The Queen of Gospel
The Placebo Effect
Is Christian music supposed to express, or generate, emotion?
Here upon are the foundations [of the earth] thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:6, 7).
In God's stern interrogation of Job, as recorded in the Old Testament book bearing his name, He described the spontaneous musical reaction of the angels and inhabitants of unfallen planets as they beheld the amazing scenes of the creation of our world. This is the first reference to music in the Bible.1 I know how the sons of God must have felt when they broke out into song and shouted for joy. I've certainly not seen God create something out of nothing, but I sure did see Him miraculously pull together the broken pieces of a young nomadic evangelistic outreach into the thriving congregation that I currently serve as senior pastor. I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of gratitude that bubbled up into a stream of tears flowing down my contorted face at the inaugural Sabbath service in our very own worship center. And what ignited this emotional demonstration, somewhat foreign to my nature, and slightly embarrassing, was a song.
When the Mass Choir rang out the majestic melodies of an anthem entitled "Great and Marvelous," written by the minister of music,2 with the lyrics coming directly from Revelation 15, I became overwhelmed. It was one of those increasingly rare moments when the sentiments of the song so closely matched the sentiments of my soul that the musical experience seemed to be an extension of my very being. That powerful music did not create the emotion; it expressed it!
Most of the references to music in the Scriptures describe scenes of God's creatures moved by knowledge of His attributes or acts into an emotional expression of music. Some understanding of a truth generated the emotion, while the song simply expressed it. In Exodus 15 Moses and Miriam led the children of Israel in singing and dancing after seeing God swallow up the pursuing army of Pharaoh in the same Red Sea that He had just parted for them to accommodate their mass exit from the slavery of Egypt. Throughout the book of Revelation, John paints heavenly scenes of musical praise as the angels and the redeemed consider the creative and redemptive acts of God. This is Christian music at its best.
Many people today pop in a compact disc of religious music or select a particular church because they expect the music to make them feel good, rather than seeking an experience that will help them to become good. Many postmodern worshippers fail to pause at the place of quiet contemplation to consider the works of God before breaking out into song. Their music is a desire to feel, and not a reaction to knowing. Oddly, one of the only references to music being used just to generate a good feeling is found in 1 Samuel 16 where the diabolical and bipolar King Saul had David play on his harp to lift his spirits. What he really needed more than a good song was a new heart. The music just camouflaged his real problem and simply lifted him to a better feeling.
Good music is a gift from God. It is a powerful emotional medium of communication. Since humans are not just intellectual, but are also emotional beings, we intuitively connect with music. The perceptive Christian has to know, however, that Satan will attempt to use any gift from God that is this awesome! After all, he was the minister of music in heaven.3 What makes music so effective is what makes it so dangerous. When music is used to generate a feeling‹despite what the reality might be‹it has the potential to be deceptive. Depending on the contours of a particular song, the unholy can be made to feel holy; the estranged can be made to feel very close to God; and the unrepentant sinner can be fooled into feeling regenerated. In other words, religious music can become a placebo that leaves people with a false sense of their true spiritual condition.
This reality was vividly illustrated by the experience of a young parishioner who found himself in trouble as his private sin became public. As he recounted his spiritual journey the issue was made clear. His failure to embrace the disciplines of prayer, Bible study, witnessing, and meditation‹which all lead to a deeper relationship with God but are not always emotionally stimulating activities‹coupled with his addiction to performing and listening to religious music, was an indication about what the real problem was. The music was a placebo that created a false sense of spiritual health. He felt spiritually strong and holy only when he was moved by the music. But what the music made him feel was not in harmony with the truth about what he was. This experience is replayed in the lives of many religious music junkies today. You can't replace spiritual disciplines with music. Christian music at its best is an emotional reaction to truth. At its worst, it camouflages it.
Beware of:
- Religious musical presentations in which the lyrics are imperceptible because the vocals are drowned out by loud instrumentation.
The danger in this is that untrue lyrics are allowed to fly in under the radar of conscious scrutiny beneath a bedlam of noise.
- Religious music with lyrics that are trifling or untrue.
"When I think of the goodness of Jesus, it makes me want to stomp my feet. One of these mornings and it won't be long, you will look for me and I'll be gone . . . to glory to sing and shout . . ." H'mm . . .
- Religious music that is performed by artists who live in open sin.
Christians should not endorse spiritual recordings of artists who earn a living singing vulgar songs any more than civil rights workers should applaud Ku Klux Klan members who sing "We Shall Overcome"!
- Religious music that occupies more of your devotional time than Bible study, prayer, meditation, or witnessing.
If music were an essential component for spiritual strength, it would be referred to in the same light as are the other spiritual disciplines in the Bible.
- Religious music that generates feelings that are not appropriate in particular settings.
Sexiness certainly has no place in public worship.
JAMES R. DOGGETTE, D.MIN., is senior pastor of the Madison Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church in Madison, Alabama, and associate professor of Practical Theology at Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama.
1 Job was written by Moses and is commonly considered to be the oldest book in the Bible.
2 Maestro Wayne Bucknor