Music That Glorifies The Lord And Reflects The Changed Life
Community Baptist Church strives to reflect the new song given to the believer at the moment of his salvation. God puts a new song in the mouth of His child, which should be different from the song of the world. This new song is scriptural, spiritual, sacred, and separate from the songs of the world. Our music at CBC reflects the changed life rather than the culture of this world. The following article speaks to the direction of the music ministry of CBC:
CHRISTIANS HAVE A NEW SONG
In 1992, Dr. Frank Garlock, founder and President of Majesty Music produced the six – part video series entitled The Language of Music which warned Pastors and churches across America about the compromise of worldliness in Christian’s musical choices. Using the authority of scripture, Dr. Garlock pointed out that music itself, without lyrics, communicates a message and speaks its own language. His conclusions exhorted God’s people to exercise discernment and wisdom in musical selections by the criteria of “proving what is acceptable to the Lord” (Eph. 5:10).
Sadly today, scores of so-called ‘Christians” contend that music itself is amoral and that lyrics (words) alone are what make a song good or bad. Consider this quote from Dana Key, a ‘Christian’ recording musician contributing an article to CCM magazine in 1989: “But sound is not the important issue. It’s meaning. It’s what the song is saying – and the lyrics of a song are what gives us that meaning. I believe that music (particularly instrumental music) is absolutely devoid of moral qualities for either good or evil. This is not to say that there is not good instrumental music or bad instrumental music. Instrumental music can be good or bad, but that isn’t a theological issue it’s an artistic one.”
Such naivety is not as common among secular musicians who compose and play rock music, heavy metal, rap, and other genres of music. For example, listen to the description of Rock Music by Allan Bloom (American Educator) “…the very beat of rock ‘n’ roll is reminiscent of sexual intercourse.” (Closing of the American Mind – 1987). You name the pop music stars of the past forty years, Mick Jagger, (Rolling Stones); Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney (Beatles); Paul David Hewson (Bono of U2) and you will discover the acknowledgement of the sensual nature of rock among their confessions. Of course, the master musician of Heaven, Satan (Lucifer), knows full well the power of musical sound to manipulate and seduce human beings (Isa.14:12-15; Ez. 28:12-18). As former worship leader in God’s Throne room and now “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2) as well as “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4), he uses the power of music, movies, media, money and materialism to control his kingdoms on earth (Matt. 4:8-9).
Satanic Seduction in Song and Word (Consider – Exod. 32: 15-21; Ps. 40: 1-3)
Lucifer, the highest cherubim of God’s creation (Ezek. 28:13-14) was one time “worship – leader” at God’s Throne. His sounds were pure, God-honouring and sacred. As a musician adorned with the “tabrets” (Ezek. 28:13 – finger cymbals, percussion, rhythm), the pipes (Ezek. 28:13 woodwinds) and the viols (Isa. 14:11 stringed instruments), his excellent musical skill was cursed and corrupted by sin and became part of his evil character which “…didst weaken the nations.” Because of his sin, the very style and nature of his worship became perverted, profane, even demonic (Note: Ezek.28:16-18) and was used to ‘defile the sanctuary’ by the multitude of his morally evil merchandise (‘traffic’).
According to Psalm 40:1-3, believers have a new song which is called ‘Praise’ (t@hillah – jubilant, joyous sounds of song to the Lord – Ps. 33:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9) because they have been delivered from “…an horrible pit” (pit of noise). In Isa. 14:11, Satan’s song is called ‘noise’ (Hebrew ‘hemya’ stemming from the root word ‘hamah’ – a strong word almost entirely in contexts indicating a turbulent noise, a spirit of unrest, a moaning, raging, an uproar, a commotion) which implies a disquieted soul, disturbance, dissonance, violence, and destruction (c.f., Isa. 60:6, 18). There is a distinct difference in the music of a follower of Satan and a follower of God, one who has the “new song”. There is also a moral difference in the sounds to which each tunes their being (Ps. 137; I Jn. 4:5-6).
