My opinion, when Christ-followers turn their use of music to actual praising of God, then music becomes worship. God inhabits the praise of His people.

I have to confess that I am fairly outspoken when it comes to the issue of whether or not the public worship of God should contain musical instruments.

On the command to “Praise YHWH upon the harp” in Psalm 33:2 Calvin notes:

It is evident that the Psalmist here expresses the vehement and ardent affection which the faithful ought to have in praising God, when he enjoins musical instruments to be employed for this purpose. He would have nothing omitted by believers which tends to animate the minds and feelings of men in singing God’s praises. The name of God, no doubt, can, properly speaking, be celebrated only by the articulate voice; but it is not without reason that David adds to this those aids by which believers were wont to stimulate themselves the more to this exercise; especially considering that he was speaking to God’s ancient people. There is a distinction, however, to be observed here, that we may not indiscriminately consider as applicable to ourselves, every thing which was formerly enjoined upon the Jews. I have no doubt that playing upon cymbals, touching the harp and the viol, and all that kind of music, which is so frequently mentioned in the Psalms, was a part of the education; that is to say, the puerile instruction of the law: I speak of the stated service of the temple. For even now, if believers choose to cheer themselves with musical instruments, they should, I think, make it their object not to dissever their cheerfulness from the praises of God. But when they frequent their sacred assemblies, musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law.

so you are saying that when instruments are in church that it isn’t worship?

I am saying that human beings do not have the authority to determine how God is to be worshipped. If God has not commanded us to use musical instruments then they should not be used. If they are, it is not true worship but rather ‘will worship’.

Musical instruments were tied to the ceremonial worship of the Old Covenant. When Christ died, the ceremonial worship was ended and God has nowhere commanded the Church to use musical instruments, therefore they should not be used.

This is the historic position of the Church.

Richard-

This isn’t really where I desired to have the conversation go, but sense you brought up this subject I’ll at least let it continue. As a “band director” it is my job to lead musical instruments in church as a form of worship, so obviously I take exception to what you are saying. I find your argument that instruments aren’t ok’ed in the New Testament to be a very weak one.

When you say it is the historical position of the church you must mean very historical. Instruments have been used in church for well over 150 years. Outside of instruments not being mentioned in the NT…why should we not use them in church? What about instruments makes them so they cannot worship God?

From the Calvin quote, he might as easily have eschewed the use of Old Testament readings as belonging to the “shadows of the law.” Besides, Calvin was commenting on Scripture, not writing it. He was also in favor of infant baptism (which I don’t want to raise as a discussion topic, but it lends perspective).

Nowhere in the Law was musical worship commanded. So how was it connected to the Old Covenant? It was something David instituted later, and I don’t recall reading any writings of the prophets condemning the practice. It was also included in the re-established Temple worship under Ezra, and again there was no prophetic condemnation of it. It was most certainly part of the Temple worship in which Jesus and the Apostles took part, and I don’t recall any mention of Jesus correcting the practice during the Sermon on the Mount.

Basically, the argument against music in New Covenant worship is the argument from silence. Not exactly ironclad.

Further, since Paul instructed the Colossians to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God,” it’s fair to extrapolate that this could include instruments (since the Psalms call for instruments in several places).

Overall, I think Colossians 3:17 says it pretty well: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Tyler, to answer your actual question, I think there are many things that contribute to this…some might include:

1)Obviously it is the attitude of the heart that determines whether or not music is worship. If a drummer plays unto the Lord to praise Him, that is worship. Worship is a posture of the heart, not a series of notes. Our intention and desire make it worshipful, if that makes sense. Music is worshipful when we are worshiping God using it. That is a basic answer.

