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Music can be good for the soul
I submit that the
kinds of music we listen to influence us as much as the books we read,
the places we go, and the friends we make. To a large extent, the music
we listen to molds our thinking. It may be that we are what our music
is.
Good music is good for the soul.
The Bible says that it is what goes into the heart that defiles a man
not the food he eats. Of course, the good side is the same process --
feed the heart good stuff and good stuff comes forth.
The apostle Paul recognized the good use for good music. He told the
Ephesian Christians (Eph. 5:19), "Speak to one another with psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the
Lord." He said almost the same to the Colossians (3:16), "Let the word
of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with
all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with
gratitude in your hearts to God."
Paul was talking about individuals singing and about listening: there
was to be teaching and admonition in song.
Our music should be a part of our everyday worship to God. "Shout for
joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come
before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God," the Psalmist
said. Also, "Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous
things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him."
Like anything else, there is the good and the bad. But we must seek out
the good in our music.
There
is plenty of it.
We believe churches today should
follow the model of the New Testament church as it preached and
practiced the teaching of Jesus and His apostles. Because of this, we
encourage congregations of Christians to worship with vocal music only,
just like the early church did. The New Testament church, when under the
guidance of the inspired apostles, sang psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs, making melody in their hearts, but they did not use instruments.
You can read about singing in the
early church in Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19; 1 Corinthians 14:15,
26; and Hebrews 13:15. These verses speak only of singing, and
historical documents, beyond any doubt, show that for many centuries
Christians used no instruments in their worship.
The term “a
cappella,” which we all use to describe singing without
instrumental accompaniment, originally meant “as in the church.” By
singing a cappella, then, we
sing as the early church always did. In this way, we can be sure our
worship in song will please God because we are following both the
biblical command to sing and the example of the early church.
Click on
any of the Links below to aid you in appreciation of music approved for
worship to God:
Backgrounds and stories behind your favorite hymns
Recordings of
Acapella Music for your free Enjoyment
Links to groups
producing Acapella Music for purchase
Articles about
singing and music
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