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WORSHIP AND SINGING

PART5

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Today we find ourselves surrounded by a strange spectacle. Instrumental music in

multiplied forms has not only been generally accepted by the professing

church, but it has largely displaced the reading of the Word of God, and the

sound and solid preaching of the same. I here quote a paragraph from a four page

pamphlet entitled "Music in the Assemblies."

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"This is the age of hymnology. Dependence today is placed upon religious

music to stir the emotions. The Word of God is given second place and the Sword of the Spirit is sheathed during fifty, sixty or more percent of radio programs. Music is placed so much to the fore and made so attractive that when the Word is finally preached, the audience has lost its desire

for the Word."

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We here quote parts of Mr. Darby's remarks as recorded in his published letters:He was a friend of DL

Moody the Baptist "I rejoice, am bound to rejoice, in every soul

converted-must do so-and saved forever. Nor do I doubt Moody's earnestness, for I know the man well. I see that God is using extraordinary means to awaken His sleeping saints, ... but I am not carried away by it.

As to the result of it as a whole, it will not last . . . I fully judge it will foster worldliness in saints ...

Individuals may be converted; we must rejoice at it; the effect on the Church of God will be mischievous.

(Letters, Vol.2, p.308).

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"Mr. Moody's work ... avowedly mixes up Christianity with the world and worldly influences, and uses them

because it tells in favour of his work, and fosters worldliness and the evils of

Christendom." (Vol.2, p.394). "He mixes his activities with what was

of the flesh, so as to injure Christians, and mix up the saint and

the world." (Vol.2, p.428).

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D L Moody's work is said to have the biggest impact on introducing

and making popular the instrument into our

worship services today

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Here let us quote from "400 Questions and Answers" compiled by H. B. Coder:

"As the reality of Christ departs from the soul,

ritualism takes the place, and forms without life rise up on every hand. To such an extent has this grown

that even the world is losing respect for a Christianity which seems more bent on entertaining than

converting men. We believe, therefore, that any use of instrumental music in the worship of God, from end to end, in the Sunday school, the gospel meeting, or any other, ... will be found to have a tendency to lower the

character of Christianity itself." pp.212-213.

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One is persuaded that the last century of church history has witnessed an accelerated decline in the tone of

worship and testimony. It is our studied conviction that the

increased emphasis on the use of musical instruments, coupled with secular type hymnology, has been a major contributor to the downgrade

movement.

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In many cases the infatuation with musical display has gone so far that elaborate

rehearsals of purely musical talent are offered from the preaching platform.

Instead of the earnest, solemn pleading of the Spirit-filled preacher of God's good news

concerning His blessed Son, there is heard the clatter of the xylophone, the strumming of the guitar, the plaintive wail of the violin, or the blare of the trumpet and saxophone.

And all this in the name of Christ!

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Again, look at its effects in modern evangelism.

It has made it a new sort of entertainment, and instead of converts marked by having

wept in repentance over sin, by keen separation even from the garment spotted

by it, and by a spirit of prayer and devotedness to Christ, it has formed in them a trifling, pleasure loving mind,

destructive of true Christianity.

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Shall we, dear brethren, who are the heirs of such a holy testimony, betray our trust, and

yield to the pressure and pattern of the day to vitiate that precious heritage?

Rather may we hear the Spirit of God speaking to us afresh, "I give thee charge in the sight of

God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate

witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable

until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1

Timothy 6:13,14.

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THE PURPOSE OF SINGING. Praises and thanksgiving to the Lord Hebrews 13:15; Acts 16:25; Romans 15:9; James 5:13;

Teaching and admonishing one another, Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16;

Music in Christian worship is to instruct, communicate ideas from one to another and

admonish those engaged in it to right living, in addition to being a medium of praise, thanksgiving and supplication to God.

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MANNER OF RENDITION."Unto God.." directed as praise to

God and not for entertainment Music in worship must not degenerate into an effort to

entertain; we are singing to please God not the multitude. Acts 16:25;

Romans 15:9 Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16;.

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"In spirit..." 1 Corinthians 14:15; with the heart Ephesians 5:19; From these scriptures, we

learn that our hearts must accompany our singing and be in accord with the sentiment of

song being sung. It must be done in sincerity

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"With the understanding" 1 Corinthians 14:15; One can hardly

sing sincerely what one cannot understand. We need to study the

sentiment of the song and be sure that it is scriptural and that we

understand its meaning, in order to make that meaning the sentiment of

our heart.

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"so as to be understood" Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; PSALMS and HYMNS appear to have been used interchangeably

and not only to convey the character in general of the songs to be sung, but in particular that

such compositions are to be 'spiritual'

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Nowhere in the New Testament, Christ's

covenant with all men (Hebrews 8:6;) is there mention of a man-made instrument to be used in singing praises to God.

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The one instrument which is mentioned is the HEART.

It is unnecessary to add any other. Indeed, it is dangerous to do so, considering the consequences of

disobeying God.

So WHY would we want to do that? Let us follow the law of the Spirit of

Life in Christ

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In view of all the evidence cited as to the absence of music in the first

seven hundred years of church history; in view of the stormy opposition it had to encounter during the next seven hundred years; and in view of the pious opposition to it well on into the

nineteenth century.

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May we not justly conclude that the history of the Church of

God on earth is overwhelmingly opposed to the introduction of musical instruments into the worship and testimony of the

body of Christ today

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Mechanical instruments in worship to God are

unauthorized, unscriptural and unacceptable, and all the efforts

to justify and to make it a matter of opinion have been,

continue to be, and will continually be in vain.

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Look at the effect of instruments in Christian congregations:

It was to help them sing at first; now, dumb in praise to God, they are,

instead, getting a treat for themselves from musical art.

Is it any wonder if they can after that associate the theater with the church? One place gives them pleasure and so

does the other.

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ConclusionSeveral questions need to be addressed in the final

analysis.

Do we need instruments to sing? No. Is there a serious danger in introducing them to assist

in singing? Yes. Was the First Century church guided in all areas of its

worship by the Holy Spirit? Yes.Did it follow the synagogue vocal music tradition? Yes.

Could it have followed the Temple tradition? No, because it was not authorised by the Holy Spirit.

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So, if it is not necessary, is dangerous to true worship, and was not part of

the divinely inspired pattern of worship for the New Testament church. And we want to follow

apostolic practice as best as we are able 2,000 years later, should we

introduce it into our worship? NO! - most definitely not.

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It was introduced to please people and entertain in some

way. These are not reasons for practicing it.

If our congregational singing is poor, the answer is to practice, not to add an unnecessary and dangerous prop into worship.

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Using an instrument in worship may not be seen by some to be sinful but it can lead to sinful practices, it is therefore most

unwise.Therefore Sing and ‘Not to

play’ in worship is clearly the answer to the question.