Part:3

HOW DOES THE LOGIC OF "NEEDING TO USE

THE WORLD'S MUSIC TO REACH THE WORLD"

BREAK DOWN?

3.IT IS WRONG TO USE CARNAL MUSIC TO

PRESENT A HOLY MESSAGE.

The confusion of trying to teach the world

about God using worldly music is graphically

illustrated in Scripture. When Babylonians were

resettled in Israel and began to be devoured by

lions, they asked the king to send them a prophet of

God so they could learn how to worship Him.

The priest came and taught them how they

should fear the Lord. However, he did not require

them to destroy their gods. The result is described

in II Kings 17:33 "They feared the Lord, and

served their own gods..."

Chemistry-Do we take drugs to win addicts?
Language-Do we use curse words to witness?

Math-Do we steal to identify with robbers?

Art-Do we draw lewd pictures to present Christ?

Music-Do we use carnal music to gain a hearing?

Why is carnal music ineffective for achieving lasting

spiritual results?

"...the weapons of our warfare are not

carnal..." (II Corinthians 10:4-5).

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal

but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong

holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high

thing that exalteth into captivity every thought to

the obedience of Christ" (II Cor 10:4-5).

Do Biblical words make a worldly song Christian?

Principles of clean and unclean-

Haggai 2:12-13.

Christians cannot make worldly music clean;

worldly music will make Christians unclean.

"If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his

garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or

pottage, or wine, or oil, or meat, shall it be

holy? And the priests answered and said, No. Then

said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body

touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the

priests answered and said, It shall be unclean"

(Haggai 2:12-13.)

"...Touch not the unclean thing..."

(II Corinthians 6:17).

"Wherefore come out from among them,

and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not

the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (II Cor. 6:17).

Did God design music to present the Gospel?

God ordained preaching, not music, to win

the lost - I Corinthians 1:21.

"For after that in the wisdom of God the

world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by

the foolishness of preaching to save them that

believe" (ICor 1:21).

What are the two purposes of Christian music?

Music is to edify Christians and to praise God -

Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16.

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns

and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in

your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19).

"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"

(Colossians 3:16).

Why can't carnal music be mixed with Godly words?

Carnal music and spiritual words do not mix;

they war against each other - Galatians 5:17.

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and

the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary

the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the

things that ye would" (Galatians 5:17).

Who was severely punished for trying to use worldly

methods to carry out God's work?

God's work is not to be done with worldly

methods - David and ox cart -

I Chronicles 13, 15.

King David attempted to transport the ark of

the covenant to Jerusalem.

However, he used the wrong method. He put the ark on

an oxdrawn cart. David copied this method from the

heathen. The Philistines had used a cart to transport

the ark several years earlier.

Some methods may work for non-Christians

that will not work for Christians! The results of this

method were disastrous for David. One man was

killed; David became angry at God; and the huge

procession ended without success.

There was a clear reason why the method of

transporting the ark on a cart did not work. God

had given precise instructions on how the ark was

to be moved.

It was to be carried on the shoulders of the four priests.

(See II Samuel 6:1-19)

PART: 2

WHY MUST ALL MUSIC BE BROUGHT

UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

2. MUSIC IS A FORM OF WORSHIP. IT IS

CORRUPTED WHEN MIXED WITH

CARNALITY.

The worship of God must be carried out in

purity. The very name of the Holy Spirit through

Whom we worship the Lord emphasizes this vital

point. The following disciplines illustrate how the

purity of an item can be corrupted by adding even a

small amount of another element.

~

Chemistry-H2O+CN=Poison

Language- Truth+Lie =Untruth

Math-Solution+1=Incorrect

Art-Figure+Nudity=Pornography

Music-Rhythm+Imbalance=Acid Rock

~

The holiness of God is no trifling matter.

When the nation of Israel lost sight of Who God

was and mixed heathen elements into their worship,

they brought the judgment of God upon themselves.

The following elements of worship are essential:

~

True worship gives all glory to God."...My

glory will I non give to another..."

(Isaiah 42:8).

~

"I am the Lord: that is my name: and my

glory will I not give to another,neither my praise to

graven images" (Isaiah 42:8)

~

Do all to the glory of God-

I Corinthians 10:31.

~

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or

whatsoever ye do,do all to the glory of God"

(I Cor. 10:31).

~

Worship ascribes glory to someone

or something. To whom does this music

give glory?

?Composer

?Musician(s)

?Man's philosophies

?Musical instrument(s)

?God and His Word

~

All music must glorify God, just as everything we

do must glorify Him.

