God Intended for Music to be Under Man's Supervision-part 2

 

God Intended for Music to be Under Man's Supervision-part 2 

              So, Adam was given the command to conquer and bring under his control the world around him which doubtlessly included music.  We know from Genesis 2:19-20 that Adam was given tremendous insight and knowledge.  Although these passages say absolutely nothing about music, it is possible that he also had unusual insight concerning music.
              We know from the authority of the Genesis record that God intended for man to *subjugate and subdue all of his creation: which certainly included music.  We also know that God set man over the personal works of his creation.  Hebrews 2:7-8 states, “Thou madest him a little lower than the angles; thou didst set him over the works of thy hands:  Thou hast put all things in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.  But now we see not all things put under him."
                Albert Barns stated, "It was the original appointment (Gen. 1:26) that man should have dominion over the lower world, and be its absolute lord and sovereign.  Had he continued in innocence this dominion would have been entire and perpetual.  But man fell, and we do not see him exerting this dominion.”3  If Adam and Eve had not fallen, we probably would not be having so much debate over music philosophy. 

 

God Intended for Music to be Under Man's Supervision-part 1

 

God Intended for Music to be Under Man's Supervision-part 1 

          It is possible that the beginnings of musical knowledge can be traced to Genesis 1:26 where Adam was commanded to “...have dominion (radah 7287) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth (erets 776), and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”  Also in verse twenty-eight he is admonished to “replenish the earth (776) and subdue (kabash 3533) it.”  The words dominion (radah 7287) and subdue (kabash 3533) used in Genesis 1:26 mean to *subjugate or to conquer.  The word earth (erets 776) used in Genesis 1:26 is the broad term used for the world as opposed to the word earth (adamah, 127) used in Genesis 1:25 which means the soil.  Note that God not only put the soil under man’s supervision but also the erets i.e. the world around him.

 

The Music Part of Music

 

The Music Part of Music

The way a composer or arranger organizes and utilizes the building blocks of music will give them the propensity to either be congruent or incongruent with the purposes of sacred musicing to a high and holy triune God.  It is not the building blocks of music that are good or evil, but rather it is how they are arranged and performed that gives them positive or negative meaning.  To be more specific, it isn’t diatonic seventh chords, incomplete dominant ninth chords, augmented sixth chords, Neapolitan sixth chords, syncopated rhythms, put beats, dynamics, or hemiolas that are profane. 

It is the way that a composer, arranger or performer uses them that determines their appropriateness or inappropriateness.  There is no such thing as an evil chord, dynamic or rhythm per se, but every astute performer, composer or arranger understands that they may be used inappropriately in a given situation.  Furthermore, the inappropriate juxtaposition or amalgamation of styles of music is capable of making subtle, or not so subtle, jest of the very thing that a Christian musician is supposed to be expressing when he or she musics unto God.

Thought for the Day

When we as musicians face Him whose eyes are a flame of fire, we will all give an account of how we have organized and utilized the building blocks of music.  They are God’s blocks, not ours.  He owns all of them by virtue of the fact that He created them.

 

 

“Under God’s Hands” for Ministry

 I Chronicles 25:6a All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for service in the house of God.

           The temple musicians were placed “under the hands of” the chief musicians Asaph, Jeduthun and Herman.  This reference doubtlessly refers to the use of cheironomy.  Cheironomers were musicians who used hand signs to represent pitches to be played by the temple musicians.

          It is significant that these Levite sons were under direction of spiritual men who had be “separated” (see 25:1) to serve Jehovah through music.  Why were these young Levite musicians being trained by the chief musicians?  They were being prepared for service (abodah) of house of God.

          The Bible lessons is clear here that it is the responsibility for church musicians to train our own to minister in the “house of God”.  It is part of every church musician’s responsibility to train others to serve God by musicing unto Him.  The Hebrew word abodah means to labor, minister or work and it also connotes the idea of a bond servant. It is our responsibility to catechize our sons and daughters in the burden, responsibility and necessity of a continuing musical ministry from generation to generation.

