What Piano Is in Do It Again Elevation Worship

Churches of Christ love music. Singing is a prominent—and favorite—part of each service. Most congregations dedicate a Sunday night each month to larn new songs and to sing old favorites. Almanac singings can describe thousands of people. Many Christians sing daily as they go about their tasks (James 5:13).

Churches of Christ exercise non sing a cappella because we dislike other kinds of music. Most of us have every bit many songs on iPods as the next person. We practise not lack financial means to purchase instruments or capable musicians to play them. Nosotros are non merely trying to exist different or stubbornly upholding a longstanding tradition.

Why, so, practice nosotros sing a cappella?

The practice is predicated on post-obit the New Attestation instead of the Old.

The church is a New Testament institution, purchased on the cross and established on Pentecost (Matthew sixteen:18; Acts 2:i–47; 20:28). Its rule of faith and practise is the covenant Jesus delivered past the Spirit (New Testament), not the Law delivered to Moses at Sinai (Quondam Testament).

The New Testament records this transition:

• Hear Christ, not Moses (Matthew 17:5).
• Preach gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:18–20).
• Judged by Christ'south words (John 12:48).
• Loosed/delivered from the constabulary (Romans 7:i–7).
• "Christ is the end of the constabulary" (Romans 10:four).
• "Engraven in stones" constabulary abolished (two Corinthians iii:7–fourteen).
• Separating wall removed (Ephesians 2:14).
• Onetime nailed to cantankerous (Colossians 2:14).
• Change in priesthood required modify in law (Hebrews 7:12; 9:eleven).
• New constructive after Christ's death (Hebrews 9:xvi–17).
• Christ came to accept away the first law to institute 2nd (Hebrews ten:9).

A new police inverse humanity'southward response to God. Christians no longer offer animals, keep the Passover, find Sabbaths and new moons, or avoid pork and catfish (cf. Colossians two:14–17). Worship is not conducted by a special class of priests; blood is not sprinkled on a mercy seat; and unusual ceremonies involving goats, red heifers, and burnt animals are not required.

In the changeover, God omitted such things equally called-for incense, gilt vessels, colorful tapestries, dancing before the Lord, biting herbs, and instruments. He kept unleavened bread, the fruit of the vine, prayers, and singing.

Incidental? Inappreciably. God always meticulously planned worship (Exodus 25–40; Leviticus 1–27). He spent more than than six thousand years completing His plan for the church (Ephesians three:eleven; Galatians 4:4–v) so naught was left to happenstance.

The Erstwhile Testament is written for our learning but not for our law (Romans fifteen:iv). Going back to the Old Testament for study is helpful in understanding many things, but going back to the Old Testament for any practice obligates one to go on all its ordinances (Galatians 5:1–iii; James 2:10).

The do comes from our understanding of worship and priesthood.

Os Guinness observed, "The modern globe has scrambled things and so badly that today we worship our work, we piece of work at our play, and nosotros play at our worship."

Churches of Christ aim never to "play at worship." Worship is the near important matter humans do. It is a privilege to worship—more specifically, to be 1 from whom God accepts worship. In the Quondam Testament, believers offered sacrifices through priests. In the New, all Christians are priests—a kingdom of priests (Revelation 1:six). As a holy priesthood we offer spiritual sacrifices to Him who called us out of darkness (ane Peter 2:5, 9).

Every true-blue member can participate in worship. Congregational singing reflects this. Instrumentals, choirs, and solos hinder all-fellow member participation.

Regardless of a congregation's size, worship always has an audience of one. A God who has everything is in the market for lilliputian, but He seeks worship (John 4:23–24). In those few minutes, we have God'south undivided attention. Information technology is when nosotros say cheers for His "unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15) and put a smile on the face of the one who puts a song in our hearts.

The vox is a wonderful gift. You could say God gave each of u.s. a instrument to use in His worship. We may non call up we have a good voice, but God looks at (listens to) our hearts (1 Samuel sixteen:7). A sincere song from a faithful child pleases Him. The relevant question is non, "Do we accept a voice?" only "Exercise we take a song?" God loves to hear His children sing.

How 1 approaches God in worship is of central importance. Individually and congregationally, worship is either accepted or refused by God. Nosotros must not presume that God automatically accepts annihilation nosotros offer. He doesn't. God has always rejected worship He did not like (Genesis four:four–7; Isaiah 1:xiii). He does not similar vain worship (Matthew 15:9), which (in the context) ritualistically continues human traditions; ignorant worship (Acts 17:xx–23), which results from not seeking God's Give-and-take on the subject; and will-worship (Colossians 2:23), which offers what we want instead of what He wills.

True worship is done in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Individually, God only accepts worship "in spirit"—that which comes from proper attitudes, such as reverence, thanksgiving, and humility (Hebrews xiii:15). We must examine ourselves before worshipping (two Corinthians 13:5).

