Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; |
Bible Question: I am writing a paper on Contemporary Christian music and the controversy over it. Can I have some feedback on some views about the topic? |
Bible Answer: Hi Dablond08, 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 Tim 3:13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Whether you are talking about music or books, church leaders or church-goers, teachers, radio, TV, or any other arena in which Christianity is expressed, there are many false, and some true. "I was a beggar in the alleyway, until one desparate passion play. The dice were loaded and the devil had won, and I lay dying in the dark. You took me in and covered me, turned on the light that made me see who I am without Your Son, the King of Kings, the Risen One!" This is from the hard rock of Resurrection Band (Beggar in the Alleyway - Colours), a Christian band whose 30 ministry gave instead of taking, whose witness and testimony led many to enduring relationships with Christ, and who continue to serve the downtrodden of inner city Chicago. "Heaven sings it, heaven bows down, heaven worships around Your presence! Join the angels, join the elders, join with heaven's host forever! As heaven sings it, we will join them in that song: Holy Holy Holy, Lord God Almighty!" This is the title track from one of Scott Cunningham's "Worship Generation" collection albums, containing pop-rock to hard rock. This is another ministry that centers on worship and discipleship, a ministry that serves and glorifies God. These are but two examples of Godly music produced by true believers who are serving the Lord, in my opinion at least. But the sad truth is, for each one that is true to the Lord, there are probibly hundreds that are Christian in name only, and who are simply serving themselves. I find the same thing to be true of the "Christian" book publishing industry. Bookstores are filled with books, commentaries, novels, that claim godliness, but do not possess it. Many churches are largely filled with people who claim Christianity, but do not possess it. Radio, TV, internet, you name it - 2 Tim 3 1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult (literally "fierce" times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. CCM is well known, and the failings of it's false representatives are shown in public. As a band claims Christ but pursues the flesh, it's easy for people to see, and so there is much controversy. But there is another thing to consider as well. Christian music has undergone this same controversy for centuries, as music is written in the style of the day. But the songs that weren't "keepers", weren't kept. There has been major controversy in the past, even in the hymns of the reformation as they were written, in that they were not the psalms, and there were many who had a huge problem with that. Classically throughout history, the older generation claims that what the younger does is not proper, because "that's not the way we did it". Now, in many cases, that's a good rule of thumb, so long as what the older generation did that which was right. But in something subjective such as the style of music we sing, well, how can we say a certain type of music is wrong? If we were to condemn all styles and types of music that has been condemned by the generations preceding us, we'd be throwing out much of what is accepted in churches today, as much has been condemned at one time or another. Should the Lord tarry, let us see what endures to the next generation. Let us see what is approved by the Lord, in the Kingdom to come. Let us test all things, and hold fast to what is good. And let us not compromise, nor close our eyes to ungodliness wherever we may find it. These are my views, since you asked. I hope this helps! Love in Christ, Mark |