INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

1.     Historical Background

a.     L. L. Pinkerton introduced the first instrument into the worship of the “restoration” churches in Midway, Kentucky in 1858 or 1859. It was objected to and a request was made that it not be used until the matter could be studied. L. L. Pinkerton said, “Play on, Miss Bertha.”

b.     Pinkerton wrote articles to defend its used in the “American Christian Review.” The Civil War caused the problem to smolder for a few years.

c.     J. W. McGarvey, “It is manifest that we cannot adopt the practice without abandoning the obvious and only ground on which a restoration of Primitive Christianity can be accomplished, or on which the plea for it can be mainatained.”

d.     Early arguments included – expediency, an aid to singing, added dignity, made worship meaningful

e.     The actual division was long and slow in coming. By 1906, the division was complete.
 

2.     Arguments against the instrument

a.     Silence Argument

                                                              i.     Tertullian, “But the thing which is not forbidden is freely permitted. I should rather say that which is not freely allowed is forbidden.”

                                                             ii.     Campbell motto – “Where the Bible speaks, we will speak; where the Bible is silent, we will be silent.”

                                                           iii.     Does silence permit or forbid?

1.     Generic command – silence includes or allows

2.     Specific command – silence excludes or forbids

                                                           iv.     An non-instrumentalist says, “Many of us find it difficult to see how our instrumental brethren determine in which instances the silence of the Scripture becomes permission.”

                                                            v.     An instrumentalist says, “Many of us find it difficult to see how our non-instrumental brethren determine in which instances the silence of the Scripture becomes a prohibition.”

                                                           vi.     NOTE: There are two types of silence

1.     Silence of permission – the silence is total on the subject. In such cases we are at liberty. (Kind of car, how to travel, where to live) This is the silence of liberty.

2.     Silence of prohibition – This is the silence of a specific. God command one thing. He did not command nor condemn anything else. He was silent. (Ark of gopher wood, fruit of the vine, baptism in water) This is the silence of prohibition.

b.     “Psallo” Argument

                                                              i.     This is the only serious attempt to justify instruments of music by the New Testament.

                                                             ii.     If psallo means sing with instrumental accompaniment in Ephesians 5:19, then instrumental music is commanded; there is no choice in the matter; worship could not be acceptable without it. I know of no one who demands that all play an instrument in worship.

1.     Psallo does not mean sing. (common misunderstanding)

2.     Psallo does mean to “pluck, pull, twaing” The instrument does not inhere in the verb. Hit does not include the ball.

3.     The instrument is the heart.

                                                           iii.     McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, “The Greek word psallo is applied among the Greeks of modern times exclusively to sacred music, which in the Eastern Church has never been any other than vocal, instrumental music being unknown in that church, as it was in the primitive church.”

c.     Purpose Argument

                                                              i.     The purpose argument proves that God had a purpose in mind and that we must fulfill that purpose as we “psallo.”

                                                             ii.     Here is a chart to illustrate this point

 

d.     Principle of Exclusion

                                                              i.     When a specific command is given, all other specifics are excluded. Sending a child to the store for “a loaf of bread” does not require one to name all the things in the store which are not wanted.

                                                             ii.     Exclusion means that a practice authorized by God excludes all other practices that fit into the same rank or order.

                                                           iii.     Notice these passages to illustrate this principle

1.     Exodus 25:40               Make according to the pattern

2.     Numbers 22:18            Not go beyond the word

3.     1 Chronicles 15:15       Carry ark by staves on shoulders

4.     Genesis 6:14               Make ark of gopher wood

5.     Hebrews 7:12-14          Priest are from tribe of Levi

6.     Leviticus 10:1-2            Fire which was not commanded

e.     My Observation

                                                              i.     Every argument in favor of instrumental music in worship can also be used to change the Lord’s Supper to Coke and Big Macs.

                                                             ii.     I had a man in the Christian Church tell me about a Sunday service in which hot dog buns and Coke were used in communion. He was very upset. I said that when we objected, he would also rule out the instrument.
 

3.     Invalid Arguments to Support

a.     Aid vs. Addition

                                                              i.     Can the instrument be authorized in the same way that songbooks, PA system, and pews are authorized?

                                                             ii.     What is an “aid”?

                                                           iii.     An aid is that which assists in doing the thing commanded.

b.     Used in the Old Testament

                                                              i.     Psalm 149 and Psalm 150

                                                             ii.     David played the harp – 1 Chronicles 23:5

                                                           iii.     What about Amos 6:5? 1 Chronicles 23:5?

                                                           iv.     2 Chronicles 29:25 – commanded by the Lord

c.     Used in our homes, play in school band

                                                              i.     Many things are morally right and religiously wrong.

                                                             ii.     Pianos, organs, drums are not wrong – of themselves.

                                                           iii.     Hamburgers are not wrong. In communion – they are wrong.

d.     They are in heaven

                                                              i.     They had harps in heaven – Revelation 15:2

                                                             ii.     NOTE: Horses are in heaven. Horse riding is not part of our worship.

e.     The Bible does not say “Don’t”

                                                              i.     I got a letter from a radio listener. “Why couldn’t we have music with our singing? My Bible doesn’t say don’t.”

                                                             ii.     See the study of the silence of the Scriptures.

                                                           iii.     See the section on the principle of exclusion.

f.      I like it. I enjoy it. It makes me feel good.

                                                              i.     I got a letter from a radio listener. “Maybe some people don’t like music with their singing, but then, not all of us like peanut butter or jelly on our bread, but that doesn’t mean it would be wrong for us to eat it with our bread.”

                                                             ii.     What should be the direction of our worship? To God or us?

                                                           iii.     Who established the rules for our worship? Us or God?

                                                           iv.     Who is the object of our worship? – John 4:24
 

4.     What the Scholars have said

a.     Presbyterian founder, John Calvin, “It is no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of candles, or the revival of other shadows of the law. The Catholics foolishly borrowed it from the Jews.”

b.     Lutheran founder, Martin Luther, “The organ in the worship is an ensign of Baal.”

c.     Methodist founder, John Wesley, “I have no objection to the organ in our chapels provided it is neither seen nor heard.”

d.     Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, “I had just as soon pray to God with machinery as to sing to God with machinery.”

e.     Methodist commentator, Adam Clarke, “Music as a science I esteem and admire, but instrumental music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is an abuse of music, and I here register my protest against all such corruption of the worship of the author of Christianity.”

f.      Presbyterian, Lyman Coleman, “The tendency of this (instrumental music, mrl) was to secularize the music of the church.”

g.     Restoration preacher, Benjamin Franklin, “If one had told us forty years ago, that we would see the day when those professing to be Christians; who claim the Holy Scriptures as their only rule of faith and practice; would bring instruments of music into the worshipping assembly and use it there in worship, we would have repelled the idea as an idle dream … turn the very worship of God itself into an attraction for people of the world, an entertainment, or amusement.”
 

5.     Issues facing the church today

a.     Sing along with gospel music on the radio?

b.     Hand clapping while singing

c.     Instruments in the building for weddings or funeral?

d.     Many do not see this as a matter of sin.

e.     Choirs, solos, quartets, praise teams in our worship