Music | A People for His Name

The Sovereignty of God in Worship

May 25, 2025 — Leave a comment

God has sovereignly determined and declared that there is only one pathway to salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; etc.). Even as true believers acknowledge the sovereignty of God in salvation, many seem to me to reject the sovereignty of God in worship by rejecting that it could even be possible that He would accept some kinds of music in worship but reject other kinds of music.

Scripture provides revelation about God’s rejection of certain kinds of things in worship that by way of analogy justifies our holding that God similarly does not accept the use of all kinds of music in worship.

No Honey in Any Offering Made by Fire

Leviticus 2:11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

In His sovereignty, God has rejected the burning of any honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire. He does not provide any explanation for this categorical rejection of the use of any honey in worship.

No Altars Made of Hewn Stone

Exodus 20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

In His sovereignty, God has rejected the use of any altars of stone that are made of hewn stones. He does not provide any explanation for this categorical rejection of the use of any altars made of hewn stones in worship.

Conclusion

Scripture reveals to us that God has sovereignly rejected any use of honey or altars made of hewn stone in worship. God has not revealed any bases for His rejection of these things in worship.

Because we have explicit biblical revelation that teaches us that there has never been any universal acceptance in worship of all kinds of animal products or manmade altars, we have biblical basis to hold that the same is true concerning any supposed universal acceptance in worship of all kinds of music. Those who wish to affirm that God does accept the use of all kinds of music in worship must provide biblical evidence that shows that He does so.

In CCM, Interpretation, Music, Theology

Finished Singing through the Psalms Word-for-Word!

March 20, 2025

Last year on August 19, I began singing through the Psalms word-by-word. I did not use any written music or musical accompaniment to do so.

I freely varied my pitches, rhythm, tempo, and volume with which I sang the words of the Psalms. My goal was to not allow any such considerations to hinder or stop me from singing through each Psalm.

I also did not allow any other predetermined musicological considerations to limit my singing, such as using words that rhyme or singing the whole Psalm in the same key. I did so because such things almost certainly were not part of the singing of the Psalms as they were sung by those to whom God first gave the Psalms.

Because of its length, I broke up Psalm 119 by singing each 8-verse section on successive days. In the future, I may try to sing through the whole Psalm at one time.

On March 15 of this year, I finished my first time singing through every word of the book of Psalms! I praise and thank God for directing me to sing through His perfect hymnal and for granting me grace to finish doing so!

As God directs, I intend to sing through the book of Psalms word-for-word many more times in whatever years of life God sees fit to allow me to have in the future. I hope to do so both in English and in Spanish in the years to come.

Psalm 104:33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 146:2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Salmo 104:33 A Jehová cantaré en mi vida; A mi Dios cantaré salmos mientras viva.

Salmo 146:2 Alabaré a Jehová en mi vida; Cantaré salmos a mi Dios mientras viva.

In Discipleship, Music

How Pie Charts Help in Properly Applying Romans 14:1-2 to the Issue of How Many “Genres” of Instrumental Music are Acceptable to God for Use in Corporate Worship

March 14, 2025

I have been studying Romans 14 a lot lately. Recently, I got the idea of using pie charts to help us better understand and apply the teaching of Romans 14 about key differing viewpoints among Christians to the key issue of how many “genres” of instrumental music are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

The charts in this post are possible representations of the differing viewpoints that Paul addresses in this chapter. I am not claiming that the details of these charts are necessarily exactly in keeping with what the passage reveals because it seems that there are some uncertainties about the specifics of his teaching.

Eat All Things or Eat Herbs?

The first differing viewpoint that Paul presents concerns what Christians believe that they may eat:

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Many seem to understand this teaching by Paul to mean what the following diagrams show:

Romans 14:2a For one believeth that he may eat all things:

Romans 14:2b another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

They hold that what Paul says indicates that some believe that they should partake of all things while others who are “weak in the faith” believe that they should only partake of a specified subset of all things that the others believe that they may eat.

A careful comparison of this teaching by Paul with other revelation in Scripture, however, shows that this understanding is faulty. Neither the ones who eat “all things” nor those who eat (only) “herbs,” in reality, eat the following:

Plant and animal products that are poisonous to humans, such as poisonous berries and mushrooms (cf. the inability to eat poisonous stew [2 Kings 4:40]);

Human flesh (Deut. 28:57), eating blood (Lev. 17:10; Acts 15:20), or eating “things strangled (Acts 15:20);

Things known to have been offered to idols (Rev. 2:14);

Things that God did not create for humans to eat (thorns and thistles [Gen. 3:18]; grass [Ps. 104:14; Dan. 4]).

