Hi Brian! It was 17 degrees here in PA this morning. What about Tampa, Florida? Well you have fun in the sun while we enjoy some chapstick and heating bills! hahaha! Well ... honestly, I love snow. I'm cool with 17 degrees. Hopefully we will have a White Christmas this year!
I decided to answer your question here because of all the links to Bible verses and the length of my answer. I hope you don't mind. For those of you who are reading this, Brian is a friend of mine from Florida and asked me this question:Tom, this is something that I have often wondered. I still listen to alot of secular metal music along with my christian metal classics (like Sardonyx :) ). Now there are alot of anti christian lyrics in that kind of secular metal music. I don't pay them any mind, because I know what I believe in. My question is, back in the Sardonyx days, did you guys listen to any secular metal and if so, did anti christian lyrics keep you from listening to certain bands?
Thanks for the question. It's interesting ... last night I was talking to someone on the phone about this very subject when I refreshed my Facebook page and saw your comment. Brother, let me tell you that I am very passionate about encouraging people to yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives so my comments might be a little hard core.
I have personally been "burned" by the enemy (1 Peter 5:8) and allowed myself to "go down roads" that I never should have gone down. The result always left me like Samson with my "spiritual" eyes gouged out laying powerless in the corner of a jail cell. I've also hurt a lot of friends when they needed me to be strong and I allowed my sin to scar relationships. That really bothers me. I'm tired of being a victim of demonic lies that come through others who are also people laden with sin and guilt or literally are enemies of the cross as described in Philippians 3:18-19. God redeemed us and has a powerful plan for using us to destroy the work of Satan (the god of this world) and build the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people.
It's time to redeem the time and get back to work. That is my calling.
I also love passionate, intense music. I have said for 20 years that metal music is an incredible music form to proclaim and teach the Word of God ... especially classic metal. I believe all forms of music are expressions of the Creator working through mankind. All forms of music show us parts of God's character as does the natural world (warm rain on growing grass, blistering deserts, gently falling snow, warm sun on our skin, dense fog, raging hurricanes). But all forms of music pass and everything falls away except the Word of God (Isaiah 40:7-9). To me, lyrics are the most important part of a song. Lyrics expose the heart of the writer. It is the lyrics that leave the listener with a message.
Thanks for the question. It's interesting ... last night I was talking to someone on the phone about this very subject when I refreshed my Facebook page and saw your comment. Brother, let me tell you that I am very passionate about encouraging people to yield to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives so my comments might be a little hard core.
I have personally been "burned" by the enemy (1 Peter 5:8) and allowed myself to "go down roads" that I never should have gone down. The result always left me like Samson with my "spiritual" eyes gouged out laying powerless in the corner of a jail cell. I've also hurt a lot of friends when they needed me to be strong and I allowed my sin to scar relationships. That really bothers me. I'm tired of being a victim of demonic lies that come through others who are also people laden with sin and guilt or literally are enemies of the cross as described in Philippians 3:18-19. God redeemed us and has a powerful plan for using us to destroy the work of Satan (the god of this world) and build the Kingdom of Jesus Christ in the hearts of people.
It's time to redeem the time and get back to work. That is my calling.
I also love passionate, intense music. I have said for 20 years that metal music is an incredible music form to proclaim and teach the Word of God ... especially classic metal. I believe all forms of music are expressions of the Creator working through mankind. All forms of music show us parts of God's character as does the natural world (warm rain on growing grass, blistering deserts, gently falling snow, warm sun on our skin, dense fog, raging hurricanes). But all forms of music pass and everything falls away except the Word of God (Isaiah 40:7-9). To me, lyrics are the most important part of a song. Lyrics expose the heart of the writer. It is the lyrics that leave the listener with a message.
The Standard - The Measuring Line
The Bible is God's written revelation of Himself. It is without error. It is absolute Truth. Therefore is should be our standard for living. It is a measuring line for all thoughts, dreams, visions, philosophies and world life views. This is what I believe.
With that being said, the answer to your question is YES.
There are many examples. Here is one:
Metallica made a point of slamming Christians who make judgments on people's actions 
by taking Matthew 7:1 out of context.
by taking Matthew 7:1 out of context. I hear it all the time coming from people who don't like being held accountable for their words or actions. But the next verse says, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." I personally believe there is a principle here for us to apply.
So ... applying the Bible to this subject this is a principle in my life. I judge what I write (or listen to) with the same judgment that I evaluate what others write. In other words, I compare what I hear with God's Word because it is the standard for all truth.
If a follower of Jesus Christ does not live by this principle, they will continually find themselves being swept away by the enemy. Many wonder why their Christian life "doesn't work" and why there are so many hypocrites (they see that other Christian lives not working either). And Satan continues to dull the edge of the Word of God and trash people's potential in Jesus Christ.
So what does God's Word say about the lyrics that men without God promote in their music? Here is what Jesus Himself said in Mark 7:21-23
For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "
For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' "
Jesus Himself hit the nail on the head. How about Solomon?
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:31-32
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the LORD detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:31-32
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD. Proverbs 23:17
Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Proverbs 24:1-3
Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Proverbs 24:1-3
There is much more but I just wanted to show you a couple verses that I live by.
The Bottom Line
I listen to a lot of music written and performed by people who don't know Jesus Christ in the same way I watch movies and other forms of media. But I have learned to compare what I allow into my mind with what I know God's Word, the Bible clearly teaches as a standard. If the Creator tells me (His creation) that something will hurt me, I won't allow it into my brain. I have found that this is the key to happiness, joy, peace and success in my relationship with Jesus Christ. But we have much to learn from people who have been gifted by God (musically) and don't even realize where they received their gift.
Call sin, sin ... and live by this principle found in Ephesians 5
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
I realize that is a long answer to your question Brian but it comes from my heart!
2 comments:
Thanks for the in depth answer, Tom. I struggle with this alot because what I believe in my heart doesn't necessarily exude from my flesh. Sometimes I have thought that I'm not worthy of the Lord. But I know that is just foolish thinking. I really need to get down in the weeds with God and discover what I need to do to better myself so I feel worthy enough. Ephesians 5 is a good place to start.
But honestly bro, Ephesians 5 is a tough chapter to live in this world we live in. Thanks for being open and honest with me. You are not alone. We must never give up and give in to the notion that God is unreachable or too hard to love. We should be real happy that Jesus Himself hung out with us in a human body. If He hadn't done that He would have never totally understood the stuff that we are faced with. And don't forget that even Paul (who wrote half the New Tetament) said he struggled with doing things he wish wouldn't do. The answer, in my opinion, is to never stop coming back (1 John 1:9) and seeking forgiveness and intimacy with the Father. Thanks for your thoughts. God bless you and your family!
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