Listening to Secular Country Music as a Christian
The question of whether Christians should listen to secular country music involves considering biblical principles related to worship, the influence of music on one's spiritual state, and the broader Christian walk. While the Bible does not directly address modern musical genres, it offers guidance on the nature of music and its impact.
Music played a significant role in ancient Israelite worship, with individuals like Asaph, Heman, and Ethan celebrated for their skill in singing and their participation in public worship [1]. The chambers of singers were even located within the temple complex, indicating their integral role in spiritual life [5]. Music was also used to calm the spirit and prepare one for prophetic influence, as seen when Elisha requested a minstrel to play the harp [2]. This suggests that music can affect one's emotional and spiritual receptivity.
Early Christian thinkers also considered the content of what they consumed. Clement of Alexandria, for instance, cautioned against polluting one's ears with content that teaches adultery, emphasizing that Christians bear the likeness of God and should guard their senses [4]. This principle can be applied to secular music, where lyrics often explore themes contrary to Christian teachings, such as adultery, excessive drinking, or materialism.
From a theological perspective, Christians are understood to be spiritually joined to Christ, and their bodies are considered parts of Christ [6]. This union implies a responsibility to honor God with one's entire being, including what one chooses to listen to. Charles Hodge, one theologian, noted that Christians are the "Church of that country" and their actions reflect on their faith [3]. While Hodge's comments were in the context of public education, the underlying principle of Christian conduct and witness can extend to personal choices like entertainment.
Sources
- 1 Chronicles (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Chronicles 6:39: Asaph - This person, with Heman, the sons of Kora, Ethan, Jeduthun, etc., are celebrated in these books, and in the Psalms, for their skill in singing, and the part they performed in the public worship of God. It is very likely that their singing was only a kind of recitative or chanting, such as we still find in the synagogues. It does not appear that God had especially appointed these singers, much less any musical instruments, (the silver trumpets excepted), to be employed in his service. Musical instruments in the house of God are, at least under the Gospe”
- 2 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 Kings 3:15: Bring me a minstrel - A person who played on the harp. The rabbins, and many Christians, suppose that Elisha's mind was considerably irritated and grieved by the bad behavior of the young men at Beth-el, and their tragical end, and by the presence of the idolatrous king of Israel; and therefore called for Divine psalmody, that it might calm his spirits, and render him more susceptible of the prophetic influence. To be able to discern the voice of God, and the operation of his hand, it is necessary that the mind be calm, and the passions all in harmony, under the di”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 47: its primary schools. If that be irreligious (in the negative sense, if in this case there be such a sense), their whole training is irreligious. 2. It is to be remembered that the Christian people of a country are the Church of that country. The Christians of Antioch were the Church of Antioch, and the Christians of Rome were the Church of Rome. In like manner the Christians in the United are the Church in the United States. As therefore the 354 schools belong to the people, as they are their organs for the education of their children; if”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. II.--URBICUS CONDEMNS THE CHRISTIANS (part 2): palace of Hephaes- tus Secretly; and he gave many gifts, and dishonoured the bed and chamber of king Hephaestus." Stop, O Homer, the song! It is not beautiful; it teaches adultery, and we are prohibited from polluting our ears with hearing about adultery for we are they who bear about with us, in this living and moving image of our human nature, the likeness of God,--a likeness which dwells with us, takes counsel with us, associates with us, is a guest with u”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 40:41: And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers,.... These singers are true believers in Christ, members of Gospel churches; whose duty and privilege it is to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; which is a part of internal, spiritual, and evangelical worship, Eph 5:19, these are the spiritual harpers, that have harps in their hands, and make melody in their hearts, and are able to sing the songs of electing, redeeming, calling, pardoning, justifying, and adopting grace; these deservedly have a place in the churches of Christ, in the inward court, be”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 6:15: 6:15-17 To be a Christian is to be spiritually joined to Christ in both life and death (cp. Rom 6:3-11). As a result, believers’ bodies have become parts of Christ (cp. 1 Cor 12:12-28; Rom 12:4-5). This spiritual union (cp. John 14:20; 17:21-23) means that they are not free to violate their bodies by physical union with a prostitute.”