Bible Principles of Musicing vs. Personal Preferences -Part 3

Bible Principles of Musicing vs. Personal Preferences -Part 3

 

 I am not saying that my philosophical preferences do not matter.  I am simply acknowledging that my relationship with other Christian musicians matters more than most of my musical preferences.  My preferences matter enough for me to disagree agreeably with my Christian colleagues who are of a different opinion about music ministry, and church music.

 So, I must very carefully follow Bible principles of musicing which are taught in the Bible. I must not music in ways that  are not compatible with living a Christian life or with the purposes of Christian worship. However, I must remember that there is a difference between my personal musical convictions which are based on my interpretation of what the Bible teaches about how I must music unto God, and my musical preferences that make me most comfortable musicing unto God-- which are negotiable.  I must also remember that 1Corinthians 13:4-5 reminds us all that, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil…”

 

Thought for the Day

Sometimes musical differences  are based on a desire for power rather than on Bible principles of music and musicing, or on sound worship philosophy.

 

 

Bible Principles of Musicing vs. Personal Preferences -Part 2

 

Bible Principles of Musicing vs. Personal Preferences -Part 2

 

I am not only passionate about  what the Bible teaches about music an musicing and my philosophic music convictions,  but I am also passionate about the philosophical preferences that I have which I earnestly believe are important to excellence in musicing.  I will endeavor to be true to my personal beliefs about how I should music unto God but at the same time I must recognize that they are my personal convictions that I have developed from my interpretation of what the Bible teaches about music and my lifelong study of music . I also have personal preferences about the styles of music and the way I interpret these styles of music in my personal music ministry. 

There is something that I have learned over the years that has helped me—my musical preferences do not matter enough to cause me to break fellowship with other musicians who disagree with me. In the light of what words spoken do to relationships, most musical preferences really do not matter as much as we think they do when the waves of adversity and disagreement are blowing.  At these times we need Christian musical friendship more than having our way musically.   What we need to do in these times is let the blessed Holy Spirit be our rudder to help us stay out of “foot in mouth disease”, remain on course musically, and at the same time allow other Christian music to exercise their musical preferences that are reasonable and that follow Bible principles of music and musicing.

Thought for the Day

 

It is perfectly acceptable to feel passionate about a Christian’s musical preferences.  However, demanding that others share those preference is a different matter.

 

Bible Principles of Musicing vs. Personal Preferences -Part 1

 

Bible Principles of Musicing vs. Personal Preferences -Part 1

What the Christian musician firmly believes about the nature and value of music at its deepest levels should exude from that musician’s musical convictions.  These musical convictions should be derived from Bible principles of musicing, from a solid understanding of the purpose of the use of music in the context of corporate evangelical worship, and a broad life-time study of the music part of music.  An example of a Bible principle of musicing is one’s belief, based on Ephesians 5:19, that there is more than one genre of music that is appropriate for public corporate worship, but that there are standards of how a fellowship of believers utilize music in worship. 

A musical conviction is the strong feeling of being sure that what that musician believes about a particular type of music is true and therefore must be followed. For instance, a musician may believe that the strong incessant rhythms in a particular genre make this music an inappropriate vehicle to represent the moral nature of God.     Therefore, since the Christian is not comfortable with the music part of this music, he or she is convinced that it is not an appropriate worship vehicle, that musician may be said to have conviction against using it in a worship setting.  A musical preference is different in that it is a greater liking for one musical alternative over another.  As the reader can see there is a dramatic difference between the two terms.

 

Thought for the Day

Christians often think of lifestyle matters when the term convictions  is mentioned.  Some conservative Christians that I have known have a long list of things that they don’t do, wont wear, and places they wont go.  Sadly enough the kinds of music they perform and listen too are often not mentioned.

God Is Interested in Form

 

God Is Interested in Form

Although the discussions of music being a part of God’s acts of creation in my former writings are of utmost importance to Christian musicians, I will refrain from repeating them here.  However, I will add one additional thought about  “in the beginning God created…”  One of God’s acts of creation was to bring form to the earth. Genesis 1:2 states,  “And the earth [erets 776] was without form [tohuw 8414], and void [bohuw 922]; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”  One of the valuable lessons to be learned from Genesis 1:2 is that because of God’s omniscience He included, as a part of His acts of creation, bringing proper form to everything on the earth.  So, it is reasonable to deduce that God is very interested in form. God saw that the erets i.e. the world at large and not just the adamah (127) i.e. the ground, needed to have proper form.  For years I have heard Christian musicians say that musical form i.e. style does not matter to God and therefore only the words utilized in a Christian’s musicing are of importance to Him.  These statements troubled me greatly, but I confess that I as a young musician I struggled with the term form. 

