Bible Study Course
Music
Welcome to Book 2 in the Practical Christian Living Series of the Liberty Bible Course. We hope that you enjoyed Book 1 on the Christian’s Appearance. This booklet will deal with the subject of Music. There is getting to be less and less of a difference between the music of the church, and the music of the world. This booklet will show you what type of music pleases God, and what type does not. This Bible Study Course is written to be used with the KING JAMES BIBLE, otherwise your answers are going to be incorrect. Please get your Bible, and begin another exciting study that just might change your life!
Chapter 1
I. The Content of the Music.
A. We should sing Scriptural music.
Note: By content, we mean “what is written in the song.” We are talking here about the words of the song. By scriptural, we mean “according to the truth of God’s Word.”
The words of a song are never to be contrary
to anything that the Bible teaches.
1. According to Ephesians 5:19, our songs should be “____________ and hymns and spiritual songs.”
2. Colossians 3:16 tells us further to teach and admonish “one another in ____________ and hymns and spiritual songs.”
Note: What is a psalm? Look at the following verses to discover the answer.
3. Psalm 98:5 says to “Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the __________ of a psalm.”
4. According to Psalm 105:2, we are to “Sing unto him, ________ psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.”
5. James 5:13 tells us that an afflicted person should pray, and a merry person should “________ psalms.”
Note: We see that psalms are “words that can be sung,” but where can we find those words? Read on to find out.
6. I Chronicles 16:7 records that __________ delivered a psalm to Asaph to thank the Lord.
7. According to verse 4 of that same chapter, “certain of the ______________” were to minister before the Lord, and to praise Him.
8. Verses 5 and 6 then record that __________ was the chief of those that made music.
Note: We see that David wrote psalms. Asaph led the musicians to play the songs on their instruments. The Levites then sang the songs. But are these psalms just David’s ideas or poems? Read on to find the answer.
9. Mark 12:10 says, “And have ye not read this __________________; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.”
10. Now look at Psalm 118:22. It says, “The stone which the builders refused is become the ________ stone of the corner.”
Mark 12:10 says that this phrase is Scripture. David wrote more than just his ideas — God used him to write Scripture, the Word of God, the Bible.
11. According to II Timothy 3:16,17 “All __________________ is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
12. II Peter 1:20, 21 tells us that “no prophecy of the scripture is of any ______________ interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
13. Acts 1:16 also mentions “Men and brethren, this __________________ must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.”
14. The above verse refers back to Psalm 41:9, which states, “Yea, mine own familiar ____________, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Note: We need to sing songs that are scriptural — songs that have Bible truth in them. Scriptural songs can help you, because the Bible says in Romans 10:17, “So then __________ cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
-- The Content of the Music. A. We should sing Scriptural music.
B. We should sing sacred music (hymns).
1. Colossians 3:16 says that we are to teach and admonish one another “in psalms and __________ and spiritual songs.”
Note: What are hymns? There seems to be utter confusion now, but hymns used to be understood to be “music appropriate to be played and sung in church; rich, majestic music, in words and sound, that glorify God.”
What is sacred music? Sacred music is “music set apart, in words and sound, for the worship of the Lord.”
It is interesting to note that as churches have forsaken
hymns and sacred music, they have renamed their services.
Even they seem to realize that some of their music is no longer
appropriate to sing in a regular church service, so they have
renamed it the Contemporary Service.
You will notice that this verse says we are to teach and admonish one another with hymns. The problem that we run into here, is that the church has already been flooded with music that is not hymns/sacred music. We must get back to the proper standard for church music. How do we go about doing that? Read on, and you will see.
Note: Why do we assemble together as a church? Read Hebrews 10:25 to find the following answers.
a. It says, “Not forsaking the ____________________ of ourselves together.”
b. Church attendance has always been a problem for people, because that verse says we are not to forsake assembling together “as the manner of ________ is.” In other words, some were not meeting together with the church.
c. That verse goes on to tell what the believers are supposed to do when they meet together: “__________________ one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Note: Exhort means “to stand beside another, and urge him/her to pursue a future course of conduct.”
d. Hebrews 3:13 further explains the meaning of the word exhort in relation to the church meeting together. It says we should “exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of ______.”
