10 QUESTIONS FROM MUSIC TO CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
© Carlos Padilla – November 2023
1.- Are there music styles against the Spirit of God or that will separate us from Him?
Scientific studies of neuroscience have shown how the area of authority the brain cortex, as well as psychomotricity, and behaviour, are sensible to style of music, some even incite to violence, to murder, to depression, and suicide, while others calm the heart’s bit, relax, provide motivation, happiness, and others focus on inciting to spending in shopping malls, and many others are used by experts in behaviour to manipulate those who are the target; all this is known as neuroscience of music. The auditive cortex interprets the notes, the rhythms, the front area processes the emotions produced by that music, and the motor of the cortex makes us follow the rhythm with the foot or taping on a table, and the hippocampus memorizes that experience with the situation in our lives and stores it in the memory. It I not usual to find violent words in classical music, but it’s found in heavy metal, although there is also Christian heavy. Which, itself according to some experts should not affect our emotional state, mental or spiritual, as long as the words are adequate. Apparently, it is lyrics which count. However, neuroscience proves that the types of music do affect the spirit, the soul, the mind, and as consequence the state of mood, the behaviour: a lullaby to sleep a baby, or the sound of the trumpet to form the army under alert. Many programs of mentally ill are supported on music types. Many of us have used for years background music to relax, to study, with excellent results. I recommend reading some of the many articles about neuroscience and the effect of music in the synapsis of the brain of prestigious scientific publications available in internet.
The cultural matter is also relevant for this subject, not only the scientifical. The worship music of king David, or if we go further back, with which Abraham would worship, we would find boring today, slow, without the spark that songs have today, and we are talking about the principal author of he Psalms. The cultural matter makes each society, age and time to be more touching in the heart, the soul, the mind and the spirit, a type of music, and when one sings, plays or worships with heart and love for God, all genuine worship, I think is embraced by the Lord. We see how the Gospel is a type of music dedicated to worship God in Christ, but we find Christian flamenco, rock, pop and many types, but we also find worship in different types of cultural music, like bachata could be or merengue from Juan Luis Guerra. ¿Which one is your preferred music to sing praise and to worship?
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/Praise.htm
2.- Does every Christian have to sing to praise and worship God?
There are Christians, like non Christians, who don’t like to sing, or sing badly, but the Christian can sing to God in his heart, do it lower if he is out of tune, or participate in the joy of praise and worship God, for we all express our love and joy, whether we sing or not. The Christian heart worships God and praises Him, but we must not oblige those who don’t sing in public to do so. We can worship God in silence, and we can worship God with dance and clapping, or in silence. Nor prevent music or praise. King David danced before all, and his wife Mikal, daughter of Saul, felt ashamed of him, and the king replied to her that before Yahweh he would humiliate himself even more, and that God had put him as the prince of Israel instead of her father, and she could not conceive children. 2 Samuel 6.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/Praise.htm
3.- Is music and voice excellence relevant to worship God?
If we have determined the importance of worshiping God in the Church as priority, and we are talking about how we relate to our God, the question, it is almost answered by itself; how will we not give God the best we have, the best we can do? In the same way as we give our best our loved ones, our children, our wife, or husband, for our Father who gave His Son Jesus Christ – Yahshua for us, and for the Church, we will make our best effort even more, because worship and praise is loving God, when it comes from the Christian heart. However, not all have the same quality of voice, nor are professional musicians. There, the church, the congregation and in a volunteer way those who have those gifts will do their best to direct the worship for the glory of God and for the blessing of the Church, and the rest shall follow. But indeed, all may share their music taste and share those songs that touch their hearts most for who or those who direct the worship may also bless the Church, their congregation. “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.” Psalm 33.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/History-Christian-Leadership-Spain-II.htm
4.- Must Christian worship be reserved only for the religious scenery and service?
Nor at all. Psalm 34 is a spiritual jewel of that begins the following way: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” King David always expressed his life in praise becoming the anointed of the Lord and continues to be till today figure of the type of man who knows God. Also, from the children does God receive praise: “14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” Matthew 21.
The apostles walked praising, and Paul was teaching about the sacrifice of lips that confess the name of Jesus Christ as a praise: “15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Hebrews 13.
All these things are done daily, at every moment, outside of a religious scenery or service at the Church, therefore, Christian life is a live of praise and worship, because the Christian heart lives with God, like Paul says in Ephesians 5:19: “…singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…” and this not only in the private life, but at work, in society in general, in a way that the Christian must emanate his praise and confess the name of Christ to his neighbour, because it is loving the neighbour to share the salvation of God.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/JesusNazareth.htm
5.- Does the Christian have to praise God only with Biblical words?
