About the Use of Scriptures

About the Use of Scriptures

        There are over 600 references to music that are found in the Bible.  These Scriptures have made it possible for the serious music minister and music educator to have a great amount of guidance in the development of a music philosophy and praxis.  However, it is a mistake to suppose that the direct references to music and musicing are the only verses in the Bible that have meaning in the development of a Christocentric music philosophy.  Therefore, I often use Scripture references as the basis my philosophical and devotional thoughts for musicians although they are not direct references to music and musicing. 

The Christian musician is a Christian first and a musician second.  For this reason, it is necessary to include verses that, in the context of where they are found in the Bible, there is absolutely nothing specifically mentioned about music and musicing.  I use them simply because they are germane to living a Christian life and therefore, are essential when a Christian musician is developing a series of systematic beliefs about the nature value and meaning of music and musicing.

       I never wish to be divisive  about the use of any translation of the Bible.  I believe that the Bible is inspired “God breathed” true truth.  The God’s Word has been preserved over many centuries with great accuracy.  Therefore, it must be treated with great respect. The use of a translation of God’s Word should always be to make the Holy Writ understandable to the reader while preserving the accuracy of the original texts.  The main reason that I use the AV text is because it is the most universal and because there are so many study helps that use it and are keyed to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.  I never use a version of the Bible that obviously strays from to the accuracy of the original texts in order to make the Bible “more readable” or modern.  A translation of the Bible should always accurately represent what the original texts meant instead of what the translator wishes that it meant.  A translation should preserve the accuracy of the original texts actually said rather than interpret or expand on what the writer presumes that they meant.

Music styles--part 2

Music styles--part 2

       One of the objectives of these posts on music styles is to apply music philosophy to music praxis.  Music philosophy is actually only so much rhetoric until it is put into practice.  One’s music philosophy may look excellent on paper, but unless it is applied to music “doing” it only serves to ease a musician’s conscience.   It is one thing to say you believe something, but it is entirely another to back it up by what we actually "do" when you music.      

         If the words of the songs we sing unto God are completely biblical, then they embody truth.  They represent absolute truth because their message is absolute truth. They represent what Francis Schaeffer would call “true truth”.  If the words are congruent  with biblical principles then it stands to reason that the style of singing should also be congruent with the words sung.  the words and the music must send the same message.

        I Corinthians14:7-8 states, “And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, [melodies] how shall it be known what is piped or harped?  For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?”  There is much deeper musical truth in this Bible music reference than is commonly understood. When a soloist’s vocal performance style allows scooping up to pitches, breathy indiscriminate nonvocal sounds, delayed vibrato (or no vibrato), the result is without doubt an “uncertain sound” vocally speaking. The vocal performance style actually belies the constant truth of the message of Christ crucified.  So, when a vocalist juxtaposes biblical “true truth” with a vocal performance style that is not accurately in pitch, constant or aesthetically presented, then the musical message, which affects the spiritual message, is greatly hindered, diluted and therefore obscured.

Thought for the day-styles-part 2

It is one thing to sing the song "Give of your best to the master", but it is another thing to perfect one's musical offering by careful vocal study.

Music styles--part 1

Music styles--part 1

       Dr. Robert Berglund once said, "Why is it that almost every music appreciation textbook written deals with style in music?  The obvious answer is that it is through style that music assumes much of its meaning to the listener." A Philosophy of Church Music p. 22.    Roger Scruton explained that, "The first step towards understanding music, therefore, is to understand sounds as objects of perception." Understanding Music, p.5.  So, it is universally understood by music philosophers that style matters.  Furthermore, music understanding is achieved through many means, but paramountcy through  the understanding of sounds delivered through music style.

       Why should the Christian care about music styles?  It is believed by many Christians that style is only a matter of musical taste and therefore of little or no concern to the spiritual outcomes of sacred music.  The only problem with this "all styles are ok" notion is that this notion is just not ok!  In our posts for the next few days we will be considering music styles and their effect on both sacred and secular music in the life of a Christian.

