There are two
different kinds of music: vocal and instrumental. God has spoken in
the New Testament concerning the kind of music we must use if we expect to
worship Him in spirit and in truth, and that is singing. Singing is
the limit of God’s command. God nowhere in the New Testament
authorized mechanical instruments of music to be used in worship of the
church. A mechanical instrument of music cannot worship God.
Only with our voices can we sing praises to God. God does not wish
to be worshipped with a lifeless instrument.
People today may
think that it makes no difference if they add mechanical instruments of
music in worshipping God. In the Old Testament we have the example
of Nadab and Abihu who were presumptuous in their thinking that it made no
difference. In Leviticus 10:1-2 (NIV) we read, "Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, took their censers, put fire
in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire
before the Lord, contrary to His command. So fire came out
from the presence of the Lord and consumed them and they died before
the Lord."
In Leviticus
16:12-13 God commanded, "Then he shall take a censer
full of burning coals of fire from the altar" of burnt offering to
burn the incense in the tabernacle. But Nadab and Abihu decided to
do it their own way and get the coals of fire somewhere else. They
offered unauthorized fire. They died a horrible death because they
did something God did not authorize. They were presumptuous.
God will not tolerate substitutes for His divine way. God is very
particular about the way He wants things done. Just as Nadab and
Abihu offered unauthorized fire, is there any excuse for us to offer
unauthorized mechanical instrumental music to the Lord?
According to
Webster, presumptuous means, "to take upon oneself without
permission or authority, taking too much for granted, showing
overconfidence, arrogance." Being presumptuous as far as God is
concerned is a sin. Psalms 19:13 says, "Keep
back your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not have
dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent
of great transgression." So we see we can also be guilty of
presumptuous sins when we "take upon ourselves without permission or
authority" of God and add mechanical instruments of music to our
worship. We may not think it will make any difference, but Nadab and
Abihu thought the same thing. In speaking of people who are
displeasing to God, 2 Peter 2:10 says, "They are
presumptuous, self willed."
Some may say, "The
Bible does not say not to use mechanical instruments of music in
worship." But again are we permitted to be so presumptuous? If
so we could add anything else without His authority. The Bible tells
us we are to use the bread and the fruit of the vine in commemorating the
Lord’s Supper. But the Bible does not say we can’t also use
chocolate cake and milk. Of course it doesn’t. It would be
absurd if we tried to use it. But it is just as absurd when we try
to use the same type of reasoning to justify the use of instrumental music
in worship.
When God gives a
command to do something, does He have to say, but don’t do this, and don’t
do this, etc.? No. When God tells us what He wants done, He
expects us to do it that way. God’s commands are both inclusive and
exclusive. His commands include everything He specifies and they
exclude everything He has not authorized. But trying to confine
ourselves to what God has authorized is very important if we expect to
please Him and go to heaven.
If we add
mechanical instruments of music to the worship of God then we have added
to God’s word. In the closing words of the New Testament we are warned not
to add to His word. In Revelation 22:18, "If
anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are
written in this book." We do not have the right to add to
God's word. When God says something in the Bible He means it and He
will keep His promises.
In the sixth
chapter of Genesis we have the example of Noah who was pleasing to
God. In Genesis 6:14 we read that Noah was told by God to, "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark
and cover it inside and outside with pitch." In the verses
that follow God continues to give Noah the details of construction.
Then we read in Genesis 6:22, "Thus Noah did;
according to all that God commanded him, so he did."
God specified the ark was to be built of gopherwood. Did Noah use
gopherwood as God had specified? Yes, Noah did "according to
all that God commanded him." Would Noah have obeyed God if he
had added pine or oak along with gopherwood? No. He would have
disobeyed God by doing something God had not authorized. Do we
disobey God when we add mechanical instruments of music, which God has not
authorized to our worship to Him? Yes we do.
The use of
mechanical instruments of music in worship does make a difference, because
God has never permitted man to devise the plan or means for his worship of
God. This is very serious, because we will loose our souls through
presumptuous sins just as Nadab and Abihu lost their lives through their
presumptuous sins. Judgment Day will be too late to find out that we
were wrong to use unauthorized mechanical instruments of music to worship
God.
Questions Lesson 18
Singing In Worship (Part 2)
(click on the button of the answer of your
choice)
1) (Leviticus 10:1-2)
What happened when Nadab and Abihu offered
unauthorized fire in worship to
God?
Nothing.
God was well pleased.
Fire came down from the Lord and they died.
2)
Nadab and Abihu died because they did not worship God
as He
directed.
3) (Leviticus 16:12-13) Where had God commanded
Nadab and Abihu
to get the coals of fire to burn the daily incense?
From their own campfire.
From under the altar of burnt offerings.
Anywhere they could find them.
4)
God will tolerate our substitutes for His divine will.
5) (Psalms 19:13) Being presumptuous as far as God
is concerned is
Sin.
All right if we are sincere.
Doesn’t really matter.
6)
We are guilty of presumptuous sin when we take upon
ourselves to do
without God’s authority things that pertain to
worship.
7) (Revelation 22:18) If anyone adds to God’s
word
It will be all right if he is sincere.
Nothing will ever be done about it.
"God will add to him the plagues written in this book."
8)
It is all right if we add to God’s word by doing things we
want to
do.
9) (Genesis 6:14, 22) When Noah was commanded of God
to build the
Ark according to God’s specifications
Noah made some of his own modifications.
Noah did according to all that God commanded him.
Noah used his own plans.
10)
Noah would have obeyed God if he had added pine along
with the gopherwood.