Collectively, God only accepts "in truth" worship, which ways according to His Word (John 17:17). We have no authority to put words in God'southward mouth, or to ignore words from His mouth (Matthew 4:four; Revelation 22:18–xix). Man is not at liberty to select a worship form that appeals to him. The danger for any church is to make worship entertainment oriented. The important thing is not what draws a crowd only what pleases God. Loving God supremely ways acquiescing to His will (Matthew 7:21; 22:37–38; 23:23; John 7:17).

The practice grows out of our want to reproduce the original church today.

The church of Christ sang a cappella in the days of the apostles, and then the church building of Christ sings a cappella today. Information technology really is as elementary every bit that.

Churches of Christ today strive to be identical to the church building in the New Testament (Romans xvi:16). Before nosotros practise anything, we verify that it was skillful by the first century church. Thus "proving all things," we concur "fast that which is good" (one Thessalonians v:21; cf. Jeremiah six:xvi). It is the safest arroyo one can have in religion—the way that is right and cannot be incorrect.

No scholar (of whom I am enlightened) says early Christians used instruments. No Bible verse records it. The phrase a cappella, which now ways "without instrumental accompaniment," originally meant "every bit in church." Instruments were available and  widely used in pagan worship and theaters, likewise as the Jewish temple, but they were not used by the church.

Standard reference works and music textbooks confirm this. Emil Nauman wrote in The History of Music: "There can be no doubt that originally the music of the divine service was everywhere entirely of a song nature" (Vol. ane, p. 177). Wycliffe Bible Dictionary says, "In that location is no record in the New Testament of the use of instruments in the musical worship of the Christian church building." The Catholic Encyclopedia reads, "The showtime Christians were of also spiritual a fiber to substitute lifeless instruments for or to use them to accompany the human voice."

More five hundred years passed before instruments were used. Chambers Encyclopedia notes, "The organ is said to have been introduced into church music past Pope Vitalian in 666 ad."

At first, the organ was played only before and subsequently the "liturgy" (worship service). Years later, it was moved into the service proper. Then it caused such controversy that in advertising 1054 it led to a divide between Cosmic and Eastern Orthodox churches. (Orthodox Churches, with few exceptions, go on to use song music simply to this day.)

Most Protestant churches did non use instruments until the 1800s. In the time of the Reformation, churches opposed instruments in stronger language than we would likely utilize today. Martin Luther, founder of the Lutheran Church, called the instrument "an ensign of Baal" (McClintock and Potent'southward Cyclopedia, from Luther, Martin, Realencyklopadie Fur Protestantische Theologie und Kirche). John Calvin, founder of the Presbyterian Church, wrote, "Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting upwards of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law" (Comments on Psalm 33). John Wesley (1703–1791), founder of the Methodist Church, said: "I accept no objection to instruments of music, in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen" (quoted past his personal friend, Adam Clark in Clark's Commentary, Vol. IV, p. 686). Adam Clarke (1762–1832), prominent Methodist scholar, wrote: "Music equally a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abhor and abhor" (Comments on Amos half dozen). Charles Spurgeon, widely-recognized equally the greatest Baptist preacher, wrote in his comments on Psalm 42: "We might too pray by machinery equally praise by it" (Treasury of David, Book 1, 272). He never allowed instruments in his ten-thousand-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle in London.

These quotations are not given equally authority, and certainly non to offend, just but to prove that church history is firmly on the side of a cappella singing.

The practice stems from our conviction that we must add nix to the Scriptures.

Churches of Christ believe strongly in having divine authorization (a scripture) for all we teach and practice. Nosotros practise this because the Bible says, "Whatsoever ye exercise in word or deed, practise all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3:17). "Whatsoever" and "all" are comprehensive words. To practice a matter "in Jesus' proper noun" means to do it by His authority. The Bible warns confronting venturing across "that which is written" (1 Corinthians iv:half dozen) or adding anything to the Bible (Revelation 22:18–19). We must not go out of premises (ii John 1:9).

What are the bounds regarding worship? The New Attestation does not say much nigh music in the early on church. The once music is used (Luke 15:25), is not even talking about worship, merely about the political party held for the returning prodigal. A few verses mention pipes and harps (e.thousand., Matthew 11:17; 1 Corinthians 14; Revelation xiv–15), but none in the context of church worship. Singing, however, is mentioned vii times in that context (Acts xvi:25; Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:fifteen; Ephesians five:19; Colossians 3:xvi; Hebrews 2:12; James five:13).

Singing is definitely "in premises."

• It is commanded (Ephesians 5:19).
• There are examples of Christians singing (Acts sixteen:25; 1 Corinthians fourteen:15).
• It is in the principle of offering God the fruit of our lips (Hebrews 13:fifteen).

On the other hand, the New Testament is silent on playing songs for God. Information technology is not commanded nor is there any instance of the early on church using information technology.

Nosotros pray that God will give all of us wisdom as we continue our spiritual journey toward eternity (James one:2–iv).

All who love the Lord share a delight in His praise. Truly may God in all things "exist glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for e'er and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:11).

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