Chapter 3

III. The Context of Music.

A. The appearance of the musicians/composers.

1. I Thessalonians 5:22 says, "Abstain from all ___________________ of evil."

2. According to I Corinthians 11:14, nature itself teaches a man that if he has long hair, "it is a __________ unto him."

Note: The context of music (the surroundings) will tell you a lot about the content of the music, before you ever hear it. Most of the time, a glance at the album or cassette cover will tell you what the music will be. If it is "Christian rock," (of which, technically, there is no such thing - there is no such thing as making rock music "Christian" in any sense of the word, because rock music by its very nature is of the world and of the devil - not of Christ) you will usually know just by looking at the musicians. They will often have long hair. Why would you listen to a piece of music that was composed/played by a long-haired man? I Corinthians 11:14 is very clear that such a man is living in open sin and shame. How can you be helped spiritually by his music, when he is defying God’s Word with his very appearance? He is not a spiritual man, but a carnal man. For a clear definition of what "long hair" is, please see the previous Bible Course on the Christian’s Appearance. A good share of classical composers also had long hair. Would you play a song that someone like Michael Jackson had composed? Why not? Because his "outward" rebellion and repulsiveness, is caused from an "inward" rebellion against God and His principles. Have you ever thought about those contemporary Christian groups which are so popular today? You can just see a "tough guy" countenance upon many of them. They do not smile - they frown. They do not look happy - they look like they are ready to kill someone. They do not have a glowing face with the glory of God upon their brow - they have a devilish look and smirk upon their faces. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "The ______ of the Lord is your strength." You know those music groups have no spiritual strength, because they have no joy - you can see it.

3. According to Matthew 5:28, if anyone looks upon a woman to lust after her, he has "committed ______________ with her already in his heart."

4. In Proverbs 7:10, a young man was met by a woman "with the ____________ of an harlot."

Note: On many female vocalists’ album/cassette covers, they are dressed immodestly. Even so-called Christian female vocalists are seen dressed immodestly, or with a suggestive pose. Just as many contemporary Christian male musicians look like they are ready for a fight, even so, some contemporary Christian female vocalists appear ready for immorality. You cannot be helped by their music. They are carnal and sensual in their appearance, and it is going to be evident in their music.

B. The audience of the musicians/composers.

1. Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of __________ shall be destroyed."

2. According to Psalm 1:1, a person will be blessed if he does not walk "in the counsel of the ______________," and if he does not stand "in the way of ______________," and if he does not sit "in the seat of the ________________."

3. Ephesians 5:11 says to "have no ________________ with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

4. We are told in John 3:19 that "men loved ________________ rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

Note: It is common today for singing groups to turn down the lights, and to turn up the sound, and to add some flashing strobe lights. The darkness, the beat, and the screaming of the fans all leads to sin. If you are present in that group, you are placing yourself in temptation. I Corinthians 10:12 says, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he ________."

C. The association of the music.

1. I Corinthians 15:33 says, "Be not deceived: evil ___________________________ corrupt good manners."

2. After Abram had gone and rescued Lot, the king of Sodom made a very nice offer to Abram:

a. Genesis 14:21-24 records that the king of Sodom offered: "Give me the persons, and take the __________ to thyself." (vs.21)

b. But Abram replied in verse 23, "I will not take from a ____________ even to a ______________________, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich."

Note: Abram did not want ANY association with the king of Sodom of any kind. The king of Sodom was wicked, and Abram did not want any one to think that he was involved or helped in any way from such vileness and wickedness of the Sodomites. Now how about YOU and YOUR MUSIC? If you listen to contemporary Christian music, then people are going to associate you with rock & roll music. If you listen to Country/Western Gospel, then people are going to associate you with the ungodly country/western crowd, because that is how you sound.