If the Christian heart emanates words of praise and worship to God which are not from he Bible, but are according to Christian doctrine, must express with faith, confidence and love to God what he receives from the Holy Spirit. If the words that expresses are against the Sane Doctrine and are idolatry, or a mixture of religions, etc., any other Christian will identify them and reject them. The Bible is our guide of life and doctrine, under the vision of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, from the interpretation of the New Testament. In Acts 3:8 the healed, jumped and was going praising God, we cannot be sure of if he did it with Biblical words, but his heart was thankful to God. When we receive Christ by faith and we feel saved, our heart praises God, and does not know much of the Bible, but God rejoices that we have received His Spirit and believed in His Son Jesus Christ.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/Biblical-Theology-and-Doctrine.htm
6.- Is it contrary to God that the Christian listens to non-Christian music and songs?
This question could well be answered by another: What difference does a Christian feel between a simple song, and singing and praising God? The heart that feels the presence and the love of God will always prefer to sing and listen to worship songs. But it is not as simple. What impedes to enjoy good music and song that talk about love, nature, friendship, and good things? Hasn’t God given the gift of music? And with that gift some great works of classical music have been created, or will we say that a waltz or an opera, as long as the words are not offensive, violent, or against the Christian faith, are against what God pleases? In fact, much of classical music or opera are not Christian, but are excellent and with a human message. In the same way majority of music and songs are about love relationship and about history and are not against the Christian faith. I believe that an equilibrium, and depending on the moment and circumstance, all music styles may be appropriate, but the Christian will always praise His Lord. In the same way as we study philosophy, laws, medicine, engineering, and we do not concentrate in praising God, although we should when we work for His glory, because they are knowledges that may be used for that, in doing good. Also, a non-Christian song that focuses on a motivating message, happiness, or about love is also of the like of the Lord. Psalm 32:7 tells us of some songs of liberation that we do not know: “ You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.” But the Psalm changes in the next verse and is the Lord who talks to David; read it in the Bible. And like Paul would say: “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/philosophical-and-existential-questions-to-christianity/
7.- What would become of the Christian and of the Church without the praise to God?
Praise to God and the use of music are gifts that God has given us for our relationship with Him becomes a deep spiritual experience, and full of the Character of God. In fact, when the Christian or the Church does not praise, it is ill spiritually, and I don’t mean that they must all sing, but that the heart praises God. In my Bible Study about praise, I wrote the following: If you have noticed that your church is not joyful, it does not prosper, that there is no unity for projects of the Lord, etc, question yourself about praise inside your congregation, if it exists at all, and whether it is worthy and of spiritual excellence to the Lord our God, as Psalm 33 reminds us. So, my beloved brethren, pastors, leaders or responsible of the churches or congregations, this is a fundamental part of your ministry and a proof of love to God, unity of the people of the Lord. “…Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His Name.” Hebrews 13:15. Therefore be hopeful, organize your worship and praise the Lord, as well as your preaching, because the Lord enthrones in the praises of His people. Yes, it is a pleasing sacrifice to God, both praise and preaching are both a way to confess the Name of God, that we must understand and experience like a spiritual sacrifice of love to God, for so does Scripture show it to us as we have just read.
I also included in that Study, of which I put a link below: As Gospel music I recommend: “When the Saints go marching in”, from Louis Armstrong with more than 140 versions from other authors and today sung around the world in praise, or “Nobody knows The Trouble I’ve Seen”. “Amen”, from Accor Singers. “Oh Happy Day”, from The Edwin Hawdins Singers. “Let my people go”, or “Down the river side”, from Soul Gospel. “Glory, Glory HalleluYah”, from Jo Ann Pickens. “We Shall Overcome”, from Bishop Paul S. Morton, SR & The Greater St. Stephen Mass Choir. And finally, “Silent Night” from Carle Frederiks. These Gospel songs tell and transmit the experience of the faith of the Christian soul, of its hope in the coming of the Kingdom of God, and of the longed-for return of the beloved Lord Jesus Christ – Yahshua, while the Holy Spirit takes sus by the hand until that great day. And the joy of our soul and of our spirit depends of our praise to God.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/Praise.htm
8.- Are the old Christian Hymns an acceptable way of praise today?
I have personally experienced having been part of the “Ensemble de la Reforma” a small music group with choir and strings instruments, that was created to celebrate the V centenary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017 with music and words of praise from hymns of the XVI century onwards, how, not only to Christians of other churches, but to the public in general liked much the experience in the different places where we went, whether churches or not, and of all denominations, including Catholic cathedrals. Psalms, hymns like “Amazing Grace”, “Thine is the Glory”, or the hymn of the Protestant Reformation “Mighty Fortress” where greatly appreciated but all the audience, which was as surprising for good. What I think is of great blessing is to do special events during the year with different types of worship music, for they enrich the Church and call-in new believers, whether Psalms, whether old hymns with classical music, or Gospel, etc. all Christian music is for blessing, when it is composed and interpreted with a heart that loves God and the Church, with a lyric based in the Word of God, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/Protestant-Reform.htm
9.- Why some Christian denominations use to prohibit music or instruments?
