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The Purpose of Sacred Music

The second piece of this puzzle is to define the real purpose of sacred music--communicating the truth. I can think of no justification--not logically, and certainly no Biblically--for using sacred music as entertainment.

When we view sacred themes as entertainment, commonness can replace reverence. Rather than learning to revere and honor the Word, we become calloused to it through exposure to that which minimizes by inference the seriousness of its message.

Entertainment, by its very nature, is a diversion from reality. Rather than serving as an escape, sacred music should serve to focus men's minds on the truth of God.

If sacred music is viewed as a vehicle to communicate truth, Christians would eliminate many modern errors. Performance techniques that call attention to the performer and away from the message of the song, accompanists that overwhelm the listener and dominate the song as unnecessary distractions, and musical styles that are not conducive to the communication of the text would be obvious. Naive Christians would cease to honor and adore the performers who demand more attention than the songs they sing.

The Place of the Singer

Christian "superstars" have developed a cult-like following. "Fan magazines" tell of the private lives of this new breed of hero. Their concerts become great events in the Christian community, complete with high ticket prices, laser light shows and live bands accompanied by raucous cheering and applause. The "superstar syndrome" puts the emphasis in the wrong place. The singer should never overshadow the song.

If communication of truth is our goal, the messenger immediately becomes subservient to the message. When a musician places the emphasis on ministry rather than on entertainment, he keeps self out of the way and the message foremost.

There are plenty of superstars abroad today and many more who are aspiring to stardom. Instead of superstars, we need committed, clean Christians who are consumed with their message.

The Purity of the Song

In considering a piece of music, we must examine both the words and the music. We must examine the lyrics in light of the Scripture. They should be free from error, and they must be clear and understandable. Fundamental churches would never permit heretical messages to be preached from the pulpit, but they have allowed heretical messages to be sung on a regular basis. Error is more dangerous when it is sung than when it is spoken because the listener tends to remember it longer.

The second aspect of a song that we must consider is the music itself. We must carefully examine two aspects of music. The first is, does the music agree in style and mood with the text? The music is the vehicle that carries the text. In normal verbal conversation, vocal inflection, pitch of the voice, and facial and bodily expressions affect the perception of the message communicated.

The second consideration given to the music must be the presence of sensuality. Galatians 6 reminds us of the battle going on between the flesh and the Spirit. The sensual feeds the flesh, not the spirit. Most secular contemporary music is grossly sensual. Any reading of the comments of the musicians themselves or of those who comment on their music will reveal that sensuality is the goal of their music. The inference is obvious. If Christian musicians use exactly the same styles of music with sacred words, are the songs any less sensual?

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