than God. Such makes worship vain. (Matt. 15:9)

Why not be satisfied to worship in the way God's word has authorized?

When God told Noah to use "gopher wood", other types of wood were excluded. When Naaman was told to dip in the Jordan River, he knew other rivers were excluded (2 Kings 5). God has been specific about the music in the church, singing. Why add to his word?

Interesting, many of the founding fathers of denominations that now use instruments were opposed to their introduction. Among those against instrumental music were John Wesley, Adam Clark, John Calvin, and Martin Luthur.

So one should not question why we don't use them, the question should be "By what authority do you add them to your worship"? Why not be satisfied to simply worship as God's word instructs?

Some point out that David used instruments. As for David’s harp, He lived under the Law of Moses (Old Testament). We are now under the Law of Christ (New Testament).

If you bind one part of the Old Law today, you are subject to keep the whole law. In Galatians 5:3, some were trying to bind circumcision, an Old Testament commandment. Paul said if they bound this one item, they were “debtor to keep the whole law”. In James 2:10, if you keep the whole law, but miss one point, you are guilty of all.

If you try to bring over authority for David’s harp from the Old Testament, you must with the same authority bring over all of the animal sacrifices, feasts, Passover, the Sabbath day observance, yearly trips to Jerusalem, and the allowance of polygamy. We must keep the whole law if we keep any part.

If we try to justify ourselves by the Law of Moses, we have “fallen from grace!” (Galatians 5:4)

God is not worshiped with men's hands (Acts 17:25) but with the heart. This verse talks about God not living in a temple made with hands, but it also applies this to hand-made worship, yet many say they worship on an instrument that was made with hands and played with the hands. The instrument God wants is our heart. Ephesians 5:19 that you referenced instructs us to make melody in the heart.

These verses also say the purpose of music in worship is to speak and teach. An instrument cannot do this. In fact, it is more difficult to speak where there is background noise, therefore an instrument may interfere with these scriptural purposes of music in worship.

Answer 2

I've had more that a few discussion on this very subject with my church of Christ brother.
I think they have misinterpreted the melody in the heart passage. To me this means like walk with a song in your step. Who was it in the old test, Solomon (I think) who rebuilt the temple and had men play horns in praise to the lord as worship? and Colossians 3:16 does not say anything about musical instruments. I personally think this no instruments is just plain silly. I belong to the Christian church. And IF I'm wrong I have a feeling that this is way low on God's list of what he cares about!

Answer 3

"Praise Him with trumpet sound;
Praise Him with harp and lyre.
Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with resounding cymbals"
(Psalm 150:3-5)
"For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope"
(Romans 15:4)
"And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song..." (Revelation 5:8,9)

Answer 4

I grew up in a church that had two different kinds of congregations, the instrumental kind and the non instrumental kind, I belonged to the latter. The non instrumental kind said that Pianos and Organs were not mentioned in the bible so we should not use them in our churches. But in Psalms, and in other parts of the bible it talks about praising God with all kinds of instruments (harps, lutes, cymbals, drums, etc.) so I think God wants us to use not only our hearts and minds and voices but anything we can to praise His name =). Make a joyful noise unto the Lord =).

Answer 5

Sing (Eph.:19, Col.3:16) is used to point vocal music purely; although in line with scripture (Psalms 100 and forty four:9) it includes insturmental music. The scriptural O.T. is the regulation of Moses, no longer Genesis-Malachi; even though it truly is yet another component.

Answer 6

What does "acceptable" mean? There is no chance all professing Christians will ever agree on this issue, though some 80-90% find the usage "acceptable." The rest will quote scripture and claim to be the only ones who understand it.

Answer 7

God gave us music, gave us talent to play and hearts to appreciate music of all sorts. Why in the world would the creator of all things not want us to use instruments that he gave us to brains to create and play? Why would you ask such an inane question? God is not petty. Yes, of course use instruments in worship.

Answer 8

Who do you think created music?

Answer 9

Yep,I think it's acceptable.God created us with the capacity to create and enjoy music.If he didn't want us to use it,why did he give it to us?

Answer 10

If not, Bach's whole life would have been wasted.