Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

I have often told my college classes that the only completely safe teacher of music philosophy is the Holy Spirit who will guide the Christian musician into all truth.

Reflections after Twenty Months

Reflections after Twenty Months

            We have come to the end of the twentieth month of this blog.  It is my desire that you now have greater insights into the Scriptures concerning music in the Bible and Christian music philosophy and Christian music education.  Parents, ministers of music, and music educators are not always Bible language scholars and, on the contrary, they have general tendency to avoid original language study concerning what the Bible has to say about music.

            All too many musicians' libraries consist of a host of volumes on music history, theory, literature, a few volumes of hymn stories, and their favorite hymnology text without a single concordance or lexicon to study the original Bible languages.  I hope that your word study appetite has been stimulated until you will at least invest in the standard works that are now keyed to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance.

            As the second decade of twenty-first century is nearly half over, you will need to not only be prepared spiritually and musically, but also have a deep understanding of the significance of music in the Bible.  It is important that you be able to understand the music of the Bible in Christian perspective.  I Corinthians 2:12-13 states, "Now ye have received, not of the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that ye might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

            No book, blog post, or article written by man will be able to completely guide church musicians in the twenty-first century.  Only an understanding of what the Book of Books has to say about sacred music will serve as a guide for Christian musicians of the next century.  If my blog posts have stimulated you to study music in the Book of Books, the many hours that it has taken to prepare these posts have been well spent.

                                                                        G.L.W.

Quote and Thought for the Day

Quote and Thought for the Day

 “Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.” Acts 1:16  This statement by St. Peter is significant in that it attests to the fact that the Holy Spirit’s inspiration on the Book of Psalms. Ac 1:20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.”

 

 

The Authenticity of the Book of Psalms

The Authenticity of the Book of Psalms

THE PSALMS ARE INSPIRED.

            As was mentioned before in my blog posts, I have prepared each post with the presupposition that the entire Bible is authored and inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The Book of Psalms is therefore the inspired word of God.  Hibbard, in Whedon's Commentary states, "The Psalms are the only collection of sacred songs plenarily inspired which were ever given to the church, and as such presents a claim upon our reverence, faith, and devotional use which belongs to no other." Commentary on the Old Testament by D.D. Whedon, ed., Psalms Vol. 5, p. 7.

            The Book of Psalms is the only inspired collection of sacred songs extant in the world today.  Since it is an inspired songbook, it is important to study the various places in the Old and New Testaments where the writers quote portions of the psalms and thereby attest to the inspiration of the Psalm collection.  It is also worth noting that in the New Testament there are more exact quotations, references, and allusions to the Book of Psalms than to any other Old Testament Book.

             David claimed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in II Samuel 23:1-2 where it states, “Now these be the last words of David.  David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.”  So, David directly claimed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit when he declared that his psalms were breathed out (ruach 7307) from YHVH (3068) so thoroughly that he stated that God spoke by or through his psalms. The psalmist David further declared that God’s word (millah 4405) was actually in his tongue (lashown 3956

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

The idea of music for music’s sake boarders on humanism and therefore, it must be kept in check in the life of a performer who is a committed Christian.

 

 

Aesthetic Meaning vs. Aesthetic Ends

Aesthetic Meaning vs. Aesthetic Ends

           All quality music performance will have valuable aesthetic meaning, but all quality musicing will not have only aesthetic ends.  By the terminology “aesthetic ends’ I mean that the sole purpose of the existence of the music is aesthetic beauty and hence the import of that meaning.  The terminology “aesthetic meaning” is that which is concerned with beauty and emotion as opposed to that which is strictly intellectual.   Robert Berglund explained the evolution of music from utilitarian purposes to aesthetic ends. “Art that exists for art’s sake is art that has ends that are primarily aesthetic in nature. Historically, most vocal music created prior to the fifteenth century was of a utilitarian nature.  Its purpose centered either in the experiences of the church or in social concerns…However, as instrumental music and the instruments themselves were developed, the performance of music for sheer pleasure increased.  Parlor music lead to concert hall music, the purpose of which was primarily enjoyment.”  A Philosophy of Church Music by Robert Berglund, p.18.  

