Written by Eng Kim Leng (KKCOC Elder)
The term A Cappella is a Latin phrase meaning “in the manner of the chapel” or “as is done in the chapel.” It refers to vocal singing without instrumental accompaniment and was the standard practice of the church for centuries. In fact, early Christian literature expressly testifies to the absence of instruments for approximately the first thousand years of Christian history.
When we sing together, we are addressing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with our heart (Eph 5:19, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,”). We are commanded to be ‘speaking to one another,’ there is a conversation. The specific instrument is the heart. This command is echoed in Colossians 3:26, where we are told to teach one another by ‘singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord’. The emphasis on vocal singing resonates throughout the New Testament.
Matthew 26:30 — “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
Acts 16:25 — “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
Romans 15:9 — “… For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.”
1 Corinthians 14:15 — “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.”
Colossians 3:16 — “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
The pattern is clear: New Testament worship emphasizes heartfelt singing, lifting voices in praise, teaching, and encouragement – not mechanical instruments but melodies from within the heart. The appeal to instrumental music accompaniment is however gaining traction, especially among the young, so much so that many churches of Christ are adopting it to attract more people. It is thus important that we understand clearly why musical instruments are not used in our worship.
Why do churches of Christ NOT use Musical Instruments?
The simple reason is the absence of explicit authorization for instruments in worship within the New Testament. We can search the whole Bible and will not find a verse that authorizes the church to worship God with a mechanical instrument of music. The passages that deal with music in worship use the words “singing”, “sing”, or “fruit of our lips”, except for Ephesians 5:19 which reads, “making melody”. The word “sing” is translated from the Greek word ‘psallo.’ Instead of the harp, the heart is the God-given instrument to psallo with.
The use of instrumental music tantamount to ‘adding to God’s command’, a step beyond what is written. When God desired instruments, He gave clear instructions. In the New Testament, there are commands on preaching, praying, partaking the Lord’s Supper, and singing, but there is no mention of playing musical instruments. There are spiritual gifts given to the early church (prophecy, tongues, knowledge, etc.), but musical instruments is not on the list. We have descriptions of traditions that apostles have handed down in the early church letters, but no information on playing music either.
Some point to the Old Testament, where music with instruments was indeed commanded. For example in Numbers 10:1-10, God gave Moses precise instructions on making and using silver trumpets, how to make the trumpets, when to blow them, where to blow them, and who was supposed to blow them. They were blown as a warning, to assemble the people, and as part of the feasts. Such instructions were commanded clearly in the OT but none in the NT.
Could it be argued that since God accepted David’s playing of musical instruments, it follows, God would accept instrumental music accompaniment in our worship? It is important to note that David did not decide to do so on his own. David said that God gave him instructions to establish musical instruments in the worship that will take place at the temple. “‘All this,’ said David, ‘the Lord made me understand in writing, by His hand upon me, all the works of these plans.’” 1 Chronicles 28:19
Solomon and subsequent kings followed with the blessings from God. 2 Chronicles 29:25, accounts how king Hezekiah restored temple worship, “And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the Lord by His prophets.”
Throughout the OT, the use of instruments of music had God’s direct command and approval. Today we do not live under the Old Covenant. The old law has been nailed to the cross (Col 2:14). If we adopt the use of musical instruments as relevant, then to be consistent, we should also use many other practices in the OT, like offering of animal sacrifices, incense, tithes, observe religious days (like the feast of Passover, feast of Pentecost, feast of trumpets), Sabbath day and circumcision of male boys. If God intends for musical instruments in the worship assembly of the church, it is reasonable to expect God to give similar instructions, just as He did for the Lord’s Supper and other acts of worship. He did so in the Old Testament as with other elements of New Testament worship. In the OT, God allowed melody to be made on a ‘harp,’ He now commands that the melody be made in the ‘heart’ (Eph. 5:19).
What about the use of harp and trumpet in heaven? Does it authorize us to similarly use them in our worship? Revelation 5:8 describes “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” We know that Revelation is written in a figurative language. It pictures the glory of heaven; an imagery of what we can expect. We may never fully understand these figurative words, but one thing we can note, if the use of harp in heaven justifies similar use in worship, then to be consistent, we should also adopt the burning of incense. After all, in that same sentence, incense was used. The image and the number are figures. The harps are figures. These are not patterns for Christian worship.
Interestingly, Charles Spurgeon, the well-known Baptist preacher, wrote in his commentary on Psalm 42: “What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettiness of a quartet, bellows, and pipes. We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it.” Paraphrased the last sentence, it could go like this, “we might as well pray using machines, since we praise the use of it.”