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Why doesn't the Church of Christ employ musical instruments during worship?

Doesn't the Church of Christ forsake the Sabbath day by meeting on Sundays?

Why do members of the Church of Christ observe the Lord's Supper each Sunday?

Why doesn't the Church of Christ employ musical instruments during worship? Christians today, as in the first century, should endeavor to follow only applicable biblical examples of worship and teachings found in the New Testament.  Jesus tells us, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  (John 4:24)  The word “must” in the above passage indicates that man has no say in the kind of worship God approves; God did not consult man for his advice nor did man ever have authority to determine his own methods of worship.  Too often people focus on and misuse the word “spirit” and do not consider the word “truth.”  As God is spirit, He is not influenced nor impressed by the various passions and sensualities that so often influence the decisions of man.  Man is carnal; as such he has no authority to fashion worship practices that are inherently designed to appeal to the passions of man and expect that God has to approve of them.  We must be led by the Spirit in search of, and to abide by, God’s truth.  The Spirit doesn’t lead us through the dizzy maze of mankind's uninspired writings in order to learn about God and His truths.  Some claim to be doing what they’re doing, among other reasons, because of some exuberant feeling they get out of it; therefore, to them it must be right.  They equate their “feeling” with “spirit.”  Contrasting this position, the Bible tells us, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”  (Proverbs 14:12)   Jesus also tells us, “But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.”  (Matthew 15:9)  Therefore, if worship is based upon the preferences of man instead of the spiritual nature of God, Jesus calls it vain worship.  There can be no truth in our worship if we fashion it as pleases us.

As we rightly divide the Word of God, it must be noted that man is not under nor bound by the ceremonial observances of Old Testament patterns of worship as the Jews once were.  As a result, it is inappropriate for one today to search through Old Testament writings in order to locate and gather pieces of information that would appear to allow or command us today to use instrumental music to accompany our singing in congregational worship.  It must be noted that God alone is the object of our worship, and anything we do with the intent to worship must be with this understanding and to this end.  Most people today, including Christians, enjoy the sound of instrumental music, and many even play them.  Who doesn’t enjoy the harmonious sound of a well-rehearsed orchestra?  However, to use musical instruments today as part of our New Testament worship is without divine approval.

Does it make a difference to God how we worship Him as long as our heart is right?  Throughout the Bible it did make a difference.  Consider the two oldest sons of Aaron (brother of Moses and the first High Priest of Israel), Nadab and Abihu.  (Leviticus 10:1-3)  These two brothers attempted to worship God in a way that God had not commanded; they offered a "strange fire before the Lord."  Although God did not overtly forbid them to offer a strange fire, He also did not command it.  Besides, His direction in worship eliminated all other ways to worship Him.  Who knows?  Perhaps these two brothers felt that the aroma discharged from the kind of fire God commanded was a bit boring or maybe even rancid; they could surely spice it up by adding other ingredients that would make the fire sizzle and pop or give off a more desirable fragrance.  By changing what they knew to be right, however, they dishonored God and treated Him as unholy.  Besides, they forgot that God was the object of their worship and they changed something to please themselves instead of God.  It didn’t matter that the new fragrance may have smelled better; to God it was as an obnoxious stench.  As a result, God destroyed them both by fire.  This happened to them as an example to us today, and if we don’t learn from their fatal mistake we could surely repeat their blunder and suffer their eternal consequence.  Using a modern-day example, if your boss directed you to paint the side of a building blue, but you painted it blue and white, you couldn’t justifiably say, “Well, it has blue, and you didn’t say I couldn’t use other colors as well.”  This logic did not work for Nadab and Abihu, nor will it work for us today.

The nation of Israel had been in Egypt for 430 years, much of that time as slaves.  Nearing the end of this long captivity God delivered ten plagues upon Egypt, the last of which resulted in the release of Israel from Egyptian bondage.  As Moses was leading them away from Egypt, notice what took place during the exodus.  God speaks to Moses, and we read, “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb; and you shall strike the rock [emphasis mine], and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.  And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”  (Exodus 17:6) However, God later speaks to Moses again, and we read, “Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock [emphasis mine] before their eyes, that it may yield its water.  You shall thus bring forth water for them out of the rock and let the congregation and their beasts drink.  So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him; and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock.  And he said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?’  Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice [emphasis mine] with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.  But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’”  (Exodus 20:8-12)  As a result, God says to Moses, “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession.  Then die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel.  For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.”  (Deuteronomy 32:49-52)  This story illustrates that what was once commanded by God is no longer valid if God replaces it with a different command.  Moses may have thought that a little tongue lashing and rock striking was appropriate because of the Israelites' constant complaints; however, by not doing exactly what God had commanded, Moses is said to have not believed God.  This story also illustrates that God’s ways are always right, and we cannot, nor should we try to, improve upon His commands.

In an effort to create worship patterns that please ourselves today and make our worship “more exciting and lively,” many often cite Old Testament Scriptures that permit the use of musical instruments to assist with their expressions of praise.  For example, notice that the psalmist David, in Psalm 150, appears not only to allow the use of musical instruments, he encourages it.

Some argue that the word “psalm” by itself indicates that musical instruments are necessary because the psalms were intended to be sung with instruments.  Notice, however, what Samuel says concerning David’s Psalm of Deliverance, “And David spoke the words of this song [emphasis mine] to the LORD in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.”  (2 Samuel 22:1)  From this we conclude that it was not mandatory that the psalms were accompanied with musical instruments.  It was not the music that gave life to the psalms; it was the words that were communicated through them. 

