Music has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My musical roots are in the blues and rock 'n' roll, music that I grew up listening to and that still influences the way I play today. Over the years, music has taken many different forms in my life—from listening to and playing the music I love, to using music in worship.
I believe music itself is a gift from God. But that raises an interesting question. Does that mean the gift of music is meant only for worship? What about all the other music that is part of our lives?
The Bible doesn't take long to introduce us to music. In Genesis 4:21, Jubal is described as “the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes.” Music was already part of the human experience very early in Scripture. And James reminds us that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).
If music is one of those gifts, then perhaps the question isn't whether music belongs to God. The more important question may be what we, as fallen human beings, choose to do with the gift He has given us.
I don't believe music has to be written as worship music for God to be pleased with it. Songs about peace, love, hope, and the joys of life can reflect the good things He has placed within us. For generations, gifted artists have written music that encourages us, brings people together, makes us smile, or helps us appreciate the life we have been given. These songs may never mention God, but I believe they can still be a beautiful use of the gift He gave us.
But music doesn't always have to make us feel good. Some of the songs that mean the most to us are about hardship, loss, loneliness, and disappointment. Life is not always joyful, and music gives us a way to express what we are going through when words alone sometimes aren't enough. Scripture itself does not shy away from sorrow, grief, or questioning God. I believe music that honestly expresses those parts of our lives can also be a good use of God's gift.
Of course, that doesn't mean I believe every way we use music is pleasing to God. When a song promotes things that go against God's commandments, tears people down, encourages hatred or hurting others, or celebrates things God has told us are wrong, I have a hard time believing that is what God intended for this gift. Even language, for me, isn't always a simple line. A word used occasionally as part of a story is different from language meant to hurt or put someone down.
And I have to admit that I don't always know exactly where that line should be. The Bible itself describes music and instruments being used during times of war. In those cases, they were being used for God's purposes. That makes me careful about creating my own set of rules about what music is good and what music is bad. Maybe what matters most is what the music is trying to say and what it is encouraging us to do.
I also have to admit that I don't always stop listening to a song just because I disagree with its message. I'm human, and sometimes I simply like the music. As a guitarist and musician, there are songs that inspire me because of the guitar playing, the arrangement, the melody, or simply the way the music is put together, even though I may not agree with the lyrics. I believe I am mature enough in my faith and my own values to separate the music that inspires me from a message I don't accept. But I also think each of us has to know when the music we listen to is starting to affect us in the wrong way.
None of this means I believe music should be censored. God has given us the freedom to make choices, and I believe those choices belong both to the artist and to the listener. My responsibility is to decide what I listen to, not to decide what everyone else is allowed to hear. Rather than trying to silence an artist whose music I believe misuses God's gift, I would rather pray that someday that artist might see the gift differently and choose to use it differently.
One example that has always interested me is Alice Cooper. He became a committed Christian but didn't stop being Alice Cooper. He still plays rock 'n' roll and still puts on the theatrical horror show that has been part of his career for decades. What did change was how he looked at some of his music. He has said there are songs he no longer performs because he no longer agrees with the messages he was promoting, including songs that celebrated promiscuity, drinking, or getting high. At the same time, he continues to perform songs like “I'm Eighteen,” “School's Out,” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” because he doesn't see anything wrong with their messages. I think there is something important in his story. His faith didn't require him to give up rock 'n' roll or stop being Alice Cooper. Instead, it made him think about the music he was putting out there and decide for himself what he could still stand behind.
So I come back to where I started: music is a gift from God. It doesn't have to be a worship song to be a good use of that gift. And following Christ doesn't mean we have to give up the music we love or stop being ourselves. Whether you are a musician or simply someone who loves listening to music, maybe the question is the same: How will you use God's gift of music?
For me, that doesn't mean having all the answers or always making the right choice. It means remembering where the gift came from and trying to use it for something good. Maybe it brings someone joy. Maybe it helps someone through a difficult time. Maybe it brings people together. And sometimes, music may even be one of the ways God gets our attention and brings us closer to Him.
So what about you? What does music mean in your life? And knowing that this incredible gift came from God, how will you use it?