Just as the Old Testament temple has given way to the “ living temple” of the human body (1 Corinthians 6:19), so the old “mechanical” instruments of temple music have given way to the “living,” Spirit-filled instrument of the human voice. They assert that, under the New Covenant, the believers’ “instrument” is the human voice. David commanded the leaders of the Levites “to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals” (1 Chronicles 15:16) in fact, four thousand Levites were set apart for playing musical instruments (1 Chronicles 23:5).Ĭhristians who believe that musical instruments should not be used in church acknowledge the Old Testament use of musical instruments, but they rightly assert that Old Testament examples do not set New Testament church practices. Instrumental musical accompaniment was a common part of worship. Several of the psalms were intended to be played “with stringed instruments” (e.g., Psalm 4:1 55:1 67:1 76:1), as well as the song of Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:19). The use of musical instruments was even commanded in some passages: “Begin the music, strike the timbrel, play the melodious harp and lyre” (Psalm 81:2 cf. Musical instruments were definitely used in worship in the Old Testament. While the church is a New Testament concept, we should look at the use of musical instruments by God’s people in the Old Testament. The lack of a biblical example of a church using musical instruments has led some to believe that musical instruments should not be used in the church but that our singing should be done a cappella. Most churches today utilize musical instruments of all kinds, but some use none at all.
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In all the examples of believers meeting together for worship in the New Testament, we have no clear instance of musical instruments being used.