In his book, “Art and the Bible,” Francis A. Schaeffer sets forth the following view concerning “Modern Art Forms and the Christian Message”:
While a Christian artist should be modern in his art, he does face certain difficulties. First, we must distinguish carefully between style and message. Let me say firmly that there is no such thing as a godly style . . .
Careful thought about what Scripture reveals shows that this view is not correct.
First, God commanded the Israelites to play musical instruments skillfully in worshiping Him (Ps. 33:1-5). Of necessity, doing so consisted of playing those instruments in one or more styles of music that were godly styles because they were what God commanded His people to play as their obedience to His commands that they play such music to Him.
Second, Scripture records that God accepted such instrumental music that was offered to Him (2 Chron. 5). Of necessity, that music had to have been played in one or more godly styles because God would never accept anything that is offered to Him that is ungodly.
Conclusion
Francis Schaeffer is wrong when he teaches that “there is no such thing as a godly style.”1 There are godly styles of instrumental music that God has accepted from His people as their obedience to His commands that they play musical instruments skillfully in worshiping Him.
- See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM for much more information that shows that this teaching is incorrect. ↩︎
Photo by Jiun-Je Lin
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