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Bad People…Good Music

How can bad people produce good music? It’s a relevant question. Because not all wholesome, God-honouring music was produced by born again believers. That may be almost too obvious to state, but it is an important place for us to start. There are even fine hymns, true to Scripture, written by unbelievers. For example, what do you think of the following lyric?

All hail to Thee, Immanuel, we cast our crowns before Thee;
Let every heart obey Thy will, and every voice adore Thee.
In praise to Thee, our Saviour King, the vibrant chords of heaven ring,
And echo back the mighty strain: All hail! All hail! All hail Immanuel!

All hail to Thee, Immanuel, our risen King and Saviour!
Thy foes are vanquished, and Thou art omnipotent forever.
Death, sin and hell no longer reign, and Satan’s pow’r is burst in twain;
Eternal glory to Thy name: All hail! All hail! All hail Immanuel!

D. R. Van Sickle wrote that hymn in 1910. Not only was he an unbeliever at the time, he wrote the song specifically to prove you don’t need to be a Christian to write a hymn! But some years later, by God’s grace, a strange thing happened. Van Sickle was in a church service when the choir sang his hymn, and the Lord used it to bring him under conviction and he got saved!

There are other examples that could be cited, but this one surely makes the point. So, how is it that bad people can make good music? Here are a few thoughts.

The Image of God

One factor is that all human beings still possess something of the image of God in their beings, distorted though it is by sin (cf. Gen. 1:27; 9:6; Jas. 3:8-9). The creativity with which God has gifted man has certainly been hampered and hindered by the fall, but it was not utterly destroyed.

Universal Principles

It is also true that the principles upon which God governs His universe are practical and self-validating. That is, anyone, whether saved or unsaved, can put the force of gravity to the test. And anyone, whether saved or unsaved, may discover that “a soft answer turns away wrath” (Prov. 15:1). Music–and lyrics–built upon God’s universal principles will benefit the hearer, no matter who wrote them.

The Restraint of the Holy Spirit

Another factor is the restraining power of the Holy Spirit working in society, especially through the people of God. Whether they admit it or not, the unsaved are benefited by the sanctifying influence of godly individuals. Much beauty and grace in the arts is due to this purifying impulse. When that is taken away at the coming rapture of the church, a tide of unmitigated evil will sweep across the earth (I Thess. 4:16-17; II Thess. 2:6-12).

In Spite of the Messenger

Finally, God honours the proclamation of His Word. When Scripture is quoted or its truths are framed in song, that truth has a life and power of its own through the Spirit, irrespective of who composed the music (Heb. 4:12).

Years ago, I got to know a famous Canadian agnostic. In his early years, he was an eloquent and effective preacher of the gospel. People were saved under his ministry–including one of my fellow-pastors. But he told me later, quite frankly, that he never believed a word of what he preached. It was all an act, feeding his own ego. And that may be so. But the Spirit of God can work through the Word of God, sometimes in spite of the messenger!

No Excuse

Obviously this does not mean the spiritual condition of the messenger is irrelevant. None of these factors is meant to suggest that it does not matter whether a person is saved or unsaved, carnal or spiritual. These things are of critical importance–certainly to the individual and, in the particular case under discussion, to the music he creates and presents. However, it is demonstrably true that wicked men are capable of doing some good in temporal terms, and of  producing things of lasting value to both saved and unsaved.

By the sovereign grace of God, He sometimes uses unregenerate or unholy instruments, as He did Pharaoh in Egypt (Rom. 9:17), and Cyrus King of Persia (Ezra 1:1-2). But that is no excuse for us to ignore the matter of our own holy walk, or the use of sanctified means and methods in His service. Blessings will be multiplied when we give attention to these things.

Singers Needed

I love choral work of any kind. Have both sung in, and led, choirs since I was in my teens. I can well remember how it all started. Our church choir met for its regular Thursday evening practice. We were all assembled and waiting, when the director walked in and announced that he was having some struggles in his life, and that he was resigning his position, effective immediately. After he left us, we sat there in stunned silence for a moment. Then several of the members turned to me and said, “Bob, you lead us!

