Secular v Christian music


 I just read an article on praise music on Yahoo News. It was an interesting article, mentioning that certain songs have been on the Billboard Top 100 charts for quite a long time, some for more than 77 weeks.

Many listeners are drawn to songs featuring references to Heaven, God, altars, and strong emotions. However, my main concern is that these songs, while sounding spiritual, are actually secular and not focused on worship. This blending of secular themes with spiritual language is not new—it has often occurred in songs that address topics such as loss or longing, sometimes even invoking God's name for personal gain rather than worship.

Now, understand, a great deal of music is generic, focusing on loss of a loved one, a dog, or a truck. Or expressing strong desires to achieve a goal, and there’s nothing wrong with that – at all. Music will always influence a reaction, but true praise and worship music stirs the soul and helps direct the listeners toward God, not a goal or a sensual emotion. Songs like Ordinary, mentions altars, angels, and sanctuaries, but it’s about the artist’s wife, and Lose Control is about how the man feels when his woman isn’t in his presence.

I admit when I heard Jelly Roll had a hit in the Christian song community, I raised an eyebrow, until I heard the song and read the backstory. Apparently, Jelly Roll is a born-again Christian who stepped away for a season. When Brandon Lake asked him to do the song with him, Jelly Roll tried to give him every reason, every out designed to have Brandon pick someone else. Brandon held fast, and Jelly Roll is back on track with God. Music is a powerful force, evoking emotions, their direction in life, and even encouraging people to make certain lifestyle choices.

The core of my argument is that not all music that appears spiritual truly honors God. For example, Satan, originally created to lead worship, corrupted this purpose by focusing on pride rather than genuine worship. Similarly, music that sounds or feels spiritual can lead listeners toward sensuality, greed, pride, or personal gain, rather than encouraging true worship that opens one to God's presence. True praise and worship music points listeners directly to God, while much of today's "secular praise" points elsewhere.

Bottom line for me is, be careful what you listen to. Be cautious about what you watch, read, and engage with. Because not everything that sounds, looks, or feels spiritual honors God.

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