Singing Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.“ John 17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

1 Corinthians 4:6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. 2 John 1:9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. Hebrews 8:13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Our authority comes from the New Testament Ephesians 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 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.

Two different purposes for singing. 1. To sing praises unto God from our heart Hebrews 2:12.. "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.“ 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.

James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 2. We are teaching and admonishing one another 1 Corinthians 14:15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

“Night with Ebon pinion, Brooded ore the vail” We need to concentrate on what we are singing and remember that our singing is to come from our heart. Eph.5:19 and Col. 3:16 command that we sing. Who should sing? Everyone is to sing! Eph.5:19 and Col. 3:16 These verses show us that everyone is to sing so this rules out solos or choirs.

Why does the church of Christ not use mechanical instruments of music in their worship to God? One of the main problems with people today is that they are focused on their desires instead of God’s desires. You cannot find one scripture in the NT which authorizes mechanical instruments by a direct command or by example. The history of the instrument in worship. Musical instruments were NOT USED in the early church.

First mentioned around the 5 th and 6 th century Pope Vitalian sanctioned their use for the first time in 670 AD Catholic Encyclopedia: “…the first Christians were of too spiritual fiber to substitute lifeless instruments for or to use them to accompany the human voice”. “The rejection of all musical instruments from Christian worship is consistent among the fathers” (New Catholic Encyclopedia 10:106)

It wasn’t until 1851 and beyond that people started embracing their use. John Calvin founder of the Presbyterian Church: “Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps or the restoration of the other shadows of the law.”(Commentary on the Book of Psalms, Vol, I, p. 539) John Wesley founder of the Methodist Church: “I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels provided they are neither heard nor seen,”

Adam Clark famous Methodist commentator: “Music as a science, I esteem and admire: but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor.” Martin Luther: “Martin Luther called the organ and ‘ensign of Baal’.” Mcclintock & Strong’s Encyclopedia. Charles H. Spurgeon a well known Baptist preacher: “I would as soon attempt to pray to God with machinery as to sing to him with machinery.”

J.H. Garrison of the Christian Church: “ There is no command in the NT, Greek or English commanding the use of the instrument. All of these denominational preachers agreed in the past that mechanical instruments of music are not to be used in our worship to God. History alone tells us that using a mechanical instrument in worship to God is not be done. They say, “The NT doesn’t specifically say that you can’t use them.”

Eph.5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 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. God commands us to sing and names the instrument as our heart. In saying this he excludes everything else including the use of musical instruments because God means what he says.

Since the Bible doesn’t say SPECIFICALLY that you CAN’T use Hamburgers and Lemonade for the Lord’s Supper then they should be allowed if mechanical instruments of music can be allowed.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him… Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Where there is no word there can be no faith and where there is no faith we cannot please God and since the NT does not command us or give us an example of using mechanical instruments they cannot be a part of faith and therefore are not pleasing to God.

The Bible Commands The Voice The Instrument Speak in song Eph. 5:19 CanCannot Teach Col. 3:16 CanCannot Admonish Col 3:16 CanCannot Make Melody in the heart Eph. 5:19 CanCannot

An aid is something that is used that doesn’t make a change to a command. An addition is something that is added and does change the command. Dishes for carrying the Lord’s Supper is an aid. Adding Hamburgers and Lemonade is an addition. A song leader or a song book is an aid. Musical instruments are an addition and not a aid because something other than singing is taking place.

The Greek word “Psallo” is used in Eph 5:19,Col 3:16, Rom. 15:9, 1Cor. 14:15. From 17 different lexicons. 1. To pluck the hair 2. To twang the bowstring 3. To twitch a carpenters line 4. To touch the Chords of a musical instrument. 5. To touch the Chords of the human heart, that is to sing. Should we pluck each others hair? Neh. 13:25 Should we twang the bow string or twitch the carpenters line?

How do we determine which definition goes with the NT time? Sophocles, a native Greek taught Greek for 38 years at Harvard University. He examined the Roman Period and beyond from 146 BC to 1100 AD. He went through over 594 authors during this 1200 year period and he declares that not one single example of Psallo throughout this period of time can be found involving or implying the use of instrument. Instead every time it meant to chant or sing a religious hymn. Out all of the version of the Bible’s that I know of not one of them translates Psallo as a musical instrument.

If the word Psallo means musical instrument in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 then that would mean that everyone would have play an instrument and sing or they would violate this passage. They like to say, “It was ok for them to use an instrument in the OT so it should be ok for us to use them in the NT” 2 Chronicles 29:25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king's seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

Revelation 5:8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. The book of Revelation is highly symbolic. Since there is no marriage in heaven Mt. 22:30 than we should have no marriage on earth if we are to apply what is spoken of heaven to us today.