Aesthetics and “Joyful Noise”-part 1

Aesthetics and “Joyful Noise”-part 1

            We have discussed the development of a Christian music
aesthetic. We have also discussed a noise-based music aesthetic and
translations that have mistakenly translated ruwa as joyful noise. As
we mentioned earlier, the actual Hebrew word used in all of the texts 
mentioned that have been translated joyful noise is the word ruwa 
(7321) which meant to shout with joy. The NIV justly translates Psalm
66:1-2 as follows: “Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory
of his name; make his praise glorious!” It also translates 81:1 as “sing
for joy”; 95:1, “come sing for joy”; 95:2, “extol him with music and
song”; 98:4, “shout for joy”; 98:6, “shout for joy”; and 100:1, “shout for joy.” 

            Some Christian musicians declare that these verses command
Christian musicians to perform religious music with noise. There
are no biblical imperatives for musicians to include noise in musical
offerings to God. There is nothing in the Bible record that encourages
Christians to include noise in musical worship to God.  The use of beauty
in the arts in worship serves the purpose of creating atmospheres and
preparatory moods for the corporate worship experiences.

Lean Not unto Your Own Understanding

Lean Not unto Your Own Understanding

Proverbs3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

            The word batach (982), which has been translated here as “trust”, means to go quickly to the self-existent independent eternal God who is.  Furthermore, this passage of scripture teaches that this trust must be complete and from the center of one’s intellect.  Musicians are often quite opinionated self-starters who rely on their own strength and act as a result of personal opinion which may be faulty.

            Verse six states very emphatically, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  The English word acknowledge ( yada 3045) is used in a host of applications in the Bible and connotes having regard and respect The self-existent independent eternal God who is.  Because YHVH is rather than merely was He has the power and wisdom to direct the Christian musician’s paths.  Because he is eternal and self-existent he understands every path that a musician takes in his or her journey of obedience to Him.  Solomon who was great and very wise admonishes us to “lean not unto thine own understanding.” 

            Solomon went on to say in verses seven and eight, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”  I am not going to pretend to know just what those verses mean in their completeness, but I do know that Jesus said in Luke  10:21, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes…”  Spiritual knowledge and direction comes from God rather than from human wisdom.  So, Solomon gave us good advice when he said that we should lean on the wisdom of the LORD rather than trusting our own understanding.

Prayer for the Day

I want to thank You LORD that you have promised to provide us with understanding.  You have also promised to direct out paths.  So, please give me the good sense to do the leaning and let you do the guiding.  Your word has promised that if I will trust your wisdom that “It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”  I am asking you to help me to lean on you and trust your wisdom with my whole heart.  This I am asking in your all Wise and wonderful name.  Amen.

The Place Where Your Honor Dwells

The Place Where Your Honor Dwells
Psalm 26:4-8, “I have not sat with lying men, neither will I go in with hypocrites.  I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and will not sit with the wicked.  I will wash my hands in innocency; so I will go around Your altar, O LORD, so that I may cry out with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wonderful works.  LORD, I have loved the dwelling place of Your house, and the place where Your honor dwells.” MKJV 

            Christian musicians sometimes hang around others who do not love and serve the Lord. Just as damaging is a close association with a person (or persons) who claim to love God but sadly their actions, attitudes and conversations are constantly negative.  I have made it a habit to avoid those who are always bad mouthing my pastor.  He may make mistakes because he is human but he is God’s anointed.  God has placed him as my pastor because I need to have my soul fed and I need to have a shepherd who will dig around my vine quite often. 

            So what is the point of that this little short rant and raving post?  I will be the one who will be hurt if I hang around the “congregation of evil-doers or those who are always finding fault with my pastor.  My Bible tells me to wash my hands of those two crowds of people.  If that means that at times I will have to be a hermit—then so be it!  The one thing that I must do is make sure that I avail myself of the means of grace, like prayer and Bible reading and I must not fail to go to church which is God’s dwelling place.  That is the main place where I get my soul fed and where I receive instruction in righteousness.

