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.