Music Series: Part 3
Last time in our Music Series, we tackled quite a few of the initial, and slightly less sophisticated, arguments in our list. I want to pick up right where we left off and jump back in head first.
CCM makes you want to dance, so it is therefore sin
Have you ever heard this one? Essentially, the logic is simple:
CCM, which is Christian words/lyrics set to styles of music like rock, jazz, blues, pop, etc., is using music that someone decided was “sexual”, “sensual”, “erotic”, or some other nonsense like that. Of course, some music is and I’m not trying to ignore that, but we want to make sure our brush is narrow, painting only sin as sin. So, because the STYLE is “sensual”, it must make you want to dance, and since dancing is a sin, so is anything that gives you the desire to dance.
OK, now that we have an explanation of the position, lets dissect it.
Music does have affect generating qualities. It can set a mood, affect emotions, and some of it can even put us to sleep. What music cannot do is MAKE us sin. If music makes us sad, that doesn’t make it wrong. If music makes us hyper, that doesn’t make it wrong. There is nothing moral about moods and emotions. It is when that mood/emotion causes us to violate God’s Word that we commit the sin.
So, is CCM music sensual? Most of it is not. I remember my high school days when the popular music was extremely sexual in nature (things may or may not have changed, I haven’t listened to pop music in a VERY long time). And when I say “the music”, don’t misunderstand, I’m talking about the way the artists were singing, and the lyrics they sang. There is NOTHING about the music that, apart from the words, I would have interpreted as “sexual”, even as a teenager (where everything is sexual it seems).
I can honestly say that I’ve NEVER heard CCM music (in either the way it was being sung, or the words) that remotely resembled this, so we need to go on record saying that this article, and the initial argument posed, does not apply to the vast majority of CCM music. The simple fact is that most CCM could not be interprited by any reasonable human being as sensual/sexual.
But back to the original point, does CCM make you want to dance? It quite possibly might make you WANT to dance, but remember Jesus in the wilderness willingly submitted Himself to temptation. He probably really wanted to turn the stones into bread and eat, but the point was that He DIDN’T! Let me make a statement that might blow your mind: you haven’t sinned until you sin!
Also, one point that anti-CCM people don’t want to address is that different music affects different people differently!
Listen, I’m white. I’m about as white as they come. I’ve got no rhythm, and I COULDN’T dance, even if I wanted to. I’ve got absolutely NO desire to dance, at all!!! There doesn’t exist a style of music that would EVER make me want to dance! Is that clear enough for you? I CAN’T DANCE!!!
So why in the world would you expect me not to listen to CCM, or any music for that matter, based on the assertion that it makes me want to dance? You couldn’t be more wrong!
And finally, what’s so wrong about dancing anyway? I can understand if you claimed that dancing which was sexual in nature could be wrong, but a quick google:define tells me that dancing is
“taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music”
So can anyone give me a verse that tells me not to “take a series of rhythmical steps in time to music”? I didn’t think so!
So what if CCM has a good rhythm? Much of southern gospel has enough rhythm to line dance to, and there’s nothing better for ballroom dancing than a big symphony. All music can be danced to, and in fact, many of the styles we hear today (if not all) were originally developed to dance to, or were at least used to dance to at some point in history. Dancing and music are intertwined…it’s inescapable.
Of course, I’m not even going to talk about the references to dancing in the Bible. You’re smart enough to look those up yourself, right?
Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not condoning sexual dancing. Many of today’s modern “dances” are less about “moving in time” as they are trying to be vertically sexual. There is really no place in the life of a Christian for this type of dancing. But, let’s not make the mistake of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Not all dancing is wrong, and unless I’m missing something, other than a sexual dance style, I can’t find a single reason why dancing could be interpreted as a sin…NOT ONE!!!
So, let me personalize this. I’m not God. I can’t tell you how you react to music. It’s between you and God what He wants you to listen to. If God wants you to listen to southern gospel, classical, or CCM, you be sure to obey. If God wants you to sit still and contemplate the words of a song, do it, but if God wants you to get up and dance for Him, DO IT!!! There’s nothing wrong with it.
Let’s review: Music makes you want to dance? Actually, I can tell you from experience that this is untrue. Music doesn’t make me want to dance. But even if it did, there’s nothing wrong with dancing, unless it is sexual in nature. Also, wanting to do something doesn’t mean that you can’t resist. Church makes me want to fall asleep sometimes, but as long as I try to stay awake, I haven’t sinned, have I? And finally, even if you do “give in” (note the heavy sarcasm) to the desire to dance, there’s nothing wrong with most dancing. So long as the dance isn’t sexual, and God has blessed you with the gift of rhythm, I say: DANCE ON!!!
I hope that sufficiently addressed this issue. If not, please email me or leave a comment. I’d love a challenge, but remember: back up your position with some evidence!
Previous articles in the Music Series:
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Next time in Part 4 of our Music Series, we’ll be covering the argument: CCM sounds like the world, so it is therefore it is sin.
Dont’ miss it!
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Wow, if CCM is sinful… the music I listen to must be a ticket to automatic damnation.
*Now Playing: Amorphis- Against Widows*
Do any of the things said here hold up, in your view?: http://kentbrandenburg.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html#8990485951971358649
Hello there,
I read as much as I can on CCM. It is a very controversial subject. However, it is not what you said about CCM that disturbs me, it is what you said about Jesus and His temptations.
In order to make your point abut CCM, you, in my opinion, made an incorrect statement about Jesus and His temptations. You said,
“Jesus in the wilderness willingly submitted Himself to temptation. He probably really wanted to turn the stones into bread and eat, but the point was that He DIDN’T! Let me make a statement that might blow your mind: you haven’t sinned until you sin!”
Now what is incorrect about this statement? The error is that you said “Jesus probably really wanted to turn the stones into bread and eat.” Do you know what you are saying? You are really saying that Jesus did sin. When you say that Jesus wanted to turn the stones into bread and eat, this is tantamount to saying that even though He did not sin outwardly, He did sin inwardly, that is in His heart. Yes Jesus was hungry; but He is without sin. Yes he desired food when He was in the wilderness for forty days and nights; yet He never desired to or wanted to fall for the temptation Satan offered Him. Jesus never desired to turn the stones into bread as Satan challenged Him to do. If he had, He would have sinned inwardly (in his heart) although He did not do it outwardly. Jesus never wanted to do anything contrary to his Father’s will; and he never did anything contrary to His Father’s will. To turn the stones into bread was Satan’s will not His Father’s will. Jesus knew His Father’s will and never desired anything that was not in harmony with the His Father’s will. Yes he was hungry in the wilderness but never sinned outwardly or in his heart. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). Yes Jesus desired bread or food, but he never desired to take the temptation that Satan offered Him and turn it into bread as Satan wanted Him to do.. If Jesus had even desired to do this, that is Satan’s will to turn the stones into bread, He would have ceased to desire the will of His Father and would have sinned in His heart, though He did not do it outwardly. Remember, Man looks at the outward appearances, but God looks at the heart. Jesus’ was pure in heart.