So we are to meet together and expose sin for what it really is. We should be on our guard, because that verse tells us that sin is deceitful. It will have the appearance of being acceptable, and that is why it is so important to reveal its true purpose and result. James 1:15 tells us that when sin is finished, it “bringeth forth __________.”
Why has music in the church become so worldly?
Because exhortation has been replaced by entertainment.
Platforms should be renamed to stages in many churches,
because it is used more for performances,
than it is for the preaching of God’s Word. As churches
have laid aside the strong preaching of God’s Word,
they have also laid aside the hymns.
The Bible says in II Timothy 4:2-4, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having ______________ ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Churches are now catering to the lusts of their people by forsaking doctrine (just like the Charismatics and Promise Keepers have instructed them to do), and giving them the entertainment for which their flesh lusts.
Question: Should taped background music be allowed in the church? It has played an important part in the change in church music today.
a. I Corinthians 12:18 says that God has set the members “in the body, as it hath ______________ him.”
b. Verse 21 of that same chapter says that “the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no ________ of thee.”
c. It goes on to say, “nor again the head to the feet, I have no ________ of you.”
d. Verse 22 further states, “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more ____________, are necessary.”
What is the true message of taped background music
to the congregation? It is saying, “Our musicians are not
good enough — we need a more professional sound.”
Note: That is just like a slap in the face to the church members. The Bible clearly says that the feeble are necessary; but in practice, the church is bypassing them as not good enough. What will be the next step?
The next group to be replaced will be the vocalists.
They are the ones who rejected the musicians as
not professional enough to accompany them.
The Bible says in Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also ________.” God says in I Corinthians 12:25, that “the members should have the same ________ one for another.”
The vocalists rejected the musicians, so they will reap what they have sown — they will also be rejected themselves. If the musicians are not professional-sounding enough, and so are replaced by taped music; then why not just bring in the whole tape with the professional singer on it, too? There are many wanna-be vocalists out there who just hide behind the volume of a tape track while they are singing, so why not just replace them, too? Why not just play your favorite CD of your favorite professional singer?
Who will be next for replacement? The pastor, because
there are also more professional speakers to be found out there.
If he, as the spiritual leader, allows the vocalists to snub the musicians;
and the congregation to snub the vocalists, then he is next on the list.
One day, churches like that will be getting their sermons on a big screen — either through videos sent to them through a mail service, or piped in live via satellite. After all, one of the churches’ biggest expenses is paying the pastor, and he may not even be a very good public speaker. So why not get the best for less? For a small monthly fee, why not hear the best that the nation has to offer? Does that sound a little far-fetched? You just wait and see!
It is also no surprise that we are seeing such a rise in popularity
to sing children’s choruses in church worship services.
What were children’s choruses designed to do?
To entertain little children in Sunday School to keep
their attention, and to try and teach them some
simple Bible truths at the same time.
Does that tell you anything about the present day caliber of Christianity that today’s adults seem to have? I Corinthians 3:1, 2 is very fitting for today’s church to sit up and hear: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto __________ in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”
What is true of babies? They cannot do anything for themselves.
They have to be entertained, or they cry.
Today’s Christian seems perfectly content to “live like a
baby.” He cries out, “I cannot understand those old hymns.
I cannot understand that old Bible (the King James).”
So he finds a church that entertains with worldly music and a
watered-down translation of the Bible.
I Corinthians 13:11 reminds us, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away _________________ things.”
Sadly, today, the church is bringing back out the childish toys for the worldly Christians who sit in the pews. The answer is to get back to the Sacred Book that has not changed (the King James Bible) and preach it with power. Then you will have some people who will also love sacred music, and the grand old hymns of the faith.
