Study of Denomintions 07/18/2010

A Study of Denominations
Cont. from last week

Instrumental Music

Argument: Early Christians met in the Temple (Acts 2:42-46), and we know that instrumental music was played in the Temple (Psalm 150, Ezra 3:10). Therefore, early Christians praised God with instruments.

Answer: While it is true that early Christians did meet in the Temple, a significant leap is required to establish that they used instruments in their praise to God. First of all, the Temple was a vast complex encompassing a large part of the city; it is unlikely that the sounds of instruments could be heard in every part of it. Furthermore, the presence of instruments in another part of the Temple does not mean that the early Christians were actively using them or working with them to praise God. This inference is not required from the account in Acts, and there is no good reason to believe that the Christians in Jerusalem used instruments in their praise to God.

Argument: Instruments are used in Revelation, so they are authorized.

Answer: The texts in question:

And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, ( Revelation 5:8 ),


And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God, ( Revelation 15:2 ).


Notwithstanding that no one is actually "playing" a harp in these texts, but merely holding them, we must recognize that the book of Revelation is full of figurative language. If we are to be consistent in literalizing the passage, the harps that would be held in the assembly must be held by beasts, or one must stand on a sea of glass mixed with fire. Who, however, would argue that such could be done? Instead, just as the incense in Revelation 5:8 represents the prayers of the saints, we can posit that the harps would represent the praise of the saints. The figurative language of the Revelation in no way authorizes any New Testament practice; even if the harps are used in Heaven, when did God make any comment on their usage here on Earth?

Retort: The examples in Revelation show that God obviously approves of instruments in these happy examples. You must show where God disapproves of instruments.

Answer: Does God show His approval of instruments using Revelation? In Revelation 8, we read of trumpets heralding eight events, of which five bring about death and destruction to the Earth. Now, the destruction will be just and right, but can any Christian who purports to love his fellow man say that the destruction is positive or happy? No real pronouncement as to the feelings of God toward instrumental music can be made because of the figurative nature of the language of Revelation, let alone the varying ways in which instruments are used. Otherwise, if figurative language can be used to justify a practice, should we plunder the strong man's house, as Jesus alludes to in Matthew 12:29 ? By no means! Therefore, let us keep figurative language exactly as it is-- figurative, understanding the spiritual message that is being proclaimed and not reading too much into the physical examples used to present them.

As for showing disapproval of instruments, where in the Scriptures do we see that God must show approval or disapproval of practices to make them right or wrong? We see in Matthew 19:7-8 that God allowed the Jews to divorce their wives, even though God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). God disapproved of the practice, yet it was allowed. Furthermore, do we read anywhere of God showing disapproval of observing the Sabbath proper under the Law of Moses? Only when the people were otherwise disobedient (cf. Isaiah 1:10-18 )! Yet we do not observe the Sabbath today, not because God disapproves of it, but because the covenant has changed, and the Sabbath rest is now our hope laid up in Heaven (Hebrews 4:1-11). Likewise, God does not need to explicitly disapprove of instrumental music for us to recognize that it comes without authority.
Other Considerations

Argument: We still fulfill the command, because we sing-- we just have an instrument accompanying the singing.

Answer: If you tell me to go to the store to get bread, and I get bread and a candy bar, did I fulfill your command?

I certainly did what you asked me to do, but I did more than that, and thus violated your commandment. The same goes for the instrument-- you may still be singing, but the singing is no longer akin to singing in the New Testament, for it is done with an addition concerning which He spoke nothing. We are to make melody with our heart, not with a piano.

Furthermore, the "addition" is hindering the God-given purpose for singing. In Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 we see that our singing is to represent speaking to, teaching, and admonishing one another. How do instruments assist in our "conversation" with one another? It adds nothing to the substance of the message; it only aids in production. Where in the Scriptures do we see that the focus of singing is on the production? God is more pleased with a joyful noise done to build up according to Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 than a perfect performance that does not lead to teaching and admonishment. Those who would emphasize instruments seem to put production over the message, and reverse God's established priorities!