
               IS GOSPEL ROCK CHRISTIAN?

.     Many Christians today are  faced  with  the  controversy  of Gospel rock 
music.  Are you?  Are your loved ones?  What does the Bible  say?  Because of 
the growing place that Gospel rock has in Christendom today,  we are concerned 
that individuals come  to  a Scriptural  conclusion  in  order to satisfy the 
Holiness of God.  Let's "search the scriptures;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  
have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me" (John 5:39).  
.     What  is  acceptable  music?  the  question  is  not what is acceptable 
to us,  but what is acceptable to  God.  Remember,  we must,  in  everything  
we  do,  present  [our]  bodies  a  living sacrifice, holy,  acceptable unto 
God,  which is [our] reasonable service"  (Romans 12:1).  Verse 2:  "And be 
not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your 
mind,  that ye may prove what is good,  and acceptable,  and perfect, will of 
God." 
.     Let's hear what  some  supporters  say  about  Gospel  rock: 

 "Gospel  rock  is  a  matter of individual choice." 
 "God is using Gospel rock to reach many lost souls." 
 "It has a special  message for youth." 
 "It attracks the attention of the drug users." 
 "It is effective." 

.     These  statements  sound good and logical to the carnal ear.  There is 
no doubt that Gospel rock is effective, but to what end?  
.     Music today is one of the most popular and  effective  forms of  
communication.  Its  language  speaks  in every tongue and to every nation.  
Music stimulates one's emotions in  different  way according to the rhythmical 
tempo, the lyrics, and so forth.  One can  be  soothed  to  relaxation  and 
contentment,  or one can be stirred to dance to the pounding beat.  Music with 
lyrics is  one of the most common channels of self-expression, and one's mood 
or motive  usually determines the nature of what is expressed.  As a man 
thinketh in his heart, so is he (see Proverbs 23:7).  

.     Let's focus on the nature of Gospel rock music.  

