So many professed Christians are offering 'strange fire' before the Lord today! And we MUST learn the lesson from Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-2). They offered "strange" common,
unsanctified fire before the Lord and God destroyed them. Do you offer "strange" common, unsanctified music to the Lord? The fire Nadab and Abihu brought before God (the instrument they
used for worship) was a common one, and God rejected them.
Before I go on, please know that I am not condeming ALL modern worship music, as there are lots of modern worship songs that are beautiful
melodies, without any rock or beat to them, which can be used to worship and praise our holy God. But the majority of modern worship music these days is basically an amalgamation
of secular rock and pop with "some" Bible words. And if you take a look at the study to do with mixing
the profane and sacred in our worship to God, you will see it is very dangerous to mix the profane and sacred.
Think about this. A person walks past a hall and hears a group of people singing a nice worship melody or a traditional hymn. What is that person
going to know? They are going to know that those people are worshipping God. There is a DISTINCT sound and that sound is one of worship.
Now the same person walks past another hall where there is a "worship" band playing a rock type worship song. What is that person
going to think? They could think that there is a disco or party or concert going on. They could think that a rock band is just practicing. But they
are not necessarily going to think that God is being praised and worshipped. Why? Because there is no DISTINCT sound of worship coming
from that hall. It just sounds like worldly music! There has to be a distinct sound to our worship music, just like we are to be a distinct
type of people, following the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to be a "peculiar", holy people for God. We are not to be seeking to blend in
with the rest of the world. "BE YE SEPARATE".
1 Corinthians 14:7 ...'And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a
distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?'
Look at this inspired quote from 1900 concerning what would happen in the churches ... "Every uncouth thing will be demonstrated. There will be shouting, with
drums, music, and dancing. The senses of rational beings will become so confused that they cannot be trusted to make right decisions. And this is called the
moving of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never reveals itself in such methods, in such a bedlam of noise. This is an invention of Satan to
cover up his ingenious methods for making of none effect the pure, sincere, elevating, ennobling, sanctifying truth for this time ... A bedlam of noise shocks
the senses, and perverts that which, if conducted aright, might be a blessing. The powers of satanic agencies blend with the din and noise, to have a carnival,
and this is termed the Holy Spirit's working ... No encouragement should be given to this kind of worship."
(E.White, Letter 132, Oct. 10, 1900)
Now some Christians will say that modern worship music has just "evolved" and there is nothing wrong with "Christian Rock"
or "Christian Pop" music. And they compare it with how technology has evolved today, where we now have the internet, television and
cars, etc. And if we have to get rid of modern music, then we should get rid of the internet and cars and tv etc. Well, this is a weak argument,
because we are not saying to get rid of modern music all together. We are purely saying that there is a certain kind of music that we should listen
to and use to worship God, and there is also another kind of music that we should NOT listen to and use to worship God. The same applies to
the internet. Is it ok to use the internet for ANYTHING? Porn? Violence? Theft? Of course not! Here at end-times-prophecy.org we use the internet to further the gospel
and preach the truth, which is GOOD. But then there is a LOAD of stuff on the internet that we should not go anywhere near! But what about Television? Can good be done with TV? Yes, many
ministries use it to preach the gospel. But can we watch ANYTHING on tv? Of course not. Most things showed on the Television are full of sin. It's the same with music.
Do you see where I'm coming from? I'm not saying to get rid of ALL modern worship music. I'm saying it's the worship music that has been
mixed with secular, worldly music styles that should be avoided. It's the "Christian Rock" and "Christian Pop" and that kind of "worship"
music which should be rejected.
Which came first, Rock or "Christian Rock"? It was Rock right? Secular Rock music came to the forefront
of entertainment in the 50's and as television and secular music began to influence the world, many Christians began using secular sounds
in their worship to God. Now can that be classed as "evolving"? No. It's just a case of mixing the sacred with the profane, pure and
simple.
