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.