Recently, Rick Atchley of the Richland Hills Church of Christ preached a series of sermons on instrumental music (THE BOTH/AND CHURCH), advocating their use and charging those who oppose the introduction and use of the same as dividing the church. Since his speech, and perhaps following the example of this congregation, every month we hear of other congregations of the Lord’s church doing the same thing, abandoning opposition to the use of the instrument and actively seeking to add it to the church. This despite the fact that many are leaving the churches in question because they cannot, in good conscience, worship with an instrument (this, however, is all right as long as the MAJORITY of the people stay – after all, by making this decision, these churches are showing the world that they are more than willing to compromise and give the world what it wants in an effort to gain more members and “open wide arms of love” to a lost and dying world). Those who conscientiously oppose the use of instruments are labeled as the troublemakers, and those for its use claim that those opposed are “binding” where God has not bound.

These tactics should not surprise us in the least. In the early 1900s, when the instrumental music issue reared its head then, it was the Christian Church who labeled those in opposition as being the ones who divided the brotherhood; however, if the truth be told, it was they who added the instrument and divided churches right and left. It was the ones who added what God had not commanded that divided the church.

Now, more and more we hear that the issue of instrumental music is just a matter of opinion; that we are focusing on things that do not glorify God and are worrying too much about something that doesn’t matter. One way that the “liberal” has of making his side look better is to call names, and label those who conscientiously oppose its use as being “unloving, uncaring, worried more about tradition than Jesus and the proclamation of the gospel . . . “ We are the boogie men, and we all want to stay away from them, don’t we?

And in all of the discussions, recriminations and arguments, only a few raise the question of AUTHORITY!

We don’t like to discuss authority in our country today. We have lost respect for authority, because of the multiplied abuses of authority. “No one has the right to tell me what to do” we hear! We see it on television daily; we hear it suggested by all we come into contact with. Elders don’t have authority in the church with the exception of example (this despite Hebrews 13:17), and so everyone does their own thing (Judges 21:25 “everyone did that which is right in their own eyes.”) Truly, there is nothing new under the sun.

The instrumental music question is a question of authority! Where did God command us to use the instrument in the worship of the church? Where is ONE passage of Scripture that declares that we are allowed to use it? Some argue that because God is silent about it in the New Testament, then we have the right to determine if we should use it or not. This, despite repeated EXAMPLES in the Old Testament that shows when man decides to change, or add something different to the worship God ordained, he was displeased (Leviticus 10:1-2; 2 Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13-15).

The argument has been raised that God allowed and commanded the use of the instrument in the Old Testament, and surely what God commanded in the Old Testament he would not condemn in the New! While it is TRUE that God commanded its use in the Old Testament, we also know that God commanded animal sacrifices, the burning of incense, the Levitical priesthood and other things in the Old Testament that NO ONE would argue for their continuation in the New Testament! This is just another example of picking and choosing what we want to bring over and justify; as opposed to what God commands and directs.

Some argue that we should use it and be allowed to use it by implication of the Greek word “psallo” in Ephesians 5:18-19 and Colossians 3:16. In its primitive use the word “psallo” meant to pluck the strings, as a bowstring, or the strings of an instrument. Later, the word came to exclusively be used to denote the idea of singing only, and the “strings” that are to be plucked are the strings of the heart (singing and making melody IN YOUR HEART to the Lord). THE HEART IS THE INSTRUMENT EVERYONE CAN PLAY! If we are supposed to play a mechanical instrument -- then most of us are in deep trouble! If instrumental music is commanded by the use of the word "psallo", then we ALL must play, not just those who are talented!

“Well, you are arguing about silly things that make no difference. We need to be preaching the gospel and not discussing these kinds of things” we hear many say. What these don’t seem to get, however, is that if we don’t have a firm and resolute understanding of GOD’S AUTHORITY in our lives; if we don’t understand that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18-20), then we will not really know what parts of Jesus’ commands we are to obey, or if we are to obey any commands at all. We will struggle with knowing which, if any of God’s commands are applicable to us; we will struggle with understanding any command (whether general or specific, and what is meant by generic commands and specific commands); we won’t really know how to obey the Lord in this matter of authority! “Oh, just love the Lord” some argue, yet we know that the way we show that love for the Lord is by “keeping his commandments.” (John 14:15).

Instrumental music is not a matter of opinion, a tradition that we like and want to keep – it cuts to the heart of real obedience to Jesus! Will we be a holy people – a separated people – by following the Lord in His will and way, or will we give in to the world on this issue and others? IT IS ALL ABOUT LOVING AND SERVING JESUS – IT IS ALL ABOUT PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD!