Musical worship is worship & is governed by God’s word, Col. 3:16, 17  God provides a pattern  Worship in every age  Not one pattern for all ages  Musical worship in the gospel age  Singing: Jesus, disciples, saints  Praise God & teach one another  Respect singing as worship

Our worship must be by His will, not ours  Worthy of worship, Rev. 4:11  Musical worship due to love & devotion, not to please our ears

Worship through idols is rejected, Ex. 20:1-5  Golden calf, Ex. 32:1-10  Idols at Dan & Bethel, 1 Kgs. 12:26-30

Worship offered sincerely, but without authority, is rejected  Nadab & Abihu, Lev. 10:1-3  Sincerity is not enough, 1 Kgs. 18:25-29  Rejected at Judgment, Mt. 7:21-23

Not all beliefs are right  Water boils at 211 degrees  Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim  If God accepted all worship – hypocrite  Presbyterian & Baptist cannot be right  Catholic & Episcopal cannot be right  Pentecostal & Mormon cannot be right

Changes to worship are sinful  Divinely given worship, Acts 2:42; Col. 3:16  Man’s changes  Images & figures  Women leaders, 1 Tim. 2:11, 12  Instruments of music

David used them, Psa. 71:22  Dancing, Psa. 150:3-5  Animal sacrifice, Psa. 66:13, 15  Polygamy, 2 Sam. 3:2-5; 5:13

The New Testament doesn’t say not to  Argument from silence, Heb. 7:12-14  NT doesn’t say “thou shalt not…”  Gamble, Eph. 4:28  Baptize babies, Mk. 16:16  Pray to Mary, 1 Tim. 2:5

God has given me a talent and I feel I should use it to praise Him  Saul felt compelled, 1 Sam. 13:12  Juggler?  Magic tricks?  Sword swallower?

Instruments are expedients like songbooks  The Lord’s Supper, Mt. 26:26-29  Expedients: tray, cups, napkins  Non-expedients: cake, tea

Instruments are expedients like songbooks  Baptism, Col. 2:12  Expedients: river, lake, baptistery  Non-expedients: sprinkle, pour

Instruments are expedients like songbooks  Sing, Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16  Expedients: book, projector, memory  Non-expedients: piano, guitar

Instruments are in heaven, Rev. 5:8; 14:2  Golden bowls & incense  Lamb on Mt. Zion, Rev. 14:1  144,000 virgin men, Rev. 14:3, 4  Symbolic language, Rev. 1:1

“An organ in the worship of God is an ensign of Baal” Martin Luther - Founder of Lutheran Church - Quoted in McClintock & Strong’s Encyclopedia

“Musical instruments in the celebration of praises to God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense and the restoration of other shadows of the law” John Calvin - Founder of Presbyterian Church - Commentary on Psalm 33:2

“I have no objections to instruments in our chapels provided they are neither seen nor heard” John Wesley - Founder of Methodist Church - Quoted by Adam Clarke in Commentary on Amos 6:5

“What a degradation to supplant the intelligent song of the whole congregation by the theatrical prettinesses of a quartette, the refined niceties of a choir, or the blowing off of wind from inanimate bellows and pipes! We might as well pray by machinery as praise by it ” Charles Spurgeon - Baptist Preacher 1800s - Treasury of David Vol. 1, p. 272

“Speaking to one another In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, Singing and making melody In your heart to the Lord” The Holy Spirit - Ephesians 5:19

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” The Holy Spirit - Colossians 3:16