          Every Christian musician must have a clear understanding of the difference between aesthetically performed sacred music which has the primary purpose of being offered to God as a worship offering, and aesthetically performed religious music that has only the aesthetic end of enjoyment.  This is not to say that an aesthetically performed musical offering to God should not be an enjoyable experience for the performer and the listener.  What I am saying is that there is a philosophical difference between a performance of a piece of sacred music which has aesthetic meaning and a performance that has only an aesthetic end.

          What about a musical performance that is strictly art for art’s sake?  I believe that there is no Bible based prohibition of a Christian musician performing a secular piece of music in a concert as art for art’s sake.  However, the matter is much more complicated when a musician’s purpose is presenting a musical offering unto God.  If God is to be the object of a Christian’s sacred musicing, then one’s musicing moves philosophically from mere artistic performance, i.e. art for art’s sake, to the realm of utilitarian purposes.  As one can deduce, any musical performance that is directly addressed to God cannot be strictly a performance of an art form for art’s sake although it may very well contain artistic meaning.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Those who believe very strongly that the Bible teaches tithing to Pastors seem to be unaware that the same Bible verses that teach the principle of tithing also specifically teach tithing to the Levite musicians.

 

 

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 6B

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 6B

THE MUSICIANS WERE PAID 6B

            Tithing to the Levites is recorded in Numbers 18:24 and 26; Deuteronomy 14:28-29, and 26:12; Nehemiah 10:37-38, 12:44, and 13:5.  Tithing to the singers is specifically mentioned in Nehemiah 12:44-47; 13:5, and 13:10-12.  Here are some examples of several such commands.  Numbers 18:21 states, "And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation."  Some believe that this Scripture and this financial plan only refer to preachers.  However, Nehemiah 11:23 is a little more plain, "For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day."  Nehemiah 13:5 specifically tells what this portion was, ". . . and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites and the singers. . ."  Finally, Nehemiah 13:10 tells what happens when the church musicians are not taken care of financially, "And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them:  for the Levites and singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field."

            On the basis of the specific Scriptures given above which specifically teach tithing to the Levite musicians, it seems that one can draw the conclusion that tithing to the musicians was not an option.  The following are some conclusions from this study.  First, in the Old Testament the Hebrews supported the music of the Temple by paying a tithe which was a tenth, or "portions" to the Levites.  Second, there can be no doubt that some of the verses do refer to Temple musicians since the word "singers" is used specifically in conjunction with the practice of tithing. Third, the scriptural example left to us in the Old Testament is that we should tithe to the minister of music. Fourth, since the Levites were employed in their work day and night as much as every day's ministry required, they were paid on a full-time basis by receiving a "tenth."  It stands to reason that if a minster of music only "does the work" on a part-time basis he or she should receive pay in respect to the amount of time spent with the music ministry.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

The Bible doesn’t teach that a Christian should give ten percent of his or her income, but rather it teaches paying or returning the ten percent that rightfully belongs to God.

 

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 6A

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 6A

THE MUSICIANS WERE PAID. 6A

            The sixth reason that the music of the Temple was so successful was that the Israelites paid tithes to the Levite musicians.  Some church fellowships believe that the work of a minster of music should be a "labor of love" and not a paid staff position.  Many church services today involve music ministry for one-third to one-half of the total service time.  This portion of the church ministry is often the responsibility of the minister of music.  It is generally believed that such a person should accept this responsibility and consider it a sacred trust.  In Luke 10:7b Jesus said, ". . . the labourer is worthy of his hire."  We will show with this scriptural review of tithing in the Bible that it is a Biblical principle to pay tithe to the chief musician or the minister of music.  It is a Biblical principle for the chief musician to work day and night or as much as every day's ministry requires, and it is the responsibility of the church to pay tithes to this person if both are to be blessed and the work of God is to advance properly.

            There are several verses in the Old Testament concerning the responsibility of the Israelites to pay tithe.  There are several general references to tithing in the Bible including Leviticus 27:30, Deuteronomy 12:6, II Chronicles 3:15, Luke 18:2, and Hebrews 7:5.⁴ It is generally understood tithing is a Biblical principle, but many people do not know that there are scriptures specifically recording the fact that the Israelites paid tithe to the Levites and even more specifically to the "singers."

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Those who distrust ordered worship, should take a long look at this Bible principle of musicing which was very ordered.

