How to Interpret the Bible (part 6) - The Wording of Commands
Introduction. There are many conflicts between religious people today, including the use of instrumental music in worship, keeping the Sabbath, or taking communion weekly, monthly or annually. After reading Jesus’ prayer (Jn. 17) we know He does not approve of this situation. Scripture teaches one truth on every subject and it is up to His people seek it: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2Tim 2:15). If we do this, we can all “speak the same thing,” and there will “be no divisions among” us. If we “divide” the same way, we can “be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1Cor. 1:10-11). Any math teacher knows this. If we all use the same principles of division, we all get the same answer!
We noted in part 5 that every command or instruction is worded to create a specific or general response. If we are told to take out a pen and write a check, but we take out a pencil and write on a piece of paper, we have not rightly divided the instruction and will fail in our purchase. By the first or second grade we all learned the difference between a general command that allowed many different responses and a specific one that only allowed one correct answer.
When God told Noah to use gopher wood and told Nadab and Abihu to use altar coals, there was only one right answer. Every other wood and every other coal of fire was forbidden. Noah was praised for following his specific instructions (Gen. 6:22). But Nadab and Abihu interpreted the command in a general way, and offered a “profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them,” and “they died before the Lord” (Lev. 10:2-3). This is not extraordinary. It happens every day in varying degrees. Children fail tests because they do not follow the instructions. People die on the highway because they did not obey a specific sign of instruction. Workers are fired because by not following specific steps they destroyed something.
For example, the disagreement over the use of an instrument in singing praise to God is easily resolved if we love the truth and understand how to rightly divide a specific command. The command to sing involves two specific actions. The first action is “to one another” and the second is “to the Lord”: "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:19-20).
While singing, we are first commanded: “speaking to one another, ... singing.” There is no doubt that while speaking one to another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs we are only singing. If we add an instrument to this specific command, we are falling into the same trap that destroyed Nadab and Abihu. Singing is only singing, and if we add an instrument, we are offering strange music to the Lord that He did not command us.
The second part of the command is also specific. We are “making melody” to the Lord. The Greek word “psallo” can also mean using an instrument, which many today use to justify an instrument like an organ. But like gopher wood, or altar fire, the instrument was also specified. We make melody “in our heart” to the Lord. Since God has specifically asked that the melody be made within the human heart, all other instruments are forbidden. It is “heart” melody that God has asked for here. Only if one could bring an organ, piano, or band inside of the human heart could this verse be used to justify them. Since God specified the heart as the place where the melody must take place, everything else is excluded. The things inside the human heart that God seeks are the emotions and intellect where reasoning, feeling, planning and remembering take place.
What God has specifically commanded is that while the words are coming out of our mouth in song, two things are taking place at the same time. First, as we sing the words of the song to one another, we are teaching and admonishing (warning) one another with these words. Second, as we are being taught the meaning of each song in the words we sing together, the emotions and decisions required by those words are also being created within our heart and thus create a harmonious symphony of the words and the emotions and thoughts they possess.
Every song using an instrument can do this. The artist joins the words to a musical melody created by an instrument. Joined together the words and the melody create a pleasant combination that soothes our soul and gives us pleasure.
Although God wants exactly the same thing, “the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1Sam. 16:7). Only when the words being sung are joined to the melody of proper emotions and decisions within the heart will God be pleased with our worship. Singing as worship combines the beautiful harmony of words sung one to another and the melody of emotions created within the heart that God sees.
Thus any instrument outside the heart is only a distraction to the real purpose of singing. It is the meaning of the words we teach to one another, and it is the meaning of the words creating the melody in the heart that we offer up to the Lord.
Thus as we teach one another in the words “yield not to temptation for yielding is sin,” we are also making the melody within our heart by taking the warning deeply within, remembering, feeling and planning because of them. When we sing, “praise God from whom all blessings flow,” or “count your many blessings, name them one by one,” we teach each other to praise God for His blessings in the words. But we must also make melody in our hearts by feeling praise to God and considering some of the wonderful blessings He has given. Every song has a message to be taught and thoughts and feelings to make melody within the heart to be offered to the Lord.
If we “love the truth” and “rightly divide” this specific command, it is obvious there is nothing at all within it about mechanical instruments accompanying any song we sing. There is nowhere to put them in this command. When we add to this the historical fact that no instruments were used in the church from its beginning until nearly the seventh century, it should be clear to any honest and truth seeking person that they cannot be a part of the worship we offer to God.
