Why do Church of Christ members believe that musical instruments shouldn't be used in their services?

Answer 1

Christ says he has "all authority" and the disciples were to teach the things He had commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) Nowhere 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 have SINGING as the type of music.

To use another type of music cannot be done from authority found in the New Testament because the New Testament nowhere authorizes its use. The authority to use instruments in the Christian church therefore does not come from God. If used, instruments must be authorized by men. If we follow a man's authority (teaching), does Christ still have "all authority" in our religious lives? Most is not the same as “all”!

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 (doctrine) of men rather than God. Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men makes worship “vain”, or useless in God’s eyes! (Matt. 15:9) Why not be satisfied to worship in the way God's word has authorized? “We ought to obey God rather than men”! (Acts 5:29)

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 Luther. 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?

The question should not be why we don't have instruments, after all the early church did not have them, but the question should be why do others insist on adding something that is not authorized. (See Leviticus 10:1-2 for an example of God's reaction to unauthorized worship.)

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 all of the other Old Testament commands. 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 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.
We should not add to or take away from God’s word. We should worship as he instructs! The New Testament does not instruct the use of a mechanical instrument in worship, so the church of Christ has no authority from the Bible to add it.

Yes it would seem that at times, the God at least tolerated instruments in the Old Testament, but we now have a new covenant, the New Testament.

Also by the end of the Old Testament, God’s word says, “Woe to you… Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, and invent for yourselves musical instruments like David” (Amos 6:3-5)

Does this sound like God now wants instruments?

Answer 2

Church Of Christ Instruments

Answer 3

There are some passages in the NT that say that we should make melody in our hearts during worship and singing. Also, the early church never used musical instruments until the 600s AD. Early Christian writers mentioned that the use of instruments like the panpipes, timbrel, tambourine etc are 'pagan' and 'appeal to the desires of the flesh' that is why the early church did'nt use them. Another reason given also is that if people use instruments they will focus more on the tune and the people playing the instruments rather than on the lyrics of the hymns they're singing. Without instruments there is more focus on the lyrics and people can reflect on the meaning of the words they're singing. That's why the Churches of Christ don't use musical instruments.

Answer 4

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RE:
Why do Church of Christ members believe that musical instruments shouldn't be used in their services?

Answer 5

Church Of Christ Music

Answer 6

Got me. They are going completely against scripture. There were hundreds of musicians assigned for worship at the temple, and Psalms basically command us to praise God with loud worship on musical instruments.

Even the prophets used them...
1 Samuel 10:5
...you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.

To not use instruments just because the heathen used them is rather a silly reason. After all, the heathen also have been known to read the Bible. Should we stop reading the Bible just because the heathen read it? Ludicrous thinking.

1 Chronicles 15:16
Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps, and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy.

Answer 7

It is a way to control their "cult" along with a few other nutty ideas. They claim to be nondenominational but they are actually as denominational as they can be. Ask a member when their church was founded and their answer will be that it was founded by Christ instead of the real truth.

Answer 8

No way will I ever worship God with a musical instrument. There were even prominent members of the baptist, lutheran, methodist and so forth that stated that they would never use a musical instrument to worship God. I will worship God with only my heart and tongue (internal, physical instruments made by God), not musical instruments (external, man made instruments provided by man, not God).

Answer 9

Because they say the bible says to "sing praises' to God, and doesn't mention playing instruments even though David was known to have played instruments, they believe the NT doesn't call for it.....

Answer 10

They say that there is a scripture in the Bible that says we are not to use instruments, yet I haven't found it yet, I only find scriptures in favor of instruments.

Answer 11

It is called DOGMA and all religions have some yet IT really has nothing to do with God or any of His laws. Man feels so great to dictate law upon other men for the sake of control!