Q:
Dear Fred
Your information on Revelation and on alcohol have been most helpful to me in my christian walk.
Do you have any information or lessons on the use of musical instruments in worship. I'm not sure what you believe on this topic. I think it is ok to use instruments because the NT tells up to use Psalms in worship and some of the Psalms extol the use of various types of instruments.
However, in the church of Christ I attend in Corby, England, they say it is sinful.
Anything you have on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
(Name Removed)
A:
Dear ------,
RE: your question about the non use of instrumental music in British Old path churches of Christ. I have mixed feelings about the answer. Read on:
I don't think you have to have a musical instrument to go to heaven. So if I were in a fellowship where they did not use it I would be low key about it and enjoy the good parts of the fellowship.
But to say that it is a sin to use an instrument at any time in British churches is an Americanism. Most of the British churches in the Old Path and in the old Association that the Old Path was once a part of never used instrumental music in the "one or two cup" Lord's supper service but many of them, even of the Old Path would use instrumental music in singing in what was called the evening Gospel service. To say that instrumental music accomapanying a song in worship to God is always sinful is an Americanism and is not a part of British churches of Christ tradition nor of the Bible. That hard shell idea was introduced after the 50's and some of the Old Pathers adopted the hard line,. In fact some are more caustic than the "Antis" from the USA. I met one from around the Corby area years ago. He did not have the Love of Jesus in his heart.
However there are sensible brothers in the Old Path who see fellowship with those who differ on instrumental music as a dear thing while they themselves are very "conservative" and would never use a musical instrument in a Lord's supper service in their own assembly . I admit though, that even though I advocate the use of instruments of music in worship as scriptural I prefer they not be used while the communion service is under way. Quiet meditation is what I prefer.
You may or may not know the name of Alvin Jennings who published the Star Magazine and who is a devout acapello worshipper from Texas. I debated Alvin years ago in the early 60's and presented material that I did not think he could answer. In my eyes I bested him! Pride! Later I regretted the debate and decided not to debate the issue again but to have as much fellowship with brethren as possible. Of course that is not possible with someone who is so bigoted that he sees anyone -- no matter how faithful in all other ways -- as hell bound if he sings while a piano or guitar is playing. Oh by the way as far as preference goes I hate organs. Especially the way the Brits play them in church. Awful! It sounds like they are designed to destroy worship.
Anyway I did cooperative work with Alvin Jeniings later and it resulted in the conversion of Alan Marshall whom you know. I used Alvin's special talents and he willingly helped me. I think that makes more sense than debating.
However for study sake What you can do is to look up in the LXX (Septuagint) Bible the word Psallo and its derivitives and see the context that it is in. That is the best way to define a word. You will find that the arguement from "Etimology" is false. That is the noninstrument position is that the word underwent a change in meaning over time. Initially it meant pluck the strings of an instrument, then later changed to be instrument with singing and by N.T, times it meant sing only. There was no such development of the meaning of the word clearly seen in the LXX. When in 285 BC and when Timothy would have read that version, right? the only version he could have read because he was a Greek and not a Hebrew speaker the meaning of the word in the LXX would be what it meant to Timothy. Right? So If Paul wrote to Timothy and said to "Sing and Psallo" and Timothy did not know what that word meant, then he would look in the LXX (The Bible to Timothy) if he did not know the word and see how the the word was used in his time. You will find that in the LXX it is a generic word not specific. Some times it means play an instrument only, and in some other contexts sometimes it means sing with an instrument and some contexts it means sing only with the voice with no instrument. Thus all at the same time in 285 BC and when Timothy would have read it about 50 to 60 AD the word would have meant MUSIC of any generic kind. It could be: Foot stomping, hand clapping, stringed instruments, clanging a cymbal or banging a tamborine, or singing, or singing and playing etc., etc, YES any kind of music. Look it up and see that the word is generic in the LXX. Thus the statement that says by N.T, times the word meant "vocal music only" is false. So the passage in Eph 5:19 is not a redundancy as the Non Instrument brethren suppose i.e. "Sincerely Sing and sing" but it is "sing and make music sincerely" the phrase "en ta cardia" or "in the heart" has got to mean do it sincerely with all your heartfelt feelings. Right? The suggestion that the heart is the instrument is a bit dumb, don't you think?
Any way I still think it better for you -- in a fellowship where they do not use instruments and have a keen love of the Bible -- to enjoy the fellowship and be low key about what has not been able to be settled by good men who have preceded us. I like music, but music is funny. Different styles are offensive to some and not to others. It is like one man's cup of tea is another's cup of bitter herbs. Enjoy the blessings that are around you, and with study, settle the things that trouble you about this issue in your own mind. But don't rock the boat in the fellowship that you are in. Rather: thank the Lord that your brothers in the assembly where you worship will let you drink out of the same cup with them.
But study the LXX use of Psallo and you will see something clear.
all the best
Fred P Miller
