Music in worship is one of the most noticeable differences among religious groups today.
Some congregations use organs.
Some use pianos.
Some use guitars and drums.
Some have praise bands and orchestras.
Others worship through congregational singing without mechanical instruments.
That raises an important question:
WHAT PATTERN DO WE FIND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT?
The question is not:
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO I PREFER?
The question is:
WHAT DID CHRIST AUTHORIZE HIS CHURCH TO OFFER?
JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES SANG
After Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, Scripture says:
“And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
(Matthew 26:30, KJV)
What did they do?
THEY SANG.
PAUL AND SILAS SANG
While imprisoned at Philippi:
“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
(Acts 16:25, KJV)
Again:
THEY SANG.
PAUL TOLD CHRISTIANS TO SING
Paul wrote:
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
(Ephesians 5:19, KJV)
Notice what Christians were commanded to do:
SPEAK
↓
SING
↓
MAKE MELODY IN THE HEART
The instrument specifically identified in the passage is:
THE HEART.
Paul gives similar instruction to the Colossians:
“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.”
(Colossians 3:16, KJV)
Again:
TEACHING
↓
ADMONISHING
↓
SINGING
↓
WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS
SINGING HAS A TEACHING PURPOSE
Congregational singing is not merely entertainment.
Paul said Christians teach and admonish:
“in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”
(Colossians 3:16, KJV)
That means the words matter.
The congregation is not merely listening to performers.
Christians are teaching one another.
Admonishing one another.
Praising God together.
HEBREWS SAYS TO SING PRAISE
The writer of Hebrews quotes:
“…in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”
(Hebrews 2:12, KJV)
James wrote:
“Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”
(James 5:13, KJV)
Again and again, when the New Testament addresses musical praise offered by Christians, the instruction is:
SING.
BUT INSTRUMENTS WERE USED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Yes.
Mechanical instruments were used under the Old Testament.
That fact should not be denied.
But animal sacrifices were also offered.
Incense was burned.
A Levitical priesthood served.
The temple stood in Jerusalem.
The question for Christians is not:
WHAT WAS PRACTICED UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES?
The question is:
WHAT HAS CHRIST AUTHORIZED UNDER THE NEW COVENANT?
Paul wrote that Christ:
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us…”
(Colossians 2:14, KJV)
And Hebrews teaches:
“For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.”
(Hebrews 7:12, KJV)
We cannot simply take a practice from Old Testament worship and place it into New Testament worship without New Testament authority.
“THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY NOT TO” IS A DIFFERENT STANDARD
Someone may ask:
WHERE DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT SAY, “THOU SHALT NOT USE A PIANO”?
But that changes the biblical question.
When God specifies what He desires, faith follows what He revealed.
If God commands singing, our responsibility is to sing.
The question is not whether we can find a verse explicitly forbidding every possible alternative.
The question is:
WHAT DID GOD AUTHORIZE?
CONSIDER THE LORD’S SUPPER
Jesus used:
BREAD
and
THE FRUIT OF THE VINE.
Suppose someone said:
“Jesus never specifically said we cannot add something else.”
Would silence authorize the addition?
Or should we simply follow what Christ established?
The same principle deserves consideration when we examine worship.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES SANG
Matthew 26:30
↓
PAUL AND SILAS SANG
Acts 16:25
↓
CHRISTIANS WERE COMMANDED TO SING
Ephesians 5:19
↓
CHRISTIANS TEACH AND ADMONISH THROUGH SINGING
Colossians 3:16
↓
THE MELODY IS MADE IN THE HEART
Ephesians 5:19
↓
PRAISE IN THE CHURCH IS SUNG
Hebrews 2:12
↓
THE MERRY ARE TOLD TO SING
James 5:13
↓
EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE IN CHRIST’S NAME
Colossians 3:17
So ask:
WHERE DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT AUTHORIZE THE CHURCH TO ADD MECHANICAL INSTRUMENTS TO ITS WORSHIP?
That is not a question about whether instrumental music sounds beautiful.
It can.
It is not a question about whether people sincerely enjoy it.
Many do.
It is not even a question about whether instruments were ever used to praise God.
They certainly were under the Old Testament.
The question is:
WHAT DID CHRIST AUTHORIZE FOR HIS CHURCH UNDER THE NEW COVENANT?
When we open the New Testament, the pattern we repeatedly find is:
SING.
Therefore, our plea is simple:
DO WHAT CHRIST AUTHORIZED.
↓
SING PSALMS, HYMNS, AND SPIRITUAL SONGS.
↓
TEACH AND ADMONISH ONE ANOTHER.
↓
MAKE MELODY IN THE HEART.
↓
LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN US RICHLY.
Don’t accept that conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read Matthew 26:30.
Read Acts 16:25.
Read Ephesians 5:19.
Read Colossians 3:16–17.
Read Hebrews 2:12.
Read James 5:13.
Then ask:
WHAT FORM OF MUSICAL WORSHIP DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT ACTUALLY AUTHORIZE FOR THE CHURCH?
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
(Ephesians 5:19, KJV)
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
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The Biblical Pattern 