 Prayer for the Day

Lord please help me to somehow impress upon the next generation of musicians the burden and responsibility of continued music ministry in the house of God.  Help me to be a Godly mentor to the next generation of Christian musicians.

 Song for the Day

Give of Your Best to the Master by H.B. Grose

 Thought for the Day

 If we want the next generation to share our music values, we must be the ones who influence them musically.

 

 

 

A Heart Made Ready

 

 

A Heart Made Ready

Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

          It is no mystery that in death we can be separated from God if we are not prepared spiritually to meet Him.  However, life many times separates Christian musicians from God.  Living does not have to pull us away from God but it can!  The cares of this life can slowly but surely move us further and further away from God.  On the contrary, living each moment in the hallow of His mighty hand can draw us closer to our heavenly Father.

          Another warning of this scripture passage is that created things can separate us from God if we let them.  Music is a created thing for we know that in the beginning God created music.  Music, a created thing, has drawn many Christian’s hearts away from God.

          When Christian musicians worship music instead of using musicing as a means of grace to draw Christians closer to Christ, music becomes a god- an idol.  Christian musicians must remember God’s commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)

          God will not share His glory with a practicing musician hocking his or her artistic wares in front of the body of Christ.  If we as musicians want to be overcomers or more than conquerors we will use musicing as a means of grace and never as a means to draw attention to ourselves or the art of music.

Prayer for the day

Lord, I know that I will come through all things by the power of the indwelling Spirit, not my talent or my musical performance.  Father teach me how to draw closer to You and to lead others into a closer walk with You by musicing unto God.

Song for the Day

Close to Thee by Fanny Crosby

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 5

 

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 5

          Christian musicians, who are only involved with performing religious music, sometimes choose to ignore the whole of music which includes secular music and musicing.  Ignoring secular music in one’s philosophical basis is short sighted and is also an incomplete view.  Sooner or later the church musician will be faced with secular music.  Wedding music is only one example of the use of secular music in the context of sacred ceremonies.  Although the use of secular music for such an occasion is not inherently in conflict with the principles of Christian living, some music that a Christian artist may be asked to perform is definitely in conflict with Christian beliefs.

          At this point in this discussion you may be waiting for a list of songs which are currently used in weddings which are not amenable to the Lordship of Christ.  You are going to be disappointed if this is the answer to your approved repertoire.  There are several problems with this over simplistic approach.  First, this blog is designed to make the reader think.  Second, song literature changes very rapidly in this century.  If I gave a list, you probably would not think and my list would soon be outdated and obsolescent.

          Although it is never easy, the Christian musician must continually struggle with the content and musical styles of both sacred and secular literature.  With secular literature, the problem is most often not only style but also the situations and contexts surrounding the music.  When a Christian performs music he or she is unable to keep from being associated with its style and content.  As I have often said no musician musics unto himself. All the music that a Christian performs reflects on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because every Christian is a representative of Him.

         

         

Thought for the Day

Wedding music is only the tip of the iceberg musically speaking.  There are a host of secular genres that are not appropriate for a Christian to perform.  However there are also many secular music genres that are not in conflict with the reality of being a born again Christian who lives a changed life.

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 4

 

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 4

          All music that a Christian allows in his or her repertoire should pass certain musical standards whether it is of a sacred or secular nature. I see no reason for a Christian to become involved with either substandard secular or sacred music.  This very limited discussion is not the proper place to thoroughly discuss what makes any type of music a quality art form.  Also, this abbreviated discussion is not suited to thoroughly discuss the fact that quality musical art forms are not the entire basis for their inclusion or exclusion by a Christian musician.

