Bible Authority and Church Music

by W. Frank Walton

The religion of God for man's faith is a revealed religion (Rom 10:17). We don’t know what God wants unless He tells us (Rom 11:35). The apostles were commanded by Christ to teach “all” He commanded (Matt 28:20) and “abide in” His word (Jn 8:31f). False religious standards are those that subjectively supplant, abuse, transgress, or neglect the Word of God (2 Pet 3:16). In the religion of Christ, we are forbidden to "exceed what is written" (1 Cor 4:6).

Let’s examine a common sense outline to determine the authority for any particular religious practice. In the chart below, note: (1) Specifics, or a thing that is specified by command, example or necessary inference from God's word or even in any secular example, (2) the generic or general category of any specific, (3) things that are not authorized or things forbidden under any specific or generic and (4)authorized expedients (or authorized things that aid execution of thing commanded.

SPECIFIC GENERIC UNAUTHORIZED EXPEDIENTS

   Ford          Car           Chevrolet         4 door/red/V-8
  Gopher     Wood    Hickory/Pine/Oak  hammer, saw
  Sing        All Music      Instrumental   songbook/leader

First, to illustrate, let us notice a secular example. The purchasing officer of a company is instructed to buy the company 20 Ford automobiles. The specific included is Ford. Its generic is an automobile. There is no authority for the purchasing officer to buy 20 Chevrolets, Hondas or Buicks. He is implicitly forbidden to buy anything that is not a Ford because only Fords are specified. Expedients that are authorized as a matter of judgment, which might be 4 door, red color, or V-8 engine, as long as they are Fords.

To illustrate these things more let us notice an Old Testament Bible example: Noah was instructed to build an ark of gopher wood (Gen.6:14). Gopher is the specific involved in this command from the word of God to Noah. Wood is the generic. There was no authority for Noah to build the ark of pine, hickory or oak, nor is there authority for him to build 2 smaller boats or a larger boat than 300 cubits long. Expedients may have been white or yellow gopher wood; with hammers or saws, so long as Noah used gopher wood. He was minutely obedient to all of God's commands in building the ark (Gen 6:22). His obedient faith is commended in the NT (Heb 11:7). If Noah had used any other wood, it would be unauthorized and he would have been disobedient!

For a NT example, note music in worship is mentioned 9 times (Acts 2:47, 16:25; Col 3:16, Eph 5:19, Rom 15:9,11; Heb 2:12, 13:15, Ja 5:13) - vocal music. The specific involved in regard to music in New Testament worship is vocal music - singing. IF God had commanded the more generic "make music," then any music would be authorized, vocal or instrumental. Yet, singing is specified, so other forms of music have no authority and are thereby forbidden as presumptive and “exceed what is written” (1 Cor 4:6). Authorized expedients are any subordinate expedients that assist the singing - song books, song leader, pitch pipe, or 4 part harmony.

This common sense outline can be used as a guide to determine if anything in the work or worship of the church has specific or generic authority, or an expedient or aid to the authorized work of the church, or if it is outside divine authorization. We should find Bible authority for all we do in the name of religion!

“Whatever you do, in work or deed, do all in the name of the Lord” (Col 3:17). “If any man speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet 4:11).  

 

Other Articles by W. Frank Walton
God's Faithful Promises
Maturity and Marriage
Before the Foot Hits the Floor