Set over the Works of God’s Hands

Set over the Works of God’s Hands

Hebrews 2:6-7 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands…”

            Albert Barnes comments on verse seven were that, "It was the original appointment (Ge 1:26) that man should have dominion over this lower world, and be its absolute lord and sovereign. Had he continued in innocence, this dominion would have been entire and perpetual. But he fell, and we do not now see him exerting this dominion.”  Since God created music it is one of the “works of his hands”.  So, Christian musicians cannot escape from the responsibility subduing and controlling the way we music unto God.

            One of the reasons that church music is in such a mess is that Christian leaders have acted like they believe that if we ignore the perplexities of church music they will somehow miraculously go away.  For part of the twentieth century many Christian leaders tried a “low till” philosophy and now many have completely capitulated our God given responsibility to “have dominion” (see Ge1:26)  i.e. have control over religious music.  This lackluster music philosophy has brought about a “no till” music praxis which has brought about a musical situation where the good seed of the gospel has to try to grow and bear fruit among the “weeds” of every trend of secular musical influence that is currently in vogue at this time.

I’m a Servant Who Has Been Forgiven

I’m a Servant Who Has Been Forgiven

Ephesians 2:1-9, “And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world… we also all once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:-- but God, being rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ… for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.” ASV
                The portions of verses one through nine quoted above explain to all Christian musicians who we were and who we are because of God’s love and grace.  We were dead and are now alive because Christ has forgiven us from trespasses and sins.  This has become a reality in our lives because Christ has saved us by His grace.   The phrase” the course (aion 165) of this world (kosmos 2889)” used in verse two makes it clear that we were all bound to the system of this word and therefore were slaves to “doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind”.  
               No one is capable of breaking the power of sin without the grace of God being applied to his or heart.  This freedom from being a slave to trespassing against God and is “not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory.”  Being made free from the grip of sin is truly a divine work wrot upon the heart ad life of the Christian musician.  From my personal experience I know that I was dead in trespasses and sins and that I only have forgiveness and freedom from the power because of the unmerited favor of Christ Jesus.  Therefore, I do not have anything to brag about when it comes to who I was when Christ found me under the bondage and load of sin.  I have given up the sense of ownership of my life and my musicing because am Christ’s servant and as a servant I have responsibilities rather than rights.

Christian Musicians Who Attempt To Live in a Bubble

Christian Musicians Who Attempt To Live in a Bubble

            I am concerned that Christian musicians sometimes forget that we are Christians first and musicians second.  I know that it is faulty to make every Scripture about music.  However, it is also faulty to ignore the fact that the whole-life of every musician who is a Christian must come under the Lordship of Christ.  Therefore, Scriptures that pertain to Christian living and conduct also apply to every Christian musician’s music and musicing.

            Musicians often cloister themselves away from the mainstream of life and attempt to exist in a hermitage that belongs to the strange sect of people called musicians.  It may be possible for a musician to believe that he or she lives in a little musical bubble that that excludes all others who do not belong to this strange little fraternity, but if a Christian’s musicing has any hope of being spiritually efficacious these musical acts must be done in community.  Also, musicians who have any hope of being the slightest bit Christ-like, must not consume their musicing on self-aggrandizement.

            So, musicians who are Christian must adhere to the same Bible principles that all other Christians follow.  It is not a mistreatment of Scripture to believe that the principles of Christ-like living taught in the Bible extend to a Christian musician’s music and musicing.  At times I get weary of Christians who declare “That Scripture has been taken out of context because it doesn’t mention music or musicing directly”.  They miss the point because they seem to have forgotten that Christian musicians must abide by the same set of Bible principles that all other Christians follow.

           

 

Philosophical Justifications for “Doing”

Philosophical Justifications for “Doing”

            A Christian musician often musics in a certain manner simply

because of personal musical and spiritual instincts or because of musical

traditions established by others. However, musicing by accident

can be a risky policy. A worship leader and a music educator must be

able to articulate reasons for performance and teaching choices. It is

better for one not to teach others than to teach them in a willy-nilly

manner because the onus probandi falls on the one who attempts

to teach (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2).

            Although the Bible gives us principles of musicing unto God, it

does not cover every aspect of music that concerns the twenty-first

century Christian musician. So, every performer, music director, and

music educator must, in the fear of God, interpret and apply principles

taught in Scripture. Furthermore, performers, directors, worship leaders,

and music educators must also come to philosophical conclusions

about aspects of music that do not appear to be covered by Scripture.

