Ephesians 5:19

“speaking one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord”

“Speaking one to another”: “The imperative be filled is followed by. series of four participle expressions which illustrate what it means to be full of the Spirit. The Spirit-filled life is not lived in isolation, but in community with God's saints” (Boles p. 308). The songs that we sing in praise to God are also intended to teach, admonish and encourage other Christians (Colossians 3:16). This demands intelligent communication. The New Testament Church sang when they assembled (1 Corinthians 14:15; 26). So. have. hard time following the reasoning of those who claim that this passage does not have any reference to the public worship of the church.. personally think that some try to remove this passage from the public worship, because when it comes to the "music" offered to God during the worship services they participate in, it looks nothing like what is taught in Ephesians 5:19. Since every Christian is commanded to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), abstain from drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18), manifest gratitude (Ephesians 5:20) and serve others (Ephesians 5:21), it is only logical that every Christian is commanded to "sing". This means that if. Christian does not feel like singing or is embarrassed to sing, it simply means that they are not being influenced by the teachings of the Holy Spirit. What would you say about the Christian who doesn't feel like expressing their gratitude to God? (Ephesians 5:20)

“Psalm and hymns and spiritual songs”: “Bruce has suggested that ‘psalms' were drawn from the Old Testament Psalter, ‘hymns' were written compositions of the early church” (Boles p. 308). “Spiritual songs”: Could include songs inspired by the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit revealed whole sermons and prayers (Acts 4:8; Ephesians 3:14), it should not be surprising that He also might have revealed some inspired songs for the early church. "Spiritual songs" places. limit on the type of songs that we can sing when praising God. The songs that we sing must be Scripturally sound in their content. They must be in harmony with Divine truth. We do not have the right to sing songs which teach false doctrine or songs which are void of spiritual truth. The melody is not the important thing. The unwise (Ephesians 5:15) are stirred by what the song sounds like. The wise man says that the most beautiful melody is useless without real spiritual truth in the words of the song.

“Singing”: This defines precisely what we are to do with such songs, we are to sing them. “Making Melody”: Lenski makes the common argument in favor of instrumental music from the Greek work rendered "making melody". He says it “means to let. string twang and thus to play. lyre or. harp and then to play any instrument as an accompaniment to the voice. Thus the two are here combined: ‘singing and playing'” (p. 620). Yet this popular interpretation creates. number of problems. Why did not the experts in the Greek language, who translated the various versions of the Bible (KJV, NASV, ASV and so on) pick up on this, if such is the obvious meaning of the word? The Lexicons fail to support such. claim. In fact, they inform us that the word rendered "make melody" had been evolving long before it was used in this verse: Thayer gives the following definitions, “To pluck off, pull out, to cause to vibrate by touching, to twang, to touch or strike the chord, to twang the strings of. musical instrument, to play on. stringed instrument, to play the harp, to sing to the music of the harp, in the N.T. to sing. hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song” (p. 675). Every major translation of the Bible demonstrates that the "experts" agreed with Thayer's last comment, that by the time of the first century it was commonly understood that this word simply applied to singing.

The Greek speaking members of the first century church did not believe that this word commanded or even allowed instrumental accompaniment in the worship of God in song. “Almost universally the encyclopedic references attribute the introduction of mechanical instruments into the worship of churches to Pope Vitalian. between the years 660 and 670 A.D” ( Caldwell p. 256). Why did Christians or even professed Christians resist the use of instrumental music in worship? The church had the funds to purchase them (1 Timothy 6:17). The Old Testament had commanded their use (Psalms 150:3).

“It is crucially important to observe that although instrumental music of various types was readily available in contemporary society, no passage shows that the churches mentioned in the New Testament ever used instrumental music in worship. Did they not understand the true meaning of the Old Testament, particularly Psalms? Did they not understand the meaning of various words, such as psallo so often discussed pro and con in contemporary debates? Did they not know the mind of God? Most certainly, on all these questions and much more. Yet, there is not even. hint of the use of instrumental music in the worship of these churches. These facts of New Testament history stand as. stone barricade against any attempted justification of the use of instrumental music in worship today. If present appeals to the Old Testament, psallo legitimately warrant such use, why did the apostles and brethren in the first century not so understand and incorporate instrumental music into the worship of these churches? Such facts are not lightly to be dismissed or forgotten”. [Note:. The Spiritual Sword. 'History of Instrumental Music', William Woodson. pp. 17-18. Volume 24, January 1993.]

Others have wisely noted, “If psallo necessarily implies mechanical instruments, since all are to sing to one another, should not all play as well? Can. fulfill my responsibility as set forth in the word by allowing another in the assembly to play for me and all the others?” (Caldwell p. 258). Opposition to instrumental music in worship is not. weird position. 'Martin Luther said, "The organ in the worship is the ensign of Baal". John Calvin said, "Musical instruments in celebrating praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting up of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law". John Wesley said, "I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels provided they are neither heard nor seen"' (Caldwell p. 257). Coffman makes. good point when he observes, “There is nothing strange or unusual about some Christians rejecting mechanical music in Christian worship. The entire Protestant world maintains exactly the same religious position with reference to use of the Rosary of the Virgin Mary, the sign of the cross, the burning of sacred incense, the sprinkling of holy water, the sacrifice of the mass, prayers for souls in purgatory, the lighting of holy candles and. hundred other innovative additions to Christianity. The identically same arguments which support the non-use of such devices as those here cited are valid when applied to the use of mechanical instruments of music in God's worship. To many devout souls, it appears mandatory to reject all innovations (Matthew 15:9). No one has never denied that the use of mechanical instruments in worship was unknown to the New Testament age and that the first historical appearance of them in Christian worship came during the eighth century” (pp. 206-207).

One of the common arguments used in the attempt to justify instrumental music in the worship is the mention of harps in heaven (Revelation 14:2), but this argument overlooks the obvious, that is, heaven is. spiritual realm, where material things do not exist (1 Corinthians 15:50). In addition, it proves too much, because Jesus told us that marriage does not exist in heaven (Matthew 22:30). Caldwell makes. good point when he says, “To argue that what is accepted or rejected there is accepted or rejected in the church proves more than our friends will accept. Shall we conclude that since there is no marriage in heaven, we in the church are not authorized to marry?” (p. 255).

“With your heart”: Many have pointed out that the words psallo (making melody) and psalmos (psalms) come from the same root word psao. Which means to rub, wipe, to handle or touch. An instrument was never inherent in either word. In fact, in the Old Testament the instrument had to be supplied in the context (Psalms 98:5; Psalms 71:22; Psalms 33:2; Psalms 144:9; Psalms 149:3). In Ephesians 5:19. God supplies the instrument to be plucked, that is, the human heart. “Paul's purpose here is to encourage his readers to sing enthusiastically and with inward conviction, to one another and to the Lord” (Boles p. 309). “To the Lord”: “In your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). These verses remind us 'that in the church, from the earliest days, praise has been offered alike to God and to Christ (Revelation 5:13)” (Bruce p. 381). Thus, one more passage that affirms that Jesus is Deity, because only Deity can be the rightful object of man's worship (Matthew 4:10). Thus our singing can never be allowed to deteriorate into mere entertainment for human ears and pleasure. Again, we see that motive and attitude is essential for proper worship. Worship without the proper motive of love for God is rejected (Matthew 6:1; Matthew 16:1; Matthew 17:1; Matthew 18:1; 1 Corinthians 11:27; 1 Corinthians 13:1).