Would you comment on singing during communion and why it is an unauthorized form of worship?
True Christianity is driven by what is authorized in the Holy Scriptures. No passage better and more concisely demonstrates this than Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” The phrase “in the name of the Lord Jesus” is comparable in meaning to what a police officer might say when banging on someone’s door: “Open up in the name of the law.” Clearly, both Colossians 3:17 and the phrase attributed to a police officer mean “by the authority of.” Therefore, every religious speech (1 Peter 4:11) and every religious activity (Matthew 7:21) must be biblically authorized. Regarding the question at hand, it must be candidly admitted by all parties that there is no biblical authorization for singing at the same time communion is being observed. There is no biblical authorization for any two acts of worship occurring simultaneously!
Further, the New Testament, some critics notwithstanding, is a pattern for duplication of primitive, unadulterated Christianity. What some may sarcastically call Pattern Theology was introduced to Moses by God himself, according to Hebrews 8:15. The word “pattern” there comes from tupos or type, and it means “a die (as struck)”; see Strong’s. A mechanical die is a fixed pattern that, when struck with force or otherwise applied, results in the same imprint or shape every time it is used. Hence, God expects humanity to duplicate what he has authorized, without alteration (Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18-19). Perhaps no Scripture better or more concisely demonstrates the necessity of people today following the pattern set by God in the New Testament than Romans 6:17: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form [tupos or pattern] of doctrine which was delivered you.” The Greek word tupos appears 16 times in the New Testament. Regarding the question at hand, it must be candidly admitted by all parties that there is no biblical pattern for singing at the same time communion is being observed. There is no biblical pattern for any two acts of worship occurring simultaneously!
Further, Scripture specifically prohibits acts of worship occurring at the same time; see 1 Corinthians 14:23-33, 40. Verses 23 and 26 represent that the Corinthian Christians were doing several authorized activities in an unauthorized way, i.e., more than one person speaking or singing at the same time over each other. The apostle specifically stated that this situation did not promote edification (v. 26). Verse 27 says that Christians are to take turns. Verse 30 says that one must remain silent until someone already speaking ceases to speak. Verse 31 says that participants in the assembly are to speak “one by one” so that learning or edification may result (which implies that otherwise edification will not result). The apostle Paul relegated multiple activities in the assembly as “confusion” (v. 33). Paul’s regulation of the assembly concludes in verse 40 with: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” The Greek word for “order” is taxis, which means: “fixed succession” (Strong’s). Regarding the question at hand, it must be candidly admitted by all parties that there is biblical prohibition for singing at the same time communion is being observed. There is biblical prohibition for any two acts of worship occurring simultaneously!
Works Cited
Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, 1994.