With this in mind, every Christian musician must consider several aspects

 of music and musicing which are vital to a Christian’s sacred and secular 

musicing in the twenty-first century. The NIV translates Isaiah 28:10 as,

 “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, a little here, a little there.” 

The translation above makes sense in the context of understanding how 

we music. We “do” over and over again until we are conditioned to do what

 we do musically. As a result, we develop musical tastes and likes and dislikes

 from what we listen to and perform.

Denying Transmittable Meaning-part 2

Denying Transmittable Meaning-part 2 

            The discussion of musical sound sooner or later brings up the

heated debate over whether music is or is not capable of arousing

passion. Ancient music philosophers generally believed that music

could and would arouse passion in the performer and the auditor.

More recently, secular music philosophers have batted this philosophical

ball around rather unsuccessfully in the last half or the

twentieth century. Early writings in this century have not done any

better in solving the questions concerning the arousal theory. Those

who disagree with arousal theory and the referential theory are

absolutists, many of whom *uncategorically deny that music has

any meaning outside of itself because they believe that music is in

a bubble or music is a closed system.

            It is amazing that any Christian musician could honestly climb

on the absolute formalism band wagon and deny that music has

the power to arouse passion in the performer and the auditor. The

Bible is so very clear that there is a war between the flesh and the

spirit, and this war is caused by our enemy Satan. The Bible is

also very clear that a Christian must control passion by being sure

that the flesh is kept in subjection. 1 Corinthians 9:27 states, “But

I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any

means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

This has to include the kinds of passions that are capable

of being aroused through musical sounds.

Denying Transmittable Meaning-part1

Denying Transmittable Meaning-part1

                In order to be free of any philosophical restraint, a Christian musician

needs only to believe that in the context of musicing unto God

the music part of music says nothing, represents nothing, means nothing

and is incapable of exerting any positive or negative influence on

the performer or auditor. This lackluster music philosophy allows the

use of a music praxis based on the belief that “anything goes, anything works, and anything is appropriate” for public or private worshiper in secular musicing.

This philosophical pursuit is called a “praxis” because it is an “on

purpose” way of musicing, regardless of whether or not it is thought

out or written.

            With this intentional denial of the existence of transmittable

musical meaning, a musician is free to music without any restraint.

This praxis allows any musical style to be used in music worship

because those who follow this philosophical pursuit falsely believe

all music styles are appropriate to represent the “joyful sound”.

With the acceptance of this false belief, the musician is free to become

autonomous in philosophy and practice.

Good and Perfect Musical Gifts

Good and Perfect Musical Gifts

James 1:17 explains that,” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”  At first reading of the first chapter of James, it seems that this verse was merely dropped into this passage of Scripture without direct connection to the rest of what James was teaching.  However, as one studies this chapter it becomes apparent that James is teaching that all good gifts emanate from God.

One of the perplexities centers on the apostle’s use of the words agathos dosis (18, 1394) and teleios dorema (5046, 1434) which were translated good gifts and perfect gifts in the AV.  What is the significance of the apostle’s use of the Greek words dosis and dorema?   What is the significance of good gifts and perfect gifts?  Finally, what does this verse teach us about gifts given to us from God? 

Agathos dosis means a beneficial giving [of God] and telios dorema means a perfect bestowment [of God] in the context of completeness.  The words translated good and perfect in the AV reflect gifts [given to us by God] that are beneficial and complete. This application given in the Book of James extends to Christian musicians. 

No Christian musician is self-sufficient and autonomous.  All of the special gifts that musicians possess are given to them by our wise and all-knowing heavenly Father. In St. John 3:27, “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.  Romans 11:29 teaches, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”  1 Corinthians 4:7 asks, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”  1 Peter 4:10 also teaches that, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”  Romans 12:6-8 explains, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The aforementioned Scriptures iterate the fact that no musician is “self- made”.  The beneficial and perfect gifts that Christian musicians exhibit in their professional endeavors are given individually to them by our heavenly Father who never makes a mistake.  Therefore, it is no wonder that God’s Word declares that they are “without repentance”.  I have told my college classes over the years that when we face Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, we will give an account of what we did with the musical gifts which God has given to us.  (See Romans 11:29, Revelation 19:12 and 20:12)

