MUSIC

                                                                        Music

St Giles, Edinburgh

Beauty is to the eye of the beholder as music is to the ear, which is to say that I love all good music! My music tastes are quite eclectic, running from Bach to Bachman Turner Overdrive, Haydn to Hendrix. I like Christian and non-Christian music. And there’s the rub. When is music Christian? Let’s begin by saying that all music that glorifies God is Christian music. By this definition angel, whale, and bird song are Christian music. However, this is not exactly what we mean. If you were to flip through your car’s radio stations, you will probably find a Christian radio station that plays Christian music. You’ll know it when you hear it. I turn my radio up when songs like Norman Greenbaum’s Spirit in the Sky come on! But wait! Isn’t that rock ‘n’ roll? How did Christians end up playing rock ‘n’ roll? Apparently, the father of Christian rock is Larry Norman. He started it when he wrote the rock ‘n’ roll song ‘Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?’

The question now becomes: Should we sing and play this sort of music at congregational worship of God? And if not, then why not? Well, we’re back to our modified adage, ‘Music is in the ear of the beholder.’ Therefore, the intended audience is the key. Is it God or people? Both is an acceptable answer. And it may help if we ask if you are sitting in your car or on a pew. In the car we are listeners. The music is aimed usward. In church we are performers. Our music is aimed Godward. Both are Christian music, but let’s call the former Kingdom Music and the latter Church Music. We’re in Christ’s Kingdom in all we do in our daily activities. We’re in God’s Church when we are gathered with our fellow saints to worship God.

All Christian music ought to seek to glorify God whether you’re at church or at work, rest, or play. The great reformer of the church, John Calvin, had the following to say about Church Music, ‘Songs composed merely to tickle and delight the ear are unbecoming the majesty of the Church, and cannot but be most displeasing to God.’ Now, because much error can be taught through song, Biblical song lyrics are important. ‘For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires’ (2 Tim. 4:3). The danger for Christians is that church music can switch from seeking to glorify God to trying to attract the world (read non-Christians) to come to fill church pews.

Though usually attributed to CH Spurgeon, in Archibald Brown’s 1889 book ‘The Devil’s Mission of Amusement’ is found an article called ‘Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats.’ Christian Music on the car radio out there in the Kingdom can get away with a certain amount of amusing non-Christians, but not Church Music. How so? Because it then becomes man-centred instead of God-centred. Christians get fed at church by praising God in song with sound doctrine. If the focus is not on God, then the Church Music becomes mere ear-tickling amusement. Entertainment! Remember, fattened goats find wooden pews more comfortable to sit on than do bony lean sheep.

The psalmist gets it right: ‘Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens! Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with lute and harp! Praise Him with tambourine and dance; praise Him with strings and pipe! Praise Him with sounding cymbals; praise Him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!’ (Psa. 150:1-6).