Shouting & Clapping In Worship – Questions From A Reader
by Micky Galloway
Hi Mr. Galloway,
I just read your article on applause in worship at straitway.org and thought it was well written, except that I don’t think you make a very good case for keeping applause out of worship assemblies.
Let me clarify before I go further. I agree that applause of “performers” is questionable, and deserves a completely separate debate. I am talking about clapping, either in a display of praise to God or as part of physical expression of joy (i.e. during singing and other movement).
Your entire case rests on the belief that unless the New Testament authorizes something, it is prohibited.
I am confused:
1) Where in the New Testament does it authorize you to use the New Testament this way? I don’t recall the Bible making such a claim about itself.
ANSWER: Colossians 3:17. To do anything by the authority of Christ is to find it in the New Covenant ... (See Ephesians 2:14-16; Colossians 2:14-16 Hebrews 9:15-17)
2) There is no authority in the NT for speaking to God in English.
ANSWER: As we are instructed to speak to God through prayer (I Thessalonians 5:17), certainly it would be impossible to do that without using a language that we speak. The use of the English language expedites lawful obedience to the command.
... Nor is there authority for worshipping together on Sundays.
ANSWER: See Acts 20:7. The disciples in Troas came together "upon the first day of the week ..."
... Nor is there authority for praying before meals or praying anything other than the Lord’s prayer.
ANSWER: Please read again, I Thessalonians 5:17 "pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward." Giving thanks before meals is authorized in I Timothy 4:1-5. Jesus exemplified this in Matthew 15:36-37, "and he took the seven loaves and the fishes; and he gave thanks and brake, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. And they all ate, and were filled: and they took up that which remained over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full." The apostle Paul did as well in Acts 27:35-36, "And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food."
... I could go on ad-infinitum. How do you reconcile this to your belief that unless something is authorized in the NT, it is prohibited?
ANSWER: As you see above these are authorized in the NT.
3) Regarding instrumental worship or clapping of hands, you say there is no authority for it. There is also no authority against it.
ANSWER: Please be careful with this kind of reasoning. The apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 2:11-13, "For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God. But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth; combining spiritual things with spiritual (words)." This would certainly indicate that unless God speaks we cannot know his will on anything. God's silence does NOT give permission to act. Consider a few OT examples. In Leviticus 10:1-2 we must note that Nadab and Abihu, sons of the high priest, Aaron, sinned in offering a "strange fire unto the Lord." What made it strange? God had not commanded them to use it. The question might arise, "Where did God tell them not to use it?" He did not have to give a list of things they were not to do, He simply expressed His will when he told them what to use (See Leviticus 16:12). Consider also the examples of King Saul in I Samuel 15 and King Uzziah in II Chronicles 26:16ff. Both of these men engaged in practices that were unauthorized by the Lord and suffered the consequences. King Saul attempted to offer a sacrifice that God had not commanded. King Uzziah attempted to serve in the priestly capacity and was not a Levite (those authorized to do so). In neither case did God tell them not to, he just authorized what he desired them to do. They presumed to act beyond what God said.
Certainly you must do some things that are not mentioned in the New Testament (such as pray in English, or in anything else other than Hebrew/Greek/Aramaic). How do you decide between the things that do not have authority given to them that ARE okay (like praying in English), and the things that do not have authority given to them that are not (like clapping in praise).
ANSWER: To properly answer this question requires a study of the subject of Bible Authority and how Bible Authority is established. With your permission, I would like to send you some lessons that will help answer this question. Please let me know if you would like to study these lessons.
The best thing you said in your article was this:
“In an effort to make worship fun, exciting or emotionally stimulating, let us not resort to practices that would profane our worship and render it vain and irreverent.”
I agree with you 100%. I think you believe that clapping or using instruments necessarily renders worship vain and irreverent, and I disagree. That’s an assumption on your part.
In short I’d like to hear from you a stronger case against clapping and instrumental music.
ANSWER: I believe the case is established when we make proper distinction between the Old Covenant or Testament and the New Testament. Though this correspondence has not discussed specifically instrumental music ... again with your permission, I will send you some studies on this subject as well.
I hope I don’t come across as being too aggressive – I really do hope to learn something!
COMMENT: Jason, I do not find your letter too aggressive at all. In fact I do appreciate your honest inquiry and look forward to an exchange that will help us both learn. Thank you for writing.
Your brother in Christ,
Jason Rekker
Note:
Next week, we will conclude this consideration by printing the letter Micky prepared in which he addresses the difference in authority between the Old and New Testaments.