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J
From what I could find there is no mention of musical instruments being used in the N. T. But is does say to "Sing and make melody in your heart." Eph. 5:17 then in Colosians 3:16 it says "teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom , singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
V
The Bible does mention, in Revelations of those who are playing harps before God. If you read Rev. 5:8 you find that it says:
“When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
This is being playing before God, Himself, declaring His holiness, which in the rest of the passage.
We also know that in II Timothy 3:16-17 it states:
“[SUP]16[/SUP] All Scripture is inspired by God[b] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, [SUP]17[/SUP] so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Meaning that the NT is not the only part of the Bible that we use. We also refer to the OT. And in the OT, we find many verses that mention instruments being played to God, such as David on his Lyre. Two such passages are:
“[SUP]3[/SUP] Praise Him with trumpet blast; praise Him with harp and lyre. [SUP]4[/SUP] Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with flute and strings.”
Psalm 150:3-4
“[SUP]25[/SUP] Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. [SUP]26[/SUP] The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. [SUP]27[/SUP] Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. [SUP]28[/SUP] The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets—all of this continued until the burnt offering was completed.”
II Chronicles 29:25-28 (This passage is in fact at the temple.
Based upon the passages, and others, such as Nehemiah 12, it sounds like God expects us to use instruments to worship.
While, the few passages in the NT that I found that mentions instruments are found in Revelations, it does not mean that instruments are forbidden, nor does it mean that it was not used by the early church.
“When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
This is being playing before God, Himself, declaring His holiness, which in the rest of the passage.
We also know that in II Timothy 3:16-17 it states:
“[SUP]16[/SUP] All Scripture is inspired by God[b] and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, [SUP]17[/SUP] so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Meaning that the NT is not the only part of the Bible that we use. We also refer to the OT. And in the OT, we find many verses that mention instruments being played to God, such as David on his Lyre. Two such passages are:
“[SUP]3[/SUP] Praise Him with trumpet blast; praise Him with harp and lyre. [SUP]4[/SUP] Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with flute and strings.”
Psalm 150:3-4
“[SUP]25[/SUP] Hezekiah stationed the Levites in the Lord’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and Nathan the prophet. For the command was from the Lord through His prophets. [SUP]26[/SUP] The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. [SUP]27[/SUP] Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of the Lord and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. [SUP]28[/SUP] The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets—all of this continued until the burnt offering was completed.”
II Chronicles 29:25-28 (This passage is in fact at the temple.
Based upon the passages, and others, such as Nehemiah 12, it sounds like God expects us to use instruments to worship.
While, the few passages in the NT that I found that mentions instruments are found in Revelations, it does not mean that instruments are forbidden, nor does it mean that it was not used by the early church.
A
"And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, or Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the alter, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets.) It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the Lord; So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud.- for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God" (2 Chron. 5:11-14).
I dont know anything about early church musical instruments.
I dont know anything about early church musical instruments.
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Tis indeed a shame, since singing was not only acceptable, there were those who sang in the Spirit. There is way more than this in the Old Testament.
Mark 14:24-26 [SUP]24 [/SUP]And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. [SUP]25 [/SUP]Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. [SUP]26 [/SUP]And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Luke 15:21 – 25 ESV And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Acts 16:25[SUP]25 [/SUP]And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Romans 15:9[SUP]9 [/SUP]And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
1 Corinthians 14:15 [SUP]15 [/SUP]What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Ephesians 5:19[SUP]19 [/SUP]Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Colossians 3:16[SUP]16 [/SUP]Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Hebrews 2:12 [SUP]12 [/SUP]Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
James 5:13 [SUP]13 [/SUP]Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Revelation 15:3 [SUP]3 [/SUP]And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Mark 14:24-26 [SUP]24 [/SUP]And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. [SUP]25 [/SUP]Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. [SUP]26 [/SUP]And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Luke 15:21 – 25 ESV And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Acts 16:25[SUP]25 [/SUP]And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Romans 15:9[SUP]9 [/SUP]And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
1 Corinthians 14:15 [SUP]15 [/SUP]What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Ephesians 5:19[SUP]19 [/SUP]Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Colossians 3:16[SUP]16 [/SUP]Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Hebrews 2:12 [SUP]12 [/SUP]Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
James 5:13 [SUP]13 [/SUP]Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Revelation 15:3 [SUP]3 [/SUP]And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
J
We don't live under the Old Testament. If we do you better take it all and do it, sacrifices and all. The Old Testament was done away with when Christ died on the cross. We now live under the New Testament and go by the commands there. All of those scriptures mentioned by the one reply say "sing" not play on an instrument. Revelation is is prophetic and talks mostly of what is going to happen at a later date. We have to go by what the apostle taught.