TWO BEATS
There is God’s beat with the emphasis upon the 1st and 3rd beat of the human heart rhythmic pattern – the basis for all God – honouring, acceptable music. There is Satan’s beat with the emphasis upon the 2nd and 4th beat (called the back beat or anapestic beat) which works against the human heartbeat with its heavy emphasize on the offbeat – the basis for all unacceptable dishonorable music. The satanic rock, drug beat involves the ritual drum, ritual dance, ritual use of drugs and demonic manifestation. This is the foundation for animism (the belief that things in nature, e.g., trees, mountains, and the sky, have souls or consciousness, and can be inhabited by spirits), which is the root for all non-biblical and therefore anti-biblical religious systems. An incomplete list from the Word of God would include Ashtoreth, Astarte, Baal, Baalbeith, Baalim, Baalpeor, Baalzebub, Bel, Chemosh, Dagon, Diana, Jupiter, Malcham, Mercury, Merodach, Milcom, Molech, Moloch, Nehushtan, Mergal, Rimmon, Tophet, and Tammuz.
Hear the Echo of Ecumenical, Sensual ‘Worship’
This “rock/drug” beat is used in conjunction with the ritual dance (Christian Rock Concerts or CCM entertainment formats now used in many “Bible – preaching churches”) and with the ritual use of drums (whether drum induced, electronically – induced, group – induced, or otherwise). The result is various forms of trance like states usually preceded by the characteristic waving of hands, sensual movements of the body, closed eyes, and an opening of the mind for spirit control (I Cor. 14:14-15; II Cor. 11:2-4).
The Rock/Drug/Drum has always been a basic music medium with which to initiate communication with the demonic spirit world. This and other sinister practices are expressly condemned in the Scripture (Deut. 18:9-14). This music, orchestrated by Satan, the angel of worship, is preparing the world for the advent of the Man of Sin (Anti-christ) whose universal, apostate religious platform will be blanketed with the atmosphere of sexuality, sensuality, and immorality.
The drums call down the demons. The dance is the ritual. Drugs are the sacrament and demonic manifestations follow. To attempt to divide the rock, drug beat music into two categories (i.e., secular and sacred) is to be seduced into satanic deception (I Tim. 4:1; II Cor. 11:3; Eph. 4:14; II Thess. 2:9-10)
Defining Contemporary Christian Music (by “contemporary music” we do not mean “new” music)
Consider Augustine’s definition of music (354-430 AD): “The art of controlling or organizing sounds properly, i.e., not merely in a way that is technically correct but in a manner that satisfies the moral sense” (Encyclopedia Brit., Vol. 15, pg. 1056). Christian Musician and author, Tim Fisher, defined Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) as “music with a sacred text whose style, composition, and performance are borrowed directly from the secular world” (The Battle for Christian Music, 1992 Sacred Music Services). With these in mind, any music based upon the hard/soft rock beat and/or any of its variations including but not limited to the Blues, Jazz, Dance Jazz, Modern Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Rock, Rap, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop, Punk, Country, Southern Gospel, etc. None of the above is “technically correct” because they are based upon the Rock/Drug beat of the Lawless One, Satan. Therefore, it follows, that none of the above, regardless of the “religious format” can “satisfy the moral sense.”
Quite sad to witness the march of satanic Rock/Drug beat sounds into the community of Independent Baptist Churches and homes. A clever mask for the Tempter to use in gaining access to hearts and minds that are supposed to be yielded to the Holy Spirit of God. There is a direct link between the condition of a person’s spiritual heart and the music to which they listen. Tell us your music habits and we can determine where your life is headed for time and eternity.
Discerning the Seducing Spirits of Electronic Stimulation (Manipulation)
Today our churches are being literally deluged with a radical revolution of “new” sounds, all claiming to praise the same Saviour, promote the same gospel and be prompted by the same Spirit (II Cor. 11:4). The people of God are left to decide if Rap, Soft Rock, Southern Gospel, Blue Grass, Heavy Metal, Country, Praise-Worship are the acceptable music choices for Christians. Stage bands now appear on the platforms of Bible – believing churches and pop imitating worship leaders and teams (both men and women) gyrate under colored lights as they pace the emotional energy of congregations turned on by heavily amplified sensuous sounds. This major genre of music popularized by national and international music groups is formally titled “Contemporary Christian Music” (i.e., Hillsong Worship – worship band of Hillsong Church, originating in Australia – but now global in impact with ‘churches’ in Los Angeles, New York City and London – celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Kevin Durant, Kylie and Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez profess the Hillsong Church of NYC as home; and Elevation Worship – the in-house band of Elevation Church headquartered in North Carolina with locations also in Florida and Virginia). CCM claims its own name, its own entertainers, its own producers, artists, promotions, its own philosophy, lifestyle and its own theology.
