Posted on June 12, 2023 Posted By: gearcan Categories:
Bible Studies / Are You Worshipping God In Spirit And In Truth? / Singing In Worship (Part 1)

Singing has a very definite place in worshipping God in spirit and in truth.  We glorify God in our singing praises to His name.  There are only nine scriptures in the New Testament which specify the kind of music in the worship of the church that God wishes in order for us to worship Him in spirit and in truth.  They are as follows:
(1) Matthew 26:30, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives”;
(2) Acts 16:25, “But at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God”;
(3) Romans 15:9, “For this reason I will confess you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name”;
(4) 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding”;
(5) Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”;
(6) Colossians 3:16, “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”;
(7) Hebrews 2:12, “In the midst of the assembly I will singpraise to You”;
(8) Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name”;
(9) James 5:13, “Is any among you suffering?  Let him pray. Is any cheerful?  Let him sing psalms.”

All without exception specify only singing.  Mechanical instruments of music in the worship of the church are not mentioned in the above scriptures or anywhere else in the New Testament because God has not authorized them.  Those who do not respect God’s word do not respect God.

God has commanded us to sing.  That means each one of us.  When people just sit through the song service and never attempt to sing (unless they can’t sing) they are not obeying God.  Or when people just sit and listen to a choir sing they are not obeying God’s command to sing.  They are not “offering the fruit of our lips”.  Can someone else worship for us?  I think not.  There is no Biblical authority for a choir.  Congregational A Capella singing is the only kind of music divinely authorized by the Lord for Christian worship.  If we follow only what God has authorized in our singing in worship, then the whole congregation will sing without mechanical instruments of music.

(Matthew 26:30) What did Christ and His apostles do before they went to the Mount of Olives?

  • WRONG, Christ and His apostles sung a hymn before they went to the Mount of Olives.
  • WRONG, Christ and His apostles sung a hymn before they went to the Mount of Olives.
  • CORRECT, Christ and His apostles sung a hymn before they went to the Mount of Olives.

Singing is part of our worship to God.

  • CORRECT, God is worshipped when we sing songs of praise and honor to Him.
  • WRONG, God is worshipped when we sing songs of praise and honor to Him.

(Acts 16:25) While Paul and Silas were in jail

  • CORRECT, When Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail they prayed and sang praises to God. Such great faith.
  • WRONG, When Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail they prayed and sang praises to God. Such great faith.
  • WRONG, When Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into jail they prayed and sang praises to God. Such great faith.

While in jail Paul played the guitar while Silas played the drums as they sang hymns to God.

  • WRONG, While in jail Paul and Silas only prayed and sang praises to God without mechanical instruments of music.
  • CORRECT, While in jail Paul and Silas only prayed and sang praises to God without mechanical instruments of music.

(1 Corinthians 14:15) What are we to sing with?

  • WRONG, Mechanical instruments of music are not authorized by God. We are to only sing with the spirit and the understanding.
  • CORRECT, Mechanical instruments of music are not authorized by God. We are to only sing with the spirit and the understanding.
  • WRONG, Mechanical instruments of music are not authorized by God. We are to only sing with the spirit and the understanding.

The above verse tells us we are to sing with a five piece band.

  • WRONG, We are to only sing with the spirit and the understanding. God has NOT authorized the use of mechanical instruments of music to accompany our singing to Him in worship.
  • CORRECT, We are to only sing with the spirit and the understanding. God has NOT authorized the use of mechanical instruments of music to accompany our singing to Him in worship.

(Ephesians 5:19) When we sing praises to God, where are we to make the melody?

  • WRONG, When we sing praises to God, the melody is to be made only in our heart, not on a mechanical instrument of music.
  • WRONG, When we sing praises to God, the melody is to be made only in our heart, not on a mechanical instrument of music.
  • CORRECT, When we sing praises to God, the melody is to be made only in our heart, not on a mechanical instrument of music.

We are speaking to one another as we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

  • CORRECT, When we are singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs we are speaking to one another. A mechanical instrument of music cannot speak, thus it cannot do what God wishes when we sing.
  • WRONG, When we are singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs we are speaking to one another. A mechanical instrument of music cannot speak, thus it cannot do what God wishes when we sing.

(Colossians 3:16) As we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs we are to sing with what?

  • CORRECT, As we sing praises to God we are to sing with grace in our hearts and not with a mechanical instrument of music. God has not authorized it.
  • WRONG, As we sing praises to God we are to sing with grace in our hearts and not with a mechanical instrument of music. God has not authorized it.
  • WRONG, As we sing praises to God we are to sing with grace in our hearts and not with a mechanical instrument of music. God has not authorized it.

We teach and admonish one another as we sing.

  • CORRECT, We teach and admonish one another as we sing in worship. The mechanical instrument of music cannot teach and admonish, thus it cannot accomplish what God wishes when we sing.
  • WRONG, We teach and admonish one another as we sing in worship. The mechanical instrument of music cannot teach and admonish, thus it cannot accomplish what God wishes when we sing.

(Hebrews 13:15) The sacrifice of praise that we offer to God when we sing to Him

  • WRONG, The sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, is done when we sing praises to God. This sacrifice of praise cannot be done on a lifeless mechanical instrument of music.
  • WRONG, The sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, is done when we sing praises to God. This sacrifice of praise cannot be done on a lifeless mechanical instrument of music.
  • CORRECT, The sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips, is done when we sing praises to God. This sacrifice of praise cannot be done on a lifeless mechanical instrument of music.

The sacrifice of praise we give to God is the fruit of our lips as we sing.

  • CORRECT, The fruit of our lips is the sacrifice of praise in which God wishes to be worshipped. This is only done when we sing and not when a lifeless mechanical instrument of music is played for our enjoyment.
  • WRONG, The fruit of our lips is the sacrifice of praise in which God wishes to be worshipped. This is only done when we sing and not when a lifeless mechanical instrument of music is played for our enjoyment.