 IS IT WRONG TO HAVE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FOR A WEDDING?
Dear Bro. Waddey:
Is it wrong to have instrumental music for a wedding? Jessie Dear Jessie:
Thanks for your question regarding the use of instrumental music
in weddings. Our commitment to do all things according to the New Testament of Christ, and thus restore Christianity to its original purity, leads us to forgo the use of instrumental music in the worship of the church. This is because it was
not practiced by the earliest Christians nor do we find any New Testament scripture that authorizes the practice. Weddings are not worship services of the Lord's church. Nor is the building in which the church meets the church
of which Christ is the head. The saved people that meet to worship are Christ's church. A wedding is a social event and thus, in my estimation, there is no wrong done if instrumental music is used in a wedding, regardless of the day of the week. I would hasten to add that if the use of an instrument would cause trouble and conflict in the congregation we should be
glad to forgo the use of it lest we cause harm to the family of God. Thus Paul said, "Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble" (I Cor. 8:13). To make sure that such offense will not occur, it would be wise to have the questioned raised and explained before having the instrument used in the
wedding at the church building. If the use of an instrument would cause trouble, you could have acappella songs or perhaps recorded music for the wedding. A wedding in one's home would be ones personal, private business. John Waddey |
