m u s i c spiritual excellence in m u s i c from the notes of pastor woody proffitt for: biblical...

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SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE IN M U S I CM U S I C

From the notes of Pastor Woody Proffitt

For: Biblical Discipleship Ministries

By: Dr. Jobe Martin


MUSIC

• Music is God’s gift to us to enhance, stimulate and encourage our worshipworship and praisepraise of Him and Him alone.Him alone.

• The world, the flesh and the devil always distort and pervert God’s gifts in such a way that, for example, music is used to stimulate the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life!


SOME CONCERNS!!!!!SOME CONCERNS!!!!!

• LEGALISMLEGALISM: “You have to agree with my convictions on every point or you are not very spiritual.”

• LETHARGYLETHARGY: “Who cares! This whole thing is so subjective we shouldn’t even discuss it.”

• LEPROSYLEPROSY: “Don’t come near me if your tastes aren’t up to par with mine!”


SOME CONCERNS!!!!!SOME CONCERNS!!!!!

• LATITUDELATITUDE: “With the Scriptures and the Spirit, each one must wisely choose what he/she allows into the ear gates. And each one must understand we grow at individual paces.”

• “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Proverbs 13:20Proverbs 13:20


LIFESTYLE OF PERFORMERS AND COMPOSERS

• What exampleexample do they set?• Are they imitatorsimitators of Christ?• Do they exemplify biblicalbiblical principals?• “I am a companion of all them that fear thee,

and of them that keep thy precepts.” Ps.119:63Ps.119:63• “The righteous is more excellent than his neigh-

bor: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.” Proverbs Proverbs

12:2612:26


NAIVETENAIVETE• Are we willing to discussdiscuss the issue of music?

• Should we assume that allall music is “OK”?

• Is allall Christian music “OK”?

• Is allall Christian theology “OK”?

• “Prove allall things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from allall appearance of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.1 Thessalonians 5:21-22.

• Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1Corinthians15:331Corinthians15:33


WHAT KIND OF FRUIT?

• What has been the productproduct of this music?• What does this music produce in the lives of the

people who listen to it?• “For ye were sometimes (formerly) darkness,

but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of the light: (for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth:) proving what is acceptable to the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:8-10Ephesians 5:8-10


THEOLOGY?THEOLOGY?

• What do the lyrics teachteach?

• Are the words true to Scripturetrue to Scripture?

• Do the lyrics support sound theologysupport sound theology?

• “But though we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8Galatians 1:8


THEOLOGY IN MUSICTHEOLOGY IN MUSIC

• “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

• 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.” Galatians 1:9-10 Galatians 1:9-10


THEOLOGY IN MUSICTHEOLOGY IN MUSIC

• “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing,…”1Tim 6:3,4a1Tim 6:3,4a

• “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” 2Tim 1:132Tim 1:13


MESSAGE AND MEDIUMMESSAGE AND MEDIUM

• Is it true that the message always matters more than the medium?

• Is the medium important (music/words)?• What is the mind of God about this?• ““Coming to understand the mind of God, By Coming to understand the mind of God, By

spending time in the presence of God, Until we spending time in the presence of God, Until we are so enamored with the nature of God, That are so enamored with the nature of God, That all we want to do is the will of God.” all we want to do is the will of God.”

Russell KelferRussell Kelfer


BEAUTYBEAUTY• Does the music contain intrinsic beauty? Is the

music without words worshipful? • If we converted the music into a painting,

would it be beautiful, inspiring, appealing . . . .or would it be dark, discordant, decadent, savage, sensual and sinister? “Be sober, be vig- ilant;your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom

• he may devour 1 Pet. 5:81 Pet. 5:8


PHILIPPIANS 4:8PHILIPPIANS 4:8• “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are

truetrue, whatsoever things are honesthonest, whatsoever things are justjust, whatsoever things are purepure, whatsoever things are lovelylovely, whatsoever things are of goodgood reportreport; if there be any virtuevirtue, and if there

be any praisepraise, think on these thingsthink on these things.”


MUSIC AND SPIRITUALITY

• Will mymy music encourageencourage or discourage discourage mymy walk with mymy Lord and Savior?

• Will my music be a stumbling blockstumbling block to someone (to a child, parent, friend)?

• “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. . . .” Gal. 5:16,17a


MUSIC AND SPIRITUALITY

• “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I; but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of (in) the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

• I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Gal. 2:20-21Gal. 2:20-21


MUSIC AND SENSUALITYMUSIC AND SENSUALITY

• Does the music induce sensual thoughtssensual thoughts?• Do the lyrics have innuendoesinnuendoes or blatant blatant

statementsstatements of immorality?• “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which

are: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, jealousy, wrath, disputes, seditions, heresies, envyings, drunkenness, revellings,…”

Galatians 5:19-21aGalatians 5:19-21a


SYMMETRYSYMMETRY• Are the elements of melodymelody, harmonyharmony and

rhythmrhythm in balancebalance?• Does the music conform to or contradict the

laws of nature? (form, resolution)• “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and

hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:19Ephesians 5:19


MATURITYMATURITY• Was the music produced by spiritual babesspiritual babes

or immatureimmature or even questionable Christians?

• Does the music come from an “elder”in the faith and master of music?

• “But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever,Amen. 2Pet3:182Pet3:18


MATURITYMATURITY• “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and

of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all thingsin all things….” Ep4:13Ep4:13


ORDERORDER• Does the music demonstrate and produce

orderliness or chaos and disorder?

• Does it produce discipline or baseness?

• Does it reflect the character of our God?

• ““Let all things be done decently and in Let all things be done decently and in order.”order.”

• 1 Corinthians 14:401 Corinthians 14:40


ROLE ENHANCEMENTROLE ENHANCEMENT

• Do the performers and/or the music com- mend masculinity to boys and menmasculinity to boys and men and femininity to girls and womenfemininity to girls and women?

• Do performers and/or music feminize boys feminize boys and menand men and masculinize girls and womenmasculinize girls and women?

• “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27Genesis 1:27



• ““Does not even nature itself teach Does not even nature itself teach you, that , if a man have long hair, it you, that , if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a women is a shame unto him? But if a women

have long hair, it is a glory to her: have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a for her hair is given her for a

covering.”covering.”• 1 Corinthians 11:14-15



• “And they gave unto Jacob all the strange godsstrange gods which were in their hand, and all their earringsearrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.” Genesis 35:4 Genesis 35:4

• “Ye shall not make any cuttings in your cuttings in your fleshflesh for the dead, nor print any marksprint any marks upon you: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:28Leviticus 19:28


ASSOCIATIONASSOCIATION• What normally accompaniesaccompanies this music?

• How does the audience behavebehave?

• What does this music inciteincite in the hearers?

• “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persua- sion comes not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Galatians 5:7-9Galatians 5:7-9


WORSHIPWORSHIP• Does this music encourage genuine worshipencourage genuine worship

to and of God in spirit and in truth?• “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true

worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth;for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit ad in truth.”

John 4:23-24John 4:23-24


LEADERSHIP IN WORSHIP

• When it comes to music for corporate worship, church leaders should

determine what is biblical and in the best interest of the church body for spiritual

growth and maturity.


WORSHIPWORSHIP•Whether therefore ye

eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do

all to the glory of God.”

• 1 Corinthians 10:311 Corinthians 10:31


ACTS 19:19,20ACTS 19:19,20

• “Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”


2 SAMUEL 22:502 SAMUEL 22:50

• Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the

heathen, and I will sing sing praisespraises unto thy name.

m u s i c spiritual excellence in m u s i c from the notes of pastor woody proffitt for: biblical...

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