Quoting from Wikipedia; the online encyclopedia Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate") is a term that has different meanings However, the word "culture" is most commonly used in three basic senses:

  • Excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture


  • The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

When the concept first emerged in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Europe, it connoted a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture. In the nineteenth century, it came to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals. In the mid-nineteenth century, some scientists used the term "culture" to refer to a universal human capacity.

In the twentieth century, "culture" emerged as a concept central to anthropology, encompassing all human phenomena that are not purely results of human genetics. Specifically, the term "culture" in American anthropology had two meanings: (1) the evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences with symbols, and to act imaginatively and creatively; and (2) the distinct ways that people living in different parts of the world classified and represented their experiences, and acted creatively.

In Gen 1 God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was to house man and become the foundation on which human culture and civilization will evolve. So it is our God who set the machinery for cultural awareness, revolution and discovery. .

God commanded man in the Garden of Eden to dress the land and keep it. And endowed him with talents, gifts and potential to achieve that assignment. As early as Genesis 4:21-22 God mentioned Jubal as the father of all who handle harp and organ (piano, keyboard) and Tubal Cain as instructor of artifacts  made with brass and iron. Note that right from the beginning of creation God had hinted that musical instruments, harp and organ will be part of the growth of human civilization an integral part of human culture in every nation on earth.


From the time he was created man had become so conscious of our environment so much that we have refined basic attitudes, behavior and scientific and technological discoveries. Our environment has evolved alongside human existence and together have shaped our culture; our very way of life.


The nation of Israel growing as a nation became so aware of and evolved with their environment. Among their discoveries which became part of their culture just as it has been for any other nation on earth today were musical instruments.


King David and the house of Israel worshipped on all kinds of musical instruments

2 Samuel 6:5


Then Jesus Christ comes into the scene and began addressing some cultural elements which had been so dear to the heart of the Jews for centuries. Jesus only addressed the cultural elements that have been used for spiritual symbolisms and claiming to the fulfillment of those symbolisms e.g. the bread (manna), animal sacrifices and the robe and garments of the priests. Musical instruments were not used for spiritual symbolisms except in one time specific instructions for specific purpose which was to be done in faith e.g. is crumbling of the walls of Jericho in Joshua 6:1-20.


Jesus Christ did not come to fulfill human civilization but the essential spiritual laws leading to eternal life John 14:6


Jesus Himself accepted the culture in which he was born and operated His ministry using some aspect of culture to teach spiritual lessons and parables to register spiritual truth on the heart of man. What God hate is the adulterating and trading moral, clean and sound culture for immoral and satanic practice Jeremiah 7:18.


Imagine you are in a small tiny village as a missionary. Your first crusade brought in a good number of souls. Now they are all excited and eager for the first church service. Everything was set for the service and you just found to your surprise that the people do not know about chairs. They just sit on mat spread on the floor. Are you going to condemn them and pack your baggage and leave?


Another scenario. If Jesus Christ had come to a nation who did not know about bread but something else had a significant meaning just like bread to the Jews. To drum home His redemptive message what do you think He would have used in place of the unleavened bread for the Lord’s Supper.

Culture is just a way of life of a people tribe or nation and if musical instruments are part of a people’s culture, then the use of them is not worship in itself but just a cultural expressions in Worship declaring the majestic nature of our God and in Praise as a response to His goodness and mercies He bestows on our lives


It was the year 33rd year of His life and the 3rd  year His ministry. The time has come for Him to offer Himself as a sacrifice (atonement) for the sins of man; for the remission of sins for as many who will believe in Him.



Arguments have been made by sections of both secular and religious relics ever since I became a Christian that Jesus Christ and His disciples never used musical instruments so it is scripturally wrong to use them in the New Testament Church.


We have seen in our previous studies that musical instruments are one of many forms of cultural expressions of any group of people. Anything can be use to make a sound and thus become a musical instrument. Any material elements that have become of a symbolic meaning with the cultural experiences of a people, tribe or nation.

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