New Covenant Hymnody The fact that the Bible comes with its own builtin hymnbook attests to the centrality of singing for Gods people Why Christians SING Together A Rich Doctrinal Basis ID: 688879
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Slide1Slide2
“WITH ONE VOICE”
Why Christians SING TogetherSlide3
New Covenant Hymnody
The fact that the Bible comes with its own built-in hymnbook attests to the centrality of singing for God’s people!Slide4
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
1. Because Jesus sang:
“
When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives”
(Matthew 26:30)Slide5
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
2. Because it praises God:
“
I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you”
(Hebrews 2:12)Slide6
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
3. Because it allows us to give thanks to God:
“Speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks to God the Father
at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus”
(Ephesians 5:19-20)
“
With gratitude in your hearts
sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God
the Father through him”
(Colossians
3:16-17)Slide7
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
4. Because it preaches Christ.
There are several N.T. passages that can be identified in the Greek as hymns
(Philippians 2:6-11, 1 Timothy 3:16, and probably Colossians 1:15-20).
It is significant to note that each hymn recounts the story of
Jesus
!Slide8
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
5. Singing is a spiritual
sacrifice we offer to God.
“Through Christ, then, let us continually offer a
sacrifice of praise
to God, that is the fruit of lips that
confess his name
”
(Hebrews 13:15)Slide9
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
6. Singing expresses the indwelling Spirit and Word of Christ.
“
Be filled with the Spirit
as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
”
(Ephesians 5:18-19)
“
Let the
Word of Christ
dwell in you richly
….as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”
(Colossians 3:16) Slide10
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
7. Singing is mutually edifying.
“Teach and admonish one another”
(Colossians 3:16)
“Speak to one another”
(Ephesians 5:19)
READ 1 Corinthians 14:15-17, 26Slide11
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
8. Singing expresses the emotions of our heart.
“Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise”
(James 5:13)Slide12
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
9. Singing etches the Word deep into our heart.Slide13
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
10. Singing exemplifies the unity of the church.
“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live
in harmony
with one another…..so that together you may with
one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”
(Romans 15:5-6)
“By your concord and harmonious love Jesus Christ is being sung. Now
all of you together
become a choir so that being harmoniously in concord and receiving the key note from God in unison you may
sing with one voice
through Jesus Christ to the Father
.”
-Ignatius (c. 110 A.D.)Slide14
Why Christians SING Together: A Rich Doctrinal Basis
Colossians 3:14-16
“Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity
. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as
members of one body
you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish
one another
with all wisdom, and
as you sing
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”Slide15
New Covenant Hymnody
Early Christians cherished the psalms and sang them in their worship assemblies, but with one significant change.Slide16
THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
A
crucial passage on worship is
John 4:19-24
in which Jesus announced a change in
covenants
that would bring a change in
worship
.
To understand the proper nature of Christian worship, it makes sense to listen to Christ
!Slide17
Christian Worship is based on
TRUTH
John 4:22-24
Verse 22 “You Samaritans worship
what you do not know
; we worship
what we do know
, for salvation is from the Jews.”
Verse 23 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the
true worshipers
will worship the Father
in spirit and in truth
, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
Verse 24 “
God is spirit
, and his worshipers must
worship in spirit and in truth
.”Slide18
Christian Worship reflects the change from
OLD
Covenant to
NEW: Verse 21
From a
GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED PHYSICAL TEMPLE
to a
“SPIRITUAL TEMPLE”
From
LAST DAY
(Sabbath) to
FIRST
(Sunday)
From repetitive
ANIMAL SACRIFICES
to the perfect
BLOOD of
CHRISTSlide19
Christian Worship reflects the change from
OLD
Covenant to
NEW: Verse 21
From
a
SEPARATE PRIESTHOOD
to
PERSONAL ACCESS
through
JESUS
From
PHYSICAL, EXTERNAL
worship forms to
SPIRITUAL, HEART-CENTERED
worshipSlide20
Christian Worship corresponds to the
NATURE OF GOD
: verses 23-24
Not material, but spiritual
(Romans 12:1-2)
Not
external,
but inward
(1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
Not man-centered, but God-centered
(Romans 1:25, 1 Corinthians 14:33)Slide21
When the Church Assembles We are The SPIRITUAL “Temple of God”
Jesus’ re-conceptualization of the Temple is one of the things that got him killed!
(Matthew 26:60-61, 27:40)
When
Jesus said,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again”
(John 2:19-21),
what was he talking about?Slide22
When the Church Assembles We are The SPIRITUAL “Temple of God”
His own body!
“
But the Temple he had spoken of was
his body.
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words he had spoken”
(John 2:21-22)
QUESTION: Where is the BODY of Jesus today?