2. Remember what the Bible says in Romans 12:2? “And be not __________________ to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
3. Colossians 3:23 tells us, “And ____________________ ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
4. The Bible also says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or ____________________ ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Corinthians 10:31)
Note: No time is acceptable to go according to the world, and do something according to its standards. I John 2:15 says, “Love not the world, neither the ____________ that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” Much music out there should not be played in church, because it is obviously worldly. If music is too worldly to be played or sung in church, then it is just plain too worldly to play or sing at all.
-- The Content of the Music.
A. We should sing Scriptural music.
B. We should sing sacred music (hymns).
C. We should sing spiritual music.
1. Back to Colossians 3:16 again, we see that we should be singing, “psalms and hymns and __________________ songs.”
Note: What are spiritual songs? For that, we must go to the Bible and define what spiritual is.
2. Romans 8:6 says, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be ______________________ minded is life and peace.”
3. In that same chapter, in verse 1, it says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the __________, but after the Spirit.”
4. Verse 5 of that same chapter again states, “For they that are after the __________ do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the ____________ the things of the Spirit.”
Spiritual songs appeal to the spirit of a person — not to
the flesh. This is the reason why good music is so hard to come by today,
because Christians are so carnal, so fleshly-minded.
Most all of the Christian music being written today
is geared to attract the flesh, because that is what sells.
5. I Corinthians 3:1 says, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto ____________, even as unto babes in Christ.”
6. I Peter 2:2 reminds us that we are not to remain babes, but to “desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may ________ thereby.”
Note: Growth results, not from entertainment, but from exhortation from the Word of God.
7. The church is very important to the growth of a Christian, as is seen in Ephesians chapter 4.
a. According to verses 11,12, God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “for the ____________________ of the saints.”
b. Verse 13 gives the goal of “unity of the faith, and of the _________________ of the Son of God.”
c. The point of verse 14 is “That we henceforth be no more ________________, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”
d. Verse 15 further states that we “________ up into him in all things.”Note: Ephesians 4 is not being fulfilled in the lives of many Christians today. They are not growing up. They are still babes in Christ, and enjoy the things that babes do.
The question was asked back on page three, as to how we can go about getting back to the right standard for church music. That question has already been partly answered — strong preaching out of the King James Bible, which exhorts the listeners.
The second part of the answer is that people must APPLY that preaching PERSONALLY. Too many people think, “Okay, so we should be careful of what music is allowed to be sung in the church — but I can listen to other types of music when I am on my own.” James 1:22 reminds us “But be ye __________ of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” If you do not obey the Word PERSONALLY, then you are deceiving yourself.
Look carefully at Ephesians 5:19. It is almost exactly like Colossians 3:16, but notice an important difference in the beginning of the verse: “Speaking to ____________________ in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”
The proper type of music to play in church, is also the
proper type of music for you to listen to in private.
The Christian is not to live a split-personality life. We are to be
the same all the time. The truth is this: what you listen to
in private, you will eventually bring into the church.
What is the church? Is the church a building? You may want to refresh your memory, by going over the Bible Course on the Church once again.
a. I Corinthians 3:9 says, “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ____ are God’s building.”
b. According to I Corinthians 3:16, God does not dwell in buildings, but in Christians; because it says, “Know ye not that ____ are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”
Note: According to Colossians 3:16, is rock music acceptable in a worship service? Well, is rock music “psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs?” No, it does not qualify as any of those. Then according to Ephesians 5:19, neither should you be listening to it by yourself.
According to Colossians 3:16, is country/western music acceptable in a worship service? Well, is country/western music “psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs?” No, it does not qualify as any of those. Then according to Ephesians 5:19, neither should you be listening to it by yourself.
According to Colossians 3:16, is classical music acceptable in a worship service? Well, is classical music “psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs?” (This is dealt with in a later section.) No, it does not qualify as any of those. Then according to Ephesians 5:19, neither should you be listening to it by yourself.
According to Colossians 3:16, is jazz, or the blues, or rap, or easy-listening, or pop music acceptable in a worship service? Well, is jazz, blues, rap, pop, or easy-listening music “psalms, hymns, or spiritual songs? No, it does not qualify as any of those. Then according to Ephesians 5:19, neither should you be listening to it by yourself.