Later, it became clear to me that the form in which a composer or arranger organizes the formal properties of music does matter.  Just recently I was studying the Book of Genesis, and it occurred to me that a part of God’s acts of creation was  bringing proper form to everything on the earth.  God saw that because it was without form (tohuw) it was in a state of confusion that caused it to be without proper worth.  Furthermore, God saw that the erets was also void (bohuw) i.e. it was empty and a vacuity.

Teaching Biblical Music Standards—part 2

 

Teaching Biblical Music Standards—part 2

          There is an argument among some Bible scholars as to whether the New Testament is referring to pastors and teachers or pastor-teachers.  If the Scripture refers to pastor-teachers, then the onus probandi falls squarely to teach Bible principles of musicing to succeeding generations of Christians.  If the Bible is referring to pastors AND teachers, they must share the responsibility. 

          Let me point out that the responsibility to teach Bible principles of musicing to our children and youth must include both secular and sacred musicing.  God must be Lord of all a Christian’s musicing or it won’t be very long until He will not be Lord of any of a person’s musicing.  As I often point out, all Christian who music first Christians and second musicians are.  All a Christian’s musician’s musicing must follow what the Bible teaches a Christian to do.  Musicing is never done in a “bubble” but conversely it is a part of that person’s “whole-life”.  So, pastors, music teachers, and Christian performers must all accept the responsibility to train our own to music in a way that will bring honor to our high and holy triune God. 

 

 

 

Teaching Biblical Music Standards—part 1

 

Teaching Biblical Music Standards—part 1

“There is much controversy today surrounding the subject of music in our Independent Baptist Churches. The average pastor today will often admit that he knows very little about music, and generally leaves decisions regarding the music ministry to the song leader/choir director. The primary reason most pastors know very little about music is that they have never been taught a Biblical philosophy of Christian music. Most Bible Colleges today do not teach much in the way of Biblical music standards, and often leave such decisions up to the students themselves as to what they listen to and perform.”  A Biblical Philosophy of Christian Music by Dr. Thomas Cassidy ©  1995  http://www.beaconmbc.com/articles/abiblicalphilosophyofchristianmusic.htm

               I have often told my college classes that a church musician or a pastor cannot teach what they do not know.  The New Testament teaches that God specifically calls some Christians to be teachers.  Since He sets some apart to teach, it is reasonable to deduce that it is the responsibility of these teachers to teach Christian young people how to music unto God.  I believe that Dr. Cassidy was correct in asserting that “The average pastor today will often admit that he knows very little about music…”  So, the problem gets bigger with Each succeeding generation of shared musical ignorance. 

Help Me to Seek Peace

 

Help Me to Seek Peace

1Peter 3:10-12 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

          Wow!  The lips and tongue can get a Christian musician in much trouble.  It seems that some musicians will have to remain silent to keep out of trouble.  How can a plain-spoken musician stay out of trouble?  The Bible teaches that this person must run from i.e. eschew evil.  Evil speaking is , of course, evil! 

          While the Christian is running from evil speech, he or she must seek peace.  This musician may find it difficult to live peaceably with others, bit the Bible teaches that we are to not only seek peace but also ensue it.  This means that the sincere, earnest Christian musician must not only seek to be peaceful but also to pursue it earnestly.  The Christian musician must do this because nothing that a musician does or thinks escapes the eyes of the Lord.

 

Prayer for the Day

Lord, I am aware that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous.  However, I am also aware that Your ears are open unto my prayers.  Lord, I am asking You to help me to seek peace with those with whom I am ministering and to help me to make peace with others a way of life.  I can not do this with everyone all the time if You do not help me.  Please hover over my tongue and my lips.  Please guard my heart so that I will do good to those who do not agree with me.  This I am praying in Your wise and wonderful name.  Amen.

Guard Your Heart

 

Guard Your Heart

Proverbs 4:23   Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. 

           Many people believe “you are what you eat” but ignore the fact that “you are what you hear” and “you are what you perform.”  How does a Christian musician come to the conclusion that Christians are immune to the effects of the music they listen to and perform?  If any musing takes place in a person’s passive or active musicing, then it stands to reason that it will have a positive or negative effect on the whole life of that individual. 

          Proverbs 23:7 explains, “For as he thinks (shaar 8176) in his heart so is he...” If this Scripture is true, and it is, Christians will be what they muse.   The word shaar means to open as a gate-keeper.  Although God will help us, we as Christians are responsible to not open the gate of temptation.  Therefore, all musicing must be done advisedly since it will have a positive or negative effect on the heart life.  Proverbs 4:23 warns, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”  What makes a Christian conclude that he or she may feed on musical filth for hours at a time and still maintain a holy heart life?

