What Do You Believe about Instrumental Music?

[AustinC]

They must be using an odd bible for look at this passage:
1 Chronicles 25:1-7
especially verse 6

All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord,
with cymbals, psalteries, and harps,

for the service of the house of God,

according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman.


OK but that's (just) for worship.

Why should we expect anything different outside of worship?

Oh, because we know there is a special music for God and if we did not play that special music those in attendance might stop coming.

But one of the posters in this thread said we should try to glorify God in everything we do.

That is from a bible verse isn't it?

So should not the music we listen to glorify God at least in some way?

Perhaps a test would be if you are listening to Pink Floyd you would glorify God.

Maybe then God would give it a 95 with or without the beat.

Can you smoke a cigar to the glory of God or drink a glass of bourbon to the glory of God? Absolutely. You can also glorify God while listening to Pink Floyd. You can also glorify God listening to other forms of music. The skill and creativity of humanity in crafting music is a testament to the Creator who ordained that skill and creativity.

 

[SGO]

Can you smoke a cigar to the glory of God or drink a glass of bourbon to the glory of God? Absolutely. You can also glorify God while listening to Pink Floyd. You can also glorify God listening to other forms of music. The skill and creativity of humanity in crafting music is a testament to the Creator who ordained that skill and creativity.

Wouldn't also depend on how big that glass was and your own tolerances?
And if you were inhaling that cigar smoke.

I often have gone the pleasure route and while I am a Christian, it was not glorifying to God even if in my mind I said it was.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God,
him shall God destroy;
for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are.
1Corinthians 3:16-17

I also listened to rock and roll music for over 50 years and enjoyed most of it.
As far as instrumental music that was dissonant, it was clashing sound and upsetting.
Would listening to music that upsets the soul be glorifying to God?
Isn't one man's Meade another man's Persian?

 

[AustinC]

Wouldn't also depend on how big that glass was and your own tolerances?
And if you were inhaling that cigar smoke.

I often have gone the pleasure route and while I am a Christian, it was not glorifying to God even if in my mind I said it was.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
If any man defile the temple of God,
him shall God destroy;
for the temple of God is holy,
which temple ye are.
1Corinthians 3:16-17

I also listened to rock and roll music for over 50 years and enjoyed most of it.
As far as instrumental music that was dissonant, it was clashing sound and upsetting.
Would listening to music that upsets the soul be glorifying to God?
Isn't one man's Meade another man's Persian?

Seems you are looking to be under law rather than grace.
If those things cause you to stumble, I would abstain from doing them in your presence.

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
~ Romans 14:1-4

 

[SGO]

Seems you are looking to be under law rather than grace.
If those things cause you to stumble, I would abstain from doing them in your presence.

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
~ Romans 14:1-4

Hey I appreciate it. I mean about your willing not to make a stink.

Sorry I missed where I'm trying to be a sheriff.

The law is (yuk) love.

Both of us do plenty of quarreling here. You better read it too.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Surprisingly, out of 9 respondents so far, no one has voted for the first choice: "All instrumental music pleases God."

From my many exchanges in other settings with supporters of contemporary worship, I have noted that a key belief that some believers have held or seemed to have held is the notion that God created all music so all instrumental music is inherently good and therefore acceptable and pleasing to Him.

Apparently, that notion may very well not be as common as I have thought it to have been. Interesting.

 

[AustinC]

Surprisingly, out of 9 respondents so far, no one has voted for the first choice: "All instrumental music pleases God."

From my many exchanges in other settings with supporters of contemporary worship, I have noted that a key belief that some believers have held or seemed to have held is the notion that God created all music so all instrumental music is inherently good and therefore acceptable and pleasing to Him.

Apparently, that notion may very well not be as common as I have thought it to have been. Interesting.

If you believe in common grace, you understand that God has given talents to all humans. To some he has given great musical ability. When they play their instruments God, their Creator, is praised.
What is not honoring is to give praise to the musician over the Creator. That musician may be in rebellion against God and needs reconciliation. That does not make the playing of the instrument evil, nor the sound produced, evil.
I am not accessing the website to see this is a poll. Therefore, I have not voted. I have expressed my opinion in the thread. That should suffice.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

If you believe in common grace, you understand that God has given talents to all humans. To some he has given great musical ability. When they play their instruments God, their Creator, is praised.
What is not honoring is to give praise to the musician over the Creator. That musician may be in rebellion against God and needs reconciliation. That does not make the playing of the instrument evil, nor the sound produced, evil.
I am not accessing the website to see this is a poll. Therefore, I have not voted. I have expressed my opinion in the thread. That should suffice.

So because of common grace, is the following also your view since the Bible does not talk about cameras, taking photographs, photographs, etc?

[A highly skilled photographer who produces pornography is in "rebellion against God and needs reconciliation. That does not make the" taking of the pictures with the camera evil, nor the pictures produced, evil.]

The second of the sentences enclosed in square brackets certainly does not say what I believe.

 

[AustinC]

So because of common grace, is the following also your view since the Bible does not talk about cameras, taking photographs, photographs, etc?

[A highly skilled photographer who produces pornography is in "rebellion against God and needs reconciliation. That does not make the" taking of the pictures with the camera evil, nor the pictures produced, evil.]