~

A musician is not capable of glorifying God

unless the Word of God is a living reality in his

daily life.

~

"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"

(Colossians 3:16).

~

God is light. "...no darkness at all..."

(John 1:5).

~

"This then is the message which we have

heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is

light, and in him is no darkness at all" ( I John 1:5).

~

A little leaven leavens whole-

I Corinthians 5:6.

~

"Your glorying is not good. know ye not

that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"

( ICor. 5:6).

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MUSIC EVALUATION

WHAT IS THE PRIMARY AXIOM OF

MUSIC EVALUATION?

1 THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AMORAL

MUSIC.

Accurate evaluation of music is only possible

as we integrate it with the related disciplines of

mathematics, science, history, and medicine. The

laws of these disciplines act as an authoritative

reference to confirm that the musical expression is

either following or violating established principles.

Chemistry- Cl, Na, Pb... Elements

Language- a, b, c... Letters

Math- 2,7,5... Numbers

Art- /,),_... Lines

Music-... Notes

The individual parts in each of these

disciplines are amoral. However, this status

changes once any two elements are combined.

Once two parts are put together, the result will be judged.

Every idle will - give account - Matthew 12:36.

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).

Every deed judged - good or evil - 2 Corinthians 5:10.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor 5:10).

God does not judge amoral things.

Two elements: poison; Two letters: curse; Two notes: disharmony; Two numbers: wrong; Two lines: pornography

HOW IS MUSIC INTERRELATED TO THE STUDY OF OTHER DISCIPLINES?

Just as there is a balance of power in the three branches of United States government, so the laws or related disciplines provide checks and balances for music.

Notice how this interrelationship between disciplines works out in the following questions and answers:

ACOUSTICAL ANALYSIS OF TIMBRE

Why does the middle section of a Gospel song or hymn usually modulate to the dominant or relative minor key of the beginning and ending sections?

Answered by the historical development of symphonic form, classical symmetry in art and architecture, and acoustical analysis of variety in tonal levels.

ACOUSTICAL ANALYSIS OF VIBRATIONS AND TUNING

Why does the leading tone (seventh degree) of the scale demand resolution to tonic?

Answered by acoustical analysis of the number of vibrations each tone has-the leading tone is closer in pitch to the tonic than other scale tones are to each other.

BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF SOUND

Why do sliding and sagging pitches in a singer's performance give a sensuous impression to the hearers?

Answered by the study of science and behavior in the ability of the sound to suggest erotic movement.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ATONALITY

How did atonality come to be an accepted mode of expression in twentieth century music?

Answered by a historical understanding of the trends in art forms as they reflect the thoughts and desires of the people of various time periods.

EFFECTS OF RHYTHM ON THE FUNCTION OF THE HEART

How can as imbalanced beat in music actually cause the loss of physical strength?

Answered by studying medicine and the acoustical effect of external rhythms countering heart rhythms in the body.

EXPRESSIONS OF SUBJECTIVITY IN MUSIC

Why is there an increasing focus on man's personal experience in the lyrics of twentieth century songs?

Answered by understanding the historical development of philosophy-an increasing emphasis on existentialism and humanism, motivating glorification of subjective experience as the most desired legitimate expression.

ACOUSTICAL EVALUATION OF DECIBEL LEVEL

Why is rock music consistently performed at high volume levels?

Answered by a study of acoustics and behavior-recognizing that the high volume levels are required to consume the listener totally and to block out the internal communication of personal conscience.

HUMAN PERCEPTION OF LIGHT, COLOR, AND TIMBRE

Why does the minor key tend to communicate sadness and major key sound tend to communicate joyfulness?

Answered by an understanding of light and human perception of color-dark colors and the minor mode are perceived as having a somber message; lighter, warmer colors and the major mode are perceived as a joyful spirit.

EFFECTS OF RHYTHM PATTERNS ON THE BODY

Why is triple meter used more often in songs of personal testimony than for hymns of praise to God?

Answered by an understanding of science-the effects of rhythm patterns on the body. Duple meter tends to communicate objectivity and control, especially in military sense of march or triumph. Triple meter tends to communicate a circular movement with much greater subjectivity.

MICROPHONE TECHNIQUES RELATED TO TERRITORIES

Why does a singer's breathing into a microphone communicate a sensual message?

Answered by an understanding of science the territorial domains of creatures. All animals and human beings have an innate sense of "private space" around them. Heavy breathing into a microphone creates an impression of implied intimacy because the breathing sounds as if it were right next to your ear.