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 5B

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 5B

THE MUSICIANS MINISTERED 5B

            For some of the Levites special instructions were given as to the content of their musical ministry.  I Chronicles 16:4 states, "And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister (8334) before the ark of the LORD, and to record (zamar 2142), and to thank (yadah 3034) and praise (halal 1984) the LORD (3068) God (430) of Israel."  This verse contains a wealth of musical and spiritual meaning that is worth considering.  Here is an amplified version that I trust will shed some light on the truths in this verse:

"And he (David) assigned or distributed without fail at the forefront of the ark of the self-existent eternal God, Levites to serve in the spirit of a menial worshiper; and to mention, remember, think on and make (others) to remember Jehovah; to literally hold out the hands, and to revere, confess, and praise Jehovah; to make clear (sound), to shine and make a show, boast and celebrate the eternal, self-existent, supreme exceeding God."

            The three words record, thank, and praise are worth further discussion at this point.  Earlier in Chapter III, we mentioned in our discussion of new song in the Bible, that songs of praise unto God were a vital part of worship in the Bible.  The central theme of the Book of Psalms is also praise.  So it is no wonder that David assigned some Levites to be over the musical praise of the Temple.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Performance is about ME but ministry is about HIM.

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 5A

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 5A

THE MUSICIANS MINISTERED 5A

            Fifth, these chief musicians were not merely called for the business of music making in the Temple: they were ministering musicians.  I Chronicles 6:31-32 states, "And these are they whom David set over the service (yad 3027) of song (shiyr 7892) in the house of the LORD, after the ark had rest.  And they ministered (sharath 8334) before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. . .” these Levite musicians were ministering with their hands.  (See Music of the Bible in the section on cheironomy in Chapter VIII.)

            Notice that the word sharath means to serve or to attend in the spirit of a menial person or with the humility of the person of least estate who would come into the Temple to worship.  The emphasis of ministry here is not on perfection of performance, or aesthetic awareness, or kinesthetic coordination, or the pleasure of performance, but rather on musical service that was performed in a spirit of humbleness.  These chief musicians served God and they served the people.  The scripture never makes mention of a haughty, heady, self-seeking Levite musician.

            There are five other times in the Old Testament when the Levites were said to minister.  Each of these verses contains the word sharath (8334).  The references are I Chronicles 16:4, 16:37; II Chronicles 8:14, 23:6, and 31:2.  For some of these ministering musicians, the Scripture gives specificity as to where, when, which instrument, and to how the ministry should take place.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Chief musician ask yourself, “Can God trust me to stay on the job because I consider my music ministry to be a sacred trust?”

 

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 4

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 4   

THE MUSICIANS WERE CALLED.

            Fourth, not only were the chief musicians prepared musically and spiritually and were full-time workers, but these musicians were set apart for service or were "called" in that they considered their ministry a sacred trust.  I Chronicles 25:1 tells us that they were separated (badal 914) for service (abowdah 5656).  They were distinguished by being selected to minister.  Remember that this same verse states that they were called to prophesy with music.  Also, we previously learned that the Levites were appointed or "set" by David, Gad, Nathan, and by the commandment of Jehovah.  We also found in I Chronicles 15:16 and in other scriptures that the Levites were often appointed to a specific ministry i.e. to teach, to sing, to sing and play, to direct, or to oversee.

            These Levite musicians were given a sacred trust.  I Chronicles 16:37 tells us, "So he left (azab 5800) there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD.  Asaph and his brethren to minister. . ."  The word azab connotes total trust on the part of the ones who were called to minister, and it also displays a total trust on the part of the one(s) who appointed the ministering Levites.  David was able to leave them because they were no just merely working day and night but were ministering unto God.  Churches today should accept no less of a minister of music.  This ministering servant must be called of God and also, like the Levite musicians of the Old Testament, consider musical ministry a sacred trust.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day  

There is not only no substitute for musical skill, but there is also no substitute for hard work if one wishes to have a successful music ministry.

 

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 3

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 3  

THE MUSICIANS WERE FULL-TIME WORKERS.

            Third, these Levite musicians were full time workers.  I Chronicles 9:33 states, "And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in their chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night."  The chief Levite musicians were recorded by the chronicler as working day and night.  I Chronicles 16:37 states that the priests and Levites ministered continually (tamid 8548).  The word tamid meant that they ministered on a daily basis.

