They therefore that ground what they preach upon the Scripture, and deliver nothing but what is agreeable to it, preach the word of God.
William Gouge

Which Is Christian Rock And Rol

Which Is Christian Rock And Rol

Which is Christian Rock-N-Roll?

*Hard metal STRYPER

-or-

Soft melodious Amy Grant?

There is a raging debate over the issue of Christian rock-nroll. And while men debate the issue God, a long time ago, laid down the truth. The following are GOD’s guidelines of what is acceptable music before him. After all, music that truly Christian will conform to the Word of God and the desire of the Holy Spirit.

[1] The music must not be like the world if it is to be acceptable unto Jesus.

“Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.” -2 Corinthians 6:17

Now, it is not the instruments that are sin. There is nothing wrong with a guitar or a set of drums. It is in how the instrument is being used and what kind of heart is using the instrument. What will stand out about a Christian’s use of a guitar is that it is separate and different from the world. That fleshly and entertainment quality of it will be gone. They will stand out because of their separation from the worldly bands! Not just in lyrics, but in action and deed. They will “prove” they belong to Jesus by their actions.

“I preached they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” -Acts 26:20

When some group calls themselves “Christian” and yet copies the lights, smoke, dress, hair and loudness of the worldly groups they are merely liars who claim to be Christians. They are not Christians. For if they are of God they will be separate in all they do. They will be salt and light. What the world and the Christian community should be awed at is the purity with which any group sings with. Their religion should be pure above all else. A purity that convicts the world and inspires their brothers and sisters.

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:…to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” -James 1:27

A group that copies the style of the world and yet sings about Jesus is an abomination in God’s sight. The worldly Christian bands are dead in their sins and transgressions. They need to have an honest encounter with a Holy table turning Jesus Christ! They need to have the Holy Spirit show them they are living Ephesians 2:1-2,

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you USED to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”

In spite of God’s solemn warning these bands still continue to walk in the pride, entertainment and selfish ambition that the world walks in. If you don’t leave a Christian concert saying things like…

“Wow, how different that is from worlds concerts.”

Then it wasn’t a Christian concert.

[2] The musician’s heart must be pure and clean.

Let me ask you a question or two. What bands do you listen to? What kind of person leads your music at church? Do you listen to music that is pure and radiants that it is different than the style of music the world listens to? Or do you merely say to yourself, “But the words are good. The words talk about Jesus.”.

How many justify what they listen to by saying “The words are good and based on scripture!” Understand this clearly…scriptural words are not enough! It is not enough for a band to sing and talk about Jesus. Before you listen to them you should know if their hearts are clean and pure.

Even Satan quoted scripture to Jesus. As we read Matthew 4:6 notice how Satan quoted scripture to Jesus. The scriptures that Satan quoted were not taken out of context. They were right and true. In fact, the scripture talks about God’s love and protection. Satan is sharing with Jesus about God’s salvation. Just as these Christian rock bands do. The bands talk about Jesus – but with what kind of spirit and heart?

“Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'”

Here is Satan quoting Psalm 9:11-12 about God’s love. Everything Satan just said was true. Yet is was the devil sharing those scriptures. It was the pit of hell talking about God’s love. Words mean nothing if the spirit is unclean!
Open your spiritual eyes and see that Satan has taken these bands to the “highest point of the temple” in the “holy city” and is speaking scriptures through them. Do you not know that scripture says, “test the spirits” and not just the words of a man?

If the bands to not overwhelmingly meet these two basic requirements God has set down…then throw the tapes out. Don’t go to their concerts. You will have to judge the heart and spirits what are playing the music. God and judge by the power or the Holy Spirit. Throw out all those tapes where the band or singer is after the things of this world or are worldly.

Don’t go to a concert where the music and musician are unclean. Let your eyes be only on the faithful in the land.

“My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.” -Psalm 101:6

Only those who are faithful in being separate from the world should we share our lives with in the Lord. Only those whose “walk is blameless” should you allow to “minister” to you. And these bands pride themselves on being “ministers” to others. Only the bands whose “walk”, that is, dress, actions and styles are un-like the ways of the world should minister to you.

A holy Christian has no business buying the tapes or listen to the music of those whose “walk” and hearts are not “faithful” to the Word and Lord. You cannot have both the ways of the world and Jesus.

For though they speak of Jesus and purity they are deceived and deceiving others. You should silence such musicians and music.

“No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land…” -Psalm 101:7-8

How these groups “practice deceit”. They are good at talking about righteousness and purity. They pride themselves on saying their music talks of Jesus. But by their actions they deny Jesus. They speak “falsely”. And you should not be listening to them.