Show me in the Bible where it says that our worship of God can "evolve" into any "new thing"
that comes along. Because what I see is that "God NEVER changes". Therefore our worship of Him should not "evolve"
away from what the Bible states.
Remember what God said? ... Jeremiah 6:16 ...'Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.'
Now are the instruments like drums and guitars on their own evil? No, of course not, they are just dead objects. But used in a CERTAIN WAY, then
they can PRODUCE evil. Just like the internet and television. In of themselves, the concept or object is not wicked. But they are used for wicked
purposes by some. Let me give you an example with regards an instrument. A guitar in the hands of someone playing a beautiful melody can be
calming, uplifting and can be used to worship God. But a guitar in the hands of a person in a rock band, especially and electric guitar, will produce a bedlam of confusion and noise
that cannot be used to worship God.
Should not everything we do be for the glory of God?
Psalm 9:2 ...'I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.'
Psalm 28:7 ...'The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly
rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.'
The purpose of Christian music is to praise the LORD. When we accept Jesus into our lives and give ourselves to Him, He fills us
with His Holy Spirit and we sing a 'new' song of salvation to Him ... Psalm 40:3 ...'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.' ... Did you see that? We do not look to the world for music, it's something that God puts in us, and it is a result of Him redeeming us. It shouldn't be the music that
enables our devotion and feelings of love toward God, we should already have those feelings in our hearts. Praise toward God in music is
merely part of our expression of love to Him.
SO WHAT KIND OF MUSIC SHOULD WE LISTEN TO AND USE FOR WORSHIP? Ephesians 5:18-19 ...'be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making MELODY in your heart to the Lord.' ... Did you catch that? Singing and making MELODY ... IN YOUR HEART to the Lord.
First of all, our praise should come from the heart,
NOT from the music that the church worship team, or the Christian musician or rock band are playing. And second, it is melody that we should
be making and singing to God, not the worldly sounds of rock, pop and hip hop music, with it's beats and rhythms.
Psalm 33:2 ...'Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.'
Psalm 92:1-3 ...'It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness
in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.'
EXAMPLE: This is the kind of melody worship song we should listen to - No beat, no rhythm, just beautiful melody.
Are Christians really singing a 'new' song to God when they are listening to "Christian Rock" music and secular music? What about all the "Christian
Rock" concerts that millions of Christians attend each year? Is God really being praised in these places? Or are the performers being praised
more? Listen to what Keith Green had to say about this:
"Why do we idolize Christian singers and speakers? We go from glorifying musicians in the world, to
glorifying Christian musicians. It's all idolatry!! Satan is getting a great victory as we seem to worship these ministers on tapes and
records, and clamour to get their autographs in churches and concert halls from coast to coast." (Keith Green, 'So You Wanna
be a Rock Star')
Now we are not supporting the music that Keith Green produced by using his quote above, as Keith also used secular sounds in his "worship"
music. We are just showing you the idolatry that is attached to this "Christian" Rock, Pop and Hip Hop music.
Think about this: Why is it that the covers of the CD's of Christian artists have glorifying photos of themselves? Why are they trying to bring
attention to themselves? Shouldn't they step into the background so that Jesus gets all the glory? Afterall didn't John the Baptist say in John
3:30 ...'He must increase, but I must decrease.' ... We MUST NOT put ourselves in a position to take glory away from Jesus. But sadly, this
is exactly what a lot of modern Christian musicians are doing. Not all, but a lot.
And what about these award ceremonies that many Christian artists attend? Who gets the praise and glory there? It's not God, but the artist themselves.
"Oh but modern Christian Rock music helps to reach out to the world". No! The Word of God is to be used to reach out to the
lost world, not worldly music with a few Christian words added in. If you think you need to reach the lost with music, then you are denying the
power of God's Word in the Bible, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Did Peter and the apostles need worship bands playing at the day of
pentecost? No, they relied on the Word of God and the power of His Spirit.
