081207A

1

• 081207A

2
Ephesians 44-6
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called in one hope of your calling one
Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father
of all, who is above all, and through all, and in
you all.
3
The Unity of the Spirit

• Undenominational (One Body)
• Living by the Word (One Spirit)
• Spiritual Kingdom (One Hope)
• Authority of Word (One Lord)
• Absolute Truth (One Faith)
• True Salvation (One Baptism)
• True Worship (One God Father)

4
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Most denominations play instruments of music in
their worship services (organs, pianos, harps,
even bands or orchestras).
5
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Why dont we use musical instruments in our
  worship to God?
• NOT BECAUSE
• We dont like it
• We cant afford it
• Weve never had it

6
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
TWO KEY BIBLICAL PRIORITIES The Priority of
Offering Worship to God that is Acceptable to
Him (Lawful, by His Authority). The Priority of
Preserving Unity Among Gods People.
7
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Do the NT Scriptures teach us to praise God with
musical instruments, or do they teach us to
simply sing (vocal music)?
8
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Matthew 2630 Mark 1426 Acts 1625 Romans
159 1 Cor. 1415 Ephesians 518-20 Colossians
316 Hebrews 212 1315 James 513
What Has God Said?
9
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Not even one time do the New Testament scriptures
indicate, either by command or example or
implication, that God wants us to use musical
instruments in worship to Him.
10
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Ephesians 519 be filled with the
Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks
always for all things to God the Father
Our Lord SPECIFIED the instruments of music He
wanted His church to use in worship to Him The
human voice and the human heart.
11
Acceptable Worship
Testimony of History

• New Testament Christians sang but DID NOT use
  mechanical instruments in their worship
  assemblies.
• For nearly1,000 years after the death of Christ,
  Christians worshipped God without the use of
  mechanical instruments.
• Music in the assembly came to be known as
  acappella music, that is, music according to
  the chapel music using only the human voice in
  praise of God.
• From the 1500s until the mid-1800s, Protestant
  churches DID NOT play instruments of music in
  worship to God.

12
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
1 Theyre just Aids or Expedients.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
13
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
BIG DIFFERENCE between Aid Addition An AID
helps without changing An ADDITION changes /
substitutes
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
14
Command Aid Addition
Pine,Hickory
Hammer,Saw
Gopher Wood
Lamb,Milk
Trays, Cups
Bread Fruit of the Vine
Play an Instrument
Song books, PowerPoint, 4-Parts
Sing
15
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
2 God didnt say we couldnt use them.
16
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
The question is not Where did God exclude, but
Where did God INCLUDE instrumental music?
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
17
Respecting Gods Authority

• When God SPECIFIES what He wants, it
  automatically makes anything ELSE in the same
  category WRONG, i.e., SIN, INIQUITY, LAWLESSNESS.
• VIOLATION OF THIS IS CALLED ADDING TO OR
  GOING BEYOND GODS WORDProv. 306 2 John 19

18
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
3 They were used in the worship of the Jews in
the Old Testament. If God was pleased then, He
will be pleased now.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
19
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Are we authorized to
• offer animal sacrifices?
• burn incense?
• observe the Sabbath Day?
• wear priestly garments?
• enforce tithing?

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
20
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
We live under the New Covenant Col. 214-17
Heb. 109-10 Old Law has been replaced by the
Gospel of Christ.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
21
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
4 - The Greek word psallo in Eph. 519 means
singing AND playing.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
22
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
23
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
One hundred and forty-eight scholars who
translated the King James Version and American
Standard Version have said with one voice that
psallo in the New Testament means sing, not
sing and play.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
24
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Psallo
• Originally meant to touch, feel, or pluck
  anything then to pluck a harp.
• Then to sing psalms, with or without the
  accompaniment of the harp.
• In NT times to sing a hymn, to celebrate the
  praises of God in song (Thayer) to sing a
  hymn, sing praise (Vine).
• Compare the word gay today to its use prior to
  the mid-1900's.

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
25
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Psallo
• Lyric originally meant that which pertained to
  a lyre, a musical instrument like a harp. But
  today the lyrics are the words of a song, which
  cannot possibly be played on any instrument. The
  word changed meaning due to its usage. Originally
  it referred to an instrument, but now it refers
  to vocal music and has nothing to do with
  instruments.

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
26
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Even if psallo did include the idea of plucking
in New Testament days (it didnt), the instrument
to pluck is specified by the Lord Eph. 519
making melody with the heart
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
27
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Surely if PSALLO/PSALMOS in the New Testament
included musical instruments, the early church
would have so understood and would have used
instruments. But history unanimously tells us
they did not. Why not, if these words include
their use?
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
28
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
5 - Harps are portrayed in the worship of God
in heaven. Revelation 58
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
29
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Revelation is a book of symbols based on OT
  imagery.
• Does heaven actually contain golden bowls of
  incense?
• a Lamb with 7 horns and eyes? palm branches? a
  red dragon? a river of blood? HARPS?

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
30
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
If the book of Revelation authorizes instrumental
music in worship for Christians, then it
authorizes all of the Old Testament worship
practices for Christians.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
31
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
6 God gave us our musical talents we should
use them to glorify God.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
32
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• What about others with talents?
• Basketball in worship
• Art in worship
• Cooking in worship
• Woodworking in worship

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
33
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
7 It makes the singing more beautiful.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
34
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Beautiful for whom?
• What is beautiful to God?
• Beautiful sound?
• Beautiful heart?
• Worship is not to be judged by how much man is
  pleased. 2 Cor. 59

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
35
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
8 We use them in the home so we can use
them in the church!
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
36
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
In the home we can do many things that would
not be right to do in the worship of the
church! 1 Cor. 1133-34
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
37
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Question If God does not authorize musical
instruments in worship, what gives us faith to
believe that playing or listening to so-called
Christian music outside the assembly is
pleasing to God?
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
38
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
9 We can bring in a bigger crowd people
like this kind of music.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
39
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Could do many things to get a bigger crowd.
• Give away money
• Give away a new car
• John 626
• Our purpose is to please God, not get a crowd.

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
40
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Aids or Expedients?
• God didnt say No?
• Used in OT worship?
• Psallo singing AND playing?
• Harps in heaven?
• Talents glorify God?
• More beautiful singing?
• Use in home use in church?
• Bigger crowd?

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
41
Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Everyone agrees that the NT authorizes SINGING.
Will we PLAY and HOPE that God will accept our
worship? Isa. 558-9 Prov. 1412 Matt.
721 Will we cause divisions among brethren?
Psa. 1331 Prov. 619
42
Will You Become A Christian?
Hear the Gospel (Rom. 1017) Believe that Jesus
is the Son of God (Mk. 1616) Repent of Your Sins
(Acts 1730) Confess Jesus as Lord (Rom.
109-10) Be Baptized for Forgiveness of Sins
(Acts 238) Live Faithfully until You Die (Rev.
210)