As a Bible college music teacher for over forty years, I have seen very talented music students that headed down a dangerous philosophical path.  It did not take them long to find out that they were talented enough to proceed without God's help. They would deny that they were "religious humanists" but they acted as owners rather than good stewards of their musical gifts.  Secretly, or sometimes openly, they held ownership to music especially when it came to matters of musical style and performance style.  Like Thomas Aquinas, they followed a philosophical path in their musical pursuit that was independent from the Lordship of Christ. Remember that Aquinas believed that man was fallen in matters of grace but that he was not depraved when it came to matters of nature--which included music.

Take Advice from God Who Does Not Slumber or Sleep

Take Advice from God Who Does Not Slumber or Sleep  

Psalm 121:1-3, “A Song of degrees.  I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”  
           I am drawn to the Psalmist’s words “I will lift up mine eyes…”  I have been around several people in my life time that did almost everything else when trouble came, but they did not lift up their eyes.  As a matter of fact they seemed to be looking down most of the time, and when they weren’t looking down they were looking around at others.  

            The Psalmist, under Divine inspiration, teaches those that love and serve YHVH to look up to the self-existent eternal God who is. Which way are you looking?  Do you have your eyes focused unto the hills or are they focused on the muck and filth of this world.  When trouble comes do you looking up where your help comes from or are you looking at those who never say anything good about anyone.  Te psalmist said very clearly, “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth…”  I suggest that you take advice from the only sure source of help from God because, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved…”   

Prayer for the Day  

Lord I am coming to you with confidence because You do not go to sleep while I am talking to You.  Thank You for promising that You will not allow Satan or anyone else to move my foot or any part of me for that matter.  I am asking you to help me to look up at the hills that You have made that are there as a reminder to all of your Christian musicians that real help comes from You who created them.  Help me to realize that You have strength for me to meet whatever troubles may face me today.  I want to thank You in advance that you will also take care of me tomorrow.  This I pray with confidence today.  Amen.

Should We Keep Silent to Avoid Conflict?

Should We Keep Silent to Avoid Conflict?

Do we have to pander to the tastes of a culture that is not only post- Christian, but also in many cases anti-Christ?  Bob Larson concludes that although the rock culture is deeply anti-Christ we must capitulate to its demands since “taking away rock music removes an emotional security blanket that leaves some teenagers’ lives in a musical vacuum.” (Larson’s Book of Rock, 109)  The Church, Christian school, and Bible college should replace this vacuum caused by the removal of rock music and a myriad of other styles of music  by renewing young people’s minds with music styles that are congruent with the “new song” of the Bible.

            Replacing the anti-Christian negative influences caused by a plethora of styles of music with “new song” is a complicated task but it is necessary if parents and Christian music educators are going to replace these negative influences.  Francis Schaeffer understood the problem when he stated, “It is not possible whether one is the teller with his music or with his voice, whether one plays an instrument or speaks out behind a pulpit, whether one writes a book or paints a picture, to think that no one can give the Christian message and not have the world with its monolithic, post-Christian culture bear down on us is not to understand the fierceness of the battle as in such a day as Jeremiah’s or such a day as our own.” (Schaeffer, Death in the City, pp 60-61)

Why Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 3

Why Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 3

            There are many practicing Christian musicians that find out in the midst of their music ministry that that they are incapable of “understanding (noeo 3539) neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm (diabebaioomai 1226).” This phrase connotes that it is possible for a Christian to follow a ministry (music) praxis and not be able to confirm thoroughly, with any logical biblical understanding, why they believe (affirm constantly)   what they believe.

            Third, “rightly dividing the word of truth” is a must to any Christian ministry.  This is most certainly the truth in the case of music ministry. Portions of 2Co 6:4-7 teach us that, “… in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses… By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left…”  Remember that the onus of approval falls on the Christian musician “Eph 5:8-10 speaks to this fact when it states, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth ;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord…”  

Quote for the Day

 1Corinthians 14:15, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

Why Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 2

Why Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 2

            It is a fair question to ask why I purport that all ministering musicians must continuously study.  The answers to this hypothesis are found first in the statement in 2Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved (dokimos 1384) unto God”. Dokimos means, in this situation, that the musician’s serious and accurate study will cause that musician to music in a way that will render this music and musicing acceptable in the sight of God.  This phrase would also connote that the musician has, by study, has “tried” the music and the way he or she plans to musics so that it will be acceptable unto God.