Thought for the day--music styles-part 1

How do Christians deduce that if they read the Bible, attend church, and pray they will become so spiritually fortified that they can listen to any type of music they wish and it will have no negative effect on them?

“Is all music created equal?”

“Is all music created equal?” 

 Although the quality of the music we bring to God as an offering matters, musical offerings are not solely about  quality musical performance or high-quality musical art forms. Amos 5:22-23 states, “Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.”  God declared that He would not accept Israel’s musical sacrifices because of their spiritual condition and refers to their musical offerings as noise.  God was referring to the spiritual condition of those who “leave off righteousness in the earth” rather than, at least in this case, the quality of their music.  I am drawn to this conclusion by what is recorded in Amos 5:12, “For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.”  The Bible lesson is clear that our musical melodies and our instrumental music will be considered to be noise by our heavenly father if we attempt to music unto him with sin in our hearts.

Now I will attempt to answer the question “Is all music created equal?”  First of all, only God can create.  Man always takes something that already exists and uses his God given gift of creativity to construct  musical compositions in new and wonderful (or not so wonderful) ways.  Odd as it may seem, the spiritual condition of the creative musician’s heart does not always dictate the nature and value of a musician’s creative musical works.  It is sometimes difficult to reconcile the statement above with  Luke 6:45 which states, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”  Because of the evil condition of a composer’s heart, he or she may not use his or her artistic efforts to produce music that is suited for worship.  However, that musician could artistically arrange the formal properties of a piece of music that is appropriate and useful for Christian worship.  So, according to how a composer arranges the building blocks (the formal properties of the music), the music part of the music composition will take on meaning.  This meaning will have the propensity to affect the listener either positively or negatively.  Thus all music compositions are not created equal.

Musicing—The Gospel part 5

Musicing—The Gospel part 5

Romans 1:6, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

I am no sure that St. Paul was a musician—at least he never mentioned that he personally musiced unto God.  However, he mentioned musicing unto God in his Epistles.  As a matter of fact what he had to say about music and musicing unto God was very pungent.  He may or may not have musiced unto God but one thing I believe—if he did I am sure that his musicing  was “gospel” musicing and it was done without fear or favor because he definitely was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. 

Paul showed time and time again during his life and ministry that, as he said in his Epistle to the church at Rome, he was “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:”  I wish that all Christian musicians understood that sacred musicing is not primarily about music as an art form but rather about musicing the gospel of Jesus Christ that makes it the power of God. The Bible never says that music is itself the power of God.

  David, who was a psalmist and a great Old Testament musician said in Psalm 40:9, “I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.”  David understood, even in the Old Testament dispensation  long before Christ came to earth, that he needed to music righteousness to  the congregation.  So, it is not about a Christian musician’s musical ability or his or her performance skills, but rather about musicing the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that makes a Christian’s musicing efficacious.

Thought for the Day

Sacred musicing should always be from a ministry and a referential standpoint.  The music part of music is vitally important, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is brought to the experience of musicing from outside of the formal properties of the music.

Musicing—Is it Foolishness? part 4

Musicing—Is it Foolishness? part 4

1Corintians 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Ancient philosophers believed that music could have a profound moral effect on the hearer.  “All ancient peoples of whom we have knowledge gave music a place of honor, they considered it a potent religious and moral force, intimately related to the most formal, as well as the most informal aspects of life.”1 It has only been the product of modern man’s mind that music is amoral.  Although philosophers and musicians have argued for centuries about how music affects us or exactly what moral effect music had on the auditor and the performer, they have always believed that music had a message.            Philosophers have always believed that music had great power over everyone.  It has only been since the 20^th century that some Christian philosophers have come to the conclusion that style in music is neutral and therefore amoral.  Under this new “liberated” philosophy anything goes in church music.  To them, church music exists in an absurd universe and is a standardless art.  Since church music is without absolutes or any standard of correctness it is merely a matter of personal taste.  These modern church music philosophers quote St. Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”  They purport that Jesus put an end to judgement when it comes to Christian living.