Instead of glorifying Satan, drugs, sex and rebellion, today’s “Christian” rock seeks to glorify God, the Bible, love, and fellowship. The key word is “Contemporary.” The argument is simple. We must communicate with modern man; and since modern man can relate best to rock music, why not use rock and other styles of music as a medium to carry the Gospel message to the world? Sounds feasible? But does this pragmatic argument hold up to the principles of the Word of God?
CCM’S Five Demonic Lies
Unscriptural philosophies embraced by today’s Contemporary Christian Music world:
- Music is amoral or neutral and has no message in and of itself.
- Almost every performer of CCM holds to this premise. In their view, the message is in the words of the music but the music itself carries no message. They would have us believe that almost any musical medium can be used as a vehicle to communicate Christian lyrics and is acceptable to God, because God is the author of all music and music styles have no moral right or wrong value inherent in them. Our response is that indeed God is the originator of all music, however, the fallen one, Satan, as we have outlined previously has a music of his own that is corrupt and appeals to the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:17–21; I Jn. 2:15-17).
- We err when we attempt to divide the rock/drug beat music into two categories, i.e., secular and religious. All Rock/Drug beat music is religious because Satan is religious. All Rock/Drug beat music is lawless because the Devil is the Lawless One. All Rock/Drug beat music, regardless of the lyrics/words used is immoral because the Rock/Drug beat is immoral. This Rock/Drug beat has always been a basic music medium with which to initiate communications with the demon spirit world (Deut. 18:9-14). II Corinthians 11:1-4 and verse 13-15 warn us of the power of Satan to transform as an angel of light. He has done this in deceiving people into thinking that words alone are the message of today’s CCM. The truth is – the music itself is the message. Ninety-five percent of all CCM is rock music of some sort. “Contemporary” and Emerging Churches lean heavily upon amplified sound and an undue emphasis on syncopation, rhythm (beat) with its pulsating electronic stimuli to create an atmosphere of emotion, passion and a religious experience which would be quite absent if the electric power was shut down.
- Christian music’s purpose is to evangelize the world.
- Nowhere in the entire Bible will you find support for the idea that music alone is to be used as a medium to win people to Jesus Christ. The Word of God teaches us that there are three main purposes for Christian song. Those purposes are EXALTATION EDIFICATION and EXPRESSION (Ps. 63:32; 67:3; 104:33; 100:2; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; Rev. 15:3). Some may argue that Psalm 40:3 “And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” argues for “music evangelization” but the text does not say many shall HEAR it, but many shall SEE it. The “it” refers to all the Psalmist claims in being brought up out of the horrible pit, out of the miry clay and having feet set upon a rock with established goings. It is precisely this transformation that the lost SEE which incites the fear of God in their lives. Christian music is the child of God’s way of expressing worship and praise to God which exalts and honours Him as well as edifies the hearts of God’s people. All lyrics of songs and all styles of music need to be brought in harmony with these three purposes. Sacred music is a spiritual, joyful and verbal expression for the child of God directed toward His Lord and Saviour. If the song (style and lyrics) does not exalt Christ, then it should not be called “Christian” nor sung as a Christian song. If the song does not edify God’s people, then it is not “Christian.”
- Again, Tim Fisher gave an excellent definition of Christian music on page sixteen of his Book “The Battle for Christian Music”. “Christian music is that music in which text, music, performers, and performance practices are conforming to the image of Christ. Good music conforms to God’s principles and to the mathematical phenomenon that God created with sound itself, but Christian music goes farther. Just as Christ reveals God clearly (Jn. 1:18), so does Christian music reveal Christ.” Sadly, CCM today stands for “Carnal Christian Music,” this is so partly because the performers are dumbing down the message and yoking it with the Devil’s beat to appeal to the flesh of the lost world – hence a whole venue of carnal music. If Christian music is understood considering its true purpose that of expressing praise unto the Lord with an aim to exalt Christ and edify God’s people, it will be entirely different from anything the world produces. CCM should stand for “Christlike Christian Music.”
- Music is as important as or more important than the preaching of the Word of God.