The second of the sentences enclosed in square brackets certainly does not say what I believe.

I notice how you are attempting to move the goal posts. Is this thread about instrumental music? Do you think instrumental music is no different than capturing sin on film?

However, common grace recognizes that God gave the mental capacity for a person to capture life on film. This is a gift from God. However, choosing to capture open rebellion against God's commands regarding sexual behavior is perverting God's gift.

Now, explain how playing a guitar in a recording studio is perverting God's gift. Are the sounds that come from the instrument immoral simply by creating the sound? If so, what scripture would you use to declare which sounds are immoral as compared to which sounds are moral.

 

[Aaron]

Surprisingly, out of 9 respondents so far, no one has voted for the first choice: "All instrumental music pleases God."

From my many exchanges in other settings with supporters of contemporary worship, I have noted that a key belief that some believers have held or seemed to have held is the notion that God created all music so all instrumental music is inherently good and therefore acceptable and pleasing to Him.

Apparently, that notion may very well not be as common as I have thought it to have been. Interesting.

Christians lost the CCM debate over ten years ago. No one cares.

 

[Salty]

Christians lost the CCM debate over ten years ago. No one cares.

and how did they "loose" the CCM debate

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Christians lost the CCM debate over ten years ago. No one cares.

Not true. We have not "lost the CCM debate." We continue to fight the battle, and there are many of us who have never accepted what the CCM supporters have said and care profoundly about what is going on.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

I notice how you are attempting to move the goal posts. Is this thread about instrumental music? Do you think instrumental music is no different than capturing sin on film?

However, common grace recognizes that God gave the mental capacity for a person to capture life on film. This is a gift from God. However, choosing to capture open rebellion against God's commands regarding sexual behavior is perverting God's gift.

Now, explain how playing a guitar in a recording studio is perverting God's gift. Are the sounds that come from the instrument immoral simply by creating the sound? If so, what scripture would you use to declare which sounds are immoral as compared to which sounds are moral.

You tell me. Apparently, you believe that instrumental music is somehow different than what is captured on film so that it is possible to make something sinful with what one puts on film but impossible to make music that is sinful from any musical instrument(s). Where does the Bible teach that these notions are true or are they just your opinions?

 

[robycop3]

Depends upon the setting,use, & type. At a church I useta attend, the organ played a slow, soothing hymn softly during altar call I believe that pleased God.

However, playing an instrumental such as Wipe Out by The Surfaris during a service would DISplease God.

 

[SGO]

Look for a hymn with that tune in 50 years or so.
Maybe they will even keep a semblance of the title: Why pout?

 

[AustinC]

It's clear this thread is just a complaint about personal preference rather than biblical support. For the old folks who just want songs from their hymn book, please note that those Baptist camp songs would have been frowned upon in the early 1800s. Fanny Crosby would have been looked upon and kept out of the congregation by the old folks.

Paul clearly supports spiritual songs. New songs being written and sung in the early church.

Christians are creatures of their culture and ultimately they selfishly covet their personal preferences, even to the splitting of churches. Music has been a major split, but presently wearing or not wearing masks has split churches. Such prideful and selfish behavior is sickening. Stop demanding your cultural preference and denying others their cultural preference. Show grace and worship God. Test the lyrics in those songs. If they do not teach the congregation theological truth, don't sing them.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Depends upon the setting,use, & type. At a church I useta attend, the organ played a slow, soothing hymn softly during altar call I believe that pleased God.

However, playing an instrumental such as Wipe Out by The Surfaris during a service would DISplease God.

If you believe that playing that same instrumental in any other setting would please God, then it seems that your view may be the first choice that all instrumental music in and of itself pleases God.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

and how did they "loose" the CCM debate

I would really like to know where, when, how, and to whom we supposedly lost that debate.

 

[AustinC]

Depends upon the setting,use, & type. At a church I useta attend, the organ played a slow, soothing hymn softly during altar call I believe that pleased God.

However, playing an instrumental such as Wipe Out by The Surfaris during a service would DISplease God.

Why would it displease God? Which of the notes would displease him?

 

[Aaron]

and how did they "loose" the CCM debate

It wasn't lost in that the traditionalists (an unfortunate nomer because of the modern context of the term) were shown to be erroneous. It was lost when the conservative churches and the Reformed churches basically laid down their swords.

Anyway.

To answer another question about God's will and instrumental music in the church...There is no spiritual gift of music. There are no instruments commanded to be used in the Tabernacle, though David, being a prophet, added them. No instruments were used in the synagogues, and no instruments were used in the early church.

If someone wants to use them in Christian worship to help us sing, I think we have that liberty. But asking if God is 'pleased' with instrumental music is like asking if
God is pleased with the stones in the temple wall, or the gold laminating the altar.

Music is for us, not for God. I think God is pleased when the music we make is consistent with the demeanor that Christians should practice in their communications.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

It wasn't lost in that the traditionalists (an unfortunate nomer because of the modern context of the term) were shown to be erroneous. It was lost when the conservative churches and the Reformed churches basically laid down their swords.

.

Ok. Thanks for clarifying what you meant. I cannot speak for what Reformed churches have done, but a number of other conservative Christian churches and organizations that I know of have continued to fight the battle against CCM to the extent that they have not used CCM and do not even now use it.