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Articles
Historical Views of Instrumental Music in Worship
While the use of instruments as part of worship is commonplace in many churches today, such was not the case a few generations ago. Now it is more strange to find a worship building without instruments than to find one equipped for a rock band. As we have discussed recently, there are many excuses people offer for using mechanical instruments in worship. One of the most common reasons people give for using mechanical instruments is the use of instruments in Old Testament worship. If people could worship God with instrumental music under the old law, then why is it not okay for us to use mechanical instruments today? In reality, this is a relatively new argument.
Consider the statements below addressing the history of music in the church and the commonly shared belief among men of profound religious influence regarding such proper practices.
All our sources deal amply with vocal music of the church, but they are chary with mention of any other manifestations of musical art…The development of Western music was decisively influenced by the exclusion of musical instruments from the early Christian Church.” Paul Henry Lang, MUSIC IN WESTERN CIVILIZATION, pp 53, 54
“Only singing, however, and no playing of instruments, was permitted in the early Christian Church.” Hugo Leichtentritt, MUSIC, HISTORY AND IDEAS, p. 34
“There can be no doubt that originally the music of the divine service was everywhere entirely of a vocal nature.” Emil Nauman, THE HISTORY OF MUSIC, Vol. 1, p. 177
“We have no real knowledge of the exact character of the music which formed a part of the religious devotion of the first Christian congregations. It was, however, purely vocal.” Dr. Frederick Louis Ritter, HISTORY OF MUSIC FROM THE CHRISTIAN ERA TO THE PRESENT TIME, p. 28
“Both the Jews in their temple service, and the Greeks in their idol worship, were accustomed to sing with the accompaniment of instrumental music. The converts to Christianity accordingly must have been familiar with this mode of singing…But it is generally admitted, that the primitive Christians employed no instrumental music in their worship.” Lyman Coleman (Presbyterian), THE APOSTOLIC AND PRIMITIVE CHURCH, pp. 368-369
"…the first Christians were of too spiritual a fiber to substitute lifeless instruments for or to use them to accompany the human voice.”---CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA
"The execution of Byzantine church music by instruments, or even the accompaniment of sacred chanting by instruments was ruled out by the Eastern Fathers as being incompatible with the pure, solemn, spiritual character of the religion of Christ.” Constantine Cavarnos, BYSANTINE SACRED MUSIC
"Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, 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 apostle is far more pleasing to Him.” John Calvin, COMMENTARY OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS, Vol. I, p. 539
"I have no objection to instruments of music, in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen.” John Wesley (FOUNDER OF METHODIST CHURCH)
"Music as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor.This is the abuse of music; and here I register my protest against all such corruptions in the worship of the Author of Christianity.” Adam Clarke (COMMENTATOR)
"Martin Luther called the organ an ‘ensign of Baal’.” McCLINTOCK & STRONG’S ENCYCLOPEDIA
"I would as soon attempt to pray to God with machinery as to sing to Him with machinery.” CHARLES H. SPURGEON, BAPTIST
The belief that worship "in spirit and truth" involves singing without the use of mechanical instruments was once shared by virtually all who claimed to wear the name of Christ. Now the Lord's church is viewed as very strict by the religious community for holding this belief. The above list includes men who did not hold strict, conservative views of basic Bible doctrine. Yet they still saw the use of mechanical instruments as wrong. One thing is certain, God's word has not changed on this issue. If God's word has not changed, why have the views of so many in the religious world changed?
"The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever." - I Peter 1:24b-25a
