Issues concerning the church, the Old Law, and instrumental music

Topic(s): Bible Authority, Church, Worship

Todd Clippard

Note from author – this is a response to a letter received covering a variety of topics concerning the church and her worship. The writer’s comments are bracketed [ ] with my answers following. TC

[If the only law put to death with Jesus was the law of Moses, why does the Church of Christ refuse to obey Psalm 150?]

The law of Christ supplanted all previous covenants and laws between God and man. This included, but was not limited to the law of Moses. Psalm 150 is not a part of the new covenant. Therefore, we “refuse” to obey it because it is not a law for men today.

Does the church where you worship use all the instruments mentioned in Psalm 150 at every worship service? Do you use the trumpet, timbrel, psaltry, and harp every time? If not, why do you refuse to obey Psalm 150?

[The Hebrews did not have the word acappella! That was invented by the English!]

You are incorrect. The word acappella is a LATIN word which means, “in the style of the church.” This means the style of the church was without instrumental accompaniment. The Roman church introduced instrumental music into their worship several hundred years after the establishment of the New Testament church. In fact, most denominations in existence today did not use instrumental music until the last 200 years. Please see my articles on instrumental music on our website at .

[The issue is, when were we told NOT to praise him with musical instruments?]

You are again incorrect. The issue is, where is the authority in the New Testament to use instruments? Everything we do must be done by the authority of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17). There is not one single command in the New Testament for the church to use the instrument. Not a single verse can be cited as an example of the church using the instrument. The use of instrumental music is not even implied in the New Testament. The instrument is conspicuously absent from the pages of the New Testament. Therefore, it isn’t difficult to see how the word acappella got its meaning.

I will show you the verse expressly forbidding using instruments in worship when you show me the verse expressly forbidding the worship of the devil.