Centring our Music on Christ

Let's face it: It's either soul lifting 'relevant' songs with a band, or old dusty hymns with an equally old dusty organist. The youths want the cool music and think the old folks are stuck, the old folks criticise the young folks for being worldly. Is there any resolution? Does the Bible have anything to say about how music is to be used in church? Let's take a look!

First, let's take a look a what the Bible has to say about worship.

'I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good, and acceptable, and perfect.'

Paul is appealing to the Roman church to live in response to the grace shown them by presenting their bodies as a sacrifice. Not one of atonement, since that's Jesus' department, but one of thanksgiving. Their holy living is then their spiritual worship.

'Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.'

Starting in 12:1, the writer if Hebrews is encouraging the persecuted Jewish Christians to live upright lives, even amidst their suffering. The writer speaks in 13:15 about a continual sacrifice of praise to God, evidence of those who are His. This evident in the works they do and the way they care for those around them.
(Further reading, if you're feeling funky: Heb 10:5-10; 1Peter 2:9)

Here you see that when the Bible talks about worship, it's not the slow songs you sing, or that first 30mins of Sunday service, or just the service itself, for that matter; Rather, it's your whole life! Every single aspect of it is to be worship, living in response to the grace that we have been shown! It is not so much what we do, but what Jesus has done for us.

In that case, what happens every time we gather? Why do we do it?

'On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out from the land of Egypt, on that day they came to the wilderness of Sinai. They set out from Rephidim and came to the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God. The LORD called out to him from the mountain saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the Earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words you shall speak to the people of Israel.'

'After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne, before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

John describes to us a vision of the future where God's people are gathered before the throne, with Jesus as the sole focus of their praise.

'And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.'

The writer of Hebrews writes to the Jewish Christians, reminding them to keep meeting to encourage one another to love and good works, despite the obvious dangers of meeting, because there is a more urgent matter: the Day is coming!

From the above passages, a trend for the spoken word becomes apparent - preaching, and song play a major role in Christian gatherings with the purpose of encouragement and praise, with Christ as the sole focus.
(For further reading, because you should: Deut 4:10; Hebrews 12:22-24)

So how can we be serving God and his people faithfully through our music?

Like how a church's preaching should be built around the Word and deeply rooted in it, so must their music. Likewise, the music should edify the congregation, help them grow and encourage each other, instead of being a means to itself.

We should ask ourselves these questions before we chose the songs for the service:

• What does it tell us about God?
• What does it tell us about Jesus?
• What does it tell us about us?
• Does it rightly express our response to God?
• Does it help us exhort one another rightly?
• Are the lyrics theologically correct?

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

'And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying," Abba! Father!"' 

'In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believe in him, you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.'