Jn. 4:19-24

1
Praising God - Singing

• Jn. 419-24

2
Singing

• To the end that my glory may sing praise to You
  and not be silent, Ps. 3012
• Then they believed His words They sang His
  praise, Ps. 10612
• Paul and Silas were praising God in a hymn,
  Acts 1625 (Interlinear Bible)

3
"Old Light on New Worship"

• Quotations are from this book, written by John
  Price, preacher at Grace Baptist Church,
  Rochester, N.Y., 2005
• He has written an excellent book against the use
  of instrumental music in worship.

4
Regulative Principle

• God has always regulated His public worship
  even in regard to the specific musical
  instruments usedtwo silver trumpets, Num.
  101,2,8,10the only musical instruments used in
  public worship throughout the time of the
  Tabernacle in the wilderness (pg.
  21,22).

5
In The Temple

• It was the command of Davidfrom the Lord, 2
  Chron. 2925-27
• When the Temple was to be built, its order of
  worship to be instituted, David received a divine
  revelation in regard to it, just as Moses had
  concerning the tabernacleInstrumental music
  would not have been constituted an element in the
  Temple-worship, had not God expressly authorized
  it by his command (p. 29).

6
New Testament Worship

• When we come to the New Testament, we must
  again be guided by the regulative principle of
  worship. The God of the Bible has not changed,
  and He will still be regarded as holy by those
  who draw near to Him (Lev. 103 1 Pet. 116). We
  must ask the question What has God commanded in
  His worship? (p. 39).

7
Levites and Instruments

• God instituted the use of musical instruments
  as part of the Levitical priesthood. It was the
  Levites alone whom he authorized to use the
  musical instrumentsthe Levitical priesthood in
  its entirety has been abolished (Heb. 711,12),
  and this must include their musical instruments
  (p. 51).

8
N.T. Is Silent

• Musical instruments are mentioned often in O.T.,
  but what do we find in the New Testament?
  Nothing but complete silenceAre we to assume
  that there were musical instruments in the
  churches just as in the Temple but the Holy
  Spirit has forgotten to tell us about them?
  (p.54).

9
What Is Authorized?

• When they had sung a hymn (Mt. 2630 Mk.
  1426), Paul and Silas were praying and singing
  hymns (Acts 1625), I will sing unto Your name
  (Rom. 159), I will sing with the spirit, and I
  will sing with the understanding (1 Cor. 1415),
  singing and making melody in your heart (Eph.
  519), singing with grace in your hearts (Col.
  316), I will sing praise (Heb. 212), Is any
  cheerful, let him sing psalms (Jas.
  513).

10
Arguments in Defense

• The Greek verb - psallo
• To pluck off, pull out to cause to vibrate by
  touching, to twang the strings of a musical
  instrumentin the New Testament to sing a hymn,
  to celebrate the praises of God in song
  (Thayer, p. 675).

11
Response

• A verb describes an action it does not give
  you the object.
• Baptize (verb) immerse in what?
• Psallo what? Hair, carpenters string, harp
  strings, the heart?
• The Church Fathers vehemently rejected the use
  of musical instruments in the worship of the
  church. These same men were also masters in the
  Greek language (p. 191).

12
It Is An Aid To Singing

• Why is it played when nobody is singing?
• Singing and playing of musical instruments are
  two entirely different acts. Each can be
  performed independent of the other (p. 49).
• A song book, or power point is an aid not
  another kind of music. (Containers for the bread
  and fruit of the vine are aids, not
  additions.)

13
Harps In Heaven

• Rev. 58 142
• Revelation is highly symbolic (11)
• There are also bowls of incense (58), a golden
  altar (83), bowls of wrath (161).
• There is no marrying, nor giving in marriage in
  heaven (Mt. 2230). If this example of heaven
  becomes our rule on earth, then we would cease to
  exist after one generation (p. 202).

14
What About a Pitch Pipe?

• The pitch-pipe is used before the hymn actually
  begins, and it remains silent throughout the
  entire act of singingIf a musical instrument is
  used for the same purpose as the pitch-pipe,
  namely to set the pitch with a single note before
  the hymn begins, we will have no objection to its
  use (pg. 206,207).

15
History

• The use of organs in churches is ascribed to
  Pope Vitalian (657-672)The Greek Church
  disapproves the use of organs. The Latin Church
  introduced it pretty generally, but not without
  the protest of eminent men, so that even in the
  Council of Trent (1545-1563) a motion was made,
  though not carried, to prohibit the organ at
  least in the mass (History of the Christian
  Church, Philip Schaff, Vol. 4, p. 439).

16
Reformers

• Martin Luther The organ in worship is an
  ensign of Baal.
• John Calvin The Papists, therefore have
  foolishly borrowed this, as well as many other
  things, from the Jews.
• John Wesley I have no objection to
  instruments of music in our chapels, provided
  they are neither heard nor seen.

17
Conclusion

• The best argument for instrumental music in
  worship?
• I like it!
• What if we like steak in the Lords supper?
• And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in
  the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
  the Father through Him (Col. 317).