            The ministry of the Levite musicians was evidently a ministry requiring long hours or work since I Chronicles 16:37 states, "So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren to minister before the ark continually (tamid 8548), as every day work required."  A companion scripture II Chronicles 8:14 states, "And he [Solomon] appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges (mishmereth 4931), to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty (dabar 1697) of every day required. . ."  As mishmereth and dabar indicate, the Levites were responsible for the safeguard of the concern or ministry of music making in the Temple.  This responsibility included working as much every day as was needed to fulfill the needs of Levites' daily ministry. 

            The lesson to the church musician today is clear.  If you want to be a chief musician, you will have to be willing to work day and night.  It is no marvel that the music of the Temple was so successful since these musicians were willing to work until the task was accomplished.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

When it comes to musicing unto God it is one thing to know about God but it is entirely another thing to know god as one’s personal Savior.

 

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 2

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful  part 2

THE MUSICIANS WERE PREPARED SPIRITUALLY.

            Second, the music of the Temple was successful because the Levite musicians were prepared spiritually.  I Chronicles 25:1 explains to us that the Levite musicians were separated or set apart to prophesy with music.  As we learned in Chapter IV, the word naba (5012) used of these musicians was the same word used of the prophets of the Old Testament who were great spiritual men.  Likewise, the Levite musicians were spiritual because they were cleansed ceremonially or morally as is stated in I Chronicles 15:12a.  "And said unto them, Ye are the fathers of the Levites:  sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren. . ."  Verse fourteen states, "So the priests and the Levites sanctified (6942) themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel."  The Hebrew word used here for sanctify and sanctified is quadash (6942), and according to Strong means to be clean ceremonially or morally or to sanctify one-self wholly. 

             In other words, these men were called to holy living.  The writer will not push this hypothesis any further exegetically, but it will suffice to say that in our dispensation the minister of music must be sanctified through and through.  However, II Chronicles 23:6a states that these Levite musicians were holy men, "But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are holy (qodesh 6944). . ."

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

As I have often told my students, there is no substitute for musical skill when it comes to getting the job done well.

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 1

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 1 

THE MUSICIANS WERE PREPARED MUSICALLY.

            There are several reasons as to why the music of the Temple was so successful.  First, the Levite musicians were trained musically.  As was just mentioned, I Chronicles 15:22 states that Chenaniah was trained, “And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song:  he instructed (yacar 3256) about the song, because he was skillful (995)” He became "chief" and was able to instruct because he was an accomplished musician.  The concept of musical skill is mentioned in several other places in the Old Testament.  I Samuel 16:18 explains that David was a cunning (3045) player (5059).  As a matter of fact Saul's request in verse seventeen was, "Provide me now a man that can play (5059) well (3190) and bring him to me."  I Chronicles 25:7 states, "So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed (lamad 3925) in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning (biyn 995) was two hundred four score and eight."  II Chronicles 34:12 mentions the Levites ". . . that could skill (995) of instruments of musick."  Finally Psalm 137:5 states ". . . let my right hand forget her cunning (chashab 2803)."

            Since all of these words carry the sense of quality and the ability to perform well and understand music thoroughly we know that there was no substitute for musical training in the Old Testament.  As a matter of fact, the same concept was carried over in New Testament times.  I Corinthians 14:15 states, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding (nous 3562) also."  We learned earlier that the Greek word nous means with the intellect or the mind.  Since it is a Biblical principle, and since we are living in a highly educated society today, our music ministers in the church must have an intellectual knowledge of music and its elements.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day 

One of the reasons that a Christian musician should write out his or her music philosophy is that  it helps a musician to understand why  he or she does musics in a certain way.

 

Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 3

Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 3

            It is impossible to successfully discuss the necessity of having a Bible based music philosophy and praxis with a musician who considers that musicing is an autonomous procedure since his or her music philosophy and praxis is non-discussable.  It is not discussable because freedom reigns in all areas of this musician’s musicing unto God.  Therefore, although there are without doubt convincing arguments for not using many styles of music to worship God, one should understand that probably only the Holy Spirit will effect change in the way an autonomous musician musics.  A Church musician has the power to make autonomous musical decisions, but when we all face him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, we will have to give an account for how we have musiced unto God.

