Instrumental Music: The Fruit of Your Lips? by Brett Hickey

Transcription

1 #762 (79) Instrumental Music: The Fruit of Your Lips? by Brett Hickey One of the reasons that I am a member of the church of Christ is that when the church assembles they offer the songs of praise just like we read about in the New Testament, without the use of instrumental music. This is one of the traits of the churches of Christ that makes them different from many of the denominations in existence today. Although in the minority, there are still other religious bodies known for conducting their worship services without musical accompaniment. Included in this number are Primitive Baptists, Old Regular Baptists, Old German Baptist Brethren, the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Eastern Orthodox and others. The churches of Christ, though, are the largest religious body in the United States that excludes instrumental music from their worship services. About fifteen thousand congregations and two million members of the church of Christ offer simply, as the Holy Spirit puts it in Hebrews 13:15, the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 1 What is even less commonly known is that throughout the world one hundred and fifty million people in Eastern Orthodox Churches worship in song every Lord s day unaided by instrumental music. Have you ever wondered whether or not the Lord is more honored under the New Covenant by worship in song with or without musical instruments? We hope you will, with an open mind, consider reasons why God is pleased when we worship with him in a capella music. First, enjoy our song. One of the religious trends in our generation that seems to be gaining momentum is that the optimal religious practices are the new and improved. In fact, you have probably noticed that many churches employ the word new in the name of their religious institution. The idea of being just like the church you can read about in the New Testament is to many people an old and outdated approach to Christianity. Now, while we all prefer travelling by automobile compared to travelling on foot or on horseback, people have apparently lost sight of the Holy Spirit s emphasis not to tamper with his ways not to add or subtract from His will and ways 2. It s critical that we absorb this critical principle. We will notice from a host of sources that the original form of church music was singing only. First of all, let s look at encyclopedias. Most believers know that some forms of Jewish worship included instrumental music. So, we know instrumental music did exist under the Old Testament. But, when did the followers of Christ begin to use instrumental music in worship? Most people would assume that Christians have always sung with instrumental accompaniment. I have seven encyclopedias that say to the contrary. In the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, J.M. Brown notes: "That instrumental music was not practiced by primitive Christians...is evident from church history." 3 1 All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. 2 See Rev. 22:18, Gal. 1:6-12; Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Prov. 30:6 3 J. N. Brown, Fessenden & Co's Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, (Accessed April 2, 2011) -1-

2 The Fruit of Your Lips, by Brett Hickey, sermon #762 (79) 2 of 6 The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge documents the fact that "...the organ...was rejected in early Christian circles." (p. 257) "The custom of organ accompaniment did not become general among Protestants until the eighteenth century." (p. 258) McClintock and Strong s Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, reports that "The general introduction of instrumental music can certainly not be assigned to a date earlier than the 5th and 6th centuries; yea, even Gregory the Great, who towards the end of the 6th century added greatly to existing church music, absolutely prohibited the use of instruments. Several centuries later the introduction of the organ in sacred service gave the place to instruments as accompaniments for Christian song, and from that time to this they have been freely used with few exceptions. The first organ is believed to have been used in the Church service in the 13th century. Organs were however, in use before this in the theater. They were never regarded with favor in the Eastern Church, and were vehemently opposed in some of the Western churches." (Vol. 6, p. 759) Sir John Hawkins, following the Romanish writers in his erudite work on the history of music, made Pope Vitalian, in A.D. 660, the first who introduced organs into the churches. But students of ecclesiastical archaeology are generally agreed that instrumental music was not used in churches till a much later date; for Thomas Aquinas [Catholic Scholar in 1250 A.D.] 4 has these remarkable words, 'Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may seem not to Judaize.'" (McClintock and Strong, Encyclopedia of Biblical Literature, Vol. 6, Harper and Brothers, 1894, 762.) SEVENTEEN HISTORIANS I have a list of seventeen historians that further support the facts presented by the encyclopedias we just noticed. Allow me to share what a few of them have written: Edward Dickinson writes in History of Music, "While the pagan melodies were always sung to instrumental accompaniment, the church chant was exclusively vocal." Yale Professor, George Fisher, tells us in the History of the Christian Church that "... primitive church music was choral and congregational." Theodore Finney explains in A History of Music that "The early Christians refused to have anything to do with the instrumental music which they might have inherited from the ancient world." Hugo Leichtentritt emphatically declares in Music, History and Ideas, Only singing, however, and no playing of instruments, was permitted in the early Christian Church. In his book, The History of Music, Emil Nauman says, "There can be no doubt that originally the music of the divine service was everywhere entirely of a vocal nature." And, finally, E. S. Lorenz, writes in Church Music "... The music was purely vocal. There was no instrumental accompaniment of any kind.... It fell under the ban of the Christian church, as did all other instruments, because of its pagan association." The testimony of history is conclusive. Not only was church music entirely vocal, but all other music was banned by early Christians as something pagan. How could Jewish worship include instrumental music and early Christian worship exclude it? Somebody altered Christian worship. Did God ordain through the apostles the use of instruments only to have the early Christians remove them from the public worship of 4 A bracket [ ] within quotes is used to note words added that are not in the original quote

