Lifting Our Voices

by Everett Ferguson


During my graduate study days at Harvard, I lived in the same dormitory with a Greek Orthodox student, who was a graduate of the University of Athens and a candidate for the Master’s of theology degree at Harvard. I asked him if it was correct that the Greek Orthodox churches did not use instrumental music in their public worship. He said, “Yes.” Then I inquired as to the reasons why. His reply was most interesting to me: “We do not use instrumental music because it is not in the New Testament, and it is contrary to the nature of Christian worship.” He stated my case for unaccompanied church music better than I could.

In elaborating upon my reasons for defending a cappella music in the public worship of the church, I would like to apply a method of approach that I have found helpful in considering disputed matters of Christian practice. This methodology involves three steps: (1) an analysis of the New Testament evidence, (2) a testing of one’s interpretation of the New Testament by the testimony of church history, and (3) a consideration whether there is a doctrinal or theological reason that explains or gives meaning to the biblical and historical evidence.


New Testament Evidence

According to the New Testament evidence, instrumental music was not present in the worship of the early church. Singing incontestably was present in the corporate life of the early Christians (1 Cor. 14:15; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16), and this was rooted in the practice of Jesus with His disciples (Mk. 14:26). But there is no clear reference to instrumental music in Christian worship in any New Testament text.

We may note in passing that the New Testament passes no negative judgment on instrumental music per se. It makes neutral references to playing on instruments (Matt. 11:17), uses instruments for illustrations – with unfavourable connotations it may be noted (1 Cor. 13:1; 14:7) and compares the heavenly worship to the sound of instruments – probably under the influence of Old Testament and temple practice (Rev. 14:2). The situation is simply that instruments are not referred to in the church’s worship.


Testimony of History

In J.W. McKinnon’s doctoral dissertations, The Church Fathers and Musical Instruments (Columbia University, 1965) later summarized in his article “The Meaning of the Patristic Polemic against Musical Instruments” (Current Musicology, Spring 1965, pp. 69-82), he presented information about the history of instrumental music in the church. His studies put the introduction of instrumental music – first the organ – even later than the dates found in reference books. It was perhaps as late as the 10th century that the organ was played as part of the worship service. This makes instrumental music one of the late innovations of the medieval Catholic church. And that was only in the Western branch of Christendom, not in the Eastern Orthodox branch, which we have seen still today does not use an instrument in worship except for congregations under the influence of Western churches.

Even in the West, the acceptance of instrumental music has not been uniform. The Reformed and Anabaptist branches of Protestantism eliminated the instrument as a Catholic corruption and only came to reaccept it – and then not uniformly – about the time instruments were being introduced into churches of the Restoration Movement. Thus, to abstain from the use of the instrument is not a peculiar aberration of a frontier American sect; this is easily the majority tradition of Christian history. Virtually no one has said it is wrong to worship a cappella, whereas many have thought instrumental music in worship is wrong. A cappella music is truly the ecumenical ground to occupy.

The church’s nonuse of instrumental music is in contrast to the surrounding religious world. Any nonuse of instrumental music is not in the same category with nonuse of loudspeakers. Instrumental music was available and was part of the surrounding religious practices. Pagan religions used instruments to accompany their sacrifices and to arouse the emotions of their worshipers. The instruments accompanied song. If the church were going to reject instrumental music because of its association with pagan worship, song should have been rejected too.

The temple cult of the Old Testament also employed instrumental music as an accompaniment to its sacrifices. Here, indeed, we may have a clue to the nonuse of instrumental music in Christian worship. When the Levitical priesthood and the sacrificial cult were abolished, naturally its accompaniments were too. Thus, the incense that accompanied the offering of animal sacrifices became a symbol of the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8), but there is no reference to literal incense used in early Christian worship and several references in early Christian literature explicitly disowning it. Similarly something external and mechanical like instrumental music was superceded by the songs of praise.

Historical evidence makes it most unlikely that use of an instrument is implied in the term psallo, the Greek term for “music,” in the New Testament and shows that the absence of clear reference to instrumental music in the church’s worship in early days was not accidental. It was not mentioned because it was not there, not because there was no occasion to refer to it. There is no time when we can point to an original use of instruments in the church being abandoned.