Scripture for the Day

1Corinthians 1:21, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe”.

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Musicing—Christ Crucified—part 3

Musicing—Christ Crucified—part 3

1Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

          The sophists were ancient Greek philosophers notorious for their specious arguments.  Their arguments sounded logical and good but often were far from being correct.  The disputers were philosophers who were debaters involved in controversial discussions.  Paul declared here that God has shown how insipid their arguments were.  The arguments of the sophists were as verse twenty tells us, based on the wisdom of the aion or the present system of the age.  It was wisdom based on the matrix of Satan. 

          What does the Scripture lesson in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that we mentioned yesterday mean to the 21^st century church?  First of all, there is and always has been a war going on between the wisdom of God and the specious arguments of the present age.  Every Christian musician should be sure that he or she is following biblical wisdom when developing a music ministry philosophy.  Second, there are very logical sounding arguments that are prevalent today that simply do not line up with Scripture.  Beware that you are not led astray by what seems to make sense at least by the world’s standards.  If your philosophy has caused you to not keep the main thing then it is faulty. 

Scripture for the Day

1Corinthians 1:20, “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

Musicing—Spiritual Things—part 2

Musicing—Spiritual Things—part 2

1Corinthins 2:13, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

            Music often takes preeminence over preaching in many post-modern and post postmodern churches.  When it does, that assembly of believers is following a philosophy based on the wisdom of the matrix of this present world rather than the wisdom which the Holy Spirit teaches.  Postmodern and post postmodern church philosophy considers a longer sermon and a shorter period of singing to be “weak” and therefore unwise.  I Corinthians 1:25 reminds us that, “...the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

          Corporate worship through singing is a valuable means of grace to the believer.  Singing can be a valuable teaching tool.  Singing can be used by the Holy Spirit to convict and convert sinners.  However, verse 18 above states that preaching is “the power of God.”  Music, although it has power and charm is never spoken of in the Bible as the “power of God”.  Verse twenty of chapter one of I Corinthians says, “Where is the wise (sophos 4680) Where is the scribe?  Where is the disputer (suzetetes 4804) of this world (aion 165) Hath not God made foolish (moraino 3471) the wisdom (sophia 4678) of this world (kosmos 2889)

Scripture for the Day

1Corinthians 1:19, “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

Musicing--to God and People—part 1

Musicing--to God and People—part 1

Ephesians 5:19-20, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

          Although worship music should be to “one another” and “to yourselves” it should always function as a musical offering to God and not a musical entertainment for the people.  Since worship music should cause the people to “muse” or think it should never be an amusement.  It should edify (draw the people closer to God) rather than to entertain the congregation.  So, the fact that church music is not the primary communicator of grace does not mean that it is not very important or that it does not matter.  On the contrary, Church Music Matters very much when it comes to the matter of communicating grace.

            Since worship music should cause the people to “muse” or think it should never be an amusement.  It should edify (draw the people closer to God) rather than to entertain the congregation.  So, the fact that church music is not the primary communicator of grace does not mean that it is not very important or that it doesn’t matter.  On the contrary, Church music matters very much when it comes to the matter of communicating grace.

Scripture for the Day

1Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

The United Ministry of Priests and the Levite Musicians

The United Ministry of Priests and the Levite Musicians

While I was reading the Book of 1 chronicles the other day I was reminded that the sons of Aaron and the sons of Levi were given distinct ministries in Old Testament Israel.  1Chronicles 6:31 “And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.  And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.”  Later in the same chapter “1Chonicles 6:49 But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.”         
          The Holy Writ makes no mention of which ministry was most important because that was not the chronicler’s point.  They were both very important, but they were distinctly different.  They are often both mentioned as working together in the various recorded accounts of Temple worship. The Levite music administration was set in order by King David and the Priests ministry was set in order by Moses. One of the greatest points of this post is to remind preachers and musicians that they both have anciently appointed ministries and that they need to work together in fulfilling their united ministry.

Thought for the Day

Musicians and preachers have different function in worship, but they both have the same purpose to fulfill.