Text: Ephesians 5:19
What About Instrumental Music?
- Not authorized (Colossians 3:16-17)
- “But it’s not condemned” — principle of silence (Hebrews 7:14)
- We only read of the 1st century church singing (Matthew 26:30; Acts 16:25; 1 Corinthians 14:15)
Four Ways God Shows What Has Been Authorized — command, statement, example, implication
- Singing commanded (James 5:13) — instruments not commanded
- Statements about singing (1 Corinthians 14:15,26) — no statements about instruments
- Examples of singing (Acts 16:25) — no examples of instruments being used
- Implication of singing in assembly (Ephesians 5:19) — instruments are never implied
- We would need just one of these to establish authority for instruments — but we have none
Quibbles
- Instruments in Old Testament (Psalm 150) — different law (Colossians 2:14)
- Harps in heaven (Revelation 5:8; 14:2) — symbolic; metaphor for singing
- What about song books? — aids vs. additions; expedients must first be authorized (1 Corinthians 6:12)