Taking into account these things that strong believers do not eat shows us that the correct understanding of “eat all things” in Romans 14:2 is the following:

Application

Romans 14:2 does not teach that strong believers eat all things in the sense that they eat all plant and animal products without any exceptions. There are many plant and animal products that are unfit for human consumption as foodstuffs—not consuming those things does not mean that one is “weak in the faith” (Rom. 14:1).

Many believers use Paul’s teaching in Romans 14:2 about strong believers eating “all things” to claim that teaching supports holding that all “genres” of instrumental music are acceptable to God for strong believers to use in corporate worship. Romans 14:2 does not support holding that viewpoint about the use of all “genres” of instrumental music in corporate worship because Romans 14:2 does not teach that strong believers eat all plant and animal products without exception.

Using Romans 14:2 as support for believing that believers who reject the use of certain “genres” of instrumental music in corporate worship are “weak in the faith” is a misinterpretation and misapplication of Scripture. A proper understanding of the teaching of Romans 14:1-2 and a proper application of that teaching shows that it is not true that Scripture supports holding that the use of all “genres” of instrumental music in corporate worship is acceptable to God.

In Interpretation, Music, Theology

“What Does Romans 14 Teach about Foods, Days, and Worship Music?”

February 15, 2025

I started a new discussion thread on Sharper Iron recently: “What Does Romans 14 Teach about Foods, Days, and Worship Music?” If you are interested in learning more about this subject, I encourage you to follow the discussion on Sharper Iron.

Below is my opening post in that thread.

I have been studying Romans 14 a lot lately. In this thread, I am interested in intensively exegetical and theological discussion about what Romans 14 teaches about foods, days, and worship music.

Paul begins his teaching by saying the following:

Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Paul speaks of some who believe that they may “eat all things,” but others who are “weak in the faith” eat herbs. A sound handling of this teaching requires careful, thorough, biblical probing of this teaching.

When Paul says that some believe that they may eat all things, what is Paul actually teaching? To begin to answer this question properly, it is necessary to point out what Paul is not teaching.

When Paul says that some believe that may eat all things, he is not teaching that those who are not weak in the faith believe that they may eat all plant and animal substances whatever they may be, including even things that are known to be poisonous or otherwise unfit for human consumption as foods.

The teaching of Romans 14:1-2 does not show that Christians who do not eat plant and animal substances that are poisonous, etc. for human consumption are weak in the faith. Being strong “in the faith” does not entail that you believe that you may partake even of poisonous berries, mushrooms, etc.

In CCM, Exposition, Interpretation, Music, Theology

What Psalms 1:1-3 Compared to Romans 12:2 Teaches Us about the Right Approach to Worship and Music

January 30, 2025

Comparing Psalms 1:1-3 closely to Romans 12:2 profoundly teaches us vital truths about the right approach to worship and music:

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.	Romans 12:2a And be not conformed to this world:
Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.	Romans 12:2b but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.	Romans 12:2c that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The Spirit is the Author of both passages. Seeing how closely these passages correlate and keeping in mind that the Spirit began His perfect Book on music (the Psalms) in the manner that He has, we must understand that both Psalms 1:1-3 and Romans 12:2 teach us the same foundational truths about the right approach to worship and music!

We cannot have a right approach to worship and music apart from our first stopping being conformed to the world through walking in its counsels about worship and music. Categorical rejection of worship practices and music that are ungodly because they are worldly has everything to do with pleasing God with acceptable music for corporate worship!

“Worldliness is demonically energized, creaturely, lust-driven, arrogant enmity and opposition to God.”

Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM

In Interpretation, Music, Theology

Demons, Supernatural Evil, and Occult Music

January 18, 2025

Satan and his demons exist—they are real. They are incorrigibly evil.

Satan and his demons are spirit beings in ways that humans as spirit beings are not and never will be.

Satan and his demons have experienced realities that no humans on their own have ever experienced or will ever experience. They have knowledge that no humans on their own have ever had or will ever have. They have powers, abilities, and capabilities that no humans on their own have ever had or will ever have.

Because of all these truths about Satan and his demons, evil that is the result of direct or indirect demonic activity is of a supernatural character that other forms of evil are not.

