The Reasons Some Choose A Cappella Singing In Worship
Posted: Friday, October 21, 2011
by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html
Those of us who choose non-denominational Christianity are often asked, and sometimes even criticized, for our singing a cappella in our worship. Let me explain one thing before I begin. If you can see nothing wrong either way, and you attend somewhere that uses instrumental music to accompany them, you have the right to disagree with me.
In the New Testament, Jesus left the authority with the apostles to establish His church. Read Matthew 16:13-19. It was then established by them on the first Pentecost after his death. The Holy Spirit which he had promised them entered into them that day and the church was started that day and three thousand were added to it, by the Lord. Read the full chapter of Acts 2.
So this is the official spiritual kingdom of Christ. Begun on that day and not only is it still in existence today but will be throughout eternity. There were no divisions in it then, no congregations teaching one thing an some, another. Yes, there were individuals who caused minor divisions but they were rebuked for it. You can read of a little discord in 1 Corinthians, the first few verses of chapter 3.
Then in several places, you will find the prophecy of the church falling away, apostatizing. And it did. History will explain what happened to the Lord’s church as it became involved in government and added officers to it that were not authorized. And it went that way, worse and worse until the restoration period. There were, however some who continued to worship God secretly as in the beginning, and when those were found they were accused of heresy and if they refused to denounce their stand, often killed.
But as the restorers began breaking away, they attempted to go back to the original pattern and many told their followers not to establish an organization and name it after them. But yet they did, and one after another kept breaking off of the Church of Rome and then they divided and continued to add more and more different organizations (churches).
Yet some groups continued to worship the Lord as the apostles directed and did not create any formal organizations. So this is the groups of the autonomous churches of Christ. Not one is subject to another or to a headquarters, only to our Lord Jesus Christ. And those who continued to adhere to the strict apostolic doctrines have taught that the bible is the final authority, not one of us. With this approach, we have to be extremely careful to do only the things authorized in scripture, in so far as our worship and Christian work is concerned.
Now, let’s point out the a cappella singing. Search the New Testament through and you cannot find a command, or an inference, or an example where they used instrumental music in their worship. Therefore, we do not use it either. Their worship consisted of five items. Singing, prayer, teaching or preaching, observance of the Lord’s supper, and the giving of their prosperity.
Now, to show that this is not something we have just made up and before you say, I don’t see anything wrong in it , let me show you what many of the early Christians had to say about it. Many of these people were members of various denominations.
Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Dominican Priest in the Catholic Church: "Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize." (Thomas Aquinas, Bingham's Antiquities, Vol. 3, page 137)
Augustine: (354-430) A Roman Bishop from Algeria. Saint Augustine "musical instruments were not used. The pipe, tabret, and harp here associate so intimately with the sensual heathen cults, as well as with the wild revelries and shameless performances of the degenerate theater and circus, it is easy to understand the prejudices against their use in the worship." (Augustine 354 A.D., describing the singing at Alexandria under Athanasius)
Chrysostom: (347-407) Greek Archbishop of Constantinople "David formerly sang songs, also today we sing hymns. He had a lyre with lifeless strings, the church has a lyre with living strings. Our tongues are the strings of the lyre with a different tone indeed but much more in accordance with piety. Here there is no need for the cithara, or for stretched strings, or for the plectrum, or for art, or for any instrument; but, if you like, you may yourself become a cithara, mortifying the members of the flesh and making a full harmony of mind and body. For when the flesh no longer lusts against the Spirit, but has submitted to its orders and has been led at length into the best and most admirable path, then will you create a spiritual melody." (Chrysostom, 347-407, Exposition of Psalms 41, (381-398 A.D.) Source Readings in Music History, ed. O. Strunk, W. W. Norton and Co.: New York, 1950, pg. 70.)
Joseph Bingham (1668-1723) rector of Headbournworthy, near Winchester "Music in churches is as ancient as the apostles, but instrumental music not so . . . The use of the instrumental, indeed, is much ancienter, but not in church service. . . In the Western parts, the instrument, as not so much as known till the eighth century; for the first organ that was ever seen in France was one sent as a present to King Pepin by Constantinus Copronymus, the Greek emperor. . . . But, now, it was only, used in princes courts, and not yet brought into churches; nor was it ever received into the Greek churches,* there being no mention of an organ in all their liturgies ancient or modern." (Joseph Bingham, Works, London Edition. Vol. 11, p. 482-484)
*When the Catholic Church divided, the Greek division became known as the Greek Orthodox or the Eastern Orthodox. Which still does not allow instruments of music in their worship.
Following is two quotes from Adam Clarke (1762-1832) a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar, world famous for his excellent whole bible commentary, still very popular and in demand.
"But were it even evident, which it is not, either from this or any other place in the sacred writings, that instruments of music were prescribed by divine authority under the law, could this be adduced with any semblance of reason, that they ought to be used in Christian worship? No; the whole spirit, soul, and genius of the Christian religion are against this; and those who know the Church of God best, and what constitutes its genuine spiritual state, know that these things have been introduced as a substitute for the life and power of religion; and that where they prevail most, there is least of the power of Christianity. Away with such portentous baubles from the worship of that infinite Spirit who requires His followers to worship Him in spirit and truth, for to no such worship are these instruments friendly."(Adam Clarke (Methodist), Clarke's Commentary, Methodist, Vol. II, pp. 690-691.)
"I am an old man, and I here declare that I never knew them to be productive of any good in the worship of God, and have reason to believe that they are productive of much evil. Music as a science I esteem and admire, but instrumental music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music, and I here register my protest against all such corruption of the worship of the author of Christianity. The late and venerable and most eminent divine, the Rev. John Wesley, who was a lover of music, and an elegant poet, when asked his opinion of instruments of music being introduced into the chapels of the Methodists, said in his terse and powerful manner, 'I have no objections to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen.' I say the same." (Adam Clarke, Methodist).
Now, I ask all to understand that my friendship and affection towards you, does not require that you believe as I do. I only ask that I be granted the same option. I feel that all things pertaining to worship and Christian activity must be authorized by the New Testament teaching of the apostles, no one else.
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