I was a member of the bass section, but had no experience leading choirs. I’ve since had a bit of training in both voice and choral conducting, but not then. However, I did the best I could, and continued in that roll for a number of years. We were not professional singers, far from it. But we loved the Lord, and determined to serve Him the best we could–which brings me a little closer to my point.

Effective choral work has always thrilled me, especially that of men’s voices. Have you ever heard any of the albums made by the British Festival of Male Voice Praise. The massed choirs are composed of men from many different groups coming together to sing. In my opinion, the result is inspiring. However, a reviewer commented about one of their recordings that, “For those who appreciate the fine craftsmanship and expertise of quality choral singing there is little here to admire and nothing to learn from….This is the honest, sincere but rather rough and basic sound of men praising God to the best of their ability.”

Well! I don’t know whether the critic realized it or not, but he actually paid them a great compliment! An “honest, sincere…sound of men praising God to the best of their ability.” He has just described the kind of from-the-heart singing that the Lord delights in. The Bible tells us, “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Sam. 16:7). And I think we can say, “The Lord does not hear as man hears; the Lord hears the heart.”

Not that I am at all denigrating skillful, trained choristers. What a blessing to hear some intricate choral work sung brilliantly. But we must not dismiss the untrained amateurs that make up most of our church choirs and ensembles. The word amateur literally means, after all, one who engages in an activity for the love of it. And if we combine a love of singing with a love for the Lord, we have a good basis to begin.

Practice and training there must be. We must not offer to the Lord that which is not our best. But if we can make a “joyful noise” that connects with the listener and communicates God’s truth, we have done well. More important that superb technique is singing with understanding and sincerity (Ps. 47:7; I Cor. 14:15; cf. Jn. 4:24).

Beyond that, we practice to communicate as effectively as possible, in hopes that our singing will neither distract from the message nor hinder the Spirit’s working through it. We should not sing to demonstrate our own ability, but to exalt the Lord. He should be the focus. In a Bible book that offers a great deal of instruction about organization and training of temple choirs in Old Testament times, notice how it is emphasized over and again that God is both the subject and the prime audience of the singing (italics added for emphasis).

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!.

I Chron. 16:8-10

If that is our focus, we will bring glory to God and blessing to His people. In his song, Prayer Before Singing, Don Hustad says:

Touch Thou my lips,
Thy beauty let me see,
And fill my heart
With love, eternally,
That men may come to know
And adore Thee.
Lord, this prayer I bring;
Lord, for Thee I sing.

How’s Your Memory?

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If you have ever struggled to recall a familiar phone number, or a street address, you may be slightly envious of Gon Yang-ling, in China. At the age of 26, he was able to recite accurately 15,000 telephone numbers! Most of us would have trouble with those 15 or so numbers we call regularly.  Other amazing feats of memory have been recorded over the years. I know of several people, including my own mother, who have been able to memorize whole books of the Bible, or hundreds of individual verses of Scripture. But such folks are unusual.

Having said that, though, it is important for us to make a consistent effort to commit as much of God’s Word to memory as we can. Then the Spirit of God can use it readily for our guidance and growth. The psalmist says, “Your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You” (Ps. 119:11). And the Lord Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them [guide them in holy living] by Your truth. Your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). He desires to “sanctify and cleanse [us] with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26). The more of the Bible we know by heart, the more spiritual good it will do us.

Yet the Lord understands our limitations. He knows how forgetful we can be. That is one reason He has provided a memory aid for believers with regard to the cross of Christ. The cross is the foundation of God’s forgiveness, of the gift of eternal life, and also of our power for life and service now. But, as the saying goes, “Out of sight, out of mind.” Yes, we have God’s inspired Word recounting what happened, but it is so easy for this pivotal event to slip from our minds. And God knew it would. So He ordained the Lord’s Supper (the Communion Service) to bring it regularly to our awareness.

