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God Is Not Worshiped With Men's Hands

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It’s sad to report, but in recent years, some churches of Christ have introduced instrumental music into their worship services. The minister of one congregation said, “Relevance is driving it — relevance to our community — reaching out to seekers.” Another preacher said, “The instrumental service was added to reach the un-churched.” Of those being attracted by the addition of musical instruments, one member commented, “They were worn out with the same old thing.”

Folks, it’s interesting to note that none of these individuals said they were altering the worship “because God’s word says we should.” They really couldn’t make that statement because it wouldn’t be true — and these folks probably knew that. Instead, they appealed to “reaching out to others,” as though that were the only thing that mattered.

As the apostle Paul was about to deliver his sermon on Mars Hill in Athens, he found himself surrounded by people who, like many today, “were worn out with the same old thing” — thus they were looking to “hear some new thing” (Acts 17:21). But when we read the inspired sermon Paul preached to these folks, we find him focusing not on their “need for the new,” but on the ancient and eternal God of creation. And then he made this inspired observation:

“God …. does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24-25).

Notice in this text that God is not worshiped with men’s hands. Rather, God is praised by “the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). God is worshiped by our “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in [our] heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19), by our “singing with grace in [our] hearts to the Lord,” as in Colossians 3:16.

To presume God can be worshiped with our hands (i. e., musical instruments) when His word teaches otherwise, or that we can praise Him by any other means neither commanded nor approved of by Him, is high presumption indeed.

But the cry comes — “We’re appealing to more people.” By inspiration, Paul responds to this type of cry, when he asks these pertinent questions, and then provides a definitive answer:

“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).

In another instance, the apostle wrote by inspiration:

“But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

It is not our charge to bend to the whims of those around us, so they will like us better. Our charge is clear and unequivocal:

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17).

Whenever we are tempted to change the things of God to adapt to the culture of humankind, we might consider pondering Paul’s inspired thoughts in Romans 12:2:

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

We should not be ashamed to say to our contemporaries as Peter and John said to theirs:

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20.

Brethren and friends, man’s thoughts, ideas, and opinions constantly change, but God and His word never does (James 1:17; Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:25; cf. Isaiah 40:8). No matter what others are doing in religious circles (cf. Colossians 2:18-23 ASV), let’s be like faithful Joshua and his house — always serving the Lord in the doing of His will — worshiping with the right attitude according to God’s truth (Joshua 24:15; Matthew 7:21; John 4:24).

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