2) After being involved in leading worship for 22 years and observing many things – mainly about my own heart and growth and journey as a worshiper – I have come to my own conclusion that the chief end of worship is obedience. In other words, God is not praised if we are not obedient as a result. While worship is in fact all about God, the ultimate way to praise God is to obey Him. If we only sing, play and feel goosebumps, even if we believe we are focused on God, we are left untransformed. In worship we draw near to God, focusing on Him. As we do this we see Him more clearly. As a result we see ourselves more clearly. We repent, we see His heart, we desire to do His will. In worship we become more aligned with God.

3) Obviously – from my comments – I believe worship is about more than music and is a lifestyle. HOWEVER, I do believe that there is some great power in the act of worship. Without the lifestyle it is empty. But we cannot discount that God COMMANDS our worship with musical instruments and through song. There must be some reason for this. I have wondered if God ordained the seemingly “useless” (as in not accomplishing something concrete in the moment) act of worship for the benefit of bringing intimacy to our relationship with Him. Much like holding hands or kissing to show affection, or whispering endearments in an earthly relationship, worship gives us intimate times of love with our Savior – a command to simply BE with Him and ultimately DO out of the overflow of that. Perhaps that is one of the points.

Thanks for letting me ramble and preach a bit too!

Tyler & Seth,

In discussions such as these they can quickly grow into being too big to handle without writing a book. A good book to begin with is one by John L. Girardeau who was a Professor in Columbia Theological Seminary, South Carolina.

So can musical instruments be worship? Now this is very much a different question from whether musical instruments can be used in worship. So what does Scripture say? Well in Scripture we find there to be a distinction between elements, circumstances and forms of worship.

An element of worship is that which the worship of God actually consists of, or, that which constitutes worship, the substance of worship.

Circumstances of worship are those things needful to facilitate the worship of God and/or those things that are to accompany the worship of God but do not, in and of themselves, formally constitute worship. There are two types of circumstances, the first are regulated and the second are unregulated.

Regulated circumstances of worship are circumstances that are regulated by God and include the day upon which we are to worship God, the Lord’s day.

Unregulated circumstancs are therefore those that are not regulated by Scripture and include the time the services are held; the seating used; and, the building where the service is held.

A form of worship is simply the means by which the elements are ordered within a service.

The question, “Can musical instruments be worship?” is really asking whether musical instruments are elements of worship, are musical instruments that which the worship of God actually consists of. Well Scripture is pretty clear on what the elements of worship are and the Westminster Confession of Faith summs up the biblical teaching well:

Prayer, with thanksgiving, being one special part of religious worship (Philippians 4:6), is by God required of all men (Psalm 65:2): and that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of the Son (John 14:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:5), by the help of His Spirit (Romans 8:26), according to His will (1 John 5:14), with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith, love, and perseverance (Gen 18:27; Psa 47:7; Ecc 5:1, 2; Matt 6:12, 14, 15; Mark 11:24; Eph 6:18; Col 4:2; Heb 12:28; James 1:6, 7; 5:16); and, if vocal, in a known tongue (1 Cor 14:14).

The reading of the Scriptures with godly fear (Acts 15:21; Rev 1;3); the sound preaching (2 Timothy 4:2) and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence (Isa 66:2; Matt 13:19; Acts 10:33; Heb 4:2; James 1:22); singing of psalms with grace in the heart (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; James 5:13); as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God (Mat 28:19; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor 11:23-29)…

Scripture does not teach us that musical instruments are elements of worship. So how come musical instruments became to be used in the worship of God?

Looking at it historically, Adam did not use instruments for they were not invented until Genesis 4:21, “And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.” So worship in eden was instrument free. What then of later worship?

Well worship in the OT was pretty silent until David. There was no singing in the ordinary worship of God. Then under David we find a liturgical revolution, psalms were written, instruments made and choirs established. This was all ready for the temple.

My time is running out, but have a read of this:

2 Chronicles 29:25-30 “And he [Hezekiah] 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. And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of Israel. And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped. Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.”

In this text we find that musical instruments were used only “until the burnt offering was finished” then they ceased! Even in the OT instruments were tied to the ceremonial law. Musical instruments were commanded by God to be used in the Temple. They were only to be played by Levites.