The apostle Paul provides direction for the Lord’s church in Ephesus.  In chapter 5 he tells the Christians to “walk as children of Light...trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”  And in verse 19 he instructs them to sing, and then describes in what manner the singing pleases the Lord:  “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart [emphasis mine] to the Lord;”  The emphasis here is on speaking the words of our hearts to God and to others.  From where does the “melody” or “tune” come?  We are told that the melody is to come from the heart.  One cannot extrapolate from this passage that playing a trombone during the Christian assembly is also acceptable.  Further, how can one play a trombone and, at the same time, speak the words of a song to others?  No one argues today that singing by itself, as long as the heart is right, is acceptable to God.  Beyond that, one does so without Gods approval.

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament has this to say concerning the Greek word “psallo”:  “to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang the strings of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate.”  In reference to New Testament usage, however, Thayer’s lexicon states, “to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song; making melody.”  This word is typically translated in modern English Bibles as “praising” or “making melody.”  This usage of the word “psallo” in Old and New Testament times is consistent with the Bible’s use of types and anti-types throughout its pages.  Types are introduced to us throughout the Old Testament and they depict activities of a physical nature, while corresponding anti-types are seen in the New Testament and depict related activities, but of a spiritual nature.  The New Testament “antitypes” are the spiritual perfection or realization of which Old Testament “types” were only the shadow.  For example, Noah and his family were physically saved in the ark during the great flood.  The apostle Peter compares that physical salvation to water baptism which, Peter says, is the “anti-type that now saves you.”  (1 Peter 3:20, 21)  It is logical to understand, therefore, that if physically plucking the strings of a musical instrument (the type) was authorized during Old Testament worship, then plucking the strings of the heart (the anti-type) would be the corresponding spiritual activity that Christians participate in during songs of praise to God.

Again, we need to remind ourselves that God is the object of our worship; He is the sole audience.  Too often we forget this fact and, as a result, attempt to fashion worship services that appeal to the senses to bring in the masses.  After all, if our "modern and upbeat" services result in an increase in attendance, what could be the harm, right?

A review of the following passages give us insight into the sufficiency of God’s word:

Deuteronomy 4:2  “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”

Deuteronomy 12:32  “Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.”

Proverbs 30:6  “Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.”

1 Corinthians 4:6  “Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against another.”

Revelation 22:18  “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:  if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;”

There is a common thread that runs through the above passages of Scripture.  God’s word is sufficient for our lives.  To go beyond what God has directed is to bring about His wrath upon us.  We go beyond by (1) taking away from His instruction, (2) adding to His instruction, or (3) altering His instruction.

We need to be careful not to search out the Bible for indicators, subtle clues, or even gray areas that appear to, in a stretch, allow us to practice that which we have been desiring all along to practice.  This investigation nor the resulting practice would not be from an honest heart.  Notice what Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

Paul indicated that he did not use “cleverness of speech” in preaching the gospel, “so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”  (1 Corinthians 1:17)  It is the gospel (good news) of Christ that saves people and it is the message of the cross that draws all men to Jesus.  Preaching the simple and pure truth of the gospel is that which draws men to Christ and saves people.  This message is to appeal to the heart and soul of a man.  We read, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  (Hebrews 4:12)  Paul did not dress up his message with clever speech in order to bring in more people.  Had he perhaps embellished his sermons with an abundance of charisma and clever speech he may have packed the house, but it is only human nature that people would have gravitated to sensuality and passion rather than to the message.  What does this have to do with whether or not it’s okay to use instrumental music in the Christian assembly?  In the New Testament we are told to sing and make melody with our hearts to the Lord.  However, today many people place emphasis on what is not there (instrumental music) and not on what is there (singing).  In the same way that clever speech camouflages and detracts from the pure and simple drawing power of the gospel, instrumental music in the Christian assembly camouflages and detracts from the pure and simple message of the song, hymn and spiritual song.  The music may sound sweeter and appeal to our passions, but we are not the object of worship, and we need to be sure that our singing raises as a sweet aroma, and not an obnoxious stench, to God.

In conclusion, ask yourself the following questions:
1.  Do I desire to please God and not myself?
2.  Do I want to use musical instruments today during the Christian assembly in order to be more pleasing to God because I believe God wants it, or is my preference based on my own desire to have my ears tickled?
3.  Do I believe instrumental music during the Christian assembly to be (1) a command, (2) an option, or (3) not authorized at all by New Testament authority?
4.  Do I insist on using musical instruments during the Christian assembly to the extent that I would divide my fellowship with Christians who cannot in good conscience take part?
5.  Do I believe that to divide the body of Christ over a personal preference to be acceptable to God or to Satan?
6.  Do I believe God accepts the heart-felt song of praise without the accompaniment of musical instruments?

If you are interested in reading quoted records of what early uninspired Christians believed about using musical instruments in worship, please select the following link:  http://www.bible.ca/H-music.htm. [top]

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Doesn't the Church of Christ forsake the Sabbath day by meeting on Sundays?  In keeping with the examples of the New Testament, we find that the early church met on the first day of every week to worship God.  This was the day Jesus rose from the grave and has been observed by Christians ever since. [top]

Why do members of the Church of Christ observe the Lord's Supper each Sunday? Biblical examples indicate that the first day of the week was the day the early Christians met to observe the Lord's supper. It was a time of communion. There is no biblical command to observe the Lord's supper daily, monthly, yearly, etc. The only time reference provided to us is the "first day of the week." (Acts 20:7) As Luke does not state that Christians must observe the Lord's supper every week, he also doesn't provide Christians the authority to choose which Sundays they prefer. In keeping with the unity of the spirit in Christ's body, Christians within the Lord's church generally recognize each Sunday as the day to observe the Lord's supper. Imagine visiting a number of congregations during a family vacation and not being allowed to congregationally observe the Lord's supper during that time because you kept missing each congregation's special, and different, day. [top]