I think this is more of a preference. Is God going to praise someone more or less because they use instruments?
I used to be totally against instruments in worship. I thought acapella was they only right way. After studying more on the subject I realize that if scripture is silent on it then one should not condemn the other for seeing it differently. If I choose to sing hymns without instrumental accompaniment then there is nothing in scripture telling me I am "wrong".
If I feel I should praise Him with my voice only then so be it. I do not condemn anyone that chooses to praise The Lord with accompaniment of instruments.
The only "valid" argument an acapella congregation may have is when using instruments it usually requires rehearsals. How can you praise and sing from the heart if you're rehearsing a song? Yet many if not all acapella churches will have a singing practice to where the congregation will get together and sing new hymns they're not as familiar with. That's rehearsing as well. Just not with instruments.
I used to be totally against instruments in worship. I thought acapella was they only right way. After studying more on the subject I realize that if scripture is silent on it then one should not condemn the other for seeing it differently. If I choose to sing hymns without instrumental accompaniment then there is nothing in scripture telling me I am "wrong".
If I feel I should praise Him with my voice only then so be it. I do not condemn anyone that chooses to praise The Lord with accompaniment of instruments.
The only "valid" argument an acapella congregation may have is when using instruments it usually requires rehearsals. How can you praise and sing from the heart if you're rehearsing a song? Yet many if not all acapella churches will have a singing practice to where the congregation will get together and sing new hymns they're not as familiar with. That's rehearsing as well. Just not with instruments.
Here is a good explanation from an acapella church
Why Don't We Use Musical Instruments in Worshop?
Why Don't We Use Musical Instruments in Worshop?
J
Regarding the silence of the scriptures, if you can do anything the scriptures are silent on that opens the flood gate for "anything" to be introduced. We have to have authority for everything we do. We are told how to worship God. God couldn't say everything we "can't" do. There wouldn't be a book big enough to hold it. Just like God told Noah to build the ark out of gopher wood that eliminated any other kind of wood. When God says in the N. T. to sing that eliminates anything else.
Here are things also we do/have in church today that is not mentioned in the nt.. should we dump them?
A pulpit
Air condioning
Carpeting
Choir (except in revelation)
Sunday school
Microphones and speakers
Well you get the picture. I see it is the same God in the ot who delighted in musical instruments as in the New, why would he change?
Now if you are going to talk about LOUD and screechy stuff that passes for music today you wont get an argument out of me...but that's personal taste.
A pulpit
Air condioning
Carpeting
Choir (except in revelation)
Sunday school
Microphones and speakers
Well you get the picture. I see it is the same God in the ot who delighted in musical instruments as in the New, why would he change?
Now if you are going to talk about LOUD and screechy stuff that passes for music today you wont get an argument out of me...but that's personal taste.
Here's what I gleaned from the book "A Concise History of Church Music":
In the early church, leaders were worried by music's secular and pagan associations. There is evidence though that many Jewish rites, chants, and songs were taken directly into the new church. Antiphonal (two choruses) and responsorial (soloist and congregation) singing of the psalms were adjusted to suit the demands of early Christian worship. Christians were also encouraged to consider only the worship aspects of music, believing that its beauty could be used to draw people away from paganism and into the church.
St. Augustine wrote that: (1) Church music was to have little or no merit except to the extent that it is part of worship. (2) Church music was only to be congregational and vocal. #1 remained mostly true for the West until the Renaissance, while #2 only remained true until the 4th century.
The 'official' music of the early mass was chant-like, and taken from Jewish, Near Eastern, and Greek sources. There was no church-wide agreement on the structure or manner of it's proper usage until the 6th and 7th centuries. Gregory the Great is often credited with pulling together the diversities of practices, procedures, and policies and establishing the ritualistic patterns of the church.
In the early church, leaders were worried by music's secular and pagan associations. There is evidence though that many Jewish rites, chants, and songs were taken directly into the new church. Antiphonal (two choruses) and responsorial (soloist and congregation) singing of the psalms were adjusted to suit the demands of early Christian worship. Christians were also encouraged to consider only the worship aspects of music, believing that its beauty could be used to draw people away from paganism and into the church.
St. Augustine wrote that: (1) Church music was to have little or no merit except to the extent that it is part of worship. (2) Church music was only to be congregational and vocal. #1 remained mostly true for the West until the Renaissance, while #2 only remained true until the 4th century.
The 'official' music of the early mass was chant-like, and taken from Jewish, Near Eastern, and Greek sources. There was no church-wide agreement on the structure or manner of it's proper usage until the 6th and 7th centuries. Gregory the Great is often credited with pulling together the diversities of practices, procedures, and policies and establishing the ritualistic patterns of the church.
