Charles Pogue
Ephesians 5:19 reads, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” In similar language, Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
These two verses address the act of singing in worship to God in such a way that pleases Him. It is by God’s design that Colossians 3:16 is followed by the instructions appearing in the very next verse, verse 17. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” We know that the meaning of the phrase, “in the name of” means, by the authority of. That implies that when it comes to religious activity, what the scripture says is binding upon us, and acting where the scripture is silent (it does not say not to), goes beyond the authority of what God requires in acceptable worship. When one does anything in worship in addition to what the Scripture reveals, he becomes guilty of adding to the Word of God. The consequence of that is having the plagues that are written in the book added unto him (Rev. 22:18).
Jesus said that we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). That means we are to worship with the heart, and according to what God has revealed as worship desired and required of Him.
I have had friends or relatives give me something, and go away satisfied that they made me happy with whatever the thing was, when all along, what they presented me with was something I did not want at all. It will either be put up on a shelf never to be seen again, or disposed of at the next yard sale. That explains some of why we see long lines at the customer service desk at Walmart the day after Christmas.
You see, what pleases another person is what they want you to do for them, not what you want to do that makes you believe you have done them a good deed or favor. That may make you feel good, but that is where the good feelings end. The same thing is true with the worship of God. What pleases Him in worship is not what I want to offer, but what He has told me to offer.
I love music that involves the playing of instruments as much as anyone. Admittedly, while it is not very well, I play the guitar and write songs. But in the singing of hymns whether it is in the worship service, in private, or in any other set of circumstances, neither that guitar nor any other mechanical instrument of music has a place, because God has not authorized it.
If you are of the same mind I am, you have spent a not insignificant amount of time wondering how anyone can believe that it is up to them to decide what to offer to God in worship, when He has revealed what He wants. Further, it is amazing that most people are not moved with fear by the consideration, if God does not seek it, and I present it anyway, I have gone against His desires, and won’t I pay for that in judgment? The answer is that 17th verse of Colossians. If I add anything to the worship that the scripture has not authorized, I am not doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus, but in my own. In effect that makes me worshipping myself. That ought to convince anyone not to go beyond that which is written.
