Sing and Make Melody

by Todd Brenneman

When it comes to a study of what type of music should be used in the church, it is important to remember at least two principles. The first being that worship that is acceptable to God has to be on God’s terms. We should not add or take away things because WE think it would be nice of appropriate. In other words, how does God want us to worship Him? The second principle is similar and scriptural: "God is a spirit, and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth." So on these two principles, we can see that there are proper and improper ways to worship God.

In the case of music, the churches of Christ believe that singing to God should be done a cappella, that is, unaccompanied by mechanical instruments. The term "a cappella" comes from the Italian and means literally "in church style."

Let’s take a look at three passages that relate to singing. The first is Ephesians 5:19. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in hour heart to the Lord." The second passage is a parallel passage. It is found in Colossians 3:16. "Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord." From these first two passages, we can see a number of things.

1) Singing is commanded. We are to praise God through singing, not playing.

2) We are to sing with our hearts. We should not just sing along with the words; we need to have our hearts in it also.

3) Our heart is where the melody is to come from.

The third passage is found in Hebrews 13:15. "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name." In this passage we learn

4) Praise is to be done with the lips.

Notice in none of these three passages do we have any reference to a mechanical instrument of music. Remember our first principle. We MUST worship God on His terms. If God says that music that is pleasing to Him is done from the heart and sung (not played), we dare not add a mechanical instrument where God has not given us the freedom to do so.

As can be expected though, there are some objections to this viewpoint. We will deal with two main ones.

ARGUMENT #1.

"The Bible has situations of people worshipping God with instruments of music, and He doesn’t condemn them." The basis for this argument is found in the Old Testament and the book of Revelation in the New Testament. The answers to both of these will be handled separately.

ANSWER (Old Testament argument): Many things are found in the Old Testament that are not applicable to us today. We do not offer sacrifices. We do not go to Jerusalem three times each year. We do not observe the Sabbath. The New Testament is our guide of worship, and it knows nothing of praising God on an instrument. Here’s another principle: We cannot justify New Testament worship by Old Testament practice.

ANSWER (Revelation argument): But, someone will say, "Revelation is in the New Testament, and it includes worship with instruments." The book of Revelation is a vision that John has. It is full of figurative language in a certain style, depicting a message of the triumph of the church and Christ. Another principle: It is not wise to try to justify an act of worship by using a book written in highly figurative language. But other than that principle, we can answer the problem other ways. There are three passages in Revelation that mention "harps." Let’s take a look at them.

Revelation 5:8,9: "And when he had taken the book, the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation."

Revelation 14:2,3: "And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn the song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth."

Revelation 15:2,3: "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

If you look, you will see a couple of things in these passages. The first is that in all three passages, not once does it mention any playing! All the "harpers" were doing was singing. There are a couple of other things to note. In the first passage, the "golden vials" represent prayers, why can’t the harps be a representation of something? Do the harps have to be literal? In the second passage, John said he heard a voice. In the third passage, are the "harps of God" physical harps? Finally, all this action is taking place in "heaven" and not on earth. These passages do not supply us with any reason or example to use an instrument in worship.

ARGUMENT #2

"The Greek word used in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 for making melody means to use an instrument." The argument is based on the usage of the Greek word "yallw." Let’s look at some answers to this argument.

ANSWER: According to Sophocles, a Greek and a man who has studied the usage of Greek words, yallw was not used to refer to an instrument between 146 B.C. and A.D. 1100.

ANSWER: The Greek Orthodox Church does not use an instrument. They use the Greek of the Scriptures. If yallw meant to use an instrument, wouldn’t they know that??

ANSWER: If yallw did refer to an instrument, those passages tell us what instrument to use kardia---the heart!

ANSWER: If it did indicate a mechanical instrument (which it doesn’t), EVERYONE would have to use a mechanical instrument. No denomination I know of has a service where everyone is playing something!

Part of the problem arises because we do not understand that there are generic and specific parts to commands God has given us. He allows us to exercise freedom in some ways, but not in others. For instance, if God tells me to walk to Chambersburg, I must walk to Chambersburg. I cannot take a bus or drive. However, if God tells me to go to Chambersburg, He has left in my discretion as to how to get there. Let’s take a look at some Biblical commands like this.

Let’s take the case of Noah. In Genesis 6:14-16, God tells Noah, "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it."

Now, on the generic side, God leaves it to Noah’s discretion as to how many boards he uses, which part of the boat he builds first, and what type of tools he uses. But on the specific side, Noah could not use oak or birch or cedar. He could not make it only two stories, and he was not allowed to not put a window in the ark.

Take a look at Matthew 28:19. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Can we walk? Fly? Ride? Can we use the Internet? The TV? Sure. All of these are viable ways of fulfilling the command. Can we sprinkle or pour water on converts? Certainly not. Baptism means immersion.

How does this apply to Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16? Can we use songbooks? Words on a screen in the front of the auditorium? Should we sing in four-part harmony or call and response? These things are left to the discretion of the congregation. Can we play? NO! That would be making melody on something other than the heart. The mechanical instrument is an addition to God’s Word and should not be used!

Other questions to be considered: Can I sing hymns with an instrument of music in my home? Can we sing with an instrument at a youth rally? To answer these questions, consider: For what purpose am I singing? Is it to worship God? It may be. But remember our first principle, which I quote here with slight modification: "If God decrees what kind of worship is acceptable and what is not acceptable, then that governs wherever we are." Any time we set out to worship in song, we should not use a mechanical instrument.

Another issue that relates to the instrumental music question is that of solos and choirs. Can the church have solos or choirs? The answer from the Biblical information is no.

First, reread Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Both verses say that we should sing "one to another / one another." This is a reciprocal, reflexive pronoun. It indicates an interchange in action. It has the idea of corporate unity. Everyone is to be singing, not just a few. The New Testament does not sanction by proxy worship, that is, the worship of one person for another. You cannot sing for me any more than I can give for you. One passage is used to suggest that choirs are scriptural. That is I Corinthians 14:26, especially the phrase, "every one of you hath a psalm." However, there are some problems with using this passage to authorize choirs.

For instance, a psalm can be read or quoted just as easily as sung. Also, it could have been a song to teach the congregation. Perhaps people in Corinth were writing numerous songs, and they wanted to teach them to the congregation. Whatever is suggested by I Corinthians 14:26, Paul is condemning the practice. What they were engaged in was not being properly, and the Corinthians were causing confusion when they came together as the church. I Corinthians 14:26 does not sanction solos or choirs.