Aesthetics and the Christian Musician Part 14

        Aesthetics and the Christian Musician Part 14

            If you have been reading this discussion from on an over simplistic perspective, you are now ready for me to name the “seven songs God approves of”, because He considers them to be beautiful, or the “one style of music that God approves of”, because He considers it to be beautiful.  Sorry!  I am not qualified to give such a simplistic answer.  If it was that easy there would be no disagreement or no battle for Christian music going on today.  Every Christian must develop Christocentric music aesthetic.  Where should one start?  Proverbs 1:7 gives us the answer:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning (7225) of knowledge (1847): but fools despise wisdom (2451) and instruction.

The word daath (1847) means knowing or awareness and ehokmah (2451) means to be wise or have a skillful wisdom.  So the fear of God is the principal thing (reshiyth 7225) when it comes to knowing or having skillful wisdom concerning a God centered music aesthetic.  Although the word fear sounds negative or restrictive it is not!  An extreme reverence for God is the principally important aspect of acquiring the ability to spiritually discern God’s way of knowing and His wisdom concerning what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. 

            The Christian musician should be reminded that he or she is not left alone to struggle with the development of a music aesthetic.  There are many references to music that are found in the Bible.  These references are valid and valuable to the twenty-first century music philosopher.  Also there is much written about aesthetics in music philosophy books.  As a student of Christian music philosophy, you should be sure to only accept aesthetic philosophies that line up to the principles of musicing found in God’s Word.