031107P

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• 031107P

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Essentials For Kingdom Growth

• Strong Bible Teaching True Worship

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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Most denominations play instrumental music in
worship. This includes playing organs, pianos,
harps, and even whole bands or orchestras. Does
the gospel of Jesus Christ teach us to praise God
with instruments of music, or should we simply
sing (vocal or acappella music)?
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
We do not use mechanical instruments of music in
our worship to God BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
AUTHORIZED BY THE LORD.
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• You should know that
• through the first 9 centuries of church history,
  Christians DID NOT play instruments of music in
  worship to God.
• from the start of the Protestant Reformation in
  the 1500s until the mid-1800s, Protestant
  churches DID NOT play instruments of music in
  worship to God.
• church music came to be known as acappella
  music, that is, music according to the chapel,
  music using only the human voice in praise of
  God.

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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
The Old Testament explicitly stated that singing,
playing instruments, and dancing were three
distinct forms of musical expression, and each
was an acceptable act of praise to God. However,
the New Testament continues to describe singing
as acceptable praise, but not one time are
musical instruments or dancing mentioned as
accepted forms of praise to God.
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Ephesians 519 be filled with the
Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making
melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks
always for all things to God the Father
Our Lord SPECIFIED the instruments of music He
wanted His church to use in worship to Him The
human voice and the human heart.
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
1 God didnt say we couldnt use them.
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Respecting Gods Authority

• When God SPECIFIES what He wants (ark gopher
  wood bread fruit of the vine), it
  automatically makes anything ELSE in the same
  category WRONG, i.e., SIN, INIQUITY, LAWLESSNESS
  (canoe pine wood meat potatoes). Example
  Lev. 101-3
• ADDITIONS

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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
The question is not Where did God exclude, but
Where did God INCLUDE instrumental music?
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Command Aid Addition
Pine Hickory
Hammer Saw
Gopher Wood
Lamb
Plate Cup
Bread Fruit of the Vine
Play an Instrument
Song books Eye Glasses Notes, etc.
Sing
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
2 Theyre just Aids or Expedients.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Difference between Aid Addition Aid helps
without changing Addition alters / changes
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Command Aid Addition
Pine Hickory
Hammer Saw
Gopher Wood
Lamb
Plate Cup
Bread Fruit of the Vine
Play an Instrument
Song books Eye Glasses Notes, etc.
Sing
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
3 They were used in the worship of the Jews in
the Old Testament. If it was okay for them, then
it will be okay for us.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Are we authorized to
• offer animal sacrifices?
• burn incense?
• wear priestly garments?
• dance in worship?
• observe the Sabbath Day?

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
We live under the New Covenant Col. 214-17
Heb. 109-10 Old Law has been replaced by the
Gospel of Christ.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
4 - Harps are portrayed in the worship of God
in heaven. Revelation 58
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Revelation is a book of symbols based on OT
  imagery.
• Does heaven actually contain golden bowls of
  incense? a Lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes?
  palm branches? a red dragon? a river of blood?
  harps?

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
If the book of Revelation authorizes instrumental
music in worship for Christians, then it
authorizes all of the Old Testament worship
practices for Christians.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
5 - The Greek word psallo in Eph. 519 means
singing AND playing.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
One hundred and forty-eight scholars who
translated the King James Version and American
Standard Version have said with one voice that
psallo in the New Testament means sing, not
sing and play.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Psallo
• Originally meant to touch, feel, or pluck
  anything then to pluck a harp.
• Then to sing psalms, with or without the
  accompaniment of the harp.
• In NT times to sing a hymn, to celebrate the
  praises of God in song (Thayer) to sing a
  hymn, sing praise (Vine).
• Compare the word gay today to its use prior to
  the mid-1900's.

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Psallo
• Lyric originally meant that which pertained to
  a lyre, a musical instrument like a harp. But
  today the lyrics are the words of a song, which
  cannot possibly be played on any instrument. The
  word changed meaning due to its usage. Originally
  it referred to an instrument, but now it refers
  to vocal music and has nothing to do with
  instruments.

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Even if psallo did include the idea of plucking
in New Testament days (it didnt), the instrument
to pluck is specified by the Lord Eph. 519
making melody with the heart
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Surely if PSALLO/PSALMOS in the New Testament
included musical instruments, the early church
would have so understood and would have used
instruments. But history unanimously tells us
they did not. Why not, if these words include
their use?
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
6 God gave us our musical talents we should
use them to glorify God.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• What about others with talents?
• Basketball in worship
• Art in worship
• Cooking in worship
• Woodworking in worship

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
7 It makes the singing more beautiful.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Beautiful for whom?
• What is beautiful to God?
• Beautiful sound?
• Beautiful heart?
• Worship is not to be judged by how much man is
  pleased. 2 Cor. 59

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
8 We use them in the home so we can use
them in the church!
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
In the home we can do many things that would
not be right to do in the worship of the
church! 1 Cor. 1133-34
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
Question If God does not authorize musical
instruments in worship, what gives us the idea
that it is pleasing to God for us to listen to
so-called Christian music outside the assembly?
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
9 We can bring in a bigger crowd people
like this kind of music.
Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• Could do many things to get a bigger crowd.
• Give away money
• Give away a new car
• John 626
• Our purpose is to please God, not get a crowd.

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship

• God didnt say No.
• Aids or Expedients.
• Used in OT worship
• Harps in heaven
• Psallo singing AND playing
• Talents glorify God
• More beautiful singing
• Use in home use in church
• Bigger crowd

Arguments For Instruments Of Music
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Acceptable Worship
Music In NT Worship
There is no question about what the NT
authorizes. Will we be guided by the NT alone?
Or, will we take a chance on worship we hope God
will accept? Isa. 558-9 Prov. 1412 Matt.
721 Lets not take chances instead, lets do
Gods will.
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Will You Become A Christian?
Hear the Gospel (Rom. 1017) Believe that Jesus
is the Son of God (Mk. 1616) Repent of Your Sins
(Acts 1730) Confess Jesus as Lord (Rom.
109-10) Be Baptized for Forgiveness of Sins
(Acts 238) Live Faithfully until You Die (Rev.
210)