A
composer, whether he or she is a Christian or not, is not a creator in the
truest sense so the musician is not dealing
with elements of music that he or he created from nothingness, but
rather the composer is artistically ordering or reordering, as it were, God’s
building blocks of music is new and fresh ways.
Since God’s creation is an orderly creation, then it stands to reason
that in the realm of music theory and aesthetics, the possibility exists that
there is a good, acceptable, and even perfect ordering of the formal properties
of a given music composition. So, if any
composer uses his or her creative gifts well, he or she may produce music that
is appropriate and fitting for worshiping our awesome wonderful triune God
regardless of that person’s spiritual condition.
As
I have often said, quality sacred music is not entirely about a high level of
artistic quality or intricate musical working out of the formal properties of
the music. Also, acceptable musical
offerings presented to God, although they must be the Christian musician’s best
possible offerings, are not about high art or exceptional artistic musical
performances. In Isaiah 29:13 the man of God stated, “Wherefore the Lord said,
Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do
honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is
taught by the precept of men.” These
people went through the procedures of worship, but their musical offerings were
not acceptable unto God. What I am
contending is that although a composer who is not living in personal
relationship with God may be able to use his or her artistic efforts to compose
music that is appropriate or public worship, these same musicians are not able
to worship with that music because God said they “have removed their heart far
from me .” No matter how well a musician
who does not love and serve Christ has artistically ordered the building blocks
of music, his or her attempts at worship will fail since true worship is not
about high musical art.
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