The question of holiness has always been of great importance among God’s people, and it has not lost its relevance in recent times. Bible prophecy also speaks to us about this.
The Bible’s final warning reads: Revelation 22:11: ‘He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’ Very soon this verdict will be pronounced upon the whole world, and a final separation will take place that no one will ever be able to change.
But this separation will not be made at random, as in a lottery. Even now, the life of each one of us is the object of Heaven’s special observation. All the inhabitants of Heaven want to be certain that no one with a spirit of rebellion will enter Heaven and that those who are taken into the eternal dwellings can be entrusted with God’s treasures.
The holiness of a person who has placed his life in God’s hands becomes visible to the entire host of Heaven. The angels gladly bring light into the lives of God’s children and carefully observe whether that light is accepted or rejected.
Yet any human decision may be thoughtful and deliberate, or it may be spontaneous and lack inner conviction. If I understand what is being discussed and what is being offered to me, then I make a choice that is recorded beside my name in the records of Heaven.
The question of what is decent and holy in music is rather difficult, because we have not been given specific examples that could serve as a standard and pattern. What was considered vulgar in the nineteenth century appears quite decent today against the background of modern music. Moreover, we all have different ideas about decency. There are clear recommendations on this subject, yet the disputes among God’s people have never ceased.
It is very difficult to give examples of decent music in written form, but it is possible to define the criteria that should guide us.
Do not think that music has nothing to do with your Salvation. When Jesus draws me to Himself, what I enjoy listening to is not His primary concern. He accepts me just as I am, with all my sins, and reveals His love to me. If I decide to enter into a covenant with the Lord and take that step, He begins to cleanse and teach me. I then leave behind many old habits and attachments and acquire new interests and tastes. My life changes, my perception of the world becomes different, and I begin to enjoy what pleases Heaven, while certain unclean things become repulsive to me.
If someone believes that music has no influence at all upon the mind and emotions and that it makes no difference what one listens to, it is difficult to argue with such a person. One might even agree if the music were being played for crocodiles. A human being, however, has special organs of hearing that receive sound signals and tell the emotions that something pleasant is taking place.
If you have ever watched movies, you have probably noticed that they always include music, which shapes your perception of what is happening in the way the director intended. If something mysterious or evil is about to happen, the music creates tension in the emotions and intensifies the atmosphere. If the audience is meant to feel joyful, an appropriate melody must be played.
Psychologists know very well how one melody or another affects a person’s life, and they have identified patterns in this influence. Yet God’s children are often unwilling even to listen to scientific research concerning the laws of the human soul, believing that they understand such matters better than anyone else. Ignorance will not be an excuse at the judgment; rather, it will testify to the true spirit of the heart.
Music does exert an influence, and it can penetrate depths of the heart that nothing else can reach.
When I came to believe in Jesus, I did not understand that my tastes were corrupted. I listened to everything indiscriminately, unable to distinguish what was pure from what was holy. I could play rock music in the car, then sing hymns during a worship service, and afterward continue listening to pop music, as long as it pleased me. Music videos amazed me with their artistry, and I greatly enjoyed their intricate storylines. But the Lord sent me light, and I received a cassette containing a Christian program called ‘The Bells of Hell.’ I was horrified by the way I was living. As I watched it, I understood that I was unclean—deeply unclean. I realized that I was serving and glorifying Satan by listening to debased songs. The first thing I immediately did was destroy every music cassette I had in my home. I decided never again to listen to secular radio. I became terribly afraid that I might lose Eternity by surrendering my mind to Satan in matters of music. Since that time, I have always carefully analyzed what is playing, what I turn on, and what I prefer.
One of my friends shared an observation with me. He enjoys visiting his friends’ pages on the Odnoklassniki social network and listening to what they have placed in their music collections. He told me that mine was the only collection in which all the music was pure and decent. It was pleasant to hear this, but I felt sorrow for my fellow believers.
To understand what kind of music I am going to listen to, I should pay attention to its composer and to the source through which it is presented. The rhythm and arrangement of music can sometimes enhance it, or very quickly turn it from something beautiful into something dangerous to the soul.
To understand whether everything is right with me in this area, I need to devote time to prayerfully studying the subject for myself and then make a decision.
The words of a song have a special influence, but if the words are good while the melody is not, it is like preparing delicious food in a toilet and feeding it to others. A person may be filled, but the place where the food was prepared will defile everything it contains.
Stop beside almost any car, and you will hear music. People cannot tolerate silence. The following is typical: if someone turns on a pop-music station, no one objects, but if I play sacred singing, unbelieving listeners become nervous and demand silence.
Holiness in music is the result of a personal relationship with Jesus, and He will certainly reveal His will. I cannot impose my tastes on others or convince someone else about what is pure and what is not, but I have established certain criteria for myself and follow them. My approach to music is that I would rather listen to nothing than allow anything questionable to influence me.
While working in construction, I also faced times when my coworkers turned on the radio and listened to it all day. When I asked them to turn the music off, they refused or made the radio even louder. This was an interesting trial for me. I noticed how different melodies would cling to my thoughts and how the enemy would replay them afterward. I then had to struggle continually, day and night, not to hum that garbage. But the Lord taught me how to resist this as well. When I cannot change anything, I pray for protection for as long as the attack continues. Or I put my own compositions in my ears and redirect my attention to them. And the Lord, seeing my desire to resist evil, blesses me on His part.
I hear everything that is playing, filter those sounds, and activate my defenses whenever necessary.
I do not want to lose Eternity because of my ignorance, and therefore I watch very carefully everything with which I come into contact, allowing only what is pure to enter.
Bible verses for this chapter:
Exodus 32:4–8, 17–20; Proverbs 25:20; Ecclesiastes 2:8–11; Revelation 18:22; Genesis 4:21; 1 Samuel 16:23; 18:6–7; 2 Kings 3:15; 1 Chronicles 13:7–8; Psalms 33:1–4; 57:7–12; 87:7; 107:21–22; 81:2–4; 149:1–5; 150:1–6; Isaiah 12:2; 51:11; Luke 15:25; Revelation 14:1–3; 15:2–4