Illustration: Please think about that for a moment. A person has gotten saved, and has been delivered from a life of alcohol and rock music. You offer to take him to church with you, and you turn on your radio to the local Christian station. He is immediately bombarded with THE SAME SOUND that accompanied him in his life of sin. But you say, "O, the music does not matter. It is the words that are important." In that new Christian’s mind, that music you are listening to is pulling on his flesh to go back into sin. Then you sit in church and hear a lady sing a special number with a country/western background tape. The new Christian sits there and fights with his feelings. He is not thinking of the words being sung - that music is bringing him back to the bar where he sat drinking his beer, and watching the people dance. A fierce battle of the flesh is taking place in his mind. He wants to put that old life behind, but he has a hard time doing it, because the church today has so much of the world in it. Christians and churches seem to forget that music is always associated with something - either with God, or with the world. Christians say, "We use the ‘world’s sound’ to draw them in to hear the gospel." Is it any wonder that the church has become so worldly? Is it any wonder that we see so many professions of faith, but few changed lives? A sinner who truly repents of his sin is LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. A sinner who really wants to get right with God is going to be LOOKING FOR MUSIC DIFFERENT THAN HIS OWN. The people who have the idea of hanging on to all their sin are not ready to get saved at all. That is why the church of today is so full of pretenders. What we need is some old-fashioned repentance, where people forsake their sin - not drag it into the church with them. Why do many new Christians lose their fire and zeal for the Lord after about a year or less? It is the fault of worldly, compromising Christians (or pretenders) who love the world more than they love God.

a. The Bible says in I John 2:15, "Love not the __________, neither the ____________ that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

b. II Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a ______ creature: old ____________ are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Illustration: Does it not seem strange that there are so many professing believers still playing their old worldly music? They got saved, but they still have the same old sound? They got saved, but they still play the same old beat? Tell me, what is new in their lives? The Bible says that all things are to become new. Some professing believers say, "I was raised on rock music, and I just like the sound." Others say, "I was raised on country/western music, and I just like that sound." Others say, "I was raised on classical music, and I just like the sound." Others say, "I was raised on the blues, or jazz, or pop, or rap, etc., and I like the sound." WHERE DID THOSE SOUNDS ORIGINATE? Did the church start rock music? NO. Did the church start country/western music? NO. Did the church start classical music? NO. Did the church start the blues, or jazz, or pop, or rap, etc.? NO. IT WAS THE WORLD THAT STARTED THOSE SOUNDS. If you still love those sounds, it is because you still love the world. If you still love those sounds because you were "raised" listening to them, then what are you going to say to the new Christian who was "raised" in a home where the parents smoked? Is it all right for him to smoke because he was "raised that way?" What if he has acquired a liking for the smell of that smoke? Is he excused because he was "raised that way?" If you love those old worldly sounds because you were "raised" listening to them, what are you going to say to the new Christian who was "raised" in a home where they drank liquor? Is it all right now for him to drink because he has acquired a taste for liquor at home? Is he excused because he was "raised that way?" Are you excused from liking psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs because you were "raised" listening to something else? NO. One thing quickly becomes clear - IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW YOU WERE "RAISED" - YOU ARE NOW RESPONSIBLE TO LIVE A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. Your real problem is not how you were raised. If God can take away a new Christian’s old desires to drink and smoke (and He does it miraculously all of the time!), then He can also take away your desires for that old worldly music. It all depends upon you confessing that you have sinned in this area, and are willing to repent.

REVIEW:

1. I Thessalonians 5:22 says to "Abstain from all _________________ of evil."

2. According to I Corinthians 11:14, long hair on a man "is a __________ unto him."

3. A long-haired musician/composer is living in open ______ and shame.

4. Proverbs 13:20 says "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be ___________________."

5. John 3:19 tells us that men loved darkness "because their deeds were ________."

6. I Corinthians 15:33 tells us that "evil communications corrupt good ______________."

7. Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I will not take ______ __________ that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich." Abram did not want ANY association with the wicked king of Sodom.

8. Christians and churches seem to forget that music is always ____________________ with something - either with God, or with the world.

9. A sinner who truly gets saved is looking for something _________________. (So why do Christians maintain that you need the world’s sound to draw in sinners?)

10. Many new Christians lose their fire and zeal for the Lord because of worldly, ________________________ Christians (or pretenders).

11. Did the church start rock music? ______

12. Did the church start country/western music? ______

13. Did the church start classical music? ______

14. Did the church start blues, jazz, pop, rap, etc.? ______

15. It was the __________ that started all those sounds.

16. If you love the world’s sounds, I John 2:15 says that you do not love ______.

17. Liking certain music because you were raised on it, is no excuse. (Remember the examples of smoking & drinking?) It does not matter how you were raised - you are now responsible to live a ______ life in Christ.

Chapter 1, 2, 3, Final Test   Liberty Bible Course Directory