- The CCM crowd openly takes lightly the preaching of the Word of God. In fact, entire CD’s of CCM can be played with no reference whatever to the Bible, to Jesus Christ, or to God. David Cloud in his book Contemporary Christian Music in the Spotlight gives a summarization of this anti-preach, anti-Bible posture of CCM musicians: “An aspect of the vagueness of CCM is its infrequent use of the name of Jesus Christ. For example, three of Michael W. Smith’s albums – “Change Your World,” “I’ll Lead You Home”, and “Live Your Life” – contain no mention of Jesus Christ. There are over 6,000 words in the lyrics on these records, but not one mention of Jesus. The name Jesus Christ is not spoken once in two of the News Boys albums, “Take Me To Your Leader”, and “Going Public.” In fact, the name of Jesus Christ does not appear on hundreds of CCM songs. By contrast, the names of Jesus and Christ appear 1538 times in the New Testament. In each one of the epistles the name of Jesus Christ appears repeatedly – 105 times in Romans, 92 times in I Cor., 56 times in Galatians, 31 times in I Peter.”
- I Corinthians 1:18 reminds us that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the lost mind and it brings the world’s reproach upon a preacher of the Gospel. The world hates the message of Jesus Christ and the preaching of the Word of God. It is just this preaching that CCM denigrates, seeks to bypass, and considers inadequate to connect with the hearts and minds of the unsaved. The Bible says “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17) and that God has chosen to manifest His Word through preaching (Tit. 1:3) albeit the natural mind’s perception of the Gospel message as foolishness. Godly music can certainly prepare hearts to hear and respond to the Word of God, but men, women and young people can only come to Christ in genuine salvation by clear hearing of a scriptural, Gospel message (whether from a church pulpit, across a dining room table, or a backyard fence.)
- Christian music can be used as a vehicle for entertainment.
- The CCM scene is obsessed with the marketing of music for entertainment and success. “Performers” compete with secular musicians to attain high marks on hit charts and winning of music awards. These singers and players are called “artists”, “entertainers”, “performers” who stand in the spotlight and show their stuff in staged concerts across America. King David, a competent musician himself, who wrote hundreds of songs, would not feel comfortable with this crowd today. His songs were sung unto the Lord (Ps. 40:1-3) often with no audience and for sure no concert ticket sales. True ministry in music is not for the purpose of entertainment but has a much higher and sacred purpose. Godly singers do not perform, they “minister.” They do not entertain; they worship and praise God and direct the attention of the listeners to the Lord and not unto man.
- An obvious weakness of today’s CCM is its strong identification with the spirit and attitude of this world. Over the past 30 years it has been grieving to see so-called Christian music marketed to human minds in identical fashion as the lost world with attraction to the “performer(s)” rather than the ‘message’ of the music. All this is done using the same techniques of secular “artists” with man-centered, culturally shaped, and often sensuous, distracting video productions giving technological, global recognition and promise of recording sales. A vast majority of CCM artists, disregard the biblical teaching of separation from worldly philosophy and practice toward sanctification unto Christ. It certainly is a RED-FLAG when “Christian” music is marketed to the world and desired and loved as much by the lost as the “saved”.
- All Christian music should maintain a consistency with the high and holy standards of God’s Word. Music must always supremely focus our attention upon the Lord Jesus Christ and do so in such a manner that it does not detract or deprecate His person or His work. If the words, style of the music, character of the singer, and manner of singing fail in preserving the glory and greatness of God (I Cor. 10:31) then it is not worthy to be sung. CCM, with its low view of God and high view of self portrays a cheap entertainment image, with shallow, trite lyrics and commonly breathy, sensuous sounds which cater to fleshly appetites of consumers and not their minds and spirits. Cover photos and slick magazines advertise sights and sounds wanting of focus on Jesus Christ. Let us make it a goal to pursue things that are “excellent” (Phil.1:10), seeking as Paul said, “to edify” (I Cor. 14:26; Rom. 14:19; I Thess. 5:11) with a Christological doxological aim.
- Doctrine is not an issue or incidental when it comes to music choices.
- The CCM ecumenical spirit de-emphasizes doctrine and regularly promotes the false unity of apostasy. Lyrics are sung, with the intention of encouraging the minimizing of differences and the breaking down of denominational distinctions. CCM has chosen to place doctrine and sound theology to the back burner. The popular idea is that God accepts the medium (style) of music as long as the worshipper is sincere (Lev. 10:8-11; II Sam. 6:1-7 both repudiate this pragmatic view).