Being that musical talent is a gift of God, it should mainly be used to worship. “Praise Him with the lute and harp! 4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance…” Psalm 150. This one and many other Psalms and other books of the Bible show us how the heart of God is with praise, music, song, dance, and musical instruments. The New Testament continues the expression, for example, with Mary, virgin, when she sang when she conceived from the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:46-55).
We know there is music, dance and songs demonic, evil, sinners, but the same as with the words, it is the spirit of each believing person who is with the Holy Spirit who will discern if it is in his heart to sin against God or to enjoy the blessings He gives us. It is clear that it is a sound error to prohibit music, joy and praise, because God is worthy of being praised and has always blessed those who do so. “Rejoice in Yahweh, o you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. 3 Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.” Psalm 33. And in the same way the Psalm 150 invites to praise God with joy. Jesus himself was when they sang the hymn (Matthew 26:30) but it was solemn chant. However, we must not forget when the Lord Jesus was in the weddings of Cana, (John 2) when He converted the water in wine, although the Bible does not describe Jesus dancing, it is normal and traditional to dance in the weddings by those invited, and with the family, nothing strange, not evil, but where one must lough with those who lough, as well as cry with those who cry, and our Lord has left us example of a good and holy heart, who loves and participates with the human feeling which He created. Matthew 11:16-19 tells us how Jesus would compare that generation, and the hypocrisy of those who followed traditions to justify themselves, and blamed the apostles and also the Lord because they participated in activities of the family and human like eating and drinking wine, in a friendly, normal and usual ambient. However, some Jews, some branches of Christianity, and the Catholic Church in almost all its history, would condemn music, and instruments, until the introduction of the organ, and even today some denominations still prohibit the use of instruments, only permitting the choir. To finish, I would like to say that this, like other subjects, may be cause of division and disagreement, but I believe that a Christian can adapt to any type of Christian praise, whether with or without instruments if is visiting another congregation, and in his Christian and daily life use them, as king David did.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/Psalm-poetical-books.htm
10.- What is the effect for the mind of theological memorization with music?
We all remember the musicality of the multiplying tables, or of certain texts one had to learn, and they are even famous the Jewish prayers with certain movement of the body. All this makes the mind record in the memory the data, the knowledge. This say of memorizing without realizing and being pleasant is what music does with the words of the Bible or theology in the songs of praise, and this is the way it becomes easy to sing songs that we learn to praise God. In the same way the music with a focus in the antichristian and evil, with rhythmic melodies also gets recorded in the mind and transports the spirit that creates them, the same way as the Holy Spirit blesses the songs that praise God. We return to the first question, and it is, that, the importance of the holiness in all the fields of the life of the Christian is essential. As a Christian does not go to a dissertation about philosophy that enhances atheism, we must be selective with the music and the songs that we learn.
God has instructed His people to memorize His Word since the beginning as something inherent in our life and mind, as we read in Deuteronomy 6: “4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” The message is very clear and precise. In the same way the apostle Paul instructed Timothy in his second letter 3:15-16: “…and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”. Or Psalm 49: “My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.” It is well known how the escribes who have kept the Torah, learn my memory the Word, with movements of the body, a kind of trance and with some kind of song similar to a litany. The mind and the soul, the heart and the spirit are blessed when they learn the best balsam they have: the Word of God that is also Jesus Christ alive, to Whom when knowing Him makes us born again of His Spirit; He teaches us all things as God, John 14:26 and gives us the mind of Christ, 1 Corinthians 2:16.
Read a Bible Study about this subject at:
https://www.yahshua.net/receiveChrist.htm
CONCLUSION
We must worship and praise God in Christ with all our heart and when we do it with music let it be with joy, because He has loved us till death, and death of cross, and will return to take us to His eternal kingdom. What better reason can we have to sing, play music and praise our God? Music is a gift of God, a precious art for which God has provided us with inspiration, composition, vocal cords that sound with wind, and two airs to enjoy it and be able to create it. As well as the different cultures are attracted by the different music styles and they all please God, there are also violent music styles for evil use, which are not for praise, and the vast majority of styles that are adequate. We may sing and play worship music in any place, not only in religious places, but we may also do it individually every time we feel full of the Spirit and want to share it with God.
All can sing, play music, though no one is obliged, and those who do so, do it with their best quality, voice, and music because they love God the creator of all the gifts, with words of the Bible or with words of the heart which emanate the Christian love within the doctrine of Jesus Christ – Yahshua, memorizing, without noticing, the words, the lyrics, because the soul rejoices when singing to the Lord, even though it is in silence, from the inside of the temple of God that we are. What would the Christian and the Church be without music and praise? Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Psalm 150. Amen.