Occult activities, therefore, are supernatural evil activities that are of a distinctively different character than other evil activities.

In keeping with all the preceding points, we must not approach music that is of the occult in the same ways that we approach other music. The supernaturally evil aspects of such music require us to categorically reject all music that is distinctively of the occult.

In CCM, Music, Theology

Finished Singing through Psalms 1-100!

December 30, 2024

Earlier this year, I decided to do something that I had never done before. I was going to sing through the entire book of Psalms word-for-word.

This project has been an interesting experience. Without using any hymnbooks or music, I began singing through each Psalm.

I tried to sing every word of each Psalm as best as I could without any concern for whether I was following any specific musicological principles or guidelines of singing. I tried to vary how I sang the verses in a way that seemed to me to fit what each verse said.

This morning, I made it through Psalm 100! As God directs, I intend to continue singing through the Psalms until I finish the book.

In Discipleship, Music

Peter Masters on the Dangers of Contemporary Christian Music

December 26, 2024

Throughout the world contemporary Christian music has captured countless churches, absorbing them into the domain of semi-charismatic, worldly evangelicalism. Sometimes the preaching has largely remained sound, but for how long now that the worship ethos of such churches has so dramatically changed? Whether its victims realise it or not, the contemporary worship movement is the instrument of the hour to pull down both the conduct and the doctrinal walls of Zion. How the arch-enemy of the churches of Christ and of human souls will be straining to speed on such a catastrophe! . . .

Even the partial adoption of contemporary worship will inevitably constitute a bridge to the total acceptance of ‘Christian’ rock culture. Composers and writers of ‘sounder’ modern genre songs say themselves that their primary aim is to draw conservative churches into the fold of Christian rock, and also to hasten ecumenical advance.

—Peter Masters, “Worship or Entertainment?,” 95-96

In CCM, Christian Books, Music, Quotes

Is This Legitimate Argumentation, Sound Reasoning, and Sound Doctrine about Music?

November 23, 2024

Musics “o,” “p,” and “q” are special because they are the musics of people “m” who suffered greatly at the hands of people “n.”

All Christians who are of people “n” or are in the countries or regions of the world where people “n” are ascendant must accept musics “o,” “p,” and “q” as fully pleasing and acceptable to God because they are the musics of oppressed and brutally afflicted people “m.”

Any attempts to critique or reject musics “o,” “p,” and “q” on the basis of biblical, musicological, historical, or any other considerations are undeniable evidence of sinful partiality or respect of persons against people “m.”

Is this legitimate argumentation, sound reasoning, and sound doctrine about music?

In Discipleship, Music, Theology

Learning from Supernaturally Directed Creation and Soundings of Musical Instruments

November 11, 2024

God directed the Israelites to make two trumpets—this, therefore, was not independent cultural musical activity. Furthermore, God determined what the trumpets would be made of (silver) and how they were to be made (“of a whole piece shalt thou make them”):

Numbers 10:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.

God also specified how the trumpets were to be used through distinctively different soundings of them:

Blowing both trumpets but not sounding an alarm to assemble all the assembly:

Numbers 10:3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Numbers 10:7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.

Blowing only one trumpet to gather only the princes:

Numbers 10:4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.

Blowing an alarm to direct the camps to move in specified ways:

Numbers 10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.

Blowing an alarm when going to war:

Numbers 10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.

Blowing the trumpets over certain sacrifices on certain days:

Numbers 10:10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.

Discussion

This passage plainly teaches us that certain human beings (the Israelites) made two musical instruments (two silver trumpets) and engaged in certain musical activities (the soundings of the silver trumpets) such that all their activities with those instruments were supernaturally directed—this was not independent human musical activity that was culturally based.

Moreover, their heeding that entirely supernatural direction included at least two distinctively different soundings of those instruments: blowing an alarm versus blowing that was not the blowing of an alarm.

Conclusion

We, therefore, can say with certainty that the Bible does not teach that all musical activities of all people of all time have all been culturally determined. Rather, some of those musical activities have been supernaturally directed in both the making of the instrument or instruments used and the soundings of the instrument or instruments.

In Exposition, Interpretation, Music, Theology

Archives For Music

No Honey in Any Offering Made by Fire

No Altars Made of Hewn Stone

Conclusion

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Eat All Things or Eat Herbs?

Application

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Discussion

Conclusion

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