3 The Fruit of Your Lips, by Brett Hickey, sermon #762 (79) 3 of 6 the church or did the apostles omit them from worship only to have men add them at a much later date without Divine authority? The answer will become increasingly clear. DENOMINATIONAL SCHOLARS What we have heard so far receives even more impressive support from the most unlikely of sources scholars from denominations that today uphold the accompaniment of instruments in worship. CATHOLIC Cajetan, the prominent sixteenth century Roman Catholic Cardinal and contemporary of M. Luther, says, It is to be observed the church did not use organs in Thomas time; whence even to this day, the church of Rome does not use them in the Pope s presence because God s internal discipline exceeds all human disciplines, which rejected this kind of instruments. The Catholic Encyclopedia confirms Cajetan s contention: "Although Josephus tells of the wonderful effects produced in the Temple by the use of instruments, the first Christians were of too spiritual a fibre to substitute lifeless instruments for or to use them to accompany the human voice. Clement of Alexandria severely condemns the use of instruments even at Christian banquets..." CHURCH OF ENGLAND/EPISCOPALIAN Joseph Bingham, in volume 11 of his Works writes, "Music in churches is as ancient as the apostles, but instrumental music not so... In the Western parts, the instrument, is not so much as known till the eighth century; for the first organ that was ever seen in France was one sent as a present to King Pepin by Constantine, the Greek emperor.... But, now, it was only used in princes courts, and not yet brought into churches; nor was it ever received into the Greek churches, there being no mention of an organ in all their liturgies ancient or modern." LUTHERAN The Lutheran church employs musical accompaniment in worship, yet Lutheran scholar John Kurtz admits in his Church History that "Chrysostom had to declaim against the secularization of church music. More lasting was the opposition to the introduction of instrumental music." Martin Luther himself said that "The organ in the worship is the insignia of Baal The Roman Catholic borrowed it from the Jews." PRESBYTERIAN John Calvin, the father of the Reformed and Presbyterian churches wrote in his Commentary on Psalm 33: "Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law. The Papists therefore, have foolishly borrowed this, as well as many other things, from the Jews. Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that noise; but the simplicity which God recommends to us by the apostles is far more pleasing to him. There s no doubt as to whether Calvin found scriptural sanction for anything other than vocal music in worship. More recently, John Girardeau, Presbyterian professor of Columbia Theological Seminary, writes in his book on Instrumental Music: "The church, although lapsing more and more into deflection from the truth and into a corrupting of apostolic practice, had not instrumental music for 1200 years (that is, it was not in general use before this time); The Calvinistic Reform Church ejected it from its service as an element of popery, even the church of England having come very nigh its extrusion from her worship. It is heresy in the sphere of worship." - 3 -

4 The Fruit of Your Lips, by Brett Hickey, sermon #762 (79) 4 of 6 METHODIST Methodist Commentator, Adam Clarke, earnestly declares, "But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by divine authority under the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship? No; the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against this; and those who know the Church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state, know that these things have been introduced as a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail most, there is least of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous baubles from the worship of that infinite Spirit who requires His followers to worship Him in spirit and truth, for to no such worship are these instruments friendly." On another occasion, Clarke writes, "Music as a science I esteem and admire, but instrumental music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music, and I here register my protest against all such corruption of the worship of the author of Christianity. Clarke was by no means alone among the Methodists. In fact, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism speaks unambiguously on the topic: I have no objection to instruments of music in our worship, provided they are neither seen nor heard. Why would these men be so insistent on singing and not playing? Before we get to that, let s notice more insistence on a capella 5 music in the assembly. BAPTIST Baptist, William Posey, writes in his book, The Baptist Church in the Lower Mississippi Valley, "For years the Baptists fought the introduction of instrumental music into the churches... Installation of the organ brought serious difficulties in many churches." Charles Spurgeon, the most popular Baptist preacher of the twentieth century, preached to 20,000 people every Sunday for twenty years in the Metropolitan Baptist Tabernacle. Never were mechanical instruments of music used in his services. When asked why, he quoted 1 Corinthians 14:15, "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." He then declared: "I would as soon pray to God with machinery as to sing to God with machinery." Buddhists put prayers inside a prayer wheel and spin them. Some prayer wheels can contain millions of prayers. The Buddhist spins the "wheel" in a clockwise direction while uttering religious sayings. When spinning, these prayer wheels are believed to send prayers into the world. Is it okay to pray with machinery? If not, why, as Spurgeon puts it, would we sing with machinery? We have gone to great lengths to show from encyclopedias, history and even from prominent scholars within denominations that use instruments that the music made by early Christians in corporate worship was only vocal. This truth is confirmed by Scripture. Consider a sample of New Testament scriptures on music: o Matthew 26:30 - "And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." o Acts 16:25 - "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God..." o James 5.13: "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms." 5 a cappella (also spelled a capella) without instrumental accompaniment origin of a cappella Italian a cappella [:] in chapel style. First known use: circa 1864 Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary Online. Source: (Accessed April 2, 2011) - 4 -