The Nature of Worship

Thus far, we have seen that the testimony of church history and the circumstances of New Testament times point to a negative conclusion on the use of instrumental music in early Christian worship. Was there some reason, other than cultural or sociological, for the absence of instrumental music in early Christian worship? We turn now to the doctrinal or theological aspect of our study. It seems to me that this is the really conclusive consideration on which a decision about our practice today must be made. I would argue that a cappella music is more consistent with the nature of Christian worship. It is really the nature of Christian worship that determined early Christian practice and should determine our practice.

Worship is what we offer to God. The important thing in Christian worship is not our uplift, what pleases our senses, or what we find aesthetically satisfying. Instrumental music may put me in certain mood, may stir my heart, and may stimulate high sentiments (as well as lower or lesser sentiments), but my feelings are not my worship. Instrumental music performed by someone else cannot be something I offer to God. Our worship is to be determined by what is rational, spiritual and verbal, not by what is emotional, aesthetic or sensual.

Worship is grounded in our relation to God, as creature to the Creator. That means we must come before God on His terms. The gifts we offer are those He appoints. Instrumental music was an act of worship and not an aid in the Old Testament. It was a separate act. Playing an instrument is doing something different from singing. To offer mechanical music would require an explicit authorization from God.

When Paul was confronted with disorders in the worship assembly of the church at Corinth, he invoked the standard of what “edifies the church” to govern the conduct of the worshipers (1 Cor. 14:4, 6, 9, 12, 19, 26). What goes on in the assembly must be intelligible, understandable. Rational, spiritual, vocal music corresponds to this criterion. “[E]ach has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification (v. 26 RSV). It is difficult to conceive of instrumental music contributing to the biblical meaning of edification, building one up in the faith. It is more likely to interfere with the purposes of edification than to contribute to them.

The type of vocal praise that evolved in the synagogue and the early church made instrumental music irrelevant. It is only the instrumentally conceived music of modern times that makes us think differently. It is no wonder, therefore, that historians and interpreters of church music agree that a cappella singing is the purest and highest type of church music. Many quotations could be assembled on this theme. Historians may not agree on an exclusive stand, but they do agree that this is the classic form of church music. I should not be understood as saying that just because the singing is unaccompanied it measures up to these standards of Christian worship – as edifying, spiritual and an appropriate offering of man to God. I am simply saying that vocal music is best fitted to express the nature of Christian worship.


Conclusion

We are on good historical and theological grounds to engage in a cappella music in our public worship. This is safe, ecumenical ground that all can agree is acceptable. Instrumental music cannot be confirmed as authorized in the text of the New Testament. It did not exist in worship until centuries after the New Testament was written. Vocal music is more consistent with the nature of Christian worship.

Neither side of the instrumental music controversy has had a monopoly on Christian love and humility, and neither side has reason for pride. My hope is that we can go beyond our recent history of bitterness and unite on the original undivided ground of the Restoration Plea. This should not be done out of the spirit “one side is right and the other wrong.” But let us be New Testament churches – in practice and in attitude, in loyalty to the Bible, and in the exercise of Christian freedom.

Read and consider carefully!

It Is Better To…..

by Larry Ray Hafley


…have only bread and honey than to have dread and money.
…be sick in love than to be healthy in hatred.
…crawl in light than to walk in darkness.
…be silent than to speak and be sorry.
…hear bad news that is true than good news that is false.
…to cry in repentance than to laugh in iniquity.
…accept a hard truth than to believe an easy lie.
…be inconvenienced by necessity than to seek comfort in luxury.
…be a slave in the Saviour than to be a master in Satan.
…imprisoned for truth than to be free in error.
…be condemned for doing right than to be commended for doing wrong.
…sail a rough sea than to float gently to a foreign shore.
…”honour thy father and thy mother” while they live than to mourn them when they die.
…be pricked by the sword of truth than to be protected by the shield of error.
…die in the arms of love than in the lap of luxury.
…grant mercy to the undeserving than to take vengeance on the deserving.
…lead one from darkness than to “punch his lights out.”
…be born ugly than to live that way.
…pay a high price for truth than to buy a sin on sale.
…give grace than to sell favour.
…extend a hand than to swing a fist.
…war in a good cause than to enjoy peace in a bad one.
…die for right than to live for wrong.
…criticize kindly than to praise hypocritically.
…be sold out than to sell out.
…vainly love a good woman than to love a vain one.
…gain respect than revenge.
…pity an evil man than to envy him.
…be gifted in the Spirit than to be given to spirits.
…be considered fanatical in faithfulness than to wise in worldliness.
…bless the cursed than curse the blessed.
…see through the darkness than to be blind in the light.

