ARE THERE BIBLICAL STANDARDS FOR CHRISTIAN MUSIC? So often people comment, whether ignorantly or not, that the HOLY SCRIPTURES have LITTLE or NOTHING to say about music. The following is a summary of BIBLICAL GUIDELINES of what is said. As an encouragement, one should ask themselves the following questions:
Are the words and lyrics written by a BORN AGAIN BELIEVER? Is the artist a BORN AGAIN BELI
EVER? Are all the artists BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS? Are the lyrics BIBLICAL? Is the genre of music conducive to Praise or Worship, or is it SECULAR? The above are only a small sample of questions that could be asked by and of TRUE BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS. Now please PRAYERFULLY consider the following:
(1) CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST — NOT MAN
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my SONG will I PRAISE him.Psalm 28:7
(2) CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS FOR THE LORD — NOT FOR THE WORLD
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts TO THE LORD. Colossians 3:16
(3) CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS A NEW SONG — NOT AN OLD SONG
I will sing a NEW SONG unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. Psalm 144:9
(4) CHRISTIAN MUSIC'S MESSAGE SHOULD BE CLEAR — NOT VAGUE OR DECEPTIVE
I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the UNDERSTANDING also. 1 Cor. 14:15
(5) CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD EMPHASIS THE MESSAGE — NOT THE MUSIC — NOR THE MUSICIAN
Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Psalm 66:2
(6) CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH — NOT CONCERT HALLS, NIGHT CLUBS. Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the CHURCH will I sing praise unto thee. Hebrew 2:12
(7) CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD FEED THE SPIRIT — NOT THE FLESH
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and SPIRITUAL songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
(8) CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE LORD — NOT WORLDLY
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Ephesians 5:18-21
So often, one will also find that self professed "Christian" artists are TEMPTED to CROSSOVER to secular music, WHICH THEY DO. SO WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO, AND DOES IT HONESTLY GLORIFY THE LORD? ONLY YOU CAN ANSWER THIS!
