RELIGIOUS ROCK AND ROLL

There is a style of music which has been invading the Church of Jesus Christ which is godless, immoral, and which leads Christians into rebellion and compromise with the world. That style of music is “Christian” Rock an Roll. The term Rock & Roll was given to name a form of music in the 1950’s. The style of music was evil from its beginning and it was appropriately given the name Rock & Roll. This name was given by the world and it stands for the practice of fornication by teenagers in the back seat of a car.

The primary axiom of music evaluation is that there is no such thing as amoral music. Music is either good or evil. God says we are responsible for everything we say, do, or think. The Bible says:
“…That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matt. 12:36). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10).

The adherents of “Christian” Rock claim that their music is necessary in order to win the lost to Christ. However, they overlook the fact that God has ordained preaching to win the lost and not
music. The Bible says: “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor 1:21).

Music has two purposes:

(1) To worship and glorify God.

(2) To edify and build up Christians.

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:19). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col 3:16).

Music is not necessary to win the lost but it is a form of worship and praise to God. Since music is a form of worship it is corrupted when mixed with carnality. The worship of God must be
carried out with purity. The world can take clean music and make it unclean, but Christians cannot take unclean music and make it clean. (See Haggai 2:12-13)

We are commanded not to touch the unclean thing. This also applies to the music we listen to. The Bible says: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath
righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion 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 receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty”.

The Word of God does not say we are to go out and borrow the evil ways of the ungodly and use them for “soulwinning”, but rather we are commanded to come out and separate ourselves from evil. The Word of God states further in James 4:4 ” Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God”.

There are some people who say that “Christian” Rock can’t be wrong because of all the people who go forward at the concerts. They also mention that these bands are popular because God is blessing them. However; so called results do not mean that God is behind it. The end does not justify the means (That is the basis of humanism). The Lord Jesus said that many will be deceived by false prophets and false Christs. “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold….for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect” (Matt 24:11,12,24).

There may be sincere conversions at these concerts because God will always honor His Word no matter under what circumstances it is given. However, it is one thing to be saved, and another to grow and develop into a victorious Christian. The Lord Jesus warned in (Matt 7:15,21-23). “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves….Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart
from me, ye that work iniquity”.

Another argument is that Jesus went out and mingled with sinners. However, the Lord Jesus never went into a den of iniquity nor did He copy the ways of the ungodly. “For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” (Heb 7:26). “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).

– Do we take drugs to win addicts to Christ?
– Do we use foul language to witness to those who curse?
– Do we steal to identify with robbers?
– Do we draw lewd pictures to present Christ to the pornographer?
– Do we use carnal music to gain a hearing with the world?

The absurdity of the above methods is obvious. Therefore, we hope you can see how wrong it is to use carnal, worldly music to present a holy message to a Christless world.

“…Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Rom 12:9).

“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16).

“Christian” Rock is destructive to the Church as it leads God’s people into sensuality, compromise, and worldliness. If you sincerely love the Lord Jesus Christ and you are involved with this godless music, then why won’t you obey the Lord and forsake this unclean thing?

What kind of hold does religious rock have on people when they refuse to give up their demonic music? How can a person profess that he loves God and at the same time embrace such evil? How low must religious rock sink before God’s people wake up from their slumber?

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another
Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him….For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Cor 11:3,4,13-15).

“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ….Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities….Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever” (Jude 4,8,11-13).