- Check the top 15 Praise and Worship Songs for 2023 as marked by CCM producers and you will find not only the consistent soft rock style of the music but anemic, doctrinally neutered and often broad, vague, humanized references to spiritual realities (i.e., Goodness of God, Bethel Music and Jenn Johnson; 10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman, Steve Angrisano; I Speak Jesus, Charity Gayle; Still/Be Still and Know, Don Moen; How Great is Our God, Chris Tomlin, What a Beautiful Name, Hillsong Worship; In Christ Alone, Keith and Kristyn Getty; In Jesus Name, Katy Nichole; King of Kings, Brooke Ligertwood and Hillsong Worship; Thank You Lord, Chris Tomlin; Shout to the Lord, Hillsong Worship; Build My Life, by Pat Barrett featuring Chris Tomlin; God Will Make a Way, Don Moen; Above All/There is None, Don Moen, Lenny LeBlanc; Give Thanks, Don Moen).
- If you want a real challenge, try finding out the doctrinal convictions of today’s contemporary ‘Christian’ musicians, churches, their praise band constituents and even pastors. Not only are the majority of musicians vague and indefinite about their convictions on morality, church practice (i.e., Homosexuality, LGBTQ, Transgenderism, Women preachers, Divorce, Marriage, Abortion, etc.) but for many of them one cannot find any clear testimony of Bible salvation or even a hint thereof.
- A child of God must exercise discernment in music choices, especially today, when a great percentage of what is available in Southern Gospel, Praise Worship music, Country, Soft Rock is Charismatic in origin and Theology. The Christian’s song is to be sung “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). If a song has a catchy tune but it is not accurate in its representation of Theology, then it ought not to be sung. When we sing or listen to music, we need to check the words and evaluate their meaning in light of the Bible. Is it doctrinally correct? Is the truth of the song unmistaken? No matter what else a song may have to commend it, if it is not Scriptural, it has no place in the life of a child of God. Some churches that would never allow heresy to be preached from the pulpit allow it to be included in the lyrics of songs.
Expressions of a Regenerated Sound
- My Music Should Show a Changed Life, Regenerated Experience – II Cor. 5:17
- My Music Should Show Ownership and Workmanship – I Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 2:10
- My Music Must Deny Worldliness – I Jn. 2:15-17
- My Music Must Avoid Compromise – II Cor. 6:14-7:1
- My Music Must be An Example of and to the Believers – I Tim. 4:12; Tit. 2:7
- My Music Must Witness to Unbelievers – Col. 4:5
- My Music Must be True to My Exalted Position in Christ – Eph. 2:3-5
- My Music Must Reflect Submission to the Holy Spirit of God – Eph. 5:18
- My Music Must Reflect God’s Order in the Universe – I Cor. 14:40, v. 33 (not chaos, casualness, cacophony, and confusion)
AN OPEN EVALUATION (take a TEST): Richard Peck’s Timeless Counsel
T – RUTH is the message true to the Word
E – XALT Christ or man
S – EPARATE from the flesh and the world
T – EACHES and edifies the believer
DISCERNMENT NEEDED:
Check the Fundamental Elements of Music: I Sam. 16:23 (The Aim is ‘Master Control!’)
- Melody: Primarily affects the heart
- Harmony: Primarily affects the soul
- Rhythm: Primarily affects the body
- Lyrics: Primarily affect the mind
Check the Fundamental Expressions of Sacred Music:
- Sacred Music Should Express the Praises of the Lord – with a happy heart, Ps. 100:2; with sanctified instruments, Ps. 150
- Sacred Music Should Extol the Glories of the Lord – focus on the Lamb – Rev. 5:6; adoration of the Lamb – Rev. 5:8; extolling the person of the Lamb – Rev.5:12
- Sacred Music Should Expound the Truth of the Lord – it should be doctrinal and didactic – Col. 3:16
- Sacred Music Should Exhibit the Intelligence of the Lord – It moves the soul before the body – I Cor. 14:15; It stimulates the mind as well as the emotions
- Sacred Music Should Evidence the Spirit of the Lord – let it be rendered by a spiritual person; Let it emphasis a spiritual theme – Eph. 5:18-19; Let it encourage spiritual growth – I Cor. 14:12 (Does it strengthen and deepen my walk with Christ?)