Using Mechanical Instruments In Worship To God

Should Mechanical Instruments of Music Be Used In Church Services?

F. Henry McKinney

Music produced by mechanical instruments captures the hearts and the interest of the world at large. The multi-billion-dollar business of writing music and performing musical numbers remains one of the most sought after commodities in the entire International World. Musical accompaniment is used to enhance the vocal work of the world’s most celebrated stars in the entertainment business. Most everyone has enjoyed the soothing benefits of music to worn and fragile nerves. And, generally speaking, mechanical music has brought countless hours of enjoyment to everyone. However, the question about the use of mechanical instruments in worship services of the church is an “issue” that must be addressed by examining the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ for His churches.

Arguments for the use of mechanical instruments of music in church worship are numerous and notably popular everywhere. These arguments support the wishes of most people and include opinions, preferences, and a strong desire to be entertained during church worship by the soothing and inspiring talents of others. [See John 12:43] The most important consideration, however, is examining the instructions given in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and observing what Churches of Christ practiced back in New Testament days. But, before we look at God’s Word revealed in the New Testament, please observe two interesting facts concerning the Law of Moses, namely 613 laws intended for both the church and the state. Civil Law and Religious Law were governed by the same standard, namely, the Law of Moses for Israel. And during these prolonged days, observe that: For all the regal formalities and professional talents utilized by Heman, Asaph, Chenaniah and the entire 288 music masters and performers of King David’s days, that the pomp and regal glory led to no discernable enhancement of faithfulness among God’s people. Whether looking at Israel in the wilderness, Israel in the days of the Judges, Israel in the days of the Kings, their public worship before God was, generally speaking, contaminated with a lack of faith, self glorification, a lack of obedience, spiritually polluted lives, and hypocritical associations with idols and their respective heathen rites. [1 Chr. 15:16-27 & 25:1, 2 and 7]

In the Christian Age, notice some major differences. The church and the state are separate entities and the governing laws pertaining to each are not always in agreement. The commandments from the Lord recorded in the doctrine of Christ are directed to the churches and to the disciples of Christ. The laws of the land are left up to the wisdom of men and the voice of the people. But the laws of God through the Lord Jesus, ratified by His Last Will and Testament, are NOT established by the wisdom of men, but rather by the mind of God, Himself! History bears out the truth of this axiom. During New Testament days, and thereafter, for several hundred years, churches did NOT use mechanical instruments during their worship services, but they all used mechanical instruments as a part of civil proceedings, whether it was to honor heroes, greet foreign dignitaries, entertain royal kings on their thrones or to announce those who wished to present themselves before kings and queens. Furthermore, the doctrine of Christ commands only the use of human voices to worship God. In the nature of a remarkable change, under Jesus Christ, public worship is set forth to be a humbling experience that requires only the use of the instruments provided by God, Himself, namely, the human voice. In the former days of David, the strings to be plucked, were the strings of man made stringed instruments. But in Christ Jesus, the only strings to be plucked in the worship of the church were the strings of the heart, making melody in the heart to the Lord. [Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16.] No musical instruments were used in the Garden of Gethsemane; the apostles merely sang a hymn with Jesus. The wisdom of God did not see fit to return to the regal pomp and formalities permitted under the rules of Moses’ house. And we must respect all of the “But I say unto you” commands, examples and necessary inferences a part of the gospel of Christ. The law of marriage and divorce under Jesus Christ does not include what was allowed under Moses, because of the hardness of hearts among God’s people. There are many changes: the priesthood, the tribe from which the high-priest has come, the discontinuance of blood sacrifices, and we are no longer required to observe the Passover in Jerusalem, etc., etc., etc. Christians are not bound to the rules and procedures of Moses, but rather the rules and practices set forth by the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Testator, died for us, and it is His will and testament that is now binding upon God’s People.

There are ONLY two reasons for objecting to “anything” in matters of religion:

· If God forbids a thing, we must, necessarily, object to it, as well.

· If God has “not” permitted a thing by either specific authority, or by generic authority, we must, necessarily, object to it.

These terms must be employed to rightly divide God’s Word and understand His directives. Otherwise, the Bible would have to be a book so large and encompassing that: no one man could lift it, no one man could ever live long enough to read it all, and no living person could ever conclude what the will of God actually is. God did not elect to itemize every possible sin. In Gal. 5:19-21, God includes the phrase, “and such like.” God did not elect to tell us everything that could be said about Jesus. [John 20:30-31 and 21: 25.] God has not itemized every single thing that is right, or wrong. And, had He done so, it would not be necessary to “study” God’s Word. It would simply be a matter of using a check off list, if only a person could live long enough to read such an exhaustive catalog of sins. Therefore, God has given us specific authority and generic authority. Specific authority permits us to do certain things that God has approved by name. Generic authority permits us to do things that are NOT specifically named, item by item, but allows us liberty, by discernment, to do those things which come under, and within, the realm of that subject matter. Either specific or generic authority determines everything that is acceptable, or unacceptable to God.

Finally, someone argues, “Where does the Bible (gospel of Christ) tells us NOT to use instrumental music for church worship?” And the answer is mutually agreed upon: “NO WHERE!” The objection must then be based on the second point named above. God has NOT permitted the use of instrumental music in public worship by either specific or generic authority. God speaks to us through His Son, the Lord Jesus. The doctrine of Christ authorizes vocal music only. The instructions are consistently the same in the New Testament. Singing and Playing is not one and the same thing. An instrument can play, but it cannot sing! We cannot expect, and ask, instruments to “sing” for us. God elected, by His choice, to limit church music to the blending of human voices. When man made mechanical instruments of music are added to vocal music, it becomes increasingly difficult to hear and understand each word of praise and exhortation. And, contrary and distinguishable from the Law of Moses, authorized church music focuses on “teaching” one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs; and these musical admonitions must be heard and understood in order to please God! God did not think that it was in the best interest of the churches to include talent shows, public entertainment, pomp and circumstance, professional performances, masters of music programs, etc., etc., etc. The worship authorized in the name of Jesus Christ for His churches is limited to simplistic praises rendered by human voices. Such a humble form of music is adequately capable of pleasing God and fully able to teach one another through the singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. We are not instructed to entertain one another and/or to sing in the place of one another. We are all instructed to sing, the best that we can; and the end result might be a far cry short of what pleases the ears of men! But this simplistic and humble procedure is exactly what pleases God’s ears. And the great issue, today, is the same as it was during the days of the Roman Empire when the people shouted, “Vox Populi, Vox Dei.” Namely, “the voice of the people is the voice of God.” They were wrong, then! And it is just as wrong, today! Let the people, all people, put their hands over their mouths and let God speak through His inspired Word. The voice of the people is NOT the voice of God! [Jer. 10:23; Gal. 1:6-8; 1 Cor. 4:6; 1 Pet. 4:11; 2 Jn. Vs. 9; Isa. 55: 8,9 & 11; Heb. 1:1 & 2, 2:12, 3:1-6.]