To summarise; musical instruments entered the public worship of God by God’s command and not by human invention. They were only used in temple worship. The temple worship ceased in the NT for Christ is the fulfillment of the cereminial law. Therefore musical instruments have no place in the public worship of God.

In terms of the historicity of the position I take, it can be found articulated as early as 2 A.D.

Hope this is a little clearer.

Richard,

Thanks for the response. It’s interesting how much your position is grounded in church tradition, and it’s understandable given the fact that the New Testament doesn’t really dwell on the matter.

However, lest we think that every element of Temple worship was done away with, I’d like to point out that at the core of that worship was a meal of fellowship (eating the sacrifice). In the New Testament, we have that changed into the love feast of Communion. That at least sets a precedent for keeping part of the form of the OT worship (the obvious objection being that we have a clear institution of the practice).

In terms of the worship God authorizes, you may be right that instruments were not called for specifically. However, I hardly think he’s displeased when his servants offer their talents in praise of him, whether it be in a church service, or just someone offering his talents to God during his work day through his profession.

Hi Seth,

In regards to tradition; the issue for me is not that tradition determines what I do but rather the historic teaching of the Church has been that musical instruments, after the coming of Christ, have no place in worship. The historic teaching is firmly established upon exegesis. Hence you can look up the proof texts in the Westminster Confession of Faith. If you look at how God has been worshipped since Adam, the only period that instruments were used was from David to the exile and from the return under Ezra/Nehemiah to Christ.

In regards to temple worship; you are correct that a meal of fellowship took place and that the Lord’s supper is a meal of fellowship. However, it does not follow that we are allowed to keep parts of OT worship. The Lord’s supper is a commanded ordinance, it was instituted by Christ as was not a part of Temple worship. There is clear warrant for celebrating the Lord’s supper. There is no clear warrant for using musical instruments. Remember that only the harp, psaltery and cymbal could be played and only Levites could play them. Furthermore, they were only played during the period of the sacrifice.

In regards to you final paragraph; the clear testimony of Scripture is that “the acceptable way of worshipping the true God is instituted by Himself, and so limited to His own revealed will, that He may not be worshipped according to the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the holy Scripture”. See Exodus 20:4-6; Deuteronomy 4:15-20; 12:32; Matthew 4:9, 10; 15:9; Acts 17:25; and, Colossians 2:23.

Just look at the instance of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-3, “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.”

Calvin comments well in saying:

“A memorable circumstance is here recorded, from whence it appears how greatly God abominates all the sins whereby the purity of religion is corrupted. Apparently it was a light transgression to use strange fire for burning incense; and again their thoughtlessness would seem excusable, for certainly Nadab and Abihu did not wantonly or intentionally desire to pollute the sacred things, but, as is often the case in matters of novelty, when they were setting about them too eagerly, their precipitancy led them into error. The severity of the punishment, therefore, would not please those arrogant people, who do not hesitate superciliously to criticise God’s judgments; but if we reflect how holy a thing God’s worship is, the enormity of the punishment will by no means offend us. Besides, it was necessary that their religion should be sanctioned at its very commencement; for if God had suffered the sons of Aaron to transgress with impunity, they would have afterwards carelessly neglected the whole Law. This, therefore, was the reason of such great severity, that the priests should anxiously watch against all profanation. Their crime is specified, viz., that they offered incense in a different way from that which God had prescribed, and consequently, although they may have erred from ignorance, still they were convicted by God’s commandment of having negligently set about what was worthy of greater attention. The “strange fire” is distinguished from the sacred fire which was always burning upon the altar: not miraculously, as some pretend, but by the constant watchfulness of the priests. Now, God had forbidden any other fire to be used in the ordinances, in order to exclude all extraneous rites, and to shew His detestation of whatever might be derived from elsewhere. Let us learn, therefore, so to attend to God’s command as not to corrupt His worship by any strange inventions.”