.     In order to justify Gospel rock music,  one  must  sacrifice purity of 
heart.  As born again Christians,  we must realize that "the flesh lusteth 
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:  and these are contrary 
the one to  another:  so  that  ye cannot  do  the  things  that  ye would" 
(Galations 5:17).  Is it right for the Born again Christian  to  expose  
himself  to  that which  will  arouse  the  carnal  senses  and activate a 
struggle against the Spirit of truth within us?  
.     Gospel  rock  contains  lyrics  which  talk  about   Christ.  However,  
they  exist within the realm of compromise.  Because of the rapid growth of 
Christianity and the popularity of  rock  and roll, men have chosen the way of 
compromise.  They are seeking to degrade  the  pure  Gospel  of  Jesus Christ 
to accommodate their carnal desires.  They do this  when  they  take  
something  which seems  to  represent  God  and  combine  it  with something 
which identifies with Satan.  
.     GOD  HATES  COMPROMISE!   Revelation  3:16  says,  "So  then because 
thou art lukewarm,  and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my 
mouth." 
.     Where is the line of  separation  concerning  Gospel  music?  The Bible 
says,  "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any 
man love the world,  the love of the Father is  not  in  him.  For all that is 
in the world,  the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride 
of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth 
away, and the lust thereof:  but he that doeth  the  will  of  God  abideth 
forever.  Little children, it is the last time: and ye have heard that 
antichrist shall come,  even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know 
that is is the last time" (1 John 2:15-18).  
.     The reason we cannot love the things of the world is because of their 
influence and effect  on  the  Christian's  relationship with God.  
.     We must identify with God's people and,  most of all,  God's Holiness.  
God's Holiness demands separation from  the  world  in every  step of the 
Christian's walk.  Because music is a big part of the Christians worship,  and 
worship is the channel  of  self-expression  to  God,  we  must  be careful 
not to compromise true holiness to satisfy our own desires.  
.     2 Corinthians 6:14-17 exposes the line of separtation  which we  are  
accountable  to:  "Be ye not equally yoked toghther with unbelievers:  for 
what fellowship hath light with  darkness?  And what  concord hath Christ with 
Belial?  Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what 
agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  For ye are the temple of the 
living God;  as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;  and I 
will be their God and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come  out  from 
among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean 
thing; and I will recieve you." 
.     Notice  the  contrasts  in  verses  14-16:  Christians being unequally  
yoked  together  with  unbelievers,   righteous   with unrighteousness, light 
with darkness, and Christ with Belial.  
.     Separation  from  the world must be a distinct part of every born again 
Christian's life.  God first instituted separation  in the  very  dawn  of  
creation when He seaparated the day from the night, light from darkness, and 
land from sea.  It is interesting to note that in  the  creation,  separation  
came  before  fruit-bearing.  It was only after the separtaion of light from 
darkness and  the  division  of land from sea that the earth brought forth her 
fruit.  And so it is with us.  How  can  we  expect  to  bear fruit if we are 
still part of the devil's kingdom?  
.     It   is  well-known  fact  that  rock  music  has  laid  the foundation 
for rebellion in the hearts of many young  folks.  But what about all those 
who claim salvation through the influence of Gospel rock music?  The 
incongruity that salvation through Gospel rock  represents  in the light of 
the divine grace of God working in the heart of the believers,  is challenged 
by the words  Jesus spoke  when  the  scribes accused him of having an evil 
spirit in him.  Mark 3:22:  "And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem 
said,  He hath Beelzebub,  and by the prince of devils casteth he out devils." 
Notice the answer Jesus gave them in verses  23  and 24: 
.     "And  he  called  them  unto  him,  and  said  unto  them in parables,  
How can Satan cast out Satan?  And  if  a  kingdom  be divided against itself, 
that kingdom cannot stand." 
.     It  is plain to see that God does not use something satanic, or satanic 
influence,  to bring salvation to the  lost.  He  gave His Son Jesus Christ, 
and through His death and ressurection made it  possible  for  all  to  be 
saved.  And it is only through the death of our fleshly  desires  and  the  
resurrection  of  a  new creature within that we are saved.  "I am the way, 
the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the father, but by me" (John 14:6).  
.     We can also see by the lives of the rock artists  that  they identify  
with  the  kingdom of this world by suggestive clothing they wear.  The hair 
styles and the make-up are no different from those who are lost in the depths 
of sin.  The appearence  of  the child  of  God on the outside should be a 
reflection of the child of God within.  
.     Gospel  rock  relies  heavily  upon  instrumental  music  to achieve its 
purposes.  We as Christians, however, are thankful to God  for  the  voices  
we have to praise God in song.  We have no need of the aid of earthly 
instruments to  express  ourselves  in worship to God.  "God that made the 
world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of  heaven  and  earth,  
dwelleth  not  in temples  made with hands;  neither is worshipped with mens 
hands, as though he needeth  any  thing,  seeing  he  giveth  life,  and 
breath, and all things" (Acts 17:24, 25).  
.     Does  the music we listen to,  draw our attention to the God we worship?  
Does it encourage purity within?  Does it  speak  to our inward need?  
.     Suppose  we  would  subtract  the driving beat of the music; would it 
still satisfy?  Or would is sound barren?  Would it melt our desire to serve 
God?  If the words you sing to God cannot  be sung without the driving beat of 
rock music, then perhaps you are serving the wrong God!  
.     We who worship the living God must unite ourselves in spirit and  in  
truth  (John  4:24) and stand against the evil influence which Gospel rock 
represents.  Let us worship  the  Lord  in  the beauty  of  holiness!  And  
let  us  thank  the Lord for youthful hearts,  filled to overflowing with  
gratitude  and  praise,  for voices  to  raise  Him  in  song.  It  is  a pure 
and holy way to express ourselves in true worship to our Creator and Redeemer.  
.     If we look at the world's standard of rock music and compare it with the 
"Christian" standard of rock,  the only difference is that the latter is done 
in the name of Christ.  How degrading!  
.     To  subject  oneself  to the influence of Gospel rock merely creates an 
emotional upheaval and  leaves  us  "groping  for  the wall" as in Isaiah 
59:10.  
.     God  hates  sin  in every shape and form.  Surely if God did not hate 
sin He would not have sent Christ to die for the sins of the world.  "What 
shall we say then?  Shall we continue  to  sin, that grace may abound?  God 
forbid.  How shall we,  that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" 
(Romans 6:1, 2).  

Judge for yourself.  Is Gospel rock Christian?

Chris Gardner for the Salvation Online Network


