A Cappella-Only Singing in NT Corporate Worship is Not Biblical

[Scripture More Accurately]

For various reasons, some people believe that the singing in NT corporate worship must only be a cappella. This position is not biblical for several reasons.

1. The singing in heavenly worship is not a cappella-only singing. Heaven's worship is the pattern for ours. Our singing in worship is not to be a cappella-only.

2. It is not true that only the Israelites were to use musical instruments to accompany their singing in temple worship and to do so only as long as the burnt offerings were being made. Rather, God has commanded all the world to worship Him with singing accompanied by musical instruments. NT Christians are among all the people of the world that God has commanded to worship Him with singing accompanied by musical instruments. Our singing in worship is not to be a cappella-only.

3. The NT does not show that all singing in Christian churches was a cappella-only singing. Our singing in worship is not to be a cappella-only.

By making these statements, however, I am not saying that we can never sing a cappella in our churches when we worship. What I am saying is that it is not biblical to insist that all our singing in corporate worship must only be a cappella.

 

[Salty]

Does the New Testament require music to accompany - NO !
Does the New Testament prohibit music to accompany - NO!

Much ado about nothing

Scripture More Accurate - a couple of Questions for you

1) just curious - does your church constitution say anything about using music?

2) If someone wanted to sing a song a cappella - would that be a problem

3) You stated: " some people believe that the singing in NT corporate worship must only be a cappella."
a) what constitutes "corporate worship"
b) who determines that?

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Does the New Testament require music to accompany - NO !
Does the New Testament prohibit music to accompany - NO!

Much ado about nothing

Scripture More Accurate - a couple of Questions for you

1) just curious - does your church constitution say anything about using music?

2) If someone wanted to sing a song a cappella - would that be a problem

3) You stated: " some people believe that the singing in NT corporate worship must only be a cappella."
a) what constitutes "corporate worship"
b) who determines that?

I already answered your #2 in my opening post; no, it would not be a problem if someone sang a song a cappella, but we would not allow anyone to say that all our singing is going to be a cappella.

I have not looked at my church constitution for a long time so I cannot answer #1 knowledgeably. I do know that the leadership of my church firmly believes that we are to use musical instruments to accompany our singing in corporate worship.

God is the One who determines what corporate worship is. Whatever He says in His Word is what we are to do.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Much ado about nothing

Some have strong opinions about musical instruments in a church. Joy of THIS forum is we can discuss this (and if any would like, can strum a guitar while you read) from the Bible, not our personal preferences.

I suggest we look at formal worship (corporate) in the OT as general history/pattern, the NT churches as examples, then the NT epistles as definitive guidelines for corporate worship today, and finally the sneak-peek of heavenly worship in the revelation.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Some have strong opinions about musical instruments in a church. Joy of THIS forum is we can discuss this (and if any would like, can strum a guitar while you read) from the Bible, not our personal preferences.

I suggest we look at formal worship (corporate) in the OT as general history/pattern, the NT churches as examples, then the NT epistles as definitive guidelines for corporate worship today, and finally the sneak-peek of heavenly worship in the revelation.

Divine commands are not matters of "strong opinions" or "personal preferences."

Psalm 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

5 Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.

6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.

The King of all the earth issues 6 commands in this passage to all the earth. No one gets to set aside God's demands for the whole world. He demands that all the world worship Him with singing that is accompanied with musical instruments.

God must be glorified according to what He has said. All the earth has never obeyed these commands. God is going to be glorified by all the world, and it is the responsibility of His people to go to all the world to evangelize and disciple them to give Him the glory that is due His name.

 

[JonC]

no, it would not be a problem if someone sang a song a cappella

Obviously you have never heard me sing.

 

[Salty]

Obviously you have never heard me sing.

Jon and I sing solo -------- so low, you cant hear us!

 

[Dr. Bob]

Divine commands are not matters of "strong opinions" or "personal preferences".

Which are optional and can be left out of Sunday's worship? Are these so-called "commands" a MUST for true worship? Are they required tomorrow in every church?
Singing?
Playing the Harp?
Playing the Trumpet/Cornet?
This is why a civil discussion on instruments in church is so important unless we elevate our feelings about what God said.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Which are optional and can be left out of Sunday's worship? Are these so-called "commands" a MUST for true worship? Are they required tomorrow in every church?
Singing?
Playing the Harp?
Playing the Trumpet/Cornet?
This is why a civil discussion on instruments in church is so important unless we elevate our feelings about what God said.

If you refuse even to acknowledge that these are commands given by God, any further discussion will be useless. Calling them "so-called commands" is a rejection of divine revelation. You could say that these commands do not apply to us for some reason, but denying that they are commands is illegitimate.

Also, I have not engaged in any discussion on this topic that has not been civil. Stating firmly what I believe does not mean that I am not being civil.

 

[Dr. Bob]

Erasing a poorly worded (my fault) response

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Simply respond to my question instead of pontificating. 99% of what people call "commands" either are not imparatives (grammar), not applicable to a church today contrasted to Israel, or have nothing to do with context. We all agree we should praise God. But the question to begin a real discussion is from the Psalm YOU posted - I want to understand what your church is like in obeying this text.

So tomorrow in YOUR CHURCH will there be singing? Will there be harp playing? Will there be both trumpet and cornet?

That's discussion, brother, not saying you won't even discuss it because I nit-picked your word of "command" to show you how absurd that was. This topic truly interests me.

The church we had 2005-2021 had no instruments and singing of at least 10 hymns (all verses) each Sunday Worship. Might have a guitar as a special.
The church we have now has 2 grand pianos, full orchestra (including trumpet/cornet), lots of singing, but NO HARP. Think a piano might be a good substitute.

No, I am not going to respond to questions that you put forth until you first treat the text itself properly. Jumping to application when what the text actually says is being disputed is not sound hermeneutics.

Claiming that what you said was said to show "how absurd" what I said was underscores the need for addressing the text itself.

Do you acknowledge that these are divine commands or not?

 

[Salty]

No, I am not going to respond... ?

First - you started this thread!
Second in post # 5 you quoted "Sing unto the Lord with the harp;"
if you do not have a harp - are you saying that you are breaking Gods commandment?

Third, Dr Bob asked valid questions - just answer his questions -

one other thing, in our church - we do sing a cappella. Does that mean we are sinning

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

First - you started this thread!
Second in post # 5 you quoted "Sing unto the Lord with the harp;"
if you do not have a harp - are you saying that you are breaking Gods commandment?

Third, Dr Bob asked valid questions - just answer his questions -

one other thing, in our church - we do sing a cappella. Does that mean we are sinning

No, you do not get to dictate to me how I proceed in this discussion. I am not going to discuss what he wants to discuss until the text is first treated properly.

 

[Salty]

No, you do not get to dictate to me how I proceed in this discussion. I am not going to discuss what he wants to discuss until the text is first treated properly.

and likewise you dont get to dictate how others must discuss!

thus we are closed for business