 Thought for the Day

We used to say on the farm back in Kansas “It does not make much sense to close the gate after the cows are out.”  The same is true of a Christian’s music listening habits.

Prayer for the Day

My Heavenly Father I am asking you to help me to guard my thoughts and actions today.  Help me to be the kind of gate-keeper that refuses to open the gate to temptation.  I am also asking You to keep my tongue from evil, and my lips from speaking guile. (Psalm 34:13)  Help me to fill my mind with music that will honor you.  These things I am asking, trusting that You will answer according to Your perfect will.  Amen.

 

 

 

Bible Principles of Musicing (Revisited)-part 3

 

Bible Principles of Musicing (Revisited)-part 3

           If God said in the Book of Amos that He would not hear the melody of their viols because of the noise then what causes a contemporary Christian musician to conclude that God will accept noise in church music today?  If God said take this musical noise “away from me”, what makes a twenty-first century church musician believe that he has changed His mind today? This will be discussed at some length in my new book Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective which is forthcoming. (See chapter 11 on Aesthetics and the Christian Musician)

          This discussion of Bible principles concerning music could continue here for pages and pages.  However, I will leave that discussion to those mentioned above.  If you are interested, I suggest you read my book, Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective, which treats this subject thoroughly.  We know that there are Bible principles that make a prescriptive approach to music philosophy biblically sound.

 

Truth Basis for Studying Music

 

Truth Basis for Studying Music

 Every musician studies the music of the Bible from some truth basis.  Simply put, a musician either believes that what the Bible teaches about music and musicing is true truth or that it is flawed, is outdated and is therefore without relevance  today, is only partially reliable, or that since  the mention of music is used in a figurative* sense, it not reliable at all.  Every music scholar begins serious study of music in the Bible with some presuppositions.  A Christian musician either believes or doesn’t believe 2Timothy 3:16,-17,  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”  So, to make the author’s intentions clear, this work has been carefully prepared with much respect for everything that the Bible teaches about music and musicing.  It has been prepared with the presupposition that the Bible is God breathed (inspired) true truth.

When I commit my beliefs to pen and ink, it is possible that I spend more time with English dictionaries, Bible language dictionaries, and lexicons than I do writing my own thoughts.  My writings are far from inspired, but that does not mean that I do not labor over each word, phrase, and sentence.  I would be greatly offended if my readers were to suppose that I had intended to write the opposite meaning of my intent.  Much of the work of producing the second edition has been in a thorough review of the conclusions drawn in the first edition. 

So, if a writer expects readers to trust his or her supposed meanings of the original Bible words used in that person’s writings, that author must treat the ancient inspired writings of the Old and New Testaments with much respect.  Changing the Holy Writ to merely fit modern thinking such as giving Bible instruments modern instrument names or changing the meaning of original words used to explain music or musicing mentioned in the Bible is a very risky writing technique.

 

 

Dedication to Meticulous Accuracy

It is worth noting that Moshe ben Asher (born c 825 AD) was reputed to be among the last of a long tradition of Karaites, although some writers do not believe that he was a Karaite. His son Aaron ben Asher was perhaps among the last of this tradition. The Karaites were known to be guardians of the written tradition of the Tanakh.  They were a movement of ancient scholarly Jews that considered the OT manuscripts to be the supreme authority concerning Jewish law and theology (as opposed to the rules of Rabbinic Judaism).   The Karaites were “masters of the transmission” known for their intent to “build up a wall or fence around the Torah”.

          For that reason alone, it is not difficult to understand why they entered or re-entered the te’amim into the Sacred Text.  The Christian reader should note that these Karaites who were “protecting the tradition of scripture” were deeply dedicated to the task of protecting the accuracy of the Tanakh with meticulous care and complete accuracy.  This is why they are known as “masters of the transmission”.   These scribes never purposely added or subtracted anything of verity when they meticulously copied out the Holy Writ.  Because of this kind of dedication to meticulous accuracy that existed for centuries, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic Texts are remarkably alike in their accuracy.

 

Prayer for the Day

Thank You Lord that You placed it in the hearts of the ancient scribes to copy Your Word with meticulous accuracy.  Lord, give me the same respect for Your inspired word.  Pleas help me to treat Your Word with great respect.  Also Lord, help me to influence others in this century to “build up a wall around the Holy Writ.  Thank You for Your Word which is God breathed true truth.  Help me to hide the true truth of your Word that I might not sin against You.  This I am praying in Your wonderful name.  Amen.

