Christians: Do you believe in the "Church of Christ" Denomination.?

Question

I beleive that is the church who doesn't beleive in music. Even though it says in the bible the praise him with Timbrel and dance, sounds of the trumpet, etc. Do they just..not read the same bible? Do they rip that page out?? No trying to offend anyone, Just trying to see where they get not playing music in church from...

Answer 1

Some Churches of Christ do use music. Some don't.

The ones that don't, don't because the NT doesn't specifically say to use music. They don't "rip pages from the Bible". And it's actually a beautiful service with the acapella singing.

Answer 2

I am a member of the church of Christ, and I believe music is essential to scriptural worship!  But, the kind of music is what is in question.  I believe the music that is pleasing to God is produced in the heart (Ephesians 5:19), and it is “the fruit of our lips”. (Hebrews 13:15)  This is singing.

I don’t believe that music produced by man-made instruments is an acceptable substitute for this.  I believe this is a question of authority.  By whose authority, or according to whose instructons, do we worship?

Christ says he has "all authority" and the disciples were to teach the things He had commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) Nowhere in the New Testament did the apostles teach or show an example of the use of instrumental music in worship of the church. ALL of the verses in the New Testament that talk about music in the church have SINGING as the type of music.

To use another type of music cannot be done from authority found in the New Testament because the New Testament nowhere authorizes its use. The authority to use instruments in the Christian church therefore does not come from God. If used, instruments must be authorized by men. If we follow a man's authority (teaching), does Christ still have "all authority" in our religious lives?  Most is not the same as “all”!

One of the verses that teaches about music is Col. 3:16. This verse specifically tells us to sing. The very next verse (verse 17) says, "Whatever you do in word or deed, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS."

"In the name of" means by the authority of, or according to the instructions. Jesus and the apostles did not authorize the use of mechanical instruments in the New Testament church. You cannot play an instrument by the authority, according to the instructions of, or in the name of Christ because he did not instruct it.

The New Testament did specify "singing" as the type of music we are to use in worship. To do anything else is to follow the commandments (doctrine) of men rather than God.  Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men makes worship “vain”, or useless in God’s eyes! (Matt. 15:9) Why not be satisfied to worship in the way God's word has authorized?   “We ought to obey God rather than men”!  (Acts 5:29)

When God told Noah to use "gopher wood", other types of wood were excluded. When Naaman was told to dip in the Jordan River, he knew other rivers were excluded (2 Kings 5). God has been specific about the music in the church, singing. Why add to his word?

Interesting, many of the founding fathers of denominations that now use instruments were opposed to their introduction. Among those against instrumental music were John Wesley, Adam Clark, John Calvin, and Martin Luther. So one should not question why we don't use them, the question should be "By what authority do you add them to your worship"? Why not be satisfied to simply worship as God's word instructs?

Some point out that David used instruments. As for David’s harp, He lived under the Law of Moses (Old Testament). We are now under the Law of Christ (New Testament).   If you bind one part of the Old Law today, you are subject to keep the whole law.

In Galatians 5:3, some were trying to bind circumcision, an Old Testament commandment. Paul said if they bound this one item, they were “debtor to keep the whole law”. In James 2:10, if you keep the whole law, but miss one point, you are guilty of all.

If you try to bring over authority for David’s harp from the Old Testament, you must with the same authority bring over all of the animal sacrifices, feasts, Passover, the Sabbath day observance, yearly trips to Jerusalem, and the all of the other Old Testament commands. We must keep the whole law if we keep any part.

If we try to justify ourselves by the Law of Moses, we have “fallen from grace!” (Galatians 5:4)

God is not worshiped with men's hands (Acts 17:25) but with the heart. This verse talks about God not living in a temple made with hands, but it also applies this to hand-made worship, yet many say they worship on an instrument that was made with hands and played with the hands.

The instrument God wants is our heart. Ephesians 5:19 instructs us to make melody in the heart. These verses also say the purpose of music in worship is to speak and teach. An instrument cannot do this. In fact, it is more difficult to speak where there is background noise, therefore an instrument may interfere with these scriptural purposes of music in worship.

We should not add to or take away from God’s word.  We should worship as he instructs!  The New Testament does not instruct the use of a mechanical instrument in worship, so the church of Christ has no authority from the Bible to add it.

Yes it would seem that at times, the God at least tolerated instruments in the Old Testament, but we now have a new covenant, the New Testament.

Also by the end of the Old Testament, God’s word says, “Woe to you… Who sing idly to the sound of stringed i

Answer 3

How would one NOT believe in it? I mean, it exists, doesn't it?

As far as their teachings - no better or worse than any other denomination. Of COURSE it is the same Bible - just a different interpretation.

