TRADITION AND PREFERENCE
Is our rejection of instrumental music in worship our "tradition and preference"? Some, in an effort to portray tolerance and love, want to declare that the use of the instrument in public worship is simply a matter of choice. I find it strange, indeed, that Jesus condemned doing things for outward show and, yet, here are those claiming to be His followers who want nothing more than a "public show" (Matthew 6:1-4). If I say to you that the instrument is a matter of choice, will that not show what a loving person I am? Such faulty reasoning always comes to the front when the Word of God is thrown out.
Samuel once said to Saul that he had not obeyed the voice of the Lord (I Samuel 15:19). Saul replied that he had obeyed the Lord. He had proof of such obedience. He went the way the Lord told him to go. He brought back Agag but, otherwise, he had utterly destroyed the Amalekites (verse 20). He reasoned that the bringing back of the best of the flocks for sacrifice was a choice of the people. Do you see that? The people chose to bring back the best for sacrifice (verse 21). What loving people they were! All they did was refuse to obey God but certainly the presence of all these animals for sacrifice would over rule their disobedience, would it not?
Hear Samuel's reply to such thinking, "it is better to obey than sacrifice." Sacrifice is done as a result of obedience. However, if sacrifice is not because of obedience then it is better to obey. It is more important to hearken (respond) to the will of God than to have sacrifices that are to be offered contrary to God's will (verse 22). Summing it up, rebellion is equal to witchcraft and being stubborn about it is as iniquity and idolatry (verse 23). When Saul as leader and the people as followers set aside what God declared, they ceased to be pleasing to God. Their interpretation of love was different than God's. How often today do we need to be reminded that God's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8,9).
When the first instrument to be used in public worship was not introduced until some 500 years after the establishing of the church, rebellion or obedience? If obedience then what happened to all those individuals for some 500 years who "chose" to not use it? If, on the other hand, it is rebellion then what about all those individuals since that time who have used it? How can it be a matter of choice? It is either rebellion or obedience. If I am obeying God by using the instrument in public worship why then do I not find it mentioned in public worship of the church in scriptures? Such instruments were cited in the Old Testament period, why can we not find them in the New Testament after the establishing of the church?
For instance in Psalms 68:25 mentioned is made of the singers who went before followed by the players on instruments. With such language at the disposal of God why would we not find these or similar words in the worship of the church in the New Testament? Do not go all over the place trying to explain the Greek word, psallo, just explain why you do not find things like players, organs, flutes and harps in New Testament worship. Language came from God. Adam had the gift of speech from day six when he was created. If God wanted "singers and players", He could certainly have given us those words as He did back in Psalm 68.
If God, then, chose not to include such words, by whose authority do I include them? Our conduct as followers of the Christ is to keep the commands of God and do those things that please Him (I John 3:22). If Saul and all Israel displeased God because they made a choice about what obedience meant, what about us today? Is not the decision to do what pleases God more important than what "I want"? This is a time when so many what to "show love" to every one but to God.
Am I supposed to be touched because Jerry Taylor (Abilene Christian professor) and Steve White (minister for the Christian Church here in Indiana) swap Bibles and then have prayer together at the North American Christian Convention at Louisville, Kentucky? I want to love everyone and be a friend to as many as I can in my earthly journey. If in my journey I fail to please God, then I may have touched many lives but I failed to touch the one life that I need to, that is mine own. I'd rather love God and let that be my legacy instead of tolerating the world that has rejected God.