Treating the Old and New Testaments with Respect.

 

Treating the Old and New Testaments with Respect. 

All words found in any language have meaning based on how they are used in sentences.  Words mean something, and the writers of Scripture, who were inspired to write sentences under the direct (plenary) inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote exactly what they meant to say.  It does not make any sense to suppose that an inspired writer of Scripture would have used words that meant exactly what he did not intend to say.  Misunderstandings of Scripture are most often the result of the reader not having a grasp of the original language; an understanding of the meaning of the words; or an understanding of how the inspired writers used these words in the context of writing Scripture.

When I commit my beliefs to pen and ink, it is possible that I spend more time with the English dictionary, Bible language dictionaries, and lexicons than I do writing my own thoughts.  My writings are far from inspired, but that does not mean that I do not labor over each word, phrase and sentence. I would be greatly offended if my readers were to suppose that I had intended to write the opposite meaning of my intent.  So, if a writer expects readers to trust his supposed meanings of the original Bible words in his writings, that author must treat the ancient inspired writings of the Old and New Testaments with much respect. 

The “Roaring 2020’s

 

The “Roaring 2020’s

Will the decade beginning this year be the beginning of a decade that we can term the “Roaring 2020’s”.  “The 1920s in the United States, called “roaring” because of the exuberant, freewheeling popular culture of the decade. “The Roaring Twenties was a time when many people defied Prohibition, indulged in new styles of dancing and dressing, and rejected many traditional moral standards.”  https://www.dictionary.com/browse/roaring-twenties   

               One hundred years ago the roaring 20’s also included new freedoms in music.  Liberated and hedonistic social behavior and the development of jazz and ragtime.  The attitude of many people was termed “roaring”  for many reasons but new music freedoms were very much a part of these new rebellions.

          I am concerned that churches who have resisted destructive musical changes for many years are beginning to capitulate due to weariness and a lack of solid Bible based, faith-based music understanding.  Because of the philosophical confusion that pervades conservative churches at the onset of the 2020’s, many pastors and church boards do not have the philosophical equipment that is absolutely necessary to ward off the current  musical freedoms that that are so pervasive at the beginning of this “Roaring” decade.

Thought for the Day

If your church does not have a written series of systematic statements concerning the nature, value and meaning of both secular and religious music, your fellowship of believers is most vulnerable to the flood of secular musical influences that have the propensity to vilify and debauch sacred music in your church.

 

What Should We Sing?

 

What Should We Sing?

           The born-again Christian should sing songs of a different higher  character than those he or she sang as an unbeliever. In the miraculous act of the new birth, the old man is put off (Ephesians 4:22) and the new man is put on (Ephesians 4:24). The new man can testify that, “…he hath put a new song in my mouth, even [NIO] praise unto our God…” (Psalm 40:3). The new man has a song of a different character -his song praises God instead of man.  Christian musicians should not think it to be strange that there will of necessity have to be some changes in that person’s music and musicing when he or she has been made a new person through the power of Christ Jesus. 

          Verse two of the 40th Psalm states that before the Lord gave the  psalmist a new song, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit (shaown 7588 bowr 953).” or as the Cambridge A.V. margin says, out of a “pit of noise.” It is important to note that God will bring the believer out of his or her prison of noise i.e. the new man is given a new song that is free from the prison of noise. In Amos 5:23 the Lord said to the children of Israel, “Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs …” How relevant this statement is in a day of loud amplification in country-rock, jazz, various forms of pop music, some forms of gospel music, and a plethora of other music fusions now being used for religious musicing.

Are only words efficacious?

 

Are only words efficacious?

 I have decided that early  2021 we should revisit the issue of what makes music effective.  Is it only words? Is it the spiritual condition of the musicer? Unlike the serious music philosopher who spends a lifetime studying the nature and value of every aspect of the music part of music, many Christian musicians, without any written scholarly basis, purport that only words are efficacious.  I have noticed that their writings do not consider, with scholarly philosophical basis, the nature and value of the formal properties of the music part of music. This seems strange and illogical since their main thesis is purported to be communication with the “seeker”.

 The denial that music is a language, or a meta-language does not solve the philosophical problems concerning communication and meaning. Although all serious Christian music philosophers are concerned with whether or not music is or in not a language, meta-language or has no language-like capabilities at all, the greatest concern is whether or not music communicates “message” and “meaning”.  The Bible evidence that music does communicate information, meaning and understanding should sober all Christian musicians.  The fact that the music part of music does communicate a message to all who perform and listen to it places the responsibility squarely on the musicer and what and how he or she musics rather than entirely on the words of songs.