            A musician who sincerely desires to bring all his or her musicing under the Lordship should never recoil when someone questions the way that musician musics.  People who trust a minister of music or a music educator to guide the way Christian organization musics have the right to know why a musician does what he or she does. Christian musicians who are placed in a position of leadership should publish a music philosophy on that organization’s web site or in some other accessible publication so people are able to digest what that musician believes philosophically about the nature and value of music. 

 

 

 

 

Thoughr for the Day

Thoughr for the Day  

The mature musician and the mature Christian always takes the responsibility for all his or her actions including musicing in community with others.

 

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 2

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 2 

             No Christian musician is forced, by the norms and beliefs of other twenty first century believers or non-believers, to perform any style of music that contrary to Bible principles of musicing or that which is not congruent with changed life principles dictate.  When a musician performs various styles of music, he or she is acting on personal music philosophy and actual beliefs that that they are the best choice that he or she can make to music unto a holy, infinite God.  That Christian musician is testifying that these types of music are more appropriate, proper and profound than the time honored musical genera that have been used for multiplied centuries to honor and praise the triune God.    

            A Christian musician may be convinced by another’s arguments that a style of music is not philosophically the best music to use to worship God, and yet that musician may continue to perform that music.  My father used to say, “If you convince a man against his will, he’ll be of the same opinion still.”  So, regardless of what musicians say they believe philosophically, I am drawn to the conclusion that they are doing what they like to do.  Again, Richard S Taylor summed up the matter quite well, when he wrote, “Free domestic philosophies, such as existentialism, exaggerate individualism.  Freedom is the watchword, and personal autonomy is the aim.”  A Return to Christian Culture, by Richard S. Taylor p.66.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day 

It is not what a Christian musician says about musicing unto God that matters, but rather it is what that musician does when he musics unto God that makes a difference.

 

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 1

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 1 

    Every time music director musics, i.e. “does”, that musician is exercising a part of his or her music philosophy because all “doing” exudes from beliefs. There is often a difference between what a Christian musician purports to believe and what that musician’s “doing” proves about his or her actual beliefs.   All you have to do is get in someone’s car, turn on the radio and punch each of the presets and you will find out in a hurry what that musician actually believes about music. Robert Berglund said, “One’s decisions are actually based on one’s values, that is, the actual values one has actually determine the kind of decisions one makes.” A Philosophy of Church Music, by Robert Berglund p. 8.

    So, we are back to our original question, “What do we do now since many styles of popular music will not go away?”  The answer is really quite simple.  We will perform music that is in accordance with our actual philosophical beliefs about the nature and value of music.  If a Christian musician follows a musical path that is questionable, it will be because that musician believes that what he or she is doing is the right thing to do.  No adult can hide behind the excuse that he or she was pressured into musicing in a certain manner.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

It is one thing for  a person who comes to a worship service to know about God but it is another to know God in a personal way.

 

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 5

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 5

The worshipper must know the fundamental truths about God and His nature before musical worship can be authentic or real. Furthermore, the worshipper must be living in fellowship and relationship with God before musical worship can be authentic and real.  Jesus told the Samaritan woman that “Ye worship ye know not what.” Jesus said in St. John 4:24, “²⁴God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Paul told the Corinthian church in I Corinthians 14:15b “I will sing with the spirit (4151 pneuma - spirit, Holy Spirit), and I will sing with the understanding (Greek 3563 nous – intellect, i.e. mind either divine or human) also.”  Psalm 47:6-7 states, “⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. ⁷For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.” (Hebrew 7919 sakal – to be circumspect, with prudence, skill, wisdom, or intelligence).

If you have an Oxford KJV, look at the center reference and you will see that the Oxford scholars rendered “with understanding” as “every one that hath understanding.” If our praise singing is to be efficacious or effective, it must be done by a congregation of people who have spiritual understanding. What this means in Kentucky Greek is “how can you have ‘spiritual understanding’ if you don’t know God?” Above all else our musicing unto God must be done by a congregation of people who are walking in the light of the truth of their knowledge and understanding of God and His will for their life.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

Sometime we are able to express our worship by singing when we do not have the words to express our love and respect for God.