The Lord’s Supper was instituted when Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples, just before He went to Calvary (Matt. 26:26-29). Later we read of the early church “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). In this context the breaking of bread is another term for the Lord’s Supper. (It would not be necessary to say they continued eating their meals.) And in teaching about this service, the Bible says it should be continued until Christ comes again (I Cor. 11:26).

James Montgomery (1771-1854) wrote a beautiful hymn in 1825 based upon this truth. As originally published, it was headed by the words, “This Do in Remembrance of Me.”

According to Thy gracious word,
In meek humility,
This will I do, my dying Lord,
I will remember Thee.

When to the cross I turn mine eyes,
And rest on Calvary,
O Lamb of God, my sacrifice,
I must remember Thee;

Not Broken, But Pierced

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One thing did not happen at the cross, and another did happen. Both of these, John says, are a fulfilment of Scripture (Jn. 19:31-37). They relate to two particular aspects of the life and ministry of Christ.

I. His Righteous Person

  1. The soldiers found it unnecessary to break the legs of the Lord Jesus, as He was already dead when they checked on Him. He was dead not because of human weakness, but because the Lord Himself chose the time to die (Jn. 19:30). He had power to give up His life, and power to take it again (Jn. 10:17-18).
  2. The fact that Christ’s legs were not broken on the cross, points to His identity as the fulfilment of an important Old Testament picture, that of the unblemished Passover Lamb (Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12; cf. Jn. 1:29; I Cor. 5:7).
  3. Legs are for walking, and in spiritual terms the walk represents daily life and experience (Eph. 4:1). Perhaps the unbroken legs of the Lamb suggest the wholeness and unsullied holiness of His life (Exod. 12:5; I Pet. 1:19).

II. His Redemptive Provision

  1. It was not enough for Jesus to die. His life’s blood had to be shed. Christ’s body was pierced, as prophesied, since this was a key aspect of His redemptive work (Ps. 22:16; Zech. 12:10; 13:1; Rev. 1:7).
  2. The shedding of His blood was necessary to provide for our cleansing from sin. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission [no forgiveness of sin]” (Heb. 9:22; cf. Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14, 20)
  3. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I Jn. 1:7) Blood flowed from His pierced feet, picturing His provision for the cleansing of our walk; blood flowed from His pierced hands, picturing His provision for the cleansing of our work; blood flowed from His pierced side, picturing His provision for the cleansing of our hearts.

Edification and Entertainment

In our entertainment hungry age, there is a legitimate question as to whether some of what goes on in our churches, thinking of music in particular, is more geared to be entertaining and tickle the emotions  than it is to be edifying. What’s the difference?

To Edify

Edification involves the building up, the strengthening and maturing of the individual. See Eph. 4:29, where “edification” translates the Greek word oikodome, and it has the sense of promoting Christian character: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” This will always be balanced with glorifying God. That is, there can be no true spiritual edification from something that dishonours the Lord (cf. Phil. 4:8).

Further, it should be noted that what ultimately builds us up may not, at least in the beginning, give us pleasure. Part of the edifying work of God is to discipline us when we go astray. The end result will be beneficial, but the process is hardly entertaining! “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives….Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:6, 11).

To Entertain

Entertainment is different. The word “entertain” means literally to hold–that is, to hold the attention, to fascinate. It is similar to the word “amuse,” which means to cause to stare. With entertainment, there is a focus on the performance and the performer’s skill, and on the personal pleasure received from it. These qualities may tend to put entertainment in conflict with edification (and with worship).

Some would argue that it is possible to do both, to edify while we entertain. Maybe. But the two will always be in competition. And the higher the entertainment value the more difficult it may be to derive edification from the experience. As concerns sacred music, we might ask: Will the glorifying of man detract from the glorifying of God? And what is the danger of mistaking personal enjoyment for spiritual benefit (cf. Ezek. 33:32).

Graphic Entertain Edify


Archibald Brown was a contemporary of Charles Spurgeon’s in the nineteenth century. But his observations here sound like they would fit many churches today. He wrote:

It is only the past few years that amusement has become the recognized instrument of our warfare and developed into a mission….The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church of Christ that part of her mission is to provide entertainment for people, with a view to winning them into the ranks. The human nature that lies in every heart has risen to the bait. Here now is an opportunity of gratifying the flesh and yet retaining a comfortable conscience. We can now please ourselves in order to do good to others.