Your true spirituality is what you are by yourself, when no
one else is around. Anyone can put on a show of spirituality
in front of others, but God knows what you are really like
when you are by yourself. The church is made up of
individual believers, and what individual believers
practice in private, they eventually practice in public.
8. Proverbs 15:3 reminds us that “The eyes of the Lord are in __________ place, beholding the evil and the good.”
9. According to Psalm 139:12, the darkness does not hide a person from God, because “the darkness and the light are both __________ to thee.”
10. The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:10 that God searches the __________.
11. Ezekiel 11:5 tells us that God knows “the things that come into your mind, __________ one of them.”
Note: Sometimes people are tempted to say, “But don’t I ever get a break? Can’t I ever listen to the music that I want? Can’t I ever just relax on my own without having to think about God, or psalms, or hymns, or spiritual songs?”
Do you need a break? A break from God? That would mean that your spirituality is something that you turn on and off, and that there are times when you do not want to think about God.
12. Revelation 2:4,5 reminds us that the Ephesian Church was told to repent, because “thou hast left thy __________ love.”
13. The key to a prosperous life, according to Psalm 1:2,3, is to delight in the law of the Lord, and to “meditate ______ and __________” in it.
14. Once again in Joshua 1:8, the Bible repeats the key to a prosperous and successful life: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein ______ and __________.”
15. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is ____________ on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
The way to a successful, happy, peaceful life, is to be always thinking about the Lord. The songs and music of this world do not turn your attention toward God andHis Word — but psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs do.
The key to happiness in life is not putting God first sometimes, but all the time.
Note: Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye __________ the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The church assembled, will mirror the church in private.
Worldly Christians in private, make a worldly church when assembled.
There is to be no double standard for music. Colossians 3:16
tells us what to sing and play to one another, and
Ephesians 5:19 tells us what to sing and play to our-
selves in private — and they are both exactly the same.
REVIEW:
1. Colossians 3:16 tells us to teach and admonish one another in ____________, and hymns, and spiritual songs.
2. Who wrote Psalms? __________
3. David wrote more than just his ideas — God used him to write __________________.
4. According to II Timothy 3:16, all __________________ is given by inspiration of God.
5. We need to sing songs that are scriptural — songs that have __________ truth in them.
6. It is interesting to note that as churches have forsaken hymns and sacred music, they have renamed their services. Even they seem to realize that some of their music is no longer ______________________ to sing in a regular church service, so they have renamed it the ________________________ Service.
7. Hebrews 3:13 tells us to exhort one another daily, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of ______.
8. Exhortation has been replaced by __________________________ in many churches.
9. As churches have laid aside the ____________ preaching of God’s Word, they have also laid aside the hymns.
10. The true message of taped background music is “Our musicians are not ________ enough — we need a more professional sound.”
11. The next group to be replaced will be the __________________. They are the ones who rejected the musicians as not professional enough to accompany them.
12. Who will be next for replacement? The ____________, because there are also more professional speakers to be found out there. If he, as the spiritual leader, allows the vocalists to snub the musicians; and the congregation to snub the vocalists, then he is next on the list.
13. The present rise of popularity of children’s choruses being sung in church worship services tells us a lot about the caliber of Christians today, “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto __________ in Christ.”
14. I John 2:15 says to “love not the world, neither the ____________ that are in the world.”
15.Music that is too worldly to be played/sung in church, is just too ____________ to play/sing at all.
16.Romans 8:6 tells us that “to be carnally minded is death; but to be ______________________ minded is life and peace.”
17. Spiritual songs appeal to the spirit of a person — not to the __________.
18. Ephesians 5:19 makes it clear that even when you are BY YOURSELF, you should still only listen to psalms, and ____________, and spiritual songs.
19. Your true spirituality is what you are by ________________, when no one else is around.
20. The key to a prosperous life, according to Psalm 1, is to delight in the law of the Lord, and to meditate in it ______ and __________.
21. The church is made up of individual believers, and what individual believers practice in private, they eventually practice in ____________.
Chapter 1, 2, 3, Final Test Liberty Bible Course Directory