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WORSHIP AND SINGING PART5
Todaywe 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."
"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."
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).
"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).
D L Moody's work is said to have the biggest impact on introducing and making popular the instrument into our worship services today
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.
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.
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!
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.
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 ofour Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Timothy 6:13,14.
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.
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;.
"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
"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.
"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'
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Conclusion Several 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.
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.
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.
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.
