music? a sin?

[Trusting Jesus]

I haven't read through all of this thread, but my opinion is "Garbage in, garbage out". Music has a way of becoming a part of us. I can hear 1 or 2 notes of a song that I grew up listening to in the 60's and I know what the song is and can sing every word...most of which I am ashamed that I know. The closer I get to God the less secular things I want to do and listening to secular music is one of those things. I don't seem to even like the songs with OK lyrics. I just wany my music to praise God. My daughter likes rap music (yuk) but only Christian rappers (I am sure to listen - yuk - to it and read the words to be sure).

There is a group called Apologetix (you can look them up on the web) who are wonderful. The take secular music and put Christian words to it and they can imitate the original recordings perfectly. I love their parody of Barbara Ann -- Bah, bah, bah, bah bah we're lambs. I also like their parody of Oh What a Night. Their's goes "Oh what a night, it late December 5 or 6 BC"..then tells of the birth of Christ.

<>< ><>

Nathele

[OneLight]

I guess it all boils down to we are what we feed ourselves. Physically, mentally or spiritual, through our mouth, our eyes or ears ... makes no difference.

[ColleenLovesMischief]

All music is either of the soul (soulish) or of the Spirit.

There is a difference.

Music of the soul lacks the Holy Spirit as its author and therefore not of God.

Music of the spiritual man (regenerated) should be in obedience to first create it, and secondly, to be used of God in its composition.

It is either of the world or of God.

There is no medium, nor compromise.

Yep so you better not read anything other than Christian either, and if you have a tv never take it off of the Christian station.

(that is what you were getting at right?)

[JCISGD]

This topic always brings out the legalistic and the licentious

Either we trust the Holy Spirit to speak to His own.....or we can impose our "christian morality".

Which will it be?

I'm all for grace ruling the day

Hi Yod, the OP has asked for advice or opinions, so you would tell him just seek the Holy Spirit? That is acceptable advice but at the same time does it not imply no need of pastors, evangelists and preachers of the gospel? I mean surely the Holy Spirit will just convert the lost or bring correction to the church without us imposing any morality on them?

Rather does not the Holy Spirit use truth spoken by men to bring conviction, "for without a preacher how will they hear". It is not legalism to give sound counsel on the mind of God when asked, and if we dont know Gods mind about a subject can we not find out by asking Him?

I think maybe you are fence sitting and not willing to give the counsel of God when asked. Paul said "follow me as I follow Christ" and a Christian must also be able to say this.

[ColleenLovesMischief]

This topic always brings out the legalistic and the licentious

Either we trust the Holy Spirit to speak to His own.....or we can impose our "christian morality".

Which will it be?

I'm all for grace ruling the day

Hi Yod, the OP has asked for advice or opinions, so you would tell him just seek the Holy Spirit? That is acceptable advice but at the same time does it not imply no need of pastors, evangelists and preachers of the gospel? I mean surely the Holy Spirit will just convert the lost or bring correction to the church without us imposing any morality on them?

Rather does not the Holy Spirit use truth spoken by men to bring conviction, "for without a preacher how will they hear". It is not legalism to give sound counsel on the mind of God when asked, and if we dont know Gods mind about a subject can we not find out by asking Him?

I think maybe you are fence sitting and not willing to give the counsel of God when asked. Paul said "follow me as I follow Christ" and a Christian must also be able to say this.

Was yod just called something?

[~candice~]

This topic always brings out the legalistic and the licentious

Either we trust the Holy Spirit to speak to His own.....or we can impose our "christian morality".

Which will it be?

I'm all for grace ruling the day

Hi Yod, the OP has asked for advice or opinions, so you would tell him just seek the Holy Spirit? That is acceptable advice but at the same time does it not imply no need of pastors, evangelists and preachers of the gospel? I mean surely the Holy Spirit will just convert the lost or bring correction to the church without us imposing any morality on them?

Rather does not the Holy Spirit use truth spoken by men to bring conviction, "for without a preacher how will they hear". It is not legalism to give sound counsel on the mind of God when asked, and if we dont know Gods mind about a subject can we not find out by asking Him?

I think maybe you are fence sitting and not willing to give the counsel of God when asked. Paul said "follow me as I follow Christ" and a Christian must also be able to say this.

The best advice IS to follow the Holy Spirit. There is no hard and fast rule that does not envoke legalism. Each and every situation we find ourself in, we should seek the guidance of the spirit. It is not possible to reduce this guidance to a set of rules, sorry, but you cannot do this.

[JCISGD]

Colleen I did not call Yod a name, I only said I thought he might be fence sitting? which is a description of behaviour and not a persons worth. Are you being mischievious?

We are not to be guided by impressions but by what we know is morally right, and the Holy Spirit does not contradict that which we are given in the bible.

If anyone thinks it is ok to live for self while souls are being lost every second, then can they be following the Son of God whos single mission was to seek and save the lost?

I have already confessed to be guilty of the very thing I am speaking against, but does that excuse anyone?

Anyway if im a fruitloop then i guess my words should not upset anyone, but if the Holy Spirit is convicting then you might just be kicking against the goads.

[Fez]

I concur with Yod. Seek the Holy Spirit.

Joh 14:26 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you".

We do this through reading the Word, prayer, and listening to teachings (but in those teachings we are to seek the Holy Spirit as well). Some teachings (and comments, even here on Worthy), by men, are not of the Holy Spirit.

Sowing discord is one aspect we have to have discernment about, and we should guard ourselves against (I have to do this constantly concerning myself and some of the answers I give)

Blessings

[Guest yod]

We are not to be guided by impressions but by what we know is morally right,

Our best "morality" is a stench in the nostrils of God. It's a pale substitute for righteousness in the Holy Spirit.

This is the same debate that came up in Acts 15. "Shall we impose our (jewish) morality on the gentiles?"

The Apostles and the Holy Spirit wisely decided that it could not be imposed. They never said that they themselves would stop observing the Law of Moses but that these gentiles wouldn't be able to handle the laws of Israel while living in the lands of Rome. Their decision was that the Holy Spirit would convict each person at his/her own pace about righteousness "for Moses is read every Sabbath in the synagogue"

In the same way, Gregory will never learn to walk on his own two feet if people start imposing morality on him. Did someone impose his salvation on him? Can we not trust that the Holy Spirit will finish what He started? Do you not see that Gregory is asking the question because the Holy Spirit is already convicting him about what he feeds his mind? We should help him learn to listen to the Holy Spirit instead of being the Holy Spirit for him.

If it's Gregory's decision, he will ultimately stand even if he falls a dozen times. If it's someone else "morality" being imposed on him, he will find himself quite confused about how to meet some human expectation of "morality" and eventually give up...or be bound by religion.

Yuck. Did I mention that I hate religion? Morality = religion

[Sir Gareth]

If it is written plainly in the bible it is NOT legalism, it is only legalism to them that wish to excuse themselves of living in a biblical manner.