“They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.” -Titus 1:16

By their actions of wearing ear rings in the ears…of wearing long hair…of wearing leather and the other costumes the world wears they prove they are not Christians! By their actions of performing at their concerts they prove they are like the world. They prove they are “disobedient” to the Lord. Just look at the long hair, hair styles and the dress that various musicians have. They don’t even begin to obey the basic, the very basic, teachings of scripture (1 Corinthians 11:14 & 1 Timothy 1:9). How they entertain, dress and perform with all the glitter of the world and yet have the pride to offer a Holy Jesus to people. How easily we are deceived.

Yet these bands and others clamor before God and men that Jesus ate with drunkards. Yes, indeed, Jesus ate with drunkards…but without getting drunk! Jesus was salt. Jesus was pure. Jesus’ life convicted others of sin. Jesus did not deny God by His actions. His words and action were both pure. Unlike the Christian bands of today.

Unless there is a deep world shattering repentance on the part of these “Christian” musicians GOD says that “blackest darkness” is reserved for them. This issue of Christian rock-n-roll is no light weight issue.

The reason we know that “blackest darkness” is reserved for such bands is that they have told us so. They boast of it! These musicians tell you that they are trying to to be like the world in order to draw the world to Jesus. They brag that their worldliness draws the world. God says that such groups are “springs without water” and that “blackest darkness” is reserved for them.

What makes a group worthy of “blackest darkness”? They qualify for this part of hell because they seek to be like the world in order to draw people to Jesus.

“These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity – for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” -2 Peter 2:17-19

“By appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature” in drawing people to their concerts they become fit for the darkest part of hell. Can’t you just see Paul entering a town dressed in black leather and chains, selling T shirts that say “Paul of Tarsus and Some Band”? Then with lights a blazing, smoke filling the room and him siking everyone up stop and say, “Come now believe in a pure un-world like Jesus!”. Before long you are going to hear we can have a Christian STRIPPER for Jesus. After all her/his words would be good and they would pull in crowds no one else could. In short, anytime we appeal to the sinful part of man we become a people fit for the darkest parts of hell. How many churches are doing that, let alone to discuss Christian music.

How many say, “But I came to the Lord because or that rock band.” The truth is as Jesus said, they didn’t come to the Lord instead they become “twice as fit for hell”, (Matthew 23:15). For how can someone go to a concert that is like the world and leave prepared for a cross carrying holy life by the grace of the Holy Spirit? Have we forgotten that the blind cannot lead the blind? Have we forgotten that “both” will “fall into a pit”? Are we so dull spiritually that we allow groups to use the name of good musicians like Keith Green to justify their impurity? God is very clear that we are to leave such groups, singers, churches and ministries.

“Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into the pit.” -Matthew 15:14

Remember well that they offer people Jesus. They offer the good news. They talk of peace and righteousness. They offer freedom from hell, but cannot deliver. Remember Peter said…

“They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity…”
(vs :18)

And if you are genuinely saved it is in spite of them, not because of them.

When these bands call tracts such as this “persecution” in Christ, they seem to forget one large detail. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when men FALSELY accuse you.” And, “Blessed are you when men persecution you because of RIGHTEOUSNESS sake.” To recognize Holiness takes no justification or arguments. Purity convicts and encourages all. Wickedness and worldliness takes the justification of deceitful talk.

To know what music and musicians are acceptable to God all you have need to do is honestly surrender your life to God. Something most do not honestly do in spite of their words to the contrary.

“Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the patter of the this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:1-2

To know what music and musicians are acceptable unto God all you have need to do is live out Romans 12:1-2 by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Look again at Romans 12:1. It says to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices”. So there goes that old worldly argument that God doesn’t care what you look like. God cares! He does not want his children to look like they belong to the world. As 2 Corinthians says, “…let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”

Look again at Romans 12:2. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world.” How much clearer can God be?! If you are part of a Christian band then let everything about you be different from the pattern of this world. Cut and comb the hair. Dress like you belong to heaven. Get a pure heart instead of the deceiptful talk the world practices. Sit down with doped up kids and call for repentance. Stop worrying about popularity and getting a hit record. Stop deceiving yourself. “Don’t merely listen to the Word, do what it says.” (James 1:22) You can’t be impure with the pattern of the world and go to heaven.

Look again at Romans 12:2. “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…”. The reason most Christians and Christian bands cannot tell they are in sin is that they have not truly given themselves to God wholeheartedly. Let not these Christian musicians and bands take you in by their “whitewash”. For, be sure of this…

“For this you can be sure: No immoral or IMPURE or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has ANY inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.”
-Ephesians 5:5-7

Indeed, “do not be partners with them”!

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