Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Should Christians Listen to Secular Music?


I was having some fun surfing around Twitter and read a comment that sparked some great conversation that I want to share with you. A person asked the question: "Why would Any Christian be a FAN of Any Secular Artist or Any1 Who Does Not Sing about God? Well, the conversation went from the actually idea of being a FAN of a person who may sing or promote secular music to whether or not it is okay for a Christian to listening to or sing secular music at all.

My first thought and response was to point out that it seems to be the case that in an effort to be "in the world, but not of it" the church was too quick to trade off certain ideas like children playing marbles in the playground. You (the world) get the secular, we (the church) get the sacred; you get reason, we get faith; you keep love songs, we keep gospel. My problem is, I don't think the world should be giving exclusivity to sing about something they really know very little about. Who knows better about expressing true love and intimacy than God's people?

I believe that the proper object of our affection is God, but He has also given us an example and expression of love in the context of marriage. Did you realize that the Bible begans with a wedding and ends with one? and in between is a love story written in blood about God's love, trust and faithfulness, in the mist of our unfaithfulness. In fact, the imagery of God in the OT is one of a husband and in the NT Christ is seen as the Groom who will present his bride without spot or blemish. If we don't teach the world what true love, intimacy, faithfulness, and yes, ..sex is suppose to look like ... who will?


Here is the one problem I find: media and music in our world today (generally speaking) feeds our flesh and appeals to our appetites. So that (generally speaking again) the music today is creating (or helping to create) in young people and in single people, who have no "proper object of their affection" a desire that they cannot fullfill righteously. Hate to say it, but there is a lot of junk out there, that only promote clubbin, drinking, sex and bad behavior (whether you are young, old, married or single) and I believe it should be avoided.

The Bible instructs us to not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:1ff). Think about this carefully: What you are INFORMED by, and CONFORM to, will TRANSFORM your life. Be discerning in all things. Test all things, hold to that which is good (1 Thess 5:21), not all music is good music, but its not all bad either. Let us not only teach what it means to love God, but let us model that love in the context of marriage and I don't think it is wrong to sing about it either. My Mind, My Thoughts, My Heart, My Words

Your Thoughts?

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Whether or not a Christian should listen to secular music is a decision that each person should make. One can make a righteous decision if we consider:
- does the song compel or entice me to sin?

- does the song blaspheme God?

- does my listening to it cause others to stumble/ offends?

Unknown said...

much agreed.

Unknown said...

Shaun Hayes, I loved it man. Content is the issue. I don't really listen to any secular music, but I don't take a stance against Christians that do. The issue is content and message. I think we should always ask ourselves does this message conflict with who I am as a believer.

Unknown said...

Music is very powerful and a highly prized medium... a way we can worship the LORD. It frequently evokes intense emotional reaction. That said, I strongly agree with prior comments about enticement to sin, blasphemy, stumbling and content. Well put!

As my walk with CHRIST deepens, I now listen to secular music less and less often... sometimes opting for instrumental radio channels... jazz and classical.

I still love secular music... but now I listen to KBLX with my finger near the buttons to chg the station when lyrics become objectional. Garbage in - garbage out. My fav music for the car now is gospel CD's.

Indiana Jones said...

Here is my take. When I was a young christian, like everyone does, I struggled with the things I did not understand. The one thing that continually haunted me was the use of the word secular, especially when referenced to music. My flesh was irritated by the very use of the word. I finally came to the point that I had to know what the big deal was about secular music. Some of the country artists even use references to G-d or Jesus in their songs. Someone told me that God is a jealous God. He loves us and wants to have constant communion with us in spirit. Whit God it is very black and white concerning His holiness and the word says that you are either for Him or against Him. There is no walking the fence trying to hold on to both sides concerning the things of the flesh and the spirit.
Now concerning content, I am in agreement to listening to genres that are of a meditative nature like jazz or classical, but if the content is anything other then that which will build my spirit, when words are involved, it's not worth it to me to compromise my spiritual communion with G-d.

Donald Hightower said...

I listen to music. Classical, R&B, Soul, Pop, 80's music. I will put it like this.

"All things are lawful unto me," but all things are not expedient. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be brought under the power of any.

1 Corinthians 6:12 KJV

But if it makes someone stumble because that's what I listen to, then I exercise. This verse.

Therefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

1 Corinthians 8:13

Also as a Christian, no profanity or ridiculous music. I can get with you are my starship, by Norman Connors, but I wouldn't listen to O.P.P. by Naughty By Nature. Big difference.

pd said...

Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy - Leviticus 11:44. This command was addressed at first to the Israelites, but it is with equal propriety addressed to Christians, as the professed people of God. The foundation of the command is, that they professed to be his people, and that as his people they ought to be like their God. Compare Micah 4:5. It is a great truth, that people everywhere will imitate the God whom they worship. They will form their character in accordance with his. They will regard what he does as right. They will attempt to rise no higher in virtue than the God whom they adore, and they will practice freely what he is supposed to do or approve. Hence, by knowing what are the characteristics of the gods which are worshipped by any people, we may form a correct estimate of the character of the people themselves; and, hence, as the God who is the object of the Christian's worship is perfectly holy, the character of His worshipers should also be holy. And hence, also, we may see that the tendency of true religion is to make people pure. As the worship of the impure gods of the pagan moulds the character of the worshippers into their image, so the worship of Yahweh moulds the character of His professed friends into His image, and they become like him.
Are we more concerned about our "felt Needs" more than concern for living lives that honor our God and King. Really is secular music so appeasing to our flesh that we turn a blind eye just to "listen" and be swayed by the spirit of the age to appease our flesh?? Let's live and do all to the glory of Lord Jesus Christ.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with you.

sneakathink2u said...

I just had a conversation with my daughter about secular music and intmacy with your spouse as Christians. My bottom line is this...It just seems odd to me that we pray and trust God for a mate.We ask an ordained Pastor to do the ceremony, we get married in a church, we play secular music during the ceremony and then ask God to bless the marriage. Seems like if we can trust God to help us in choosing a mate, ask His servant to preform the ceremony, and ask God to bless the marriage, why do we feel its ok with Him to go to the secular world for music? I'm just saying...Sneak A Think!