5 The Fruit of Your Lips, by Brett Hickey, sermon #762 (79) 5 of 6 o Romans 15:9 - "I will sing to your name." o 1 Corinthians 14:15 - "I will sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the understanding also. o Ephesians 5:19 - "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. o Colossians 3:16 - "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your heads to God." o Hebrews 2:12 - "In the midst of the congregation I will sing Thy praise." Did you notice what all of these New Testament scriptures have in common? They all speak of singing only. No New Testament scripture ever includes the playing of instruments in worship. The apostle Peter says, If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God. So, if we re going to let the bible speak on what kind of music we offer in worship to God, we will be coming together to sing and only 6 to sing. In the third verse of the book of Jude, the Holy Spirit tells the people of God to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints Have you ever stopped to consider what God was trying to tell us in this scripture? Think about it! The phrase earnestly contend for means to vigorously defend. 7 But what are we commanded to vigorously defend or earnestly contend for? The Bible says earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. [italics mine] What is the faith once delivered? Now, there is faith and there is the faith. Faith, the Hebrew writer tells us, is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1) Faith is the strong conviction or belief that God exists and is the creator and that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God. But now, the faith is different from faith. Albert Barnes says in his commentary on Jude that the faith is The system of religion revealed in the gospel. He adds, The delivering of this faith to the saints here referred to is evidently that made by revelation, or the system of truth which God has made known in his word. Everything which He has revealed, we are to defend as true. We are to surrender no part of it whatever, for every part of that system is of value, to mankind. By a careful study of the Bible we are to ascertain what that system is, and then in all places, at all times, in all circumstances, and at every sacrifice, we are to maintain it. So, the faith that we must vigorously defend is the system of beliefs relayed to us in the New Testament scriptures. The faith once delivered includes singing, but not playing. On the very last page of the Bible, Jesus himself declares emphatically in Revelation 22:18-19, For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 6 Namely, sing without anything being added to it. 7 Earnestly contend for: NT:1864 to exert intense effort on behalf of something - 'to struggle for.' encourage you to struggle for the... faith' Jude 3. (from Greek-English Lexicon Based on Semantic Domain. Copyright 1988 United Bible Societies, New York. Used by permission.) - 5 -

6 The Fruit of Your Lips, by Brett Hickey, sermon #762 (79) 6 of 6 When it comes to worshiping God, there is no more fundamental truth for us to remember than that we are to offer God what He wants, not what we want. We add nothing; we take away nothing. Stay with us and we ll tell you how to get a copy of this message after our song Thank you for watching Let the Bible Speak. We hope you heard God speak to you through His word. If you d like a free copy of Fruit of Your Lips or a Bible study course please write us or call Please visit LetTheBibleSpeak.com to watch videos of the program. Finally, we echo the sentiment of the apostle Paul when he wrote in Romans 16:16, the churches of Christ salute you. Until next week, goodbye and God bless. Sermon delivered by evangelist Brett Hickey over Let the Bible Speak July, 2010 Sources McClintock, John, and James Strong. Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1867, "Organ." In The new Schaff-Herzog encyclopedia of religious knowledge, edited by Samuel Macauley Jackson, Vol VIII, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1966, Are you searching for the truth of God's word and have a sincere desire to learn about the Bible? Do you want to know what the Bible says about salvation and about Christ and His church? If you are looking for Bible Founded discussion on these topics and many others, then please accept this invitation to explore "Let the Bible Speak" and then contact us for additional studies. We are members of the church of Christ as found in the New Testament. We are not members of a denomination or earthly religious organization. We are a brotherhood of believers, joined by a common bond, Jesus Christ. We try to live and worship following the patterns found in the New Testament. (For manuscripts of other sermons visit: COPYRIGHT Let The Bible Speak. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Express permission is granted to distribute any video, audio, or transcript of any broadcast message as long as the material is: unedited and attribution is given to Let The Bible Speak; a hyperlink to LetTheBibleSpeak.com is included for electronic distribution; a text reference is included to for printed distribution; and the original author receives attribution. An irrevocable, world-wide, royalty free license for distribution is granted as long as such distribution has the intent of: supporting the truth as presented; giving glory and honor to God; and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. PDF, 4/2/