Share Has God Authorized Instruments as Worship? Part 1

Copy link

November 17, 2024

Has God Authorized Instruments as Worship? Part 1

32 minutes

Introduction

Scriptures that refer to worship with music in the New Testament:

Acts 16:25

Romans 15:9

I Corinthians 14:15

Ephesians 5:19

Colossians 3:16

Hebrews 2:12

Hebrews 13:15

James 5:13

Why don’t we add instruments to that?

The simple answer is: because God does not authorize us to do so.

God didn’t say NOT to.

God didn’t say NOT to … carry the ark on an ox cart.

Exodus 25:14; Numbers 4:15; 7:6-9 – God’s specifications for the ark.

I Chronicles 13:7-12; 15:2, 2, 12-15

God’s instructions:

Poles

Kohathites

Shoulders

God didn’t say NOT to … appoint a priest from Judah.

Numbers 13:10; Hebrews 7:11-14; 8:4

God didn’t say NOT to … offer strange fire.

Leviticus 10:1-2

God didn’t say NOT to … preach circumcision.

Acts 15:5-6, 24

If God only authorized:

Then that leaves everything else unauthorized:

The Kohathites using poles to carry the ark on their shoulders

Ox cart, etc.

Priests to comes from the tribe of Levi

Priests from Judah, etc.

A certain fire

Some other fire, etc.

Preaching the gospel of Christ

Preaching circumcision, etc.

Singing as musical worship

Instruments, etc.

Instruments are just aids, like pitch pipes or song books.

Mark 16:15 – “Go”: how?

II Timothy 2:2 – “Teach”

I Corinthians 16:1-2 – “collection … put aside and save”

Psalms 150:1-6 – Instruments were regarded as worship under the Old Covenant.

...more

View all episodes

By Mark Watson

55 ratings