Music Has Meaning and It Is Moral or Immoral

One could argue that musicians are the most popular people in the world.  Three of the most followed people on instagram are musicians, four of the top ten on twitter (X).  Rick Warren in his Purpose Driven Church book says that choice of music style for a church is the biggest, most important determiner of the numerical growth of the church.  If musical style matters so much to people in the world, how is it that it really means nothing as many in the church address it with importance?  Of course, music, not just the words, mean something.  Through various passages, scripture indicates this.

Music itself communicates and almost anyone and everyone in their heart of hearts know this.  They know it like “self-evident” truth.  In this post, I’m not going to try to prove that, because I’ve done it so many times before.  Several very good arguments from scripture and then ones based upon natural law say that music has objective meaning, like words or a language.  It can in itself communicate something moral or immoral.  It is not amoral.  This is why even rock musicians call just their music itself “sexy.”  Can music be sexy?  Yes.  Everyone knows that, and if they do not, its just because they’re not thinking about it at all.

If musical style can be immoral, it can be sinful.

Christians Have Liberty

I believe in Christian liberty.  Paul argues for it in 1 Corinthians 6-10.  That section of 1 Corinthians helps someone understand what is a liberty.

The Apostle Paul uses several words to communicate liberty, the word “liberty” one of them (7:39, 8:9, 10:29).  He also says, “lawful” (6:12–twice, 10:23–twice) and “power” (9:4, 5, 6, 12–twice).  Actually, “liberty” and “power” translate the same Greek word (exousia, 8:9, 9:4).  If you look at BDAG, the premier lexicon, the usage of exousia is a “freedom of choice” or “right.”  The word “right” isn’t in the King James Version of 1 Corinthians 6-10, but Paul uses exousia like that, even though it has several other types of uses.

So let’s ask a question using the term, “right.”  Does a Christian have the right to listen to any type of musical style?  Or perhaps a couple other different kind of questions.  Does a Christian have the right to use whatever musical style he wants for worship?  And, does a Christian have the right to allow for another Christian to listen to whatever musical style he wants or another church to use whatever musical style it wants for worship?

Musical Style Is Not a Christian Liberty

I’m saying that music style isn’t a Christian liberty.  To prove that, I have to understand what is a Christian liberty, or put the way I’ve discussed, I have to understand the rights of a Christian.  “Rights” are a popular subject, especially whether human rights or civil rights.

Thomas Jefferson maybe more than anyone made “rights” a popular subject.  In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson mentions the Creator endowing all men with certain inalienable rights.  The way he uses the term in the Declaration is close to how Paul uses exousia in some of the cases in 1 Corinthians, especially chapter 9, when he says he and others have the right to marry or the right to forbear working.  The King James Version says “power” and not “right,” but that’s what Paul meant.

No One Has Liberty To Sin

Liberty in 1 Corinthians 6-10 relates to the grace of God.  With how Paul writes and talks, he might ask if grace gives someone liberty to sin.  He does ask that very question in Romans 6:1.  Is grace about the freedom to do what we want to do, essentially to do what we desire, what someone might describe as what we lust after?  Believers don’t have the right to sin.  It might be a legal right based on secular laws, but God didn’t and does not give anyone the right to sin.

Jefferson said that God gives men rights.  Sin isn’t one of them though.

Based on the application of many different verses of scripture, playing or involvement with a certain style of music is sin.  Even choosing to listen to those styles is sin.  Furthermore, the playing or involvement with a certain style of music can violate guidelines for Christian liberty.

More to Come