WE
are the body of Christ because we are his church
(Colossians 1:24, Ephesians 1:22-23, Romans 12:4-5)
and especially when we assemble together for worship around the Lord’s Table
(Matthew 26:26, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17).Slide23
When the Church Assembles We are The SPIRITUAL “Temple of God”
“
You also, like living stones, are being built into a
spiritual house
to be a holy priesthood, offering
spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”
(1 Peter 2:5).Slide24
When the Church Assembles We are The SPIRITUAL “Temple of God”
“
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God
a sacrifice of praise
, the fruit of lips that confess his name.”
(Hebrews 13:15).Slide25
When the Church Assembles We are The SPIRITUAL “Temple of God”
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for
with such sacrifices God is pleased
.”
(Hebrews 13:15; cf. Romans 12:1-2).Slide26
THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
It is based on
TRUTH
.
It reflects the change from the
OLD COVENANT
to the
NEW
.
It reflects the
NATURE OF GOD.Slide27
Why Did Early Christians Reject Instrumental Music?
1. Early Christians considered the instrumental music of the Old Testament as a concession to the spiritual dullness of that age and therefore as
inappropriate for New Covenant worship
.
2. They understood the appropriate
“instruments”
by which Christians make music to be the
human heart
and a
righteous life
.Slide28
Why Did Early Christians Reject Instrumental Music?
3. They understood singing to be a
spiritual sacrifice
, pleasing to God and beneficial to those who sing and those who hear.Slide29
Why Did Early Christians Reject Instrumental Music?
3. They understood singing to be a
spiritual sacrifice
, pleasing to God and beneficial both to those who sing and those who hear.
4. Early Christian scholars taught that congregational singing exemplifies the
harmony
of the body and soul, the harmony of man with God, and the
unity
of the church.Slide30
Clement of Alexandria
(c. 150-210 A.D.)
Commenting on the musical instruments used by the Jews, Clement writes, “The one instrument of peace,
the word alone
by which we honor God, is what we employ.
We no longer employ the ancient psaltery and trumpet, and timbrel, and flute.
”Slide31
Around 325 A.D. the early church historian Eusebius wrote:
“Formerly when those of the circumcision worshipped God in ordinances which were symbols and figures of things to come, it was not out of place to sing hymns to God with the psaltery and lyre, and to do this on the Sabbath day…..But we in
an inward manner
keep the part of the Jew…...we render our hymn with
a living psaltery
,
a living lyre,
in our spiritual songs.”
(Continued on next slide)Slide32
Around 325 A.D. the early church historian Eusebius wrote:
“
For the unison songs of the people of Christ is more pleasing to God than any musical instrument
.
Thereby in all the churches of God with
one mind and heart
, with
unity and agreement in faith and worship
we offer to God
a unison melody in our singing
of Psalms.”
(Continued on next slide)Slide33
Around 325 A.D. the early church historian Eusebius wrote:
“Such psalmodies and
spiritual lyres
we are wont to use, since the Apostle teaches this, saying ‘In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.’ By another interpretation the lyre might be the whole body
, by whose movements and deeds the soul offers its appropriate hymn to God.”Slide34
Crysostom, one of the greatest early preachers
(345-407 A.D.)
:
“If you enter into the sacred chorus of God you will be able to stand by David himself. There is no need of lyre there, nor of stretched strings nor plectrum, nor of musical skill, nor of any instruments
.
But
if you choose, you will
make yourself the lyre
, putting to death the members of the flesh, and making a great harmony ‘of the body with the soul’.”
(Continued on next slide)Slide35
Crysostom, one of the greatest early preachers
(345-407 A.D.)
:
“Then (i.e., in the Old Testament) there were instruments with which they offered up their songs, but now instead of instruments the body is to be used
. For now we sing also with the eyes, not with the tongue alone, and with the hands and the feet and the ears. For when each one of these members does that which brings God glory and praise.…
the members of the body become a psaltery and lyre
, and sing a new song, not with words but with deeds.”
(Continued on next slide)Slide36
Crysostom, one of the greatest early preachers
(345-407 A.D.)
:
“Many people take the mention of these instruments allegorically……but I would say this, that in olden times they were thus led by these instruments because of the dullness of their understanding and their recent deliverance from idols.
Just as God allowed animal sacrifices, so also he let them have these instruments, condescending to help their weakness
.”Slide37
Theodoret, bishop of Syria
(c. 423 A.D.)
“These instruments the Levites formerly used when praising God in the temple. It was not because God enjoyed their sound, but because he accepted the purpose of their worship.”
(Continued on next slide)Slide38
Theodoret, bishop of Syria
(c. 423 A.D.)
“For to show that God does not find pleasure in songs nor in the notes of instruments we hear him saying to the Jews: ‘Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs, for I will not hear the melody of thy instruments’.”Slide39
Augustine
(354-430 A.D.)
, Greatest Thinker of the Early Church
“Has not a rule been established in the name of Christ with reference to those ‘vigils’ of yours, that harps should be excluded from this place? ….But let no one turn his heart to the instruments of the theater..”