Answer 4

If you believe the doctrine of the Church of Christ then you will go to h**l. They teach that you have to be baptized in water by one of their minsters to go to heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ did it on cross, he died for our sins, not what any works could do. Romans 4: 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Answer 5

     Since I am a member of this religious body, I will answer your question the best way that I know how.  The easiest way to show that instruments are not authorized by God for use in worship to Him is from history.  When the apostles (Paul, Peter, John, etc.) were left on earth to build up the church after Jesus returned to heaven, they did not teach Christians to use instruments in worship to God.  How do I know this?  Because early Christian worship was very similar to Jewish synagogue worship.  In fact, for a while the Romans believed that Christianity was just a new sect of Judaism (see Josephus).  Even today, in very conservative Orthodox Jewish synagogues instruments are not used.  The only place in the Bible where God authorized people to play instruments when worshipping Him is under the Mosaical Law.  He authorized the Levitical priests to play instruments that were specified by God when sacrifices were being offered in the temple.  In fact, the use of musical instruments was such a big deal in the beginnings of the Christian religion that it was one of the reasons the Greek Orthodox church split from the Roman Catholic church.  The Catholic church wanted to use instruments, but the Greek Orthodox church said that this was wrong.  The Catholic church did not even use instruments until the Middle Ages.  Many of the Reformation leaders, such as the Wesley brothers and Calvin, belived that the use of musical instruments was wrong and taught such.  The use of musical insturments to worship God is a relatively new thing to Christianity.  

     Ultimately, though, the question is does it really matter if I use instruments to worship God?  Throughout history God has been very specific about the way He wanted to be worshipped.  When people disobeyed His instructions, there were severe consequences.  See the story of Nadab and Abihu in the Old Testament.

As for some of the comments above about people in the church of Christ being hateful and judgmental, don't judge all of us by those people.  I have found hateful and judgmental people in all religious beliefs and non-religious views as well.  We are all fallen human beings on this earth and nobody gets it right perfectly.  We depend on the grace of God and our faith in Him to continue working a good thing in us until He returns to bring us to heaven.

God Bless!

Answer 6

GC explained it very well.

Ray W, who are you to claim someone in the Church of Christ will go to h**l?  Perhaps you're not reading the bible thoroughly because the NT specifically states that we must be baptized:

Mark 16:15-16 -- 15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:38 -- Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

And nowhere does it state it must be done by a minister.  My friend was baptized by her dad.

Answer 7

I honestly don't know what you are talking about. My husbands uncle is the music leader at a Church of Christ. I've never heard of them not having music.  

Answer 8

its not for me

Answer 9

I have always thought that strange also. I know what you mean I would not want to go to a church that has not music , How boring.

I bet (if I was a betten type) the founder of that church either could not dance or could not sing worth a bag of beans, and that is why he ripped out that page in the bible.

Answer 10

The "church of Christ" is a cult that proclaims a false gospel of works: http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20R...

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20R...

Answer 11

When Christ ascended into Heaven to sit on the right hand of God, all authority had been given to Him in Heaven and on earth and a New Testament or covenant was in place.  No mention in the New Testament or in history places Biblical authority in the use of instrumental music.  

God never condoned the use of instrumental music, and even called them "David"s instruments" in Chronicles.  Never in the entire

Bible did God want performances of man with instrumental music.  Christ gave us the example in the upper room when He led them in singing songs.  The church never condoned music other than singing until the nickelodeon was introduced in the 1800s.

If you have a preacher or minister who calls himself "pastor", which is a word for the elder or shepherd of the church, then he is not truly reading the Bible correctly.  There are specific requirements for each position in the church.  Elder, deacon, preacher or minister and missionary.  No other is mentioned.

Answer 12

No it is not a divine institution but of men

Answer 13

The music beliefs have evolved to some extent...the most traditional churches still don't use music...the more progressive ones have started incorporating some types of music.  

I've never gotten a decent answer from someone in the Church of Christ (or my dad who is a non-denominational pastor!) about why the original doctrine didn't allow musical instruments (I understand there was still singing of hymns at many).

Thing is, this issue has little to do with my opinion of the Church of Christ...instead, my perception is based on the people I've known that subscribed to that doctrine.  ...and while most of them were "fine, upstanding citizens", they were also among the most rigid and judgmental people I've ever encountered...uptight might be the more accurate term...and to me that seems consistent with restrictions on music.

Like you, I'm not trying to offend anyone...I'll readily admit that my experiences with members of the Church of Christ are limited to an ex-fiance (and his family) and a few high school and college friends...and my specific knowledge of their doctrine came from those people.  However, I've never been able to reconcile their perception of the message of Jesus with my own.  For example, the mother that disowned her child for "choosing to become g*y" and still hasn't forgiven another one for getting a divorce 10 years ago.  These behaviors aren't consistent with my interpretation of Jesus' instructions for his followers!