Ouch! If the shoe fits…!

Lord’s Day Meditation – A Wider View

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Though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ (Col. 2:5).

It is so easy, in Christian service, with the intensity of urgent demands all around us, to become very narrow in our focus. To think about our little group and all its blessings and challenges. We need to do that, of course, but we must also work at being true global Christians, with an interest in what God is doing in other places.

Paul, of course, had a special reason to watch what was happening in various local churches. He was a missionary and church planter. The Lord had used him to start many of the local congregations to which he wrote. Like John Wesley, he could say, “The world is my parish,” and he speaks of his “deep concern for all the churches” (II Cor. 11:30).

But a lack of travel or wide personal involvement elsewhere does not let us off the hook. Every local assembly needs to be a strong supporter of world missions. Even when finances do not permit a large monetary investment, we can pray, we can write to missionaries, we can welcome them and show them hospitality when they visit. They will not be the only ones to benefit from this. We will too!

That wider view is expressed in Anne Ortland’s 1966 hymn which says,

The vision of a dying world
Is vast before our eyes;
We feel the heartbeat of its need,
We hear its feeble cries.

About Praising God

Luke records a time when “The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen” (Lk. 19:37). The passage suggests or illustrates some important things about praise.

praise on Palm Sunday
  1. Praising God is something “disciples” do, those who are committed followers of the Lord.
  2. It is an activity in which we “all” should engage.
  3. God’s people should unite in praise, as they did here. Their corporate praise was unified and apparently unanimous.
  4. It was joyful–like the announcement of His coming had been (Lk. 2:10). However there is an irony here. With a better understanding, Jesus weeps in the midst of their joy (vs. 41). On this side of eternity, no joy is unmitigated.
  5. It was “loud.” This indicates enthusiasm, and it meant their praise became a witness to those around. Praise should not be deafening or raucous. But if it is clear and forceful it can be a testimony to others.
  6. It was necessary (vs. 40), implying that it was also supremely appropriate to the moment. Something great and long-promised was happening (cf. Zech. 9:9-10). Praise was necessary in spite of the objections of unbelief (vs. 39). There are times when God simply must be praised.
  7. The reason for praise given here is “the mighty works they had seen” in the earthly ministry of Christ–but also in the fulfilment of God sovereign purpose in the presentation of the King (vs. 38).
  8. Praise in this life must be tinged with compassion and concern. For while we rejoice and praise the Lord, many are still in bondage and spiritual darkness (vs. 41-42). It is not too much to suggest that a praising heart will also be a missionary heart, seeking to bring others into the experience of praise.

Strange Instruments

The year 1907 was early days for the Salvation Army in Canada. Art Smith and his wife were serving as probationary captains in Coburg, Ontario. Down the street they marched one Sunday afternoon, “Blood and Fire” flag unfurled, to hold an open air meeting. They stopped in front of a fashionable hotel, where American tourists lounged carelessly on a broad veranda.

After the Smiths had sung and prayed, a short, stocky man came down the steps to ask if he might join in the singing. And, “Could we sing the old hymn, ‘Lead, Kindly Light’”? They did so. And the stranger’s soaring tenor voice electrified listeners. Conversation ceased until the hymn was done. The same thing happened when they sang “Abide With Me.” The gathering crowd strained to hear each glorious note. Something unusual was happening.

Then, as was the custom, Mrs. Smith went around with her tambourine, taking a collection to help with their work. It was filled to overflowing, providing the largest amount ever received by the couple. Not until afterward did they learn from the hotel manager the identity of their volunteer soloist. It was none other than Enrico Caruso (pictured here), the legendary tenor with the Metropolitan Opera Company.

Graphic Enrico Caruso

Certainly the most esteemed singer of his day, and one of the greatest ever, that very year Caruso had made the first million-selling recording in history. His golden voice made him rich and famous. Even those who don’t know much about opera recognize his name. But eternity alone will tell the impact of the Smiths’ humble ministry, and of the funds collected that day.

