ANSWER: Since people today are bound only by the New Testament, the question would more appropriately be, “Where in the New Testament did God command us not to use instruments in worship?” Even more appropriately the question should be, “Where in the New Testament did God begin or start (authorize) the use of instruments in worship?” The answer is: He didn’t! Certainly those who add the instrument are adding to God’s Word in defiance of Revelation 22:18. These are guilty of presumptuous sin (Psalms 19:13)!

Another answer to this question could rightly be: He commanded us not to use instruments in the same place He commanded us not to use animal sacrifices, incense burning, the lighting of lamps, etc.

The reason that there is so much confusion in the religious world today is that men have come to believe that if God did not specifically say “you can’t do it,” it is okay to go ahead and do it! This thinking is foreign to the Bible! When God specifically tells us how to do something, everything else is automatically excluded. One example is: God specified that Noah’s ark was to be built out of “gopher wood” (Genesis 6:14). Noah did exactly what God had commanded him to do (Genesis 6:22) and thereby pleased God and became an “heir of righteousness” (Hebrews 11:7). When God commanded Noah to use “gopher” wood, He automatically excluded all other woods, such as, oak, pine, cherry, birch, etc. God was not obligated to say, “don’t use oak,” “don’t use pine,” don’t use cherry,” etc. Noah understood that he could not use a replacement wood or a multiplicity of woods without sinning, i.e., transgressing God’s commandment (I John 3:4). The same principle remains valid today! There are two kinds of music, i.e., vocal and instrumental. God said we are to sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; I Corinthians 14:15). When God commanded “sing,” He automatically excluded the playing of instruments, just as in the case of Noah’s ark. When God commanded fruit of the vine and unleavened bread to be used during the Lord’s Supper, He automatically excluded all other drinks and food on His table! If the argument is valid (and it isn’t) that one can use the instrument because God did not specifically command us not to use it, the same argument could be rightly be used to place a “Big Mac” on the Lord’s Table, because surely God did not command us not to use a “Big Mac.” In fact, in worship services, we could do anything we wanted to do under this argument and call it “worship.” We could dance, swim, sacrifice animals, sleep, talk to our neighbor, watch a hand-held television, etc. Surely, God did not command us not to do these things! All who would worship God need to realize that we are only permitted to do what He authorizes us in scripture to do! All else is in violation of His authorization and is, therefore, sinful!

If people could understand this vital biblical principle, it would go a long way inanswering the Lord’s prayer for unity among believers (John 17:20-23).