USE OF MUSIC OR INSTRUMENTS IN THE CHURCH

By Ken Blue

The “switch and bate” by some of the brethren is to associate musical instruments with certain groups or individuals, and then make you think the instrument itself is carnal and evil. Music and musical instruments are not the same. Music instruments are amoral, regardless of your dislike for certain ones, and all the ranting and raving in the world will not change that fact.

Most fundamentalist believe you have “stepped over the line” if you have guitars, bases guitars, electric pianos, or drums in your church. They cannot help it; that was the way they were trained and conditioned to respond. If they go to the Old Testament for their examples of worship, they should also go there for their choice of instruments.

If we were true to old paths and followed our forefathers, there would be no instruments in any of our services. The use of instruments in church came some four hundred years after the founding of the Christian church. Prior to this, instruments were associated with the devil, dancing and the Catholic Church. The only instrument permitted for centuries was the organ. Later the piano was introduced, but was not allowed to be played during the “worship” service. It was a bar room instrument. Evangelist, John R. Rice said the reasons churches do not win souls is because of the use of the organ. (See his book; Why Our Churches Do Not Win Souls).

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Music and instruments are completely different issues.[/perfectpullquote]

Only until recent times have churches allowed what we call “Specials”. Choirs and congregational singing was all that was allowed. It was deemed worldly and sinful for one person to sing a solo.

Music can be wicked, worldly, blasphemous, and vile, but musical instruments are amoral. They are like a hand grenade; they can be used to commit suicide or to defeat an enemy.
Their use is determined by the person holding them. So, don’t let some slick preachers and evangelist “switch and bate” you, by pretending the two are the same. Music and instruments are completely different issues.

Yes, we too can draw a line, and we will draw it for ourselves. Why allow some other church or pastor to draw it for your church? He doesn’t know where the biblical line is. He simply draws it where he thinks it should be, and then wants you to believe you dishonor God if you don’t stop at his line. I assure you, there is music that I dislike, but that is a different matter.

If you can’t find anything to criticize a church about; criticize its music. It matters not that they believe the fundamentals of the faith, have souls saved each week, send out pastors and missionaries and believe the King James Bible. You see, music is that gray battlefield where you can fight until you are blue in the face, but you can’t defend your position from Scripture. All you can do is discredit those who don’t follow your lead.