Christian Music?
Here are a few excerpts from that “107 theses” thing that Steve Camp did a few years ago, which stirred up some anger in the “christian” music Biz for a little while and has seemed to die out. But his thoughts, as an industry INSIDER, are good for all of us to remember as we buy these CD’s and support these people with our money, and give our ears to them for them to influence us. Some of us, in my opinion, need a LOT more discernment with regard to how much stock we put in this as being “of God”. Just because they can play guitar doesn’t mean we should open our arms and homes and hearts to them the way we often do.
—tim
Steve Camp excerpts:
6. We fail to glorify Him when we praise the servant through awards and accolades rather than exalt the Master. “I was but a pen in God’s hand and what praise is due a pen?” (Baxter) God will not share His glory with another. (Psalm 115:1; Isaiah 42:8)
8. We fail to glorify Him when we make money a prerequisite for ministry; some, to their own destruction, teach that godliness is a means to financial gain. “Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 6:24-34, 10:8-10; Acts 3:6, 20:33; 1 Timothy 6:5)
9. We fail to glorify Him when we publicly honor Him with our lips, but privately have hearts that are far from Him. (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:7-9)
10. God cannot be glorified where sin is pacified; and He cannot be extolled where sin is entertained. To live in and tolerate unrepentant sin is to write Ichabod across the doorpost of our lives and industry—“the glory of God has departed.” (1 Samuel 4:21-22; 1 Corinthians 5:1-8)
11. We fail to glorify Him when pride struts like Nebuchadnezzar across the Babylonian palace of our accomplishments thinking our own hand has made us, our own hand has delivered us, our own hand has provided for us, our own hand has promoted us and our own hand has saved us. (Daniel 4:28-37; James 4:6)
12. We fail to glorify Him when we strive to please man rather than to please God. (Galatians 10: 1-10; 1 Thessalonians 2:4)
13. We fail to glorify Him when we speak and sing of the benefits of the gospel, but fail to proclaim the Gospel itself. (Matthew 4:17, 7:13-27, 9:13, 16:24-26; Luke 14:26-33; John 1:12-13; Acts 20:27; Romans 3-5, 10:9-10; 1 Corinthians 2:2, 9:16; 2 Corinthians 4:5, 7:10; Galatians 1:6-8; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 2:9-18; 1 John 2:22-23, 4:1-4, 5:1-3)
24. Paul soberly proclaims, “we are not like, as so many, peddling the Word of God for profit….” ( 2 Corinthians 2:17a) To peddle means to make retail of, to huckster or to pawn something off as merchandise.
25. Isaiah 1:22 uses the same Greek word in the LXX as Paul uses for “peddling” when saying, “Your silver has become dross and your wine mixed with water.” Those who mix wine and water did so to cheat the buyer. It resembled real wine and had the aroma of real wine, but in actuality was nothing more than a watered-down substitute—a cheap imitation.
26. Paul sternly warns that there are many con men who by slick eloquence and deceptive speech huckster or corrupt the true Word of God as retail merchandise; they dilute its truth to suit itching ears, while representing it as genuine, to purposely deceive and cheat the recipient for the sake of financial gain.( 2 Corinthians 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:3-5)
27. As Paul admonishes he also affirms, “but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:17b)
28. We have been given a sacred trust and holy privilege to be a steward of the mysteries of God in music ministry. If our music does not square with the truth of God’s Word, it must be rejected and cannot be embraced as profitable for godliness, beneficial exhortation to the church or as an effectual proclamation of the gospel. Dare we take it flippantly? ( 1 Corinthians 4:1f; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13)
40. Authentically Christian music was never intended for casual use or purely for entertainment. ( 1 Chronicles 23:5)
41. Christian music, originally called Jesus Music, once fearlessly sang clearly about the gospel. Now it yodels of a Christ-less, watered down, pabulum-based, positive alternative, aura-fluff, cream of wheat, mush-kind-of-syrupy, God-as-my-girlfriend kind of thing.
42. Christian music today lacks the power and authority that it once enjoyed for it has lost its identification with the Lord Jesus Christ. As Moses has said, “ The Lord is my strength and my song” (Exodus 15:2)
43. We are to sing a new song to the Lord. It is a song of the redeemed people of God. This new song is a different and distinctive song, a more glorious song, a purer, truer and more beautiful song than the world can ever sing. (Psalms 33:3; 96:1; 149:1; Rev. 5:9-10)
44. “In scripture, the word new is used more frequently in relation to song than to any other feature of salvation.” (MacArthur) New is not used to mean new in time, but new in character or of a different nature compared to what was old. (Isaiah 42:10)
45. Christian music stands separate from the world’s music for by definition it is Christ-centered music. Even the style is not neutral and music in and of itself is not amoral, but it is “the incarnation of the message.” (Horton) Both must honor and bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Chronicles 15:16)
46. Therefore, when Christian artists today take the old song of the world, dress it up, modify it and say it now represents the person of Jesus Christ, a Christian message or describes the character of God, they fortuitously assault the gospel and diminish the gift that has been entrusted to them. This is inappropriate at best and sacrilegious at worst. We cannot pour new wine into old wineskins. (Psalm 137; Mark 2:22)
50. While God has created many expressions to communicate His truths, music is unique. It is the only art that has a place in heaven and will endure for eternity. The angels sing, the elect saints sing and someday, we will hear the Lord Jesus Christ Himself “sing praise in the midst of the assembly.” (Hebrews 2:12; Revelation 15:3-4)
51. Christian music is unlike the music of Babylon, the world, which near the end of the age will cease: “The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters, shall not be heard in you anymore.” (Revelation 18:22)
52. God promises to silence the song of the ungodly. “I will silence the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps will be heard no more.” (Ezekiel 26:13)
74. The CCMI has committed spiritual adultery in joining itself with the wayward world in trying to forward the message of the gospel. This has and will prove to be fatal for Gospel music, as we know it today. (Deuteronomy 32:22-24; Psalm 1; Jeremiah 17:5-8)
81. Satan’s number one assault on the church is to infiltrate with error. He doesn’t want to fight the church-he wants to join it. (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:12-15; 1 Timothy 4:1)
82. Undiscerning believers think it a profound ministry strategy to join forces with unregenerate people in forwarding the gospel. Unwittingly, they harness Jesus Christ, the Worthy One, with Belial or Satan, the worthless one, in an unholy alliance-the very essence of being unequally yoked. (2 Corinthians 6:15)
83. “Ephraim is joined to idols. Let him alone” (Hosea 4:17)
88. It is impossible for God to fully bless and use His children who are in compromise with non-believers. (Romans 8:7-8)
89. “Adulterers and adulteresses. Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
107. Take a step of faith. Come away from the current industry model like Abraham venturing out into the wilderness with only the promise of God as his surety. Begin to build authentic Christian Music Ministry again. (Romans 1:17; Hebrews 10:38, 11:1, 6)