Music | A People for His Name

“Come, O Thou Prophet of the Lord”

April 29, 2023

“Come, O Thou Prophet of the Lord” by Charles Wesley is a wonderful hymn that I discovered this week in my church’s hymnal, “Hymns of Grace and Glory.”

Come, O Thou prophet of the Lord,
Thou great interpreter divine,
Explain Thine own transmitted Word,
To teach and to inspire is Thine;
Thou only canst Thy self reveal,
Open the book and loose the seal.

Whate’er the ancient prophets spoke
Concerning Thee, O Christ, make known;
Chief subject of the sacred book,
Thou fillest all, and Thou alone;
Yet there our Lord we cannot see
Unless Thy Spirit lend the key.

Now, Jesus, now the veil remove,
The folly of our darkened heart;
Unfold the wonders of Thy love,
The knowledge of Thyself impart:
Our ear, our inmost soul, we bow,
Speak, Lord, Thy servants hearken now.

In Music

Are All Kinds of Percussion Acceptable to God for Use in Corporate Worship?

April 18, 2023

Are all kinds of percussion acceptable to God for use in corporate worship? I believe that the following diagram treats and applies Scripture properly to provide a clear answer to that question.

In brief, Scripture teaches that even for all things that are lawful, not all of them are expedient and not all of them edify. Because that is true, both all things that are expedient and all things that edify are subsets of the set of all things that are lawful.

Only those things that are lawful and expedient and edifying are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship. If something is lawful but it either is not expedient or it does not edify or both, it is unacceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

Concerning all kinds of percussion, some hold that all kinds of percussion are lawful because they believe that there are no prohibitions in Scripture against any kinds of percussion. Even if that were a correct basis for concluding that all kinds of percussion are lawful, it would not be sufficient for establishing that they are all also expedient and edifying because there simply is no Scripture that teaches that all kinds of percussion are lawful, expedient, and edifying.

In fact, as the diagram sets forth, 1 Corinthians 13:1 implies that there are ways to sound certain percussion instruments that are not expedient and edifying. Because that is true, there is no biblical basis to hold that all kinds of percussion are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

If one disagrees and asserts that all kinds of percussion are in fact acceptable to God for use in corporate worship, he has the burden of proving from Scripture that all kinds of percussion are lawful, expedient, and edifying.

In Interpretation, Music, Theology

A Biblical Response to Robert Bakss on Percussion Instruments in Psalm 150

March 6, 2023

In his book, “Worship Wars: What the Bible Says about Worship Music,” Robert Bakss discusses the role of drums in worship music. He writes,

Most of the musical instruments in Psalm 150 are percussion instruments. This shows that beat is acceptable in worship music.

— p. 67

Are these statements correct?

Musical Instruments Mentioned in Psalm 150

Three verses in Psalm 150 mention multiple musical instruments:

Psalm 150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Psalm 150 mentions 8 musical instruments or groups of musical instruments:

1. trumpet
2. psaltery
3. harp
4. timbrel
5. stringed instruments
6. organs
7. loud cymbals
8. high sounding cymbals

Three of the 8 instruments or groups are percussion instruments: timbrel, loud cymbals, and high sounding cymbals. Three out of 8 means that most of the musical instruments in Psalm 150 are not percussion instruments.

Conclusion

A careful examination of Robert Bakss’ statements about Psalm 150 shows that his first statement is factually wrong and therefore does not support his second statement. It is not true that Psalm 150 “shows that beat is acceptable in worship music” because “most of the musical instruments in Psalm 150 are percussion instruments.”

Brethren who seek to support that view need to provide factually correct information from Scripture to support their belief that beat is acceptable in worship music.

In CCM, Exposition, Interpretation, Music

Why Comparing Offering Animal Sacrifices to Offering Music Is Biblical

February 28, 2023

Scripture establishes a very strong connection between animals offered to God and music that is offered to Him. It does so implicitly in Psalm 43 through the mention of the altar of God and the playing of music:

Ps. 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. ⁴Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Notice that David speaks explicitly of going to God’s altar and praising God on the harp!

Moreover, Psalm 69 directly compares the two and instructs us that offering acceptable music to God pleased Him better than animal sacrifices did:

Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. ³¹This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

These two passages as well as others, including in the NT, make clear that comparing what Scripture reveals about divine acceptance of animal sacrifices offered to God on an altar and what it reveals about divine acceptance of music offered to God is legitimate and fully biblical.

In Interpretation, Music, Theology

On Worshiping God Today without the Use of “Modern” Music

February 23, 2023

Before believers started accepting rock music in worship, none of their worship music had a strong beat, prominent use of percussion, or a whispered singing style. Multitudes of believers were edified by that “old” music and genuinely worshiped God in spirit and truth with it.

Because multitudes of genuine believers did so for decades and decades before there was ever any rock or rock-based music used in worship, the same is certainly true today. Churches and believers who have never used any rock or rock-based music in their worship do not have any reason or need to change or apologize for their music that other believers regard as “old” music.

Just as God was truly worshiped in the past, He can be and is truly worshiped today without the use of any so-called “modern” music.

In CCM, Music, Theology

Book Update 12.31.22

December 31, 2022

I have been studying what the Bible teaches about music for more than 11 years now. I have also been working for several years on writing my book The Battle for Kingdom Music: A Call to Worldwide Consecration.

On December 23, I began an extended time off from work. My goals for this time were to do at least 30 hours of work on my book and read the Psalms through twice while doing so to saturate my mind with God’s own thoughts about music.

This morning, I finished my second time going through the Psalms since December 22!

This afternoon, I finished working 30 hours on my book since December 23! God has given me tremendous progress on my book during this time!

It seems that I am getting close to having the rough draft of the book done. Lord willing, I hope to complete the book and have it published by September 2023.