          The place to begin is not with a musical and historical study of quality musical art forms. A Christian’s world view will affect that musician’s musical paradigm and consequently affect the development of that Christian musician’s music philosophy.  A Christian musician without a well-defined Bible based music philosophy is like a ship in the middle of the sea without a compass.  Since a Christian music philosophy must transcend regional cultural boundaries, it cannot be base totally on environment and traditions, but rather on the Word of God. Furthermore, it cannot be bases on musical likes and dislikes.  If they are going to be successful in the 21^st century, church musicians, performing artists and Christian school musicians must carefully identify the Bible principles that serve as the foundation of music philosophy.  These standards must cover the nature and value of the whole of music.

Thought for the Day

Musical paradigm is the window through which a Christian musician philosophically views music and musicing.  Every Christian musician must be sure that he or she views the nature and value of the whole of music through that window.

 

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 3

 

 Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 3

          There is no biblical conflict created by a Christian including clean secular music, as well as sacred music.  The two do not oppose each other.  There is not anything inherently opposing about music that addresses itself to religious matters and music that does not address itself to religious matters.  One gospel song writer said, “My raptured soul can only sing of Calvary.”  He certainly had the right to exclude all secular music but such a philosophy and praxis in not a Bible mandate.

          One of the unfortunate philosophical positions of some Christian musicians is that all religious music is appropriate in the life of a Christian and conversely that all non-religious music is inappropriate in the life of a Christian.  On the surface it would seem that including only religious music would greatly simplify music philosophy.  This faulty praxis only complicates matters since it removes all need and responsibility of the Christian to prove what is “acceptable unto the Lord”.  This paradigm has spawned a generation of Christian musicians that believe that there are no absolutes, rules, or standards of sacred music.  There is only one guideline – the music has to be religious in nature.  Under this mindset, sacred music is a standardless art that does not have to pass any tests of suitability and appropriateness or correctness or incorrectness. 

 

Thought for the Day

Sometimes Christian musicians ignore the genres of music that deal with temporal things.  At other times they look on love songs as being substandard or beneath the dignity of a Christian performer.  However, these types of music have a valuable place in the life of Christians.  Therefore, they must be included in a Christian’s worldview of the whole of music.

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 2

 

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 2

          When it comes to the matter of secular and sacred music and musicing it is not either or but rather wise and appropriate choices of both.  Although it would appear to be simpler philosophically for the Christian to only include the use of sacred music, there is no valid biblically sound reason not to include secular music that is amenable to the Lordship of Christ. One of the major fallacies of some Christian musician’s music philosophy and praxis has been the exclusion of secular music as though it was not a worthy use of the fine art of music.

          When a Christian encounters secular music he or she must be prepared to make choices about whether or not to get involved with the performance of the particular musical work at hand.  As I have often told the students in my college classes, a Christian musician is first a Christian and second, a musician.  Many Christian musicians forget this principle of Christian living when they encounter music that is not appropriate for a Christian to perform.

 

Thought for the Day

Sometimes musician’s worldview of music only deals directly with the part of music that they are regularly involved with in the context of that person’s profession.

 

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 1

 

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 1

          A Christian musician’s responsibility doesn’t end with sacred music but it also extends to secular music.  It does not seem to occur to some Christians that the whole of music must come under the Lordship of Christ.  Perhaps we should define “secular” as that which pertains to temporal matters rather than with religion.  So, secular music is music that is not religious in nature.  Sacred music is that which is hallowed by religious association and also meets the requirements of being a proper concomitant to the purposes of worshiping a high and holy God. Mere association with worship or having religious words does not automatically qualify a type of music as being sacred music.           Secular music that is anti-Christ, blasphemous, irreverent, or risqué does not belong in the life of the Christian.  However, music that is not religious but is clean and wholesome in nature does belong in the life of a Christian.  Secular music that is concerned with life in general is many times of a wholesome nature.  If it is of a morally sound nature it is amenable to the Lordship of Christ.  Christians may include all music that passes the tests and conditions of Christ-centered living.  It doesn’t take much wisdom to immediately exclude some secular music, but at other times the decision is not as easy to make.