            Second, the statement “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” is self- explanatory—those who study music and music in the Bible are a lot less apt to later be ashamed of how thy musiced unto God, than those who rush in like a bull in a china shop and find themselves in the unfortunate situation mentioned in 1Timothy 1:5-7,. “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.”  

Quote for the Day

2Corinthians 10:18, “For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”

Why Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 1

Why Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 1 

            2Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”   Music study requires the devotion to acquiring academic knowledge of music.  This means that a practical knowledge of music and musicing is not enough for a Christian musician to succeed as a musician. This most often requires reading and the dedicated study and detailed investigation of books about music.  In this case St Paul was doubtlessly referring to devoting time and attention to the acquisition of knowledge of the “Book of Books” in order to acquire knowledge of what it teaches.  
           It stands to reason that all Christian musicians must study music and that this study must involve a long broad study or the whole of music. When it comes to music and musicing academic ignorance is far from “bliss”. The verse quoted above does not directly mention the study of music, but I believe that the Bible principle taught here logically extends to the study of music for the Christian who is a ministering musician.  I also believe that it is essential for all ministering musicians to study what the Bible teaches about music and musicing.

Quote for the Day

Ecclesiastes 12:9, “And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.”

My Childhood Music Ministry Experiences

My Childhood Music Ministry Experiences

            I am grateful that Dr. John I. Page and his wife, Virginia, took me to 

church fellowship meetings and to retirement communities to sing

the gospel as a little child. I was extremely blessed to have a pastor

and his wife that cared about a little boy who had some musical talent.

I am also grateful that in July of 1967 Dr. Page invited me to an

altar of prayer where I confessed my sins and wept my way into the

loving arms of my forgiving Savior Jesus Christ. I will forever be

thankful that I was given a Christian upbringing, and that as a child I

was given musical training and many opportunities to give my musical

talents back to God.

            Every child is given musical talent by our loving Heavenly Father.

Mothers and fathers, you have the responsibility to give your children

an opportunity to develop their musical talents and at an early age

give those talents back to God. That is what really matters, because

children learn musically by doing. If you want your sons and daughters

to give their musical talents to God in adulthood, make sure their

early memories of going to church include musicing unto Him.

My Background

My Background    

            I grew up with my older sister Virginia, and two older brothers,
David and Nathan. When I was a little boy our family was very poor
but our parents always put us first. My brothers and I always went to
school with starched jeans and spotlessly clean clothes. We always
had plenty to eat and the very best of what our parents possessed.
Since we always had what we needed, we did not know how really
poor we were. Dad worked on the farm and off of the farm as a
painter and carpenter. My mother worked at the hospital as a nurse’s
aide, and later after we were raised, she went back to college and
became a licensed practical nurse.

            My first memories of going to church include my mother practicing
songs with me and praying with me, and the preacher lifting
me up on a chair behind the pulpit to sing special music about
Jesus. I have told you all this to remind all of you Christian parents
that your children’s musical training really matters. No matter what
you have or do not have the things that matter are not “things”.
Whatever it takes, make sure that your children receive a quality
music education and that you provide them opportunities to give their
musical talents back to the God who gave them to your children.

Prayer for the Day

Prayer for the Day

            Dear Lord I am coming before You with a heart that desires to worship You.  I am lifting my hands and my heart to You.  I am asking that all the vocal and instrumental music that I present to You to bring honor and glory to Your name.  I am returning to You all my strength and all my musicing abilities.  Please accept them as my willing offering to You. 

            I want to thank You my Lord and Father that You are my strength and shield.  Thank You for helping me in my spiritual walk with You from day to day.  I also want to thank You Lord for giving me special help with my musicing this very week!  Help me to not forget that is You that have brought truth and joy to my life.  I want to take time right now to say “Thank You, thank You, thank You.”  Now Satan knows exactly where I stand today!  These things I pray in Your Strong and mighty and wonderful name because I know that You truly are my heavenly Father.   

