Secular Music

I was just wondering what you guys on this board thought about secular music, is there something in the bible against it? Can christians listen to it?

These sorts of questions are always interesting. Should the Christian life be centered around a list of do's and do not's? Man's tendancy, though sometimes well intended at first, is to break the rules they try to live by. The Christian life has to be deeper than that, deeper than just having a list of rules to abide by. You'll either break them, which could lead to the condemnation of the devil, or you'll proudly abide by them, which could lead to lack of compassion and love for Christians less stronger than you. No, there has to be a better way to live.What immediately comes to my mind is that "all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify" (1 Corinthians 10:23). I heard in a Francis Schaeffer video the other day that the way we think has an affect on the way we live. And so to flee from sin in my own life which leads to a confusing and unsatisfying exsistence, and live a life that will be fruitful, profitable and glorifying to God, I've been applying "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:2). The way we ended up living, the way we act and react, the choices we make, and the actions we take, all come from what's in our mind. As a Christian, wouldn't it make sense to fill our minds with things that are complimentary to God and not contradictory? I know for myself personally, I see a real difference in the effect Chritian music (that acknowledges, worships and praises God) has on me as opposed to secular music that I may enjoy because it has a catchy beat or something else that appeals to my ears and my mood. It seems to me, if we really have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, that we would keep feeding ourselves with His goodness.So I don't think the question is whether the Bible specifically says, "thou shalt not listen to secular music". And I don't even think the question is whether or not Christians listen to secular music, because they do. But the question should be, how close to the Lord do you want to get?

I can only speak for myself. I cannot tell a person that they must not listen to secular music.Some in my opinion is fine. Some is really really awful. Personally, I started getting closer to God when I gave up alternative music. I listened to it as a Christian and God made it known to me that it was interfereing with our relationship. I now listen to almost exclusivly Chrisitan music or Chrisitan sermons on the radio. I think that God will let each person know individually if they should listen to secular music. I will say that anything that speaks evil of Christ or Christanity should be shunned.

The most important issue is the lyrics. The vast majority of non-Christian lyrics have something of humanism, spirit of anti-Christ, death, rebellion, adultery, etc. I am not afraid of secular music, any more than I am afraid of a non-Christian book. The reading of a documentary of WWII would not put me in a position that I would be sinning, but it would to someone that had made the study of WWII an idol.Fanny Crosby, who wrote "Blessed Assurance" also wrote poetry, some of which could be considered secular. John Wesley invented things, but this hobby of his I would not consider sin. So then, it is not secular music itself that is the problem, but if the lyrics are in defiance of any Biblical doctrine, the music needs to be destroyed. I could make a list of the bands I used to listen to, and recite the lyrics by heart to this day, and those words had a great effect on my life then, just as the words of the Bible verses that I can recite by memory now, have had a huge impact on my life, and did even this day.So the question to ask is: Is this music offensive to the Lord Jesus Christ or His cause?

I like what Dave Wilkerson asked in a sermon I heard once (at the moment I can't remember the name of the sermon). He said, "I can't see how you can listen to someone who hates your Christ."

I personally do not listen to anything but Christian music. I try to build & renew my mind, not damage & deteriorate it. I listen to the things some people at work listen to on the universal stereo in my store, and it is just blatantly against what my God is for. Seems so innocent but the lyrics are dangerous. Call me ignorant or narrow-minded but I do not believe it to be alright in the sight of God whatsoever. The messages put forth by 99% of musicians is dangerous. The other 1% have a sense of godliness but deny it's source. Or you have people like Usher, just to name one, who I was a fanatic for because of his dancing, who gives all credit to his Saviour & Christ Jesus for his songs about sexual immorality.*shrugs* Go figure.Some of you might think I am judging. I am not condemning Usher, but the truth is the truth. In His Name

this is something you're going to have to pray to God for a revelation about. the only reason i see christians stopping listening to secular music is because of revelations and convictions, without one you're just going to go back to listening to it, simply because it will not be a resolved issue and your mind will play it down, it happens to the best of us. but if you open your heart and realise that music was originally created to be pleasing to God's ears and when you realise how the world has taken something Holy and turned it into mishaps like marylin manson and eminem, yes they're old examples but bear with me; you could find that secular music defies the very point of making music, to glorify God. The sheer fact that the music scene such a false world full of excuses for drugs, violence and indulging your emotions should repel you if your hearts in the right place. Britney spears, when she was new had a vow of never having sex before marriage, she was and i dare say still today a christian, but media, peer pressure and stress got to her. she stoped feeding her spirit and started feeding the flesh's desires. and everyone had to know about it. the world loves to see people falling with them, it wants to beleive it doesnt have a hope to excuse itself for continually going down the wrong path. who wants an influence who cant build them up in their life?what about delirious, pillar, underoath, POD, blindside, Coalition, Beloved, KJ52? Project 86, Skillet, Hillsong? Demon Hunter, chevelle, are lifehouse christian? i think so, Andy Hunter, brooke frasier, third day? O C Supertones, jars of clay, anberlin, Gospel Gangstas? theres so much more out there! i havent even begun to name the categories where christians are breaking in to the charts. there is Christian lyrics and bands in all sorts of music genres, rap, hip hop, jazz, dance/trance, rock, soft heavy and metal, theres even christian bands who's music classes them as death metal. and their lyrics will build you up, their testimony of reliying on God to release their cd's are incredible some of them, but its mostly all about what you allow to flood your mind what you allow to be sung over your life. sometimes you dont understand what you're declaring when you sing those secular style lyrics.

Brother sb,Good post, I agree with you. May I add something for those who may misuse your ideas, as some continue to a point that is not Scriptural. Yes, we must serve Christ first and not music, Christ first and not country, Christ first and not the flesh. We must even deny ourselves. But we are not then hating ourselves as a result of self denial (love thy neighbour as thyself), any more than we should hate our country because it is not our master. We should fear God only, but give honor to our leaders, 2 Peter 2:[13] Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;[14] Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.[15] For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:[16] As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.[17] Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.Ravenhill often quoted Churchill in his sermons, and how the English were roused against the Nazis. So to steer back to the topic, music is not the enemy anymore than our country is. Both are simply abused out of sin.

personally all i can say is that i used to listen to extreme heavy metal before i was saved.when i got saved i stopped listening to the satanic stuff, then a few weeks later the really agressive stuff, then a few weeks later anything that had swearing in it, further down the line i listened to only kind of indie stuff like coldplay, keane, radiohead (ye know not pro, nor really anti-christian)etc.. Now all i listen to, besides sermons, is christian music, not christian bands, because there are some christian bands and you wouldn't know, they dont mention Jesus, or salvation etc.. but music that is christian, talks about the Lord, His power and glory, is edifying etc..Since then which was about 3 months ago i do feel the Lord drawing closer because now when i have music stuck in my head it's about Him, instead of some guys girlfriend or how depressing the world is etc..wow that quite a few etc's hey!

huh?

saved_matt,It was almost exactly the same for me.

well, i can tell from my own experience there was once a time i really felt the lord wanted me to give up any secular music...after a big fight inside of me i gave in and said yes.but then a sudden peace came over me and i believe god spoke to my heart: its ok, you can listen to the music you want as long is you can glorify me with this music, as long as we can listen to this music together, i only wanted you giving me this area of my life im not after your secular music but after your heart

Kelechi,I read this thread an you got a lot of advice which I consider excellent. Now I would like to ask you something for you to consider: when you question something in your spirit - about its rightness or wrongness - is it not the Holy Spirit speaking to you? Think about it. I am glad you are honest enough to ask about it..ginnyrose