Conclusion. In every realm of life, commands are either given in general terms or in specific terms. If they are general, then the specifics are left to us. But when the command specifies how it is to be filled, then any change is considered disobedience. There is no boundary for this truth. Parents, teachers, employers, government and God all expect the same obedience to specifics.
We noted in part 5 that every command or instruction is worded to create a specific or general response. If we are told to take out a pen and write a check, but we take out a pencil and write on a piece of paper, we have not rightly divided the instruction and will fail in our purchase. By the first or second grade we all learned the difference between a general command that allowed many different responses and a specific one that only allowed one correct answer.
When God told Noah to use gopher wood and told Nadab and Abihu to use altar coals, there was only one right answer. Every other wood and every other coal of fire was forbidden. Noah was praised for following his specific instructions (Gen. 6:22). But Nadab and Abihu interpreted the command in a general way, and offered a “profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them,” and “they died before the Lord” (Lev. 10:2-3). This is not extraordinary. It happens every day in varying degrees. Children fail tests because they do not follow the instructions. People die on the highway because they did not obey a specific sign of instruction. Workers are fired because by not following specific steps they destroyed something.
For example, the disagreement over the use of an instrument in singing praise to God is easily resolved if we love the truth and understand how to rightly divide a specific command. The command to sing involves two specific actions. The first action is “to one another” and the second is “to the Lord”: "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:19-20).
While singing, we are first commanded: “speaking to one another, ... singing.” There is no doubt that while speaking one to another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs we are only singing. If we add an instrument to this specific command, we are falling into the same trap that destroyed Nadab and Abihu. Singing is only singing, and if we add an instrument, we are offering strange music to the Lord that He did not command us.
The second part of the command is also specific. We are “making melody” to the Lord. The Greek word “psallo” can also mean using an instrument, which many today use to justify an instrument like an organ. But like gopher wood, or altar fire, the instrument was also specified. We make melody “in our heart” to the Lord. Since God has specifically asked that the melody be made within the human heart, all other instruments are forbidden. It is “heart” melody that God has asked for here. Only if one could bring an organ, piano, or band inside of the human heart could this verse be used to justify them. Since God specified the heart as the place where the melody must take place, everything else is excluded. The things inside the human heart that God seeks are the emotions and intellect where reasoning, feeling, planning and remembering take place.
What God has specifically commanded is that while the words are coming out of our mouth in song, two things are taking place at the same time. First, as we sing the words of the song to one another, we are teaching and admonishing (warning) one another with these words. Second, as we are being taught the meaning of each song in the words we sing together, the emotions and decisions required by those words are also being created within our heart and thus create a harmonious symphony of the words and the emotions and thoughts they possess.
Every song using an instrument can do this. The artist joins the words to a musical melody created by an instrument. Joined together the words and the melody create a pleasant combination that soothes our soul and gives us pleasure.
Although God wants exactly the same thing, “the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1Sam. 16:7). Only when the words being sung are joined to the melody of proper emotions and decisions within the heart will God be pleased with our worship. Singing as worship combines the beautiful harmony of words sung one to another and the melody of emotions created within the heart that God sees.
Thus any instrument outside the heart is only a distraction to the real purpose of singing. It is the meaning of the words we teach to one another, and it is the meaning of the words creating the melody in the heart that we offer up to the Lord.
Thus as we teach one another in the words “yield not to temptation for yielding is sin,” we are also making the melody within our heart by taking the warning deeply within, remembering, feeling and planning because of them. When we sing, “praise God from whom all blessings flow,” or “count your many blessings, name them one by one,” we teach each other to praise God for His blessings in the words. But we must also make melody in our hearts by feeling praise to God and considering some of the wonderful blessings He has given. Every song has a message to be taught and thoughts and feelings to make melody within the heart to be offered to the Lord.
If we “love the truth” and “rightly divide” this specific command, it is obvious there is nothing at all within it about mechanical instruments accompanying any song we sing. There is nowhere to put them in this command. When we add to this the historical fact that no instruments were used in the church from its beginning until nearly the seventh century, it should be clear to any honest and truth seeking person that they cannot be a part of the worship we offer to God.
Conclusion. In every realm of life, commands are either given in general terms or in specific terms. If they are general, then the specifics are left to us. But when the command specifies how it is to be filled, then any change is considered disobedience. There is no boundary for this truth. Parents, teachers, employers, government and God all expect the same obedience to specifics.