 

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 4

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 4

Have you ever pondered on the thought of why we include music in our public and private worship of God? Why don’t we just speak all our worship to God? Why do we music unto Him? Musicing unto God helps us to understand and express effectively who God is and what He does. In the act of musicing we are able to express our response to the claims of God upon our lives. Sometimes words alone can not fully express the depth of our response to God. So, we make music unto Him.

Genesis 1:1 states that “¹In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Colossians 1:16 tells us “¹⁶For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him:” Hebrews 2:10-12 further explains why we music unto God when it says, “¹⁰For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”

Verses 16-18 continues, “¹⁶For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 4:14-16 caps it all off with these words, “¹⁴Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

True worship is  our response to God as we honor Him  for  who He is and what He has done.

 

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 3

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 3

            This is what worship is all about. Because of the reality in our lives of the Scriptures yesterday we considered reasons why we worship. I want to further emphasize that we worship God for who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing now in our lives. We pray, we read Scripture, we preach the Word, we confess His name, and we also music unto Him. 
            We worship the Creator not the created things. Romans 1:25 tells us about what happened to those who worship created things rather than the one who created all things. “²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature [i.e. the created] more [rather] than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.” Music is a created thing. It is dangerous to worship music. As a matter of fact, it is idolatrous to worship music. Worshipping musical performance is the result of a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of Church music in worship. The listener-performer phenomenon is a misuse of music in worship.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

It is not always easy to find music that exalts God or that is complete truth, but if we are going to music according to the precepts of the Bible we must worship with both concepts in mind.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 2

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 2

            Nick Page, in his book And Now Let’s Move into a Time of Nonsense, stated “Worship has become an event, an occasion, isolated and distinct from the rest of our life and from our real walk with God…Real worship stems from a conscious decision to live our lives in God’s way” (pp 26-27).  Worship is not about singing, or preaching, or testifying, or taking an offering and it certainly is not about the long laundry list of announcements we make. Worship is about acknowledging who God is and what He has done and what He does. We worship because:

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. (St. John 4:24)

1. God has made it possible for us to be His children.¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²The same was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life; and the life was the light of men…¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. ¹¹He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹²But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (St. John 1:1-4,10-12)
2. God made us His children by adoption.  ¹⁵For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)
3. God sent His Son to redeem us.  ¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (St. John 3:17)
4. God justifies us through His Son Jesus.  ¹Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)Because of Christ, we can live without God’s condemnation.¹There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
5. Nothing has the power to separate us from God.  ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

 

 

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

It was an “Aha” when I figured out that worship was not about me. 

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 1

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 1

St. John 4:20-24 states, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain [Mt. Gerizem]; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” 

Can we truly say we know what we worship?    Sometimes musicians have a fundamental misconception of what worship really is. It is not a guy on the platform playing a pipe organ so big you have to wear a crash helmet to get down off the bench, or someone down on the floor wearing sandals and a Jesus t-shirt playing his guitar or banjo, or six Barbies with microphones singing in front of the congregation.

Quote for the Day

Quote for the Day

“The main form of philosophically developed theism believed in by most religious people in the modern world involves a God who not only created all of physical reality, but who also acts in the world miraculously.”  Philosophy for Dummies by Tom Morris, p. 239.

 

 

Christ Centered Music Philosophy is Different part 5

Christ Centered Music Philosophy is Different part 5

Because Church Music Matters, it must be philosophically accountable to God.  Since Christians do not exist in an absurd purposeless universe, all music making has moral purpose.  The fine arts do not escape moral purpose or the Lordship of Christ and furthermore, there is nothing purposeless in the life of a Christian.

Church Music Matters and so does all music in the life of a Christian (or a sinner for that matter).  It is not hard for many Christians to conceptualize the fact that Church Music Matters, but it is often very difficult for some Christians to understand how or why secular music matters.  Remember that it is one of the presuppositions of my writings is that when it comes to secular and sacred music it is not “either or” but rather “wise choices” of both.  A Christian performer or educator should also recognize that a thorough music philosophy must include a series of philosophical beliefs concerning the nature and value of the whole of music.  This “whole” of music must include wise choices of secular music as well as sacred music.  The whole of music must include every style of music that a Christian listens to or performs.