             My precious Father I want my life, my heart, and my actions to be pleasing in Your sight.  Help me to always be a good and faithful musical servant.  I know that it is not my might or power or worldly wisdom that my life will be pleasing unto You.  Help me to have the wisdom to ask You for Your wisdom.  Help me throughout this year to seek your will for my daily walk. Help me to concentrate on being righteous.  This I am asking in Your wise and wonderful name.  Amen.

Such as Taught to Sing Praise

Such as Taught to Sing Praise

            There is a very interesting Scripture verse in 2Chronicles 23:13, “And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise….”  I do I not know how many times I have read this verse, but it stood out to me the other day as I was carefully reading the twenty-third chapter.

            Among those who were worshiping was a classification of Levite musicians whose occupational specialty was teaching others to sing praise to YHVH.  Maybe the reason that there are so many musicians who present God with musical offerings that are less than excellent and certainly not appropriate for public worship is that no one in their church fellowship has ever bothered to teach them how to sing praises unto our awesome and holy heavenly Father.  Those of you who are teaching little children to sing praise songs and choruses are doing the future church a great service.  Others may not understand the importance of what you are doing, but God thought it was important to make specific mention of it in His inspired Word.

God Owns Music-part-2

God Owns Music-part-2 

            Why all this fuss over ownership? God is autonomous.  God made music.  As Christian musicians, we must give Him preeminence--that includes music.  Any other philosophical belief will lead down the long slippery slope of humanism. We, as Christian musicians, are not autonomous.  

            As a Bible College music teacher for over forty years, I have seen very talented music students that headed down that philosophical path.  They found out early on that they were talented enough to proceed without God's help. They would deny that they were "religious humanists" but deep down in their heart they were not sold out to God.  They either secretly or sometimes openly held ownership to music especially when it came to matters of musical style.  Like Thomas Aquinas, they followed a philosophical path in their musical pursuit that was independent from the Lordship of Christ.  Remember that Aquinas believed that man was fallen in matters of grace but that he was not depraved when it came to matters of nature--which ipso facto included music.

God Owns Music-part 1

God Owns Music-part 1 

            It is imperative that all philosophical basis of music begins with God’s creation, which includes music, and God’s ownership which includes music.  To the Christian, all forms of music come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Colossians 1:16 states:        “For 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.”  

            St. John 1:3 further explains that “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”  Once there was no music.  God was before music.  God wanted music so He made music.  No one else made music.  Therefore, no one but God has true ownership of music.  The Christian musician should get rid of the sense of ownership of music.  No spirit filled musician, or any musician for that matter, has the right to say this is my music. Remember, as we considered in another blog, no musician ever has taken 'nothing' and made 'something'. He merely arranges God's musical building blocks. He 'constructs' but he cannot create.

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 4

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 4

            Fourth, “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”  Romans 1:17 teaches very clearly, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”  Most probably one of the most important components of Christocentric music philosophy is its “faith Basis”.  The musician can know about true truth and can be a righteous person but God’s word declares that above all else the Christian must take on the “shield of faith” in order to quench (sbennumi 4570) the fiery darts of the wickedness.  So, God’s word is not negative but rather very positive for those who are willing to follow Bible precepts.

            God’s Word declares that faith basis is capable of extinguishing the work of wicked influence in this world.  If I had made that declaration it wouldn’t have meant very much—however God’s powerful Word promised Christians that faith basis will have great power in this world. Faith based music philosophy must be tempered and influenced by, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…”

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 3

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 3

            Second, the Christian musician must put on “the breastplate of righteousness”.  Christian musicians must do the right thing but they must do it in the right way—their “stand” must be saturated with righteous actions.  All of us know that there is a right and a wrong way to stand for truth.   The Christian music philosopher must stand for musical truth that is backed with Bible principles of music and musicing—not personal musical preferences.  All of our sacred musicing must utilize good common musical sense and Bible principles of Christian living.

             Sacred musicing must be congruent with bible principles of worshiping and honoring God. Remember that the Scripture lesson in Ephesians chapter six, states, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.”  Third, this Scripture passage teaches that the Christian must have, “your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” The Christian musician’s demeanor must be characterized with PEACE.

