Thank you for your thoughts on this. Believe me, I am not attempting to try to cause you to sin by going in a building where instruments are being used to praise the Lord accompanied by singing. What I say here is more for others here who are intimidated by you. So, please read no further. - In my OPINION, it is a matter of your own OPINION of what IS permissible to the Lord and what is not (provided you are in the Lord and in His Word). I may eat only vegetables and be of the OPINION that YOU should only eat vegetables and no meat. If you do not respect my OPINION and conviction and pressure me to eat meat, then YOU are guilty of causing me to sin - and possibly perish.
So, you, and I, must be fully in our own minds convinced and convicted that what we are doing is scriptural and godly.
The CHURCH is NOT an earthly building, the CHURCH is built by the Lord Jesus Christ of lively stones or living human beings trusting Christ as the Son of God. Any building is NOTHING; it seems to me that they are ALL going to perish by fire in the end. If you go into any other earthly edifice (school, concert hall, etc.) and listen to instrumental music of any kind, then that is as much of a sin as going into an earthly church edifice where instruments are used, and even worse, hypocritical.
I have the conviction that in my church building, the piano that they use (for old shaped note hymns and sacred music only) is NOT a sin - TO ME - not to YOU. YOU do as YOU are convicted and "Let him who thinketh he stand, take heed lest he fall". Christ is the ultimate judge - not YOU - not ME.
As to your statement that you "appreciate my thoughts on this", I doubt that. In which case, you should search your heart for the POSSIBLE sin of lying (and please don't accuse me of accusing you of lying - I don't know your heart).
I am amazed at just how much glee certain sects (I am of Paul, I am of Apollos), of Christendom enjoy when savoring the OPINION that some little nitpicking legalistic OPINION that only THEY hold (with very little real scriptural foundation) will bring only their little sects to a place in the glorious ultimate Kingdom of God and forever doom everyone else to Hell. There ARE sins which will preclude from the Kingdom of God - - but I wish for all to come to repentance and for all to be there in that Kingdom. . not gleefully glad if only my little sect has a part in the first resurrection at the return of the Lord. The glorious city that will come down from God out of Heaven is, if I have the right information on measurements, the city alone is 1,500 miles by 1,500 miles foursquare, which would be 1,500 miles high. Your little group is certainly going to rattle around in such a large place, for an eternity with a capella singing. - There are "good" Christian sects who major on the headcovering, and if your group doesn't do it, then you don't get into that city or the Kingdom of God - and to them, that is an issue that is totally scriptural and not an issue that is a matter of personal choice.
The Kingdom of God will have harps and all sorts of musical instruments, even the bells on the cattle will be inscribed "Holiness Unto the Lord". God changes not; He liked David's harp playing back then, and He will enjoy David's harp playing in His Kingdom - in spite of OPINIONS.
Your real enemy is not your brother in Christ.
You are free to feel about me any way you wish. However, I doubt anyone is intimidated by me. If you really feel that I am wrong on this issue, please back up your claims with Scripture. You can post extremely long posts all day long if you wish, but it will not carry weight with those who care about what the Word of God says about a matter.
The idea that listening to instrumental music of any kind is a sin is laughable. I have never said, or implied, that instrumental music in general is sinful. I am speaking only of praising God in worship. We have been given a specific command to sing, and that is what we are authorized to do. Mechanical instrumental music is not part of that command, nor is it even implied in the command.