Years ago, I listened to and loved all kinds of music, including pop, dance and rock music. But then as I grew with Jesus, that
love of worldly music was replaced with a 'new' song. My new desire was to praise God with all my heart and to only listen to real Christian
melodies that gave glory and honor to God. If you are truly walking with Jesus each day and are growing in Him, then God will put a new song in your
heart too.
"There are a lot of bands out now who do not feel it necessary to speak about God or Christ." (HM
Magazine, Issue 67, p.26)
It seems that a lot of the modern Christian bands are more interested in pleasing man than God. This is a good reason to leave them alone and
not listen to their music ... Galatians 1:10 ...'For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I
should not be the servant of Christ.'
"Oh, but the Bible doesn't give any guidance to Christian music.". Actually it does:
Ephesians 5:19 ...'Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the
Lord.'
Colossians 3:16 ...'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.'
I think God is pretty clear in His Word about how we should worship Him in song. 'With psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs' from the heart.
What does this mean? It means that our song should be full of praise and devotion to God, and it should come from the heart, and not need to
rely on drums and guitars with a worldly beat and rhythm to get you going. We are to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:22-24). It's from the heart.
Worldly music feeds the flesh, whereas true Christian music should feed the spirit. That's why the world loves rock music, because it is carnal.
But we who are Christ's have 'crucified the flesh' and no longer walk in it, but now walk according to the Spirit. Notice in Ephesians 5 it says
that we should make MELODY in our hearts to the Lord. Not mad rock rhythms and beats, but melody.
Psalm 150:3-5 ...'Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with
stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.'
Do you see what the above is? Is it a rock band? No! It is what we would class as a classical orchestra, working in perfect harmony, not making
mad, chaotic noises like a rock and pop band.
"True Godly music will be composed of three elements, all in perfect balance with each other. They are
melody, harmony and rhythm. Rock music has no melody, only fragments of melody endlessly repeated. Since there is no true melody, there is no
real harmony. There is only rhythm. And rhythm in of itself is not music." (Leonard J. Seidel, 'Face the Music' - Contemporary Music on Trial,
pp 46-51)
It has been said that the fundamental riffs, licks, bass figures and drum rhythms that make rock and roll can ultimately be traced back to
African music of a primarily spiritual or ritual nature. "In a sense, rock and roll is a kind of voodoo." (Robert Palmer). This is why a drum
is not mentioned in the Bible (King James Version), because the drum was a common worldly instrument used in Egypt and the lands around Israel.
"My true belief about rock and roll is this - I believe this kind of music is demonic. A lot of the beats in
music today are taken from voodoo, from the voodoo drums." (Charles White, The Life and Times of Little Richard, page 197)
Will professing Christians hear this message and act upon it, according to the Word of God? Only if they are willing to stand apart from the
rest of the world and do according to God's will. The sad fact
is that the professing Christian of today will try and make excuses as to why they should be able to carry on in their old sinful ways, rather
than basing their lives on the true Word of God in the Bible.
And as I said before, you will find that the majority of professing Christians
who listen to secular music, will also be happy to watch films and programs that are FULL OF SIN. Because it appeals to the flesh!
So should Christians listen to secular rock, pop, dance, jazz, hip hop and that kind of music? Definately not.
Can "Christian Rock" music be regarded as true worship music and acceptable to God? No it's not.
There is no benefit for the Christian to listen to the majority of secular
music, and God calls us to be separate and live holy lives for Him. We need to worship God in spirit and truth. We need to stop mixing our
Christian faith with the world and walk away from secular music, and allow God to put a 'new' song in us, and worship Him in spirit, from our
hearts, not from the beat of a drum. Our worship to God needs to have a DISTINCTIVE sound, not a "familiar" worldly sound.
I plead with you open your eyes to the truth of this and walk away from secular rock, pop and dance music and
let God put a 'new song' in your heart today. Christians should not listen to all kinds of secular music. Instead, we should be filling our
minds with "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs".
Please now read our page THE DUTY OF GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE DAY OF ATONEMENT