Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name;
worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Psalms 29:2
O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness:
fear before him, all the earth.
Psalms 96:9It's often pleasant and calming to have holy music playing softly in the background as we perform some of our daily chores. It's sometimes an enhancement to our quiet, closet times with the Lord as we praise Him and thank Him for His many blessings to us. It can be a pesky distraction when we're teaching our children phonics rules or studying the intricacies of the human digestive system, but music is a wonderful gift from the Lord; and a song from one's heart to the foot of His throne is a needful part of our worship.
We must remember, though, that not all which the world calls music is pleasing to Him. Jesus doesn't rock--HE IS THE ROCK... Big Difference
There's nothing holy about religious rock music. It appeals to the flesh. Rock music belongs to the world. The world created it. The world enjoys it.
"Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen... " (Jeremiah 10:2)
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. Deuteronomy 18:9
Something just doesn't seem right, doesn't seem holy, about being in a church service which "rocks". Drums beating, synthesizers twanging, "worship leaders" miking feel-good messages like disc jockeys, congregants' hips swaying seductively. It's all familiar to me, because I came of age in the '60s and didn't know Jesus in my youth. It's no new song.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth,
[even] praise unto our God:
many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psalms 40:3O sing unto the LORD a new song:
sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
Psalms 96:1I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:
upon a psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings
will I sing praises unto thee.
Psalms 144:9Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song,
[and] his praise in the congregation of saints.
Psalms 149:1God's new song isn't rock 'n' roll, the sounds of the world and the god of this world. God's songs are the ones which replace those which were in unregenerate hearts before we knew Him. Some women have told me they just couldn't go to a church which sings and plays the dull, dry, boring music of hymns as worship music. Those hymns penned by and the music composed by men and women of God, rich with words of praise, adoration, honor, glory to God, humility, and reverence...surely shouldn't sound "dull, dry, or boring" to God's children.
And isn't there something awry when people must "try out" to stand on the "stage" in the congregation and sing praises to God? If someone has a song to sing to the Lord and share with His people, must they have a recording artist's voice? Is their song to the Lord not pleasing to His ears if they haven't a resonant voice? Scripture doesn't tell only the vocally-talented to sing unto Him songs of praise. Is a song which has been rehearsed over and over mid-week, so it will be perfect when sung in the congregation, a song unto the Lord--or a stage performance? For whom is it performed? And for whose glory? "Staged worship"...it seems contrived and appears to be emanating from somewhere other than the humble spirit of holiness.
I find this letter from brothers in Russia compelling:
A Message from the Christians in Russia
to the Christians in AmericaFor thirty years we have suffered intense persecution, and now freedom is bringing another great harm to our churches. This damage is coming from the Christians in America who are sending rock music and evangelists accompanied by rock bands.
Our young people do not attend these meetings because we have all committed not to participate in secular entertainment.
This is a great burden on our hearts. Many come with Bible in hand and rock music. We are embarrassed by this image of Christianity. We do not know what words to use in urging that this be stopped. We abhor all Christian rock music coming to our country.
Rock music has nothing in common with ministry or service to God. We are very, very against Christian Americans bringing to our country this false image of "ministry" to God. We need spiritual bread, please give us tried bread, not false cakes. It is true that rock music attracts people to the church, but not to godly living.
We were in prison for fifteen years and eleven years for Christ's sake. We were not allowed to have Christian music, but rock music was used as a weapon against us day and night to destroy our souls. We could only resist with much prayer and fasting.
Now, we have a time of more openness, and we are no longer taken to prison. However, now it is Christians from America who damage our souls. We do not allow this music in our church, but they rent big stadiums and infect teenagers and adults with their music.
We, the leadership and congregations of the Unregistered Union of Churches, the former Persecuted Church have made an agreement to not allow rock music in our churches. We urge you to join with us, and we advise you to remove rock music from America, and certainly do not bring it to our country.
Do not desecrate our teenagers with it. Even the unbelievers recognize it is unholy music; and they cannot understand how American Christians can be so much like the world. We can give you the conclusion that after Russian unbelievers have attended these rock concerts where Christ's Word was preached, the people were very disappointed and disillusioned with Christianity.
We call this music from hell. We urge all Americans to stop giving money for the organization of such concerts in Russia. We want only traditional Christian music in our churches. This is the unanimous decision of all our leaders.
Peter Peters and Vasilij Ryzhuk
4/15/92
Unregistered Union of Churches
Moscow, Russia
"Do I think rock 'n' roll and Christianity are conflicting? No, I don't.
It's creative and God is all about being creative."
~ DC Talk ~
Pornographic films and nude photos and paintings are creative. Casters of nude statues and idols are creative.
Authors of murder mysteries are creative.
Satanic writings are creative.
Physicians who devise ways to murder children
in the womb are creative.Decorators of bars and brothels are creative.
Godless philosophies of man are creative.
Designers of see-through clothing are creative.
Hollywood filmmakers are creative.
Torturers and Murderers of Christians, past and present,
have been VERY CREATIVE in their ways and methods.CREATIVITY WITHOUT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS UNHOLY
RELIGIOUS ROCK...
The music of devils in the CHURCH!!!By Alan Yusko and Ed Prior
The term "rock and roll" means fornication. It is a street name for sexual immorality. It has wrecked the lives of many teenagers through suicide, drug abuse, immorality, perversion, satanism, etc. Sadly, we live in a day where many Christians and church leaders are allowing this demonic music into their churches, claiming that the music is holy and sanctified because the lyrics are changed to include some 'religious' words. Where is the discernment in the church? Are Christians losing their ability to discern the difference between good and evil? The fact that this demonic music even made it into the church is proof of the moral and spiritual decline affecting the church today. We are being invaded by hard rock, acid rock, punk rock, new wave, and heavy metal music under the guise of religious rock and roll.
God says in His Word:
"O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" (Deut 5:29).Satan was created a beautiful musical creature: "...every precious stone was thy covering,...the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created" (Ezek 28:13). Since music was built into his very nature are we foolish enough to assume that he will not use it to deceive and enslave?"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light" (Eph 5:6-8).
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb 3:13).
We are told by the religious rockers that we must look and sound like the world in order to reach the youth of this generation. They say many young people will not listen to the gospel or come to church so we must meet them on some common ground. That common ground is rock and roll. In other words, they are saying that preaching of the Word of God is no longer sufficient for both young and old. If this is true, then we should open bars in order to reach the multitudes of drinkers. We should open porno-shops in order to reach those who engage in smut. Shouldn't we go to their level so we can bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ? So what if we do evil if the end result is good? What's a little compromise with God's standards of holiness and separation if it results in souls being saved?...
This type of reasoning is one of the doctrines of demons that Christians are accepting. Does it not make sense that the same Bible that has worked sucessfully to this time, will continue to work for both the young and the old? How many Christians love God's people enough to say, "No more! Throw this satanic filth out of the church and back into hell where it belongs"? Do you realize that just 10 years ago this evil music would not have even remotely been considered as a suitable method to sing and praise God. That type of music would have been immediately thrown out of the churches.
What we are witnessing today is the spiritual and moral degeneration that is affecting Christians to the degree that many no longer have any discernment between good and evil...
THE SEED SOWERS
P.O. Box 2513, Stn. F, Scarborough, Ont. M1W 3P2 Canada. Computers for Christ #22
(904) 625-2737
["Due to the importance of this message...
copy and distribute wherever the Lord leads."]The remainder of this article can be accessed through:
BIBLEBELIEVERS.COM
Worshipping "in the beauty of holiness".Holiness
Bringing the raucous sounds of rock 'n' roll into the
church isn't holiness--it's leaven.
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