Praise God for His faithfulness!

In CCM, Christian Books, Ministry, Music

Five Key Requirements for Acceptable Kinds of Instrumental Music Used in Corporate Worship

December 17, 2022

Does God accept for use in corporate worship all kinds of instrumental music or are there some kinds of instrumental worship that He accepts and some that He does not? How many kinds of instrumental music does God accept for use in corporate worship?

To answer these questions properly, we must carefully consider five key requirements for a kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

Not Sinful

For any kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship, it must not be sinful. Most Christians hold that there are no kinds of instrumental music that are themselves sinful.

Not Prohibited

To be acceptable for use in corporate worship, a kind of instrumental music must also not be prohibited by God. Most Christians hold that there are no kinds of instrumental music that God has prohibited for use in corporate worship.

Lawful

It is not enough that a kind of instrumental music not be sinful and not be prohibited. It must also be lawful for use in corporate worship. Many Christians in effect seem to believe that all kinds of instrumental music are lawful for use in corporate worship.

Expedient

Just because a kind of music is not sinful, not prohibited, and is lawful does not mean that it is expedient (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23a). For a kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship it must be both lawful and expedient.

Edifying

In order for any kind of instrumental music to be acceptable to God for use in corporate worship, it must not just be lawful and expedient. It must also be edifying (cf. 1 Cor. 10:23b).

Conclusion

Scripture plainly teaches that not all things that are lawful are expedient. It also teaches plainly that not all things that are lawful are edifying.

Applying these truths to the realm of kinds of instrumental music, we learn that even if it were true that all kinds of instrumental music are lawful, it still would not be true that all kinds of instrumental music are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

Because only the kinds of instrumental music that are not sinful, not prohibited, lawful, expedient, and edifying are acceptable to God for use in worship, we can be certain that it is not true that all kinds of instrumental music are acceptable to God for use in corporate worship.

In CCM, Interpretation, Theology

Solomon, Hiram, and the Worship Music Debates

November 29, 2022

In building the temple of God, king Solomon employed a skillful craftsman from Tyre whose father was not an Israelite:

1 Kings 7:13 And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre. 14 He was a widow’s son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

Because Solomon used such a man to build the very house of God, some might try to argue from that fact to say that we should also use all kinds of instrumental music of unbelievers to worship God in our churches.

Would you agree or disagree with using such reasoning from what Scripture reveals about what Solomon did in building the temple?

In CCM, Music, Theology

“Rock music is a neutral force. . . . This is an occult concept”

November 10, 2022

Tonight, I read a quote that I find very interesting:

4.) Rock music is a neutral force. It can be either good or bad, depending on how you use it.

This is an occult concept, not a Christian one. The witchcraft doctrine of “The Force” says that there is a neutral power within all of nature which can be directed by the person controlling it. For example, witchcraft can be either good or evil, depending on whether it’s white or black. Actually, both powers come from the same source — Satan. What does the Bible say? In Genesis 1:31, when God looked on all of His creation, He said, “Behold, it was very GOOD.” No neutral ground with God! According to “The Force” theory, good or evil is in the eye of the beholder. Thus, the concept of Christian Rock cannot be scripturally sound. C-Rockers are so desperate to defend their music, they have even resorted to the use of occultic principles in their vain attempts to do so.

–Jeff Godwin, Dancing with Demons: The Music’s Real Master, 233-234

Thoughts?

In CCM, Quotes

Is Rock Music Like Things Offered to Idols?

November 7, 2022

It seems to me that many believers today hold that we should regard rock music as being like things that people offer to idols. I would like to appeal to the brethren who hold such views to consider carefully the following line of reasoning.

Crucial Teaching about Certain Things Offered to Idols

Through the apostle Paul, God provides the most extensive treatment of issues concerning certain things offered to idols (1 Cor. 8:1-11:1). Specifically, concerning meat offered to idols, Paul says,

1 Corinthians 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

We must note carefully what exactly Paul teaches here. Paul says that meat does not commend us to God (1 Cor. 8:8a).

He explains that teaching to mean that those who eat meat offered to idols are not better (off) than those who do not (1 Cor. 8:8b). He also explains that those who do not eat meat offered to idols are not worse (off) than those who do eat meat offered to idols (1 Cor. 8:8c).

Applying Paul’s Teaching to Rock Music

If it is legitimate to hold that rock music is like meat offered to idols, applying Paul’s teaching here to rock music would teach us that rock music does not commend us to God.

Specifically, if we were to play or listen to rock music, we would not be better (off) than those who do not play or listen to rock music. Moreover, if we were not to play or listen to rock music, we would not be worse (off) than those who play or listen to rock music.

If these views are correct, anyone who holds that rock music is like things offered to idols must hold that playing or listening to rock music does not make a believer better (off) than not playing or listening to rock music.

In addition, he would then have to hold that churches that use rock music in worship are not better (off) than churches that do not. He would also have to hold that churches that do not use rock music in worship are not worse (off) than those who do use rock music in worship.

Conclusion

If you hold that rock music is like things offered to idols, do you also hold to the points that are the necessary consequences of holding that rock music is like things offered to idols? If you do not also hold to these points that are the necessary consequences of holding that view, I urge you to reconsider your belief that rock music is like things offered to idols.

See my post Resources That Provide Answers to Key Issues Concerning CCM for much more biblical information about issues concerning what music God accepts in corporate worship.

In CCM, Exposition, Interpretation, Music, Theology

Archives For Music

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Musical Instruments Mentioned in Psalm 150

Conclusion

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Not Sinful

Not Prohibited

Lawful

Expedient

Edifying

Conclusion

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Crucial Teaching about Certain Things Offered to Idols

Applying Paul’s Teaching to Rock Music

Conclusion

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