ByWhen I was a teenager, I remember asking some people in my church to give me an explanation as to why Christians shouldn’t listen to secular music. Honestly, I don’t remember any of them giving me a good answer by using Biblical teachings to prove their points. Many of them told me, “Andy, it’s just not good. Don’t do it.”
As curious as I wanted to know, I continued searching for a solution for myself in the Bible. It was a careful study of a few scriptures that God used to enlighten me on this issue. But before we delve into those scriptures, what really is secular music?
Well, I define secular music as any music that doesn’t glorify God. So it’s not a matter of a song having reasonable or bad lyrics. Instead, the question is, “Does the songwriter glorify God in the music content he/she has produced?” If many believers ask themselves questions like this, they would think twice before listening to secular music.
Explanation from Bible verses in Genesis
I was one time studying Genesis chapter 4 when I came across the verse where Cain left the presence of God after he got chastised for killing Abel (Genesis 4:16.) Following that verse, everything that happened in the generations of Cain was purely evil because every invention made did not occur in the Lord’s presence. Let’s look at how secular music got invented in Genesis 4:19-21.
“Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes.” — Genesis 4:19-21 NIV Emphasis added
Five generations after Cain, Lamech married two women. One of the children of his first wife, Adah, was Jubal. He was the father (progenitor) of all who play stringed instruments and pipes (wind instruments.)
Now, if you study the descriptions of Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:13 carefully, you’ll notice two words spoken of his nature as a singer in heaven: “tabrets” and “pipes”. A tabret ( in other translations – timbrel) is a small hand drum similar to a tambourine. It signified all stringed instruments. Then, the “pipes” used in that verse represented wind instruments. Combining these two, we have the two major categories of musical instruments till today, all in one personality called Lucifer.
“You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.”- Ezekiel 28:13 NKJV (Emphasis added).
Even though Lucifer lost all these qualities, he’s still a deceiver. And because all the generations of Cain dwelt outside the presence of God, inventing any music that won’t glorify God was possible.
If evil continued in the generations of Cain, and they dwelt outside the presence of God, then Jubal was the one used by Satan to bring secular music into existence.
So the main reason why Christians shouldn’t listen to secular music is that it doesn’t originate from God. Anybody who produces such songs is not filled with the Holy Spirit. Moreover, he/she is being used by the enemy to corrupt the hearts and minds of people.
Another reason
The Bible teaches us Christians to be filled with the Spirit. However, you cannot be filled with what you’ve not consumed.
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
Ephesians 5:18 NIV
When an alcoholic becomes drunk, he loses balance in walking and controlling his body. This is because of the excess alcohol he had drunk.
In the same way, God wants us to be and stay filled with His Spirit. And for that to happen, one thing we Christians must never stop doing is by singing spiritual songs and hymns in our hearts.
You cannot be filled with what you’ve not consumed.
Here is the point: If we don’t listen to Christian songs, they will not play in our hearts. Why? Because it’s those songs that will become the spiritual content in us the Holy Spirit will use to help us stay filled with Him.
When you listen to secular music as a Christian, you grieve the Holy Spirit. Why? Because the content in those songs doesn’t glorify God. Secular music isn’t just music. It’s poison to your spirit-man. Unsubscribe from any digital content coming from these musicians.
If you’ve downloaded some secular music, be it audio or video, on your phone, declare a holy war against it. Put all jokes and excitement aside and delete them without turning back. It’s time you don’t just proclaim, “I am a holy child of God,” but also live holy unto the Lord.
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