Does how we worship really matter? (Part Four)
In the previous instalment of this series of blog posts on the regulative principle of worship (RPW), we considered how Reformed theology has distinguished between the elements, circumstances and forms of worship.
To recap quickly, the ‘elements’ of worship are the ‘non-negotiables’ that we must and may only include in our worship of God. The elements include items such as the reading and preaching of God’s word, singing, prayer, and administering the sacraments.
The ‘circumstances’ of worship refer to the context of the elements. For example, where and when exactly a worship service takes place, and other practical considerations like that.
The ‘forms’ of worship refer to the content of the elements. For example, what exactly will we sing, how often will we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and what translation of the bible will we read from?
In this final instalment of this series of blog posts I want to focus in on a particular issue regarding the ‘forms’ of worship, and that is the use of musical instruments in worship, and the choices of what we sing. Many of our brothers and sisters in Christ belong to churches where only psalms are sung, unaccompanied by musical instruments. With much love and respect for those who hold to that view, I hope that in this blog post I can offer a friendly explanation of why in our church we apply the RPW a bit differently by including musical accompaniment and singing other songs in addition to the psalms.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?
There is a page in your bible, in between Malachi 4 and Matthew 1, with only three words printed on it: “The New Testament”. Though you may not have thought about it before, there is something that goes on subconsciously in your mind when you turn that page. You understand that as you move from the Old Testament to the New, many things remain exactly the same. The character of God does not change, for example (Hebrews 13:8). However, some things do change as we make the move from Old Testament to New. Now that you have entered into the New Testament era, you know that it is OK for Christians to eat bacon sandwiches (Mark 7:19) – a liberty that I exercise with tremendous frequency.
Here is a vital question that each Christian needs to grapple with as they read their bible: when the Old Covenant gave way to the New, what exactly changed and what stayed the same? Those who read their bible with a Reformed, Covenantal and Presbyterian mindset answer the question like this: “assume continuity, unless discontinuity is explicitly stated”. (This is one of the reasons why we continue to give the sign of the covenant to the infant children of believers, and why we continue to observe the Sabbath principle. God didn’t jettison them from the New Covenant, so nor do we. I digress…)
“Here is a vital question that each Christian needs to grapple with as they read their bible: when the Old Covenant gave way to the New, what exactly changed and what stayed the same?”
If we apply this same principle to the issue of musical instruments in worship, we see that in the Old Covenant God called his people not only to sing to him, but to be free to do so with musical accompaniment (see, for example, Psalm 150). Given that God has not given any commands in the New Testament to stop using musical instruments, we take it that in the New Covenant era also our sung worship may be accompanied with appropriate instrumentation. God has not given to us a set list of what instruments to use in worship, but as we apply biblical wisdom and the principles covered in the first three blog posts in this series, we can use instrumental accompaniment in a way that helps the singing, whilst keeping the focus on God and his glory.
PSALMS PLUS?
A more important question is, ‘but what should we sing in worship?’ The first thing to say is that we should certainly sing psalms. After all, the New Testament explicitly commands us to do so (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). Sadly, in many churches the singing of psalms is now almost completely overlooked, and worship is therefore impoverished as a result. What a delight it is to sing the inspired psalms that God’s people have sung for millennia, and indeed that Christ himself sang!
However, should we sing other songs in addition to the psalms? To answer that question, we need to think a little about how the singing of God’s people dovetails with the unfolding story of redemption. As the drama of redemption progresses throughout the story of the bible, new songs of praise reflect on and rejoice in the new things that God has done for his people.
It ought therefore to be expected that for those who belong to the New Covenant era, upon “whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11), new songs of praise will accompany this new chapter of redemption’s story. The New Testament shows us that this is indeed the case. In the opening chapters of Luke’s gospel there is an explosion of new songs of praise, as men and women and angels sing of the birth of Messiah. In Paul’s letters, various fragments of what appear to be early Christian hymns are referred to (Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15-20, 1 Timothy 3:16, to name but a few). Finally, in the descriptions of heavenly worship in the book of Revelation, the saints and angels sing of the finished work of Christ (Revelation 5:9-10).
As the church today, we join in with these praises by singing of what God has done for us in Christ: songs that thoughtfully reflect on and rejoice in the redemption that was not only promised by God, but is now accomplished by the work of Christ and is being applied by the work of the Spirit, and the fuller revelation of our Trinitarian God disclosed to us in the pages of the New Testament.
“To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:21)
