Comments From Others - Can musical instruments be used in Church services?

COMMENT#2:

How can you say that a musical instrument is wrong "because there is no authority in the New Testament"? Do you have running water and a bathroom? How about electricity? (Did you find authority in the New Testament for these?) I can also guess that you probably have a kitchen in your building that you meet in. It is being a hypocrit to decide that an organ is wrong...but electricity, plumbing and the likes are right....I am not trying to judge you...only point out some facts that you may not have thought about.

For someone to say they do not add nor do they take away from the bible is the ultimate plan when we study. However, the bible is silent in many areas and sometimes common sense must be used.

CLARIFICATION#2:

Hi It's very commending that you care enough about the truth to question what you hear or read. The bible tells us we must be taught, but we must then examine what we hear against the written word. I truly believe the biggest error made by man is to take what someone has taught as fact without verifying the truth. I have tried to give scriptures for all my comments so that the teaching would be from God's mind and not my own mine.

I appreciate your response to our FAQ "Can musical instruments be used in Church services?" 

Your comment: "Do you have running water and a bathroom? How about electricity? (Did you find authority in the New Testament for these?)

We find authority in the bible through examples and commandments given to us. Lets see what we can find in the bible to answer your comment.

Acts 20: 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Here we find where lights were used. However I don't think we would have to have many lights or even any lights because the lights were not being used in worshiping God. The biggest different between running water and electricity and instrumental music is this. Running water and electricity are required by local law in order to have a building. The New Testament plainly said to abide by local laws unless it goes against Gods law.

Matthew 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

I Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;

Instrumental music is not required by law nor by God. Instrumental music was introduced around 700 AD to add human enjoyment while parsing our Lord. American Encyclopedia, Volume 12, p. 688

New Testament Scriptures authorize singing and making melody in our heart only. The command to sing is specific and excludes all other kinds of music.

(1) God commanded Noah to build the ark of gopher wood. By specifying "Gopher" God eliminated all other kinds of wood (Gen. 6:14).

(2) God's command to sing excludes any other kind of music. There are only two kinds of music, vocal and instrumental. God has specified vocal.

Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Romans 15: 9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

1 Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves 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 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

James 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.

Your comment: "I can also guess that you probably have a kitchen in your building that you meet in."

No, we do not have a kitchen in our building. We do not have the authority to put one in. To put a kitchen in our building would lead one to think you could eat a common meal in the building.

1 Corinthians 11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

1 Corinthians 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Adding a kitchen would violate the authority that we do have to purchase a building, which is to fulfill the commandment to meet on the first day of the week to break bread (Lord's Supper).

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

Please read the FAQ "Is it ok to eat in the Church building, fellowship hall, multi-purpose room or any room purchased with offering money?"

This will explain how we obtain authority to have a building and what we can and can not do in a building purchased with the money collected on the first day of the week.

Your comment: The bible is silent in many areas.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Does this verse say except where the bible is silent?

James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Would the law be perfect if we had to add our own way to worship?

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Do you think God would make this strong of statement and yet leave holes in the law for us to fill in?

2 John 9: Whosoever TRANSGRESSES, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Strongs Greek - Meaning of TRANSGRESSES Greek 3845 parabainw parabaino par-ab-ah' -ee-no to overstep, neglect, violate, transgress Dictionary.com - Meaning of TRANSGRESSES To go beyond or over (a limit or boundary); exceed or overstep:

In other words don't add to the bible.

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that hearth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Don't add to the bible.

Here is an examples of how we respect the silence of the scriptures, "Mom sends me to the store to buy milk & eggs. I come home with milk, eggs, and candy. You did not tell me not to buy candy, I did not have to because I specifically told you to buy milk & eggs." When God specifies a thing like singing there is no need for Him to say, "Now do not use the instruments.

God went to the trouble to command the Jews in the Old Testament to use instrumental music, the type of instruments to use and who were to play them.

2 Chronicles 29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

Don't you think if He wanted sound to be used in the New Testament that he would have specified what types of instruments to use. Actually He did tell us what instrument to use to make sound.

Dictionary.com - Meaning of Melody A pleasing succession or arrangement of sounds.

Ephesians 5:19 --- making melody in your heart to the Lord;

This is the instrument God has authorized "your heart". How do you know God likes organs or pianos? These were not his instruments of choice in the Old Testament when he did command to play.

Your comment: "sometimes common sense must be used."

1 Corinthians 1:20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

This verse tells us how smart the world's common sense is. This is why I don't give you my own wisdom about what we are to do or even to answer your question with my words. I have given you book chapter and verse to your comments so that they are from God and not me.

Thank you for your comments.

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