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 2

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 2

            Regardless of how Christian music philosophers are labeled, the fact remains that the music philosophies of this present world system are influenced by the rulers of darkness of this world.  I have often said that when it comes to influencing music philosophy, Satan did not take the day off.  Furthermore, music philosophy is also influenced by the fact that we are fighting against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Although we must never become paranoid or negative we must always be circumspect enough to realize that we now face spiritual wickedness in the church that has leaders who have a post-postmodern philosophy.

            What should the Christian music philosopher do as he or she wrestles with the major issues of music and musicing?  The discourse in Ephesians chapter six gives some positive help for the earnest Christian musician.  “.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”     God has not left us on this earth without armor to overcome darkness and wickedness in every area of life.  First, God’s Word states, “having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth” It is first necessary to by faith believe that there is objective true truth in God’s Word and that God’s true truth extends to the whole of music and musicing.  After this is established the Christian must take a stand on the relevance of this truth.  After the Christian has done all that is possible to stand, he or she must simply STAND and keep taking a stand.  The silent Christian will not affect positive change.

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 1

Faith Basis and Christocentric Music Philosophy-part 1

            Ephesians 6:12-19, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…”

            When we consider music philosophy we must remember that like many other philosophical and spiritual issues “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  It is not popular in many fellowships of believers to write or speak about “the rulers of the darkness of this world” or “against spiritual wickedness in high places.”  Those who do are many times considered to be extremists or to be excessively negative.

Providing for Our Children’s Music Education

Providing for Our Children’s Music Education 

            Whatever it takes, make sure that your children receive a quality

music education and that you provide them opportunities to give their

musical talents back to the God who gave them to your children.

I am grateful that Dr. John I. Page and his wife, Virginia, took me

to church fellowship meetings and to retirement communities to sing

the gospel as a little child. I was extremely blessed to have a pastor

and his wife that cared about a little boy who had some musical talent.

I am also grateful that in July of 1967 Dr. Page invited me to an  

altar of prayer where I confessed my sins and wept my way into the

loving arms of my forgiving Savior Jesus Christ. I will forever be

thankful that I was given a Christian upbringing, and that as a child I 

was given musical training and many opportunities to give my musical

talents back to God. 

          Every Christian parent has the responsibility to care for their children's

spiritual welfare and to give them every opportunity minister musically.

 Every child is given musical talent by our loving Heavenly Father.

Mothers and fathers, you have the responsibility to give your children

an opportunity to develop their musical talents and at an early age

give those talents back to God. That is what really matters, because

children learn musically by doing. If you want your sons and daughters

to give their musical talents to God in adulthood, make sure their

early memories of going to church include musicing unto Him.

“Speaking” as “singing” in the Bible

                                           “Speaking” as “singing” in the Bible

            Deuteronomy 32:44 states, “And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.”  Moses was referring to verses1-43 of that chapter being intoned i.e. sung by Joshua and himself.  The word translated spake here in the AV is dabar (16960 which meant, among other shades of meaning, to utter, tell, and to rehearse.  Dabar appears over 1,000 times in the OT.  A.Z. Idelsohn explains, “The texts sung by the Levites were not Psalms alone, but also portions of the Pentateuch.”  Jewish Music in Its Historical Development by A.Z. Idelsohn, p.19.   He references the above song Deuteronomy 32:1-43 as one of the texts sung by the Levite musicians.

            Idelsohn’s work was first published in 1929 and since that time much information has been published about Levite singing of Scripture in ancient Israel.  For instance we now know the entire Old Testament was notated with te’amim below and above the text and therefore all of it was intended to be sung.  We now have knowledge that the notion that, “The vocal song of the Temple, like all religious song among the ancient nations, drew its sap from folk song…” Ibid, p.20 is not an accurate assumption.   The possibilities are that the te’amim were as ancient as the entire of the Holy Writ, that they were revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai or that Moses gained knowledge of accurate musical notation from the Egyptians.  Be that as it may, evidence does not exist at this time to make us believe that the melodies used in sacred music of the Bible were derived from secular music—a notion that many current church musicians would like to believe.