If I may suggest a good book – “Worship: From Genesis to Revelation” by Rev. Doug Comin

I would love to actually hear some answers to Tyler’s question……..which is a worthy question to consider whether music is vocal or instrumental. This is a question about our hearts…….

[...] particularly liked what Tyler had to write about the topic: Often times we call music in church, worship. We have a genre of [...]

There are two different kinds of music: vocal and instrumental. God has spoken in the New Testament concerning the kind of music we must use if we expect to worship Him in spirit and in truth, and that is singing. Singing is the limit of God’s command. God nowhere in the New Testament authorized mechanical instruments of music to be used in worship of the church. A mechanical instrument of music cannot worship God. Only with our voices can we sing praises to God. God does not wish to be worshipped with a lifeless instrument.

People today may think that it makes no difference if they add mechanical instruments of music in worshipping God. In the Old Testament we have the example of Nadab and Abihu who were presumptuous in their thinking that it made no difference. In Leviticus 10:1-2 (NIV) we read, “Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to His command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them and they died before the Lord.”

In Leviticus 16:12-13 God commanded, “Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar” of burnt offering to burn the incense in the tabernacle. But Nadab and Abihu decided to do it their own way and get the coals of fire somewhere else. They offered unauthorized fire. They died a horrible death because they did something God did not authorize. They were presumptuous. God will not tolerate substitutes for His divine way. God is very particular about the way He wants things done. Just as Nadab and Abihu offered unauthorized fire, is there any excuse for us to offer unauthorized mechanical instrumental music to the Lord?

According to Webster, presumptuous means, “to take upon oneself without permission or authority, taking too much for granted, showing overconfidence, arrogance.” Being presumptuous as far as God is concerned is a sin. Psalms 19:13 says, “Keep back your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression.” So we see we can also be guilty of presumptuous sins when we “take upon ourselves without permission or authority” of God and add mechanical instruments of music to our worship. We may not think it will make any difference, but Nadab and Abihu thought the same thing. In speaking of people who are displeasing to God, 2 Peter 2:10 says, “They are presumptuous, self willed.”

Some may say, “The Bible does not say not to use mechanical instruments of music in worship.” But again are we permitted to be so presumptuous? If so we could add anything else without His authority. The Bible tells us we are to use the bread and the fruit of the vine in commemorating the Lord’s Supper. But the Bible does not say we can’t also use chocolate cake and milk. Of course it doesn’t. It would be absurd if we tried to use it. But it is just as absurd when we try to use the same type of reasoning to justify the use of instrumental music in worship.

When God gives a command to do something, does He have to say, but don’t do this, and don’t do this, etc.? No. When God tells us what He wants done, He expects us to do it that way. God’s commands are both inclusive and exclusive. His commands include everything He specifies and they exclude everything He has not authorized. But trying to confine ourselves to what God has authorized is very important if we expect to please Him and go to heaven.

If we add mechanical instruments of music to the worship of God then we have added to God’s word. In the closing words of the New Testament we are warned not to add to His word. In Revelation 22:18, “If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book.”

In the sixth chapter of Genesis we have the example of Noah who was pleasing to God. In Genesis 6:14 we read that Noah was told by God to, “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch.” In the verses that follow God continues to give Noah the details of construction. Then we read in Genesis 6:22, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” God specified the ark was to be built of gopherwood. Did Noah use gopherwood as God had specified? Yes, Noah did “according to all that God commanded him.” Would Noah have obeyed God if he had added pine or oak along with gopherwood? No. He would have disobeyed God by doing something God had not authorized. Do we disobey God when we add mechanical instruments of music, which God has not authorized to our worship to Him? Yes we do.

The use of mechanical instruments of music in worship does make a difference, because God has never permitted man to devise the plan or means for his worship of God. This is very serious, because we will loose our souls through presumptuous sins just as Nadab and Abihu lost their lives through their presumptuous sins.