“Each one has
in himself the instruments which are commanded
, as it is elsewhere said: ‘In me, O Lord, are the vows of praise which I shall return to thee.’”Slide40
MUSIC IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REMAINED
A CAPPELLA
FOR A MILLENNIUM
“For almost a thousand years Gregorian chant, without any instrumental or harmonic addition, was the only music used in connection with liturgy.”
(
Catholic Encyclopedia
)Slide41
Worship Remained A cappella in the Orthodox Churches
The western and eastern branches of the Christian movement split in 1054 A.D. over the issue of authority, becoming the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches.
Today there are some 300 million members of such denominations as the Greek Orthodox and Russian Orthodox churches.
Most maintain the original practice of a cappella worship.Slide42
Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation
By the 16
th
century church music consisted of Latin chants or complex performances by trained choirs and musicians.
The congregation, reduced to the role of observers, neither understood nor participated.
Luther not only made the
Bible
available in the language of the people but he thought it crucial to return the
singing
to the entire congregation.
Martin Luther
1483-1546
Because Luther thought that congregational singing could and should educate the people, he composed hymns for the churches.
He also believed that congregational singing should symbolize and promote unity.Slide43
Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation
Martin Luther
1483-1546
Finally, Luther taught that the priesthood of all believers is expressed when each believer addresses God directly in hymns.
Although he retained both the choir and instrumental music, Luther insisted they not be allowed to obscure or distract from the words. Slide44
Ulrich Zwingli and the Reformed Tradition
A former priest, Zwingli became the leader of the Reformation Movement in Switzerland.
Ulrich Zwingli
1484-1531Slide45
Ulrich Zwingli and the Reformed Tradition
Zwingli’s arguments for a return to the authority of the Bible and the simplicity of New Testament Christianity were, and continue to be, enormously influential among religious reformation movements.
Ulrich Zwingli
1484-1531Slide46
Ulrich Zwingli and the Reformed Tradition
Zwingli opposed practices which could not be found in the New Testament such as the papacy, worship of saints, altars, absolution, indulgences, celibacy of the clergy, purgatory, etc.
Ulrich Zwingli
1484-1531Slide47
Ulrich Zwingli and the Reformed Tradition
In keeping with his repudiation of practices which cannot be substantiated in the New Testament, Zwingli not only opposed the use of instrumental music in worship, but he ordered church organs destroyed, even though he was a trained musician!
Ulrich Zwingli
1484-1531Slide48
John Calvin and the Presbyterian Tradition
John Calvin
1509-1564
Calvin insisted singing in worship should
not
be driven by human desires, but governed by three Biblical principles:Slide49
John Calvin and the Presbyterian Tradition
John Calvin
1509-1564
1.
Reverence.
Calvin felt singing should be tempered with dignity.Slide50
John Calvin and the Presbyterian Tradition
John Calvin
1509-1564
2.
Intelligibility.
“Our ears should not be more attentive to the melody than our minds to the spiritual meaning of the words.”Slide51
John Calvin and the Presbyterian Tradition
John Calvin
1509-1564
3.
Simplicity
. He opposed all “theatrical pomp” as promoting human glory and leading to spiritual deadness.Slide52
John Calvin and the Presbyterian Tradition
John Calvin
1509-1564
For these reasons Calvin opposed the use of instrumental music as being unauthorized and inappropriate:Slide53
John Calvin and the Presbyterian Tradition
John Calvin
1509-1564
“Musical instruments in celebrating the praise of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps, the restoration of the other shadows of the law. The
(Catholics
)
, therefore, have foolishly borrowed this, as well as many other things, from the Jews.”Slide54
THE PILGRIMS (or “Separatists”)
The hymns in the worship of the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving in America were sung
a cappella
.Slide55
Charles Spurgeon and the Baptist Church
Charles Spurgeon, the best-known English preacher in the second half of the 19
th
century, and a name still revered among Baptists today, refused to allow an organ in his great London Metropolitan Tabernacle.
1834-1892
When asked why, Spurgeon quoted 1 Corinthians 14:15 and said musical instruments “would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto Him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice… I would as soon pray to God with machinery as sing to God with machinery.”Slide56
Adam Clarke and the Methodist Church
“I am an old man and an old minister, and I here declare that I have never known instrumental music to be productive of any good in the worship of God, and have reason to believe it has been productive of much evil.”
“Music as a science I admire and esteem, but instruments of music in the house of God I abominate and abhor. This is the abuse of music, and I here register my protest against all such corruptions in the worship of that Infinite Spirit who requires His followers to worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
1762?-1832Slide57
The Restoration Movement
In keeping with their goal of restoring New Testament Christianity, and in company with most Protestant groups of the time, the first-generation churches of the Restoration Movement sang
a cappella
.
When asked in 1851 about the appropriateness of using instrumental music in Christian worship, Campbell replied “to all spiritually minded Christians such aids would be as a cow bell in a concert.”
Alexander Campbell