I am often asked the question, ''Can I listen to secular music as a Christian?" Then the dilemma spirals into what styles, or genres, are safe? Is only ''Christian'' music the safe choice? Is listening to any style of music joining with the world? I have talked at great lengths with believers about music. While there is no straightforward black and white answer, there is a ''test'' you can use in evaluating this for your life. Let's use seven areas to assess music in our life.
First, there is ''message''. I believe this to be the most important aspect to assessing if a song is okay for us. I need to address the idea that music is ''secular'' or ''christian''. Music in and of itself is neither, its the lyrics that determine this. In my pre-Christ days, I listened to satanic (actually about demonic and evil concepts)and hate-filled songs. Today such messages are literally physically nauseating and mentally troubling to hear. All words are theologically neutral, it's what is being said, the message that guides the appropriateness of a song. Pay attention to the message, if it is contrary to Scripture, the message is bad. I think something of importance ought to be stressed here. Christian family bookstores have declared a couple bands I enjoy to have a ''negative'' message. What is that message? The content has to be pretty bad to be banished from such a godly enterprise, right? Well, the first band deals with the books of Daniel and Revelation exclusively. The other band states Islam, Hollywood, homosexuality, even the current state of the church is morally and spiritually corrupt. Then, there are acts that are approved, because they encourage raising our handed to thee God of love who loves us no matter how we live, though the artist is mormon!
Second, ''purpose''. What purpose does the music/song serve in one's life? Why was the song written and, furthermore, what is it trying to promote or encourage? A song that speaks of ,for example, sexuaal immorality in a bad context has a good purpose whereby one portraying a lascivious lifestyle is obviously antibiblical and thus, bad for the believer.
Third, what does the music bring to the heart (mind) of the believer, what ''association'' does the song/music hold for thhe believer? I read a great example of this when researching the topic, using my least favorite style of music-rap. I may associate rap with being violent and degrading to women, while you might associate it with anger toward sin.
Memories. What does the music bring to us in terms of our past? If we have repented about something and the song brings us back then we may opt to iisten to something else. Never allow a song to take you back to a place in time when things were not so good. While memories rarely are completely eradicated from our mind, don't allow a song or band the opportunity to take you to a pre-repented of event in life. You see, there's a ''seccular'' band I listened to a lot, because the content spoke frequently of death of loved ones, past failures, etc. Sometimes, listening to the band takes me back, and I relive the painful experiences of that period in my life.then, there's another band that discusses life's bad luck. I like the stance, though. If I may, the band I'm referring to has a track entitled ''I was wrong'', in which the lyricist speaks of the bad luck, but thinks about his part in the way bad things came to be in his life. It makes me think f the terrible things I have experienced a and faced in my life, but from the perspective of, ''what part did I play in their coming to be?", ''what role did I play in the way thins played out, my behavior during the events and a a result of them?"
Next, does the music stir emotions I in negative or positive ways? While goth music may bring about depressing or ''dark'' feelings in you it might make me feel happy inside. It might touch upon things I feel or am experiencing and thus, bringing contentment inside me.
Understanding, or interpretation. Do I understand, door relate, to the style of music. While some may feel more at ease, or peaceful, listening to classical versus country, or rock versus blues. It is important to note that your dislike of a style should not be the criteria by which we determine whether the music is ''safe'' for other believers, as people often do. Remember, it is important to always judge a righteous judgment. This very important message read in Jn7:14 reminds us to use Yahweh's perfect Word to judge the world around us and not our imperfect, biased opinions.
Finally, is the music ''singable''? When I listen to a song, and find myself singing along, can I ''rejoice'' in the content? Going back to the band I referred to earlier, the song, ''Jesus Christ'' is a graphic portrait of a saviour who died a brutal death to redeem a lost sinner that I may one day have access to the throne of God. I sing along to this more comfortably than most hymns.
I recently got into a heated discussion with the daughter of a seminary professor over the damning result of rock music. The prof believes country and classical music to be ''safe'' as it is their music of choice. I reminded them the. Psalmist discusses various musical instruments. Nowhere does the bible state one genre is more holy than another. The hymns were written by men. It comes back to message, lyric over style of music. Anything else is purely legalistic.
I would love to hear from you. Who are your favorite artists? What is your genre of choice?
Pastor Aaron
No comments:
Post a Comment