Why don't some churches use instrumental music in worship?

“Why don’t you use instrumental music?”

Frequently we are asked about our practice of observing a cappella music in our worship services. Folks are curious. They want to know why we don’t have instrumental music. Our practice is different - we’re not like the majority of other religious groups. What is the reason? People really want to know. So they ask, “Why don’t you use instrumental music?”

With no intention to be flippant, we might very well respond with a counter-question: “Why should we?” That’s fair, isn’t it?  Those who think that instrumental music is right and proper ought to be able to tell us why they think so. When we ask this question, the typical responses are:
 
“We really like instrumental music.” Be careful here - - remember that our goal is to please God, not men, not even ourselves (Gal.1:10).

“Well, everyone else is doing It”   Anyone who thinks that this proves the real acceptability of a thing needs to be reminded that Jesus said the majority of people (even the majority of “religious” people) will be condemned in the day of judgment. Read Matthew 7:13-14, 21-23.

“God gave certain people musical talent, and they ought to be able to use it”   If this logic works, then the fella who is a talented mechanic would be justified in rebuilding a car engine during the worship services, too. And the surgeon who wants to glorify God could do an appendectomy before the assembled congregation. Surely we can see the flawed thinking behind this argument.

”They used instruments in the Old Testament”   True, but we are no longer under that law (Col. 2:14-16). We need to find our authority in the New Testament - and there is none.
 
In the final analysis, everything we do religiously must be based on the authority of the Lord (Col. 3:17). If we cannot defend a practice by appealing to the Scriptures, then we ought not to do it. There is simply no New Testament authority for the use of instrumental music in our worship. That settles it!

- by Greg Gwin