[Schfourteenteen]

I'm currently living with a roommate who has some interesting views on worship, and I want to see what you guys think.

I couldn't explain his thinking entirely, but here's the gist.

All forms of true worship - the act of praising God specifically - are ordered from the Bible.

Doing anything "as worship" that cannot be found in the Bible is not worship - or for the lack of a better term "vein worship."

Cain and Abel is an example of how God views worship that strays from his direction, regardless of the intent behind the worship.

At no point does the Bible (in the original languages) call for music to be made during a time of worship.

Worship services should not include music.

Now, I've never heard this before. I'm not one to debate my view of the Bible with people and in all honesty, I'm not really concerned with shaping his views on this. I don't care about being right within a debate, but it's a question that I can't answer with an NIV translation. I've always thought something like Psalm 81 or Psalm 95 called for music.

So, can someone prove to me that the playing of music is part of worship based on Biblical reference? Thanks!

[SuperJon]

Worship is from the heart. If it involves music, then so be it. Anyone who says music has never been part of worship until the modern church is an idiot. Music is in our DNA. From the beginning of time there has been singing and dancing involved in human interaction so it's pretty safe to say that music has helped people worship.

[SuperJon]

Oh, and tell him to read Romans 12 if he doesn't think anything else can be worship. Paul says to live everything you do as worship. If you use the gifts God has given you to the best of your ability and to bring glory to God, you're worshiping.

[thepostman]

So your friend is saying music should not be included in a worship service?

That is very odd since music is a very important way people expressed their love to God throughout the Bible. Its not the only way, but its one of the many ways we express ourselves to God and worship Him. I am not sure how that is even a debate.

[Kolzilla41]

Yea. Read Psalms. There are a ton of versus that speak of people (and David) playing instruments to sing of God's glory. Isn't that what worship is?

[TDDance234]

So your friend is saying music should not be included in a worship service?

That is very odd since music is a very important way people expressed their love to God throughout the Bible. Its not the only way, but its one of the many ways we express ourselves to God and worship Him. I am not sure how that is even a debate.

The conservative side of Church of Christ doesn't use any form of musical instruments. I have no issues with it if that's the style you prefer, however it's not okay to force that preference on anyone else.

Psalm 150 is pretty clear:

1 Praise the LORD. [a]
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.

[thepostman]

Oh yeah I agree...I am not saying you can't worship God without music...but to say worship SHOULD NOT include music is ridiculous to me

[From the class of 09]

I'm currently living with a roommate who has some interesting views on worship, and I want to see what you guys think.

I couldn't explain his thinking entirely, but here's the gist.

All forms of true worship - the act of praising God specifically - are ordered from the Bible.

Doing anything "as worship" that cannot be found in the Bible is not worship - or for the lack of a better term "vein worship."

Cain and Abel is an example of how God views worship that strays from his direction, regardless of the intent behind the worship.

At no point does the Bible (in the original languages) call for music to be made during a time of worship.

Worship services should not include music.

Now, I've never heard this before. I'm not one to debate my view of the Bible with people and in all honesty, I'm not really concerned with shaping his views on this. I don't care about being right within a debate, but it's a question that I can't answer with an NIV translation. I've always thought something like Psalm 81 or Psalm 95 called for music.

So, can someone prove to me that the playing of music is part of worship based on Biblical reference? Thanks!

Your roomate is dumb. Just remember you can't fix stupid

[olldflame]

I think those who espouse the position we are discussing would say that those verses are referring to praise as opposed to worship. I believe there is a distinction between the 2, but they work hand in hand. It's basically a legalistic stance, which IMHO contradicts the overiding concept that we should worship God "in Spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)