Thought for the Day

A Christian’s music philosophy must deal with nature and value of the whole of music—both religious and secular.

A Christian Music Educator’s Worldview of Music part 3

A Christian Music Educator’s Worldview of Music part 3

The way that a Christian music educator views the world will strongly influence how he or she views music and musicing in this world, and that view will strongly influence how the students that he or she teaches will view music an musicing. In St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (12:1-2)  he gives a strong admonishment to those who are Christians,  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (logikos 3050- rational or logical) service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  The words “not conformed” (me suschematizo 3361, 4964) teach us that, in the process of presenting ourselves to God, we must not let ourselves be fashioned into the pattern of the world’s paradigm. 

A Christian Music Educator’s Worldview of Music part 2

 

A Christian Music Educator’s Worldview of Music part 2

          This presumed reality is then weaved into a Christian’s music philosophy.  What is weaved into music philosophy from worldview will strongly shape how that Christian views and deals with music in relationship to his or her being in this world. Certainly every Christian is in the world, but simply being in the world does not mean that a Christian is “of the world” i.e., is squeezed into the world’s mold philosophically. The Christian musician who is of course “in this world” is not “of this world’s system” because he or she is “in Christ.”   2 Corinthians 5:17 speaks of what it is like to be “in Christ”, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

In St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, in 1:9-11 he explains his desire for those who are in Christ, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge [epignosis 1922 -full discernment] and in all judgment [aisthesis 144- perception]; That ye may approve [dokimazo 1381-test or examine] things that are excellent [diaphero 1308- surpass, or are better]; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

A Christian Music Educator’s Worldview of Music part 1

 

A Christian Music Educator’s Worldview of Music part 1

There was a time in my career when I believed that a music philosophy was always developed before the formation of music worldview.  Now I understand that worldview, and specifically one’s music worldview, is the window through which a Christian Music educator views what he or she believes is the truth about the nature, value, meaning, and overarching purpose of music.

 Even though it may not be well articulated, all Christian’s have a music worldview, but being a Christian does not ensure that one’s worldview of music is truly Christian.  I define music worldview as how one perceives the whole of music in terms of what he or she considers to be the reality of what is right and wrong, appropriate, not appropriate, good, better, or best concerning music in the life of a Christian.

A Defense for Christian Music Education part 11

 

A Defense for Christian Music Education  part 11

Students should be able to enjoy and participate in musical activities at the elementary, secondary, and undergraduate level without having to listen to and perform music that is offensive and contrary to their Christian beliefs. Music activities should be a vital educational and social part of a student’s education at all levels.  Memories from a student’s elementary, secondary, and collegiate musical experiences should be happy ones instead of being remembered as times of spiritual guilt if they participated or separation from other students because they were not conscientiously able to participate.  No Christian student should ever have to refrain from participating in musical activities because of: the type of music being performed, uniforms, immodest costumes, offensive language, risqué text, or offensive staging etc.

 

A Defense for Christian Music Education part 10

 

  A Defense for Christian Music Education  part 10

Another justification for the Christian school is that our children and young people deserve to study music in an atmosphere that is not fraught* with the philosophy of this present world.  As I have told my undergraduate music education classes so many times, when it comes to musicing, we are educating our students to function in the world (kosmos) but to function outside of this present world’s system (aion).  St. John 17:15 explains, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world (kosmos 2889), but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”  The Greek word translated as evil here is poneros (4190) which connotes keeping from the influence of that which is hurtful to someone spiritually.

          When it comes to the music education of our own, we have the responsibility of providing music education and music performance opportunities in an environment that will protect them from harmful influences during their formative years.  The music that students listen to and perform should build their faith in God instead of filling their minds with the evil of this present world system.  Since music with or without words communicates meaning, Christian parents cannot trust un-regenerated music educators to make musical choices for our children.