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A Proposed Standard for Christians Regarding Music

TEXT: Psalm 8:1,2; Matthew 21:15-16; 1 Corinthians 10:23-33; 14:26,40; Philippians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:11-24

he rees 12:28 romans 12:22 cor 6:16-17 heb 10:10 heb 13:15-16 rom 15:&5-6 rom 14:5 convinced in his ownmind godly living praying nd bokdly speaking ... is our nt given sgenda

Music is an Instrument of Expression: It can be weilded both as a Tool for Good and a Weapon for Evil

As a language, music is saying things. It is both directly communicating messages via lyrics and feeling, but also indirectly says things about what we love and care about. Are we fully considerate of what is being communicated? Both death and life, abide in the power of the tongue. We can breath life or death into our problems and goals by our daily expressions.

Are we considering where emphasis and focus is being brought? In all that we do, Christians ought to persue the magnification of Christ. We do all to the glory of God and not self. Is the collective message and effect of our expressions, including in music, bringing front and center the reality and glory of Christ?

The following story of Handel's Messiah illustrates a use of music for good:

Handel's Messiah was first performed on April 13, 1742 in Dublin, Ireland as a charity concert benefiting three charities: prisoners’ debt relief, the Mercers Hospital and the Charitable Infirmary. … To ensure that the audience would be the largest possible, gentlemen were asked to remove their swords and women were asked not to wear hoops in their dresses. The takings from the concert were around £400 and each charity received about £127 which secured the release of 142 indebted prisoners. -- https://parkersymphony.org/handels-messiah-faqs

i have familied if i obly rntertauned them i i yended to make them better. -- The following story illustrates the use of music for damage:

Sesame Street breaks Iraqi POWs Heavy metal music and popular American children's songs are being used by US interrogators to break the will of their captives in Iraq. Uncooperative prisoners are being exposed for prolonged periods to tracks by rock group Metallica and music from children's TV programmes Sesame Street and Barney in the hope of making them talk. The US's Psychological Operations Company (Psy Ops) said the aim was to break a prisoner's resistance through sleep deprivation and playing music that was culturally offensive to them. — http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3042907.stm [emphasis is mine]

Christians should actively persue perfection in their use of music.

  • Praise can be Perfected and Should be Perfected.

Psalms 8:1,2 — O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Matthew 21:15-16 — Mt 21:5 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

If praise can be perfected than it also follows that praise can be imperfect. It can be done ineffectively, incompletely, and to a standard less than that God has ordained. We should carefully measure the details of our worship and actively respond to our discoveries by changing, improving and perfecting our praise.

We should actively persue definition and clarity to our walk of faith. Ask often and thoughtfully:

  • "Where is the path?" and "Where is line?"
  • Are Christians improving in their ability to use music to the glory of God or are we getting worse at it?
  • What should we change?
  • What should we not change?
  • Who is being effected? In what ways are they being effected? Am I okay with the answers to these questions?
  • Have I become an unnecessary offense by my decisions regarding music?
  • Do my current standards regarding music, make be a better a Christian? rimans 14:13

There are Important Concerns Related to Music

-the kine if oersinal use and corporate use is easikt blurred. ehat we listen yo we are going to eant ti use in church. they are nit the same thing but are deeply connected

  • losing our identity and heritage
  • worldliness and holiness- unworthy sacrifices
  • god is concerned with reconciliation
  • slippery slopes
  • is it edifying or hurting us?
  • whatprobkems?
  • violence : volume- music and
  • music is iften used gor motivseuon . tuning up our emotionsk state -chiices impacting worship and the fruit of our church I don't currently have a baseline or a standard. But it is coming to that.

2 Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=bible.kingjamesbiblelite

I sure do have concerns because it like everything else is slipping in the wrong direction

I do think corporate worship and private worship I have always had different musical parameters. For better or for worse get tect messages

The Standard of What is 'Good' is the Nature of God

  • It is an error to conclude we cannot make accurate universal judgments concerning music.
  • There exists a standard for making right judgments concerning music. That standard is the nature of Christ.
  • God is good and all that is is good is that which finds its source in Him.
  • How do the sum of the parts of a musical work measure on the spectrum of 'perfect praise' in comparison to the glory of Christ?