Prayers

Please pray for bro. Jeffery Ong (bleeding gums), bro. Frank Pierce (Parkinson’s disease), sis. Lily Eoff (recovery), bro. Simon Lopez (coordination), Mr. Chun Channy (recovery), sis. Theresa Ee (recovering from injuries), bro. Eddy Ee’s mum (down in health) and sis. Doreen Low (recovery). Include your loved ones, those who need to be restored, obey the Lord, involved in the work of the Lord and others who are facing trials.


Theme

Our theme for November is Love One Another As Jesus Loves Us. (Jn. 15:12).


Book Donation

We thank bro. Marvin and sis. Sue Trice for contributing Truth For Today Commentary on Exodus by Coy D. Roper, Ph.D, Ephesians and Philippians by Jay Lockhart & David L. Roper, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude by Duane Warden, Ph. D. and His Eternal Plan by Jerry Tallman. We also appreciate bro. Marvin for his sermon entitled “A Church That Advances Must Be Bold” last Sunday.


Message From The Liew Family
”Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Our family wishes to thank those who attended Matthew and Ivin’s wedding dinner / reaffirmation of vows. May God bless you richly for sharing the joy and happiness of this auspicious occasion with us. With much appreciation,” Bro. & Sis. Liew Weng Lum & family


Wedding Anniversary

Congratulations to bro. Rajandran and sis. Rajeswari on the occasion of their 26^th wedding anniversary on 17 November 2009.


Thanks

Sis. Doreen Low appreciates the prayers and concern shown to her in her recent incident and expressly thank bro. Rajandran, bro. Liew, bro. Ganga, sis. Pooi Lai, sis. Julie, sis. Ruby and bro. Chris Lopez for visiting her in Assunta Hospital.


Condolence

We express our condolences to sis. Agnes Lopez over the demise of her eldest brother, Mr. Paul Anthony Gomez.


Birthdays In November

Happy birthdays to bro. Roy Gnanam (4), bro. Rajandran (7), sis. Rajeswari (15), bro. Brian Ganga (15) bro. Ceon Chong (20) and bro. Liew Weng Lum (23).


Fellowship Lunch

The Fellowship Lunch will be held after our English/Mandarin Worship. Members, visiting brethren and friends are invited to join us for lunch.


Bridal Shower

There will be a bridal shower for sis. Eva Wong after our Fellowship Lunch today. The program includes Ice breakers, Bridal love story and Discussion of your favourite woman in the Bible. Ladies are encouraged to be present.

Saturday Bible Class

Bro. Chris Lopez will be teaching on Christian Development on 21 November 2009. Everyone is encouraged to be present.


Guest Speaker

Bro. Charlie DiPalma will be addressing us on Philippians Chap. 1:9-11for the Bible Class and The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim. 4:6-8) in our worship on 22 November 2009.


Children’s Camp

The Klang brethren has extended an invitation to children aged 6 to 11 to be part of the Children’s Camp 2009. It is to be held alongside the Youth Development Camp on 21-24 December 2009. The venue is Gunung Lambak, Johor and the cost is RM220 per person. Details are on the notice board.


Chinese Bible Correspondence Course

If you read and write Chinese or have friends who do, you and/or they can sign up for Chinese Bible Correspondence Courses to know more about God's word. For a start, we have made available the Chinese version of the 8-lesson bible correspondence course by John Hurt (courtesy of the Klang congregation). If you are interested, please obtain the first lesson from sis. Wai Cheng, complete it and send it back to the church office for bro. Siow & bro. Teo to mark. Thereafter, subsequent lessons will be automatically posted to the student together with each previous marked lesson.


Visitors/Visiting Brethren (Last Week)

We thank Ms. Judy Lim (KL), Mr. Chun Channy (Cambodia), Mr. Darren (KL), bro. Gary Lye & sis. Wei Chin (Johor Baru), sis. Win Win (Klang), sis. Doreen Low (Wangsa Maju), bro. Marvin & sis. Sue Trice (Texas, USA), sis. Guik Kee, sis. Geok Beng, sis. Kok Chin, sis. Liew, sis. Ruth, bro. Cornelius Ting (Cheras COC) and bro. Tim Mendoza (Philippines) for worshipping with us last Sunday morning.