Panel of Judges with very good score!
2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
Music like all arts are birthed the same way babies are birthed—first conception and then birthing (recording and release). The composition of music/movies/books/novels begins with the conception of an idea or thought in the mind/womb (of its composer, publisher, creator). This is sometimes referred to as inspiration. The important question for us the consumers is who planted that thought or idea in the mind (womb) of the composer—God or Satan.
Some erroneously believe that lyrics or script alone make music, movies, books, novels, magazines secular or not—i.e. whether it contain religious Jargons or not. To some, when a song or movie does not contain the word ‘Jesus’ it is secular. This is an unbiblical way of discerning art based solely on sensory perception. There are songs, movies, books, novels etc. that have no religious Jargon in them but are inspired by God because the theme or message it carries is a scriptural one. In like manner, there are songs, movies, books, novels etc. that contain all the right religious Jargon but have no power in them because they were not inspired by God but were produced for commercial or other reason. In 2 Cor 5:16, we learn that we are NOT supposed to know, discern or judge each other after the flesh. Likewise we must not know, discern or judge music, movies, books or other artistic expressions after the flesh but rather after the spirit. Ask yourself, what is the spirit of this song and what is it promoting? Christ and his values or the values of darkness?
The word secular is never used in scripture and for good reason. It is because this word means ‘without God’ and there is nothing in this Universe that exists apart from God and His Word (Hebrews 1:3). Everything is upheld by God’s Word. God is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent even in hell (Psalm 139:8). There is nothing that is secular BUT there are artistic expressions (songs, movies, books, novels, arts etc) that are not inspired by God. How then do we know whether a particular brand of music or art is inspired by God or not?
We know this the same way we know when a particular sermon or person is inspired by God or not. We know:
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by the prompting of the Spirit of God in us
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by the fruit of that art
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when the contents or theme of that art promote the fruit of the spirit or not (Gal 5:22-23)
These 3 steps are easier than we think. For example when your hear a particular song , how do you feel? Something inside you knows whether this song promotes the fruit of the spirit in you or not i.e. whether it makes you peaceful, loving, kind or violent, perverse and angry etc. We already know how to discern. We must simply exercise these spiritual muscles more.
Anything that is preached, taught, filmed or composed as music that runs contrary to NT scripture and promotes the works of the flesh (Gal 5: 19-21) is not inspired by God even if it contains Christian words. Conversely anything that is preached, taught, filmed or composed as music that promotes the spirit of the Word of God and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) is inspired by God even if it does not contain Christian jargons because God can speak through and use all creation (Psalm 19, Rom 1:20) including the heavens (sun, moon and stars), donkeys etc.
Some may consider Tyler Perry’s movies as secular because it may not contain many Christian jargons but this would be a wrong judgement because the theme that his movies teach his audiences does not contradict the Word of God. Rather they promote the spirit of scripture. On the other hand, if the theme of a song or movie promotes sexual impropriety, violence, disobedience, hate, fear and other works of the flesh, then this theme clearly runs contrary to scripture hence it cannot be inspired by God. Let us all endeavor to develop our spiritual senses and discern things after the spirit and not merely from a fleshly or sensory perception level.
2Co 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