The Anatomy of Christian Music

1. Christian music has Christian lyrics.

a. Its lyrics are Biblically Sound.

Is it biblical? Is it consistent with our theology? Is the range of what we sing representative of the “whole counsel of God?” What do the lyrics imply about God? About the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ? Lyrics both sung and heard, should be in harmony with your understanding of the Holy Bible.

  • Are the lyrics instructive of Biblical truth? Are we learning and/or teaching through the lyrics?
  • Are the lyrics encouraging growth in discipleship?

b. Its collective lyrics are sufficently broad.

  • the height, depth and breadth of God (Ephesians 3:18) Do the lyrics make use of the full range of biblical imagery for God?
  • the full scope of prayer: thanksgiving, meditation, confession, intercession, declaration, lamentation, dedication, etc.
  • the panorama of Christian emphasis: we celebrate the birth, life, and ressurection of Jesus, we promote love and charity to all people, we believe God has ordained the famiy unit, we believe truth is absolute, we believe faith in God changes things, etc.
  • the message of gospel as relevant to and for all generations — young and old.

2. Christian Music is a collective testimony.

Christan music expresses belief in the communion of saints. We make music with saints throughout the ages and around the world. All the saints present are encouraged to join in singing and in our musical expressions we fellowship with generations past. Do the hymns and songs include contributions from other cultures, languages, and eras? Are songs included which allow for the full participation of children? For those beginning the journey of faith as well as for more mature Christians? Can all believers, male and female, young and old, feel included by the composition of our music?

In the context of corporate worship, Christian music should encourage congregational singing and participation. Christian music should not be a spectacle drawing attention to itself or its performer. Although it will have qualities that are entertaining and absolutely pleasant, Christian's should never use music during the context of worship for entertainment.

  • Are soloists and choir effectively leading and supporting the congregation in its worship or are they merely displaying their virtuosity?
  • Do the hymns and choruses we sing express the faith of the gathered community or do they tend toward individual and private expressions of faith?

3. Christian Music is Harmonious in Mood and Message.

In Christian music, the mood communicated will serve the message commincated.A tune is excellent only as it undergirds the thought, and captures the dominant mood.

Does the tune help us to recall the words by bringing forward appropriate features of the text, or does the tune call attention to itself and contradict or stand in the way of the words?

4. Christian Music Encourages Holy Thought and Emotion

  • Do both the mood and message of the music harmonize with Biblical thought?
  • transcendental meditation
  • electric guitsrs and drums- chrgistian mysic is spirtuusl. -what fi i feel?

Here I stand

  • I will endeavor to honor Christ in what i receive and make.
  • I will not glorify or promote with my attention and resources what God has cursed.
  • I will maintain my identity in Christ as a steward of my heritage.
  • I will prefer to source my entertainment that is both Christ honoring and having origins that are Godly.
  • I will guard aginst fellowshiping evil.
  • I will seek to understand before I amen.
  • I will continually educate my senses/conscience with the Word of God.

Other Published Standards

music is not worship. bit its a tool we can use to help us express wirship. the relatuonship af music and wirshipunworthy sacrificesseculsr and or refurbished seculae songs inj

christians are not just counter culture. but above tge cukturemoving to rythm of another beat yhe geart of God. getting sucked into secular trends should be embarrassing to the christian.

music influences attitude and is expressed in begavior and dress and conversatuon and

reputition is necessati how much ir how little is need for legitimate music

your music is not eorship.

hypnotic effect off sinple like it or lump it tske it or lesve it. is that a christ like attitude?

ehat are thrytrying to do to us? manipulation

volumr has hypnotic effect as well physical

who are these proloe we are allowing ro shape iur rheoligy abd chritian experience? esoecially that if our impressionavle youth?

christian music is what christians nake it. how are we going to do rhis? there is no christian music in nature. it is an invention or a collection and arrangement of naturalky ofcuring things. it is a creative work.

concerned fir the integrity if the gospel bluering the line between the christian and

a garden varietyalber barnes prevauling character of music in wirshio should be voice abd instruments when engaged subordivate so tyat the service maybe characterized as singing. odalms hymns and spiritual

new wine into old

whare sone id the oroblems of Christianity andd his wvare we how afdressing them.

get list of principles from page 226 of can we rock the gospel.

the freedom in not being

psychology tranced altered consciousness

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