God sometimes uses strange instruments to accomplish His design. Among the most unusual in the Bible was a donkey that the Lord empowered to keep a wayward prophet from folly (Num. 22:9-35). It is a reminder that God can give power to serve His purposes to whomever (and whatever) He chooses. Even arrogant Pharaoh, who refused to release the Israelites from bondage, served the plan of God, however unwittingly (Rom. 9:17).

And what of us, as Christians, trying to serve the Lord? Our gifts and talents are of value when they are dedicated to His service. God has given them to us for a reason. But more than our ability, the Lord is looking for our availability, our readiness to do His will. And time and again He uses weak instruments to accomplish great things. “God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty…that no flesh should glory in His presence….He who glories, let him glory in the Lord” (I Cor. 1:27-31).

Strong Words About Music

Music has always been a subject that elicits strong feelings and outspoken debate. Here are three examples that are worth considering.

1) Many centuries ago, Augustine wrote the following about the sacred music of his day. Overstatement? Perhaps. But definitely food for thought in the entertainment mind-set of so many churches today.

When I am moved by the voice of him that sings more than by the words sung, I confess I have sinned.”

2) From eighteenth century pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards comes this stern statement:

As it is the command of God that all should sing [cf. Col. 3:16], so all should make conscience of learning to sing, as it is a thing which cannot be decently performed without learning. Those, therefore, who neglect to learn to sing live in sin as they neglect what is necessary in order to their attending to one of the ordinances of worship.

3) And we have this prophetic note from church musician Sir Arthur Sullivan, after Thomas Edison demonstrated for him his latest invention, the phonograph.

Dear Mr. Edison:
For myself I can only say that I am astonished and somewhat terrified at the result of this evening’s experiments. Astonished at the wonderful power you have developed, and terrified at the thought that so much hideous and bad music will be put on record forever!

If you would like to hear Sir Arthur Sullivan in person, making this comment (in a recording made in 1888), you can do so. The recording begins with a coronet and piano rendering of Sullivan’s music for The Lost Chord (unfortunately cut off before the ending). Then Sir Arthur is introduced and speaks. Here is Arthur Sullivan.

And what do you think? Are these men right?

Whose Child Are You?

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One day in 1920, a young woman jumped from a Berlin bridge, apparently attempting to commit suicide. When she was rescued, she said her name was Anna Anderson. But was it? We may never know. Sad to say, because of her troubled mind, she would be in and out of a mental institution for years to come.

A Startling Claim

Some time later, Anna claimed she was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. But the Tsar’s whole family had been murdered years before–or so people thought. So had one of them escaped? Or was this an imposter? Or was she simply deluded? Anna (or Anastasia) seemed to have a great deal of inside knowledge about the royal family. She eventually went to court to try to establish her claim. But even today, years after her death in 1984, her true identity remains in doubt.

An Important Question

Whose child are you? The answer provides a significant fact about you. We often have particular physical or mental characteristics passed on from our parents. And certain rights and privileges go with our family relationship, including our right to inherit what once belonged to others.

Something similar happens in the spiritual realm. When Jesus told the Jewish Pharisees, “You do the deeds of your father,” they thought he was speaking of their ancestor Abraham. But then Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (John 8:41, 44).  (Ouch! How that must have stung their foolish pride!)

The Bible calls sinners “the sons of disobedience,” and “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:2, 3). Because of their spiritual heritage, the lives of unbelievers are marred by sin, and they have inherited God’s eternal judgment. Not a happy prospect. But everything changes when the individual trusts in Christ as Saviour. Through faith, he or she experiences a new birth, a spiritual birth (John 1:12-13), and becomes a part of the family of God.

A New Relationship

We each need that inner transformation. The Bible says, “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus….Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 3:26; 4:7). What a privilege, to be an heir of God! In the joyful words of a hymn written by Harriet Buell in 1877,

I’m a child of the King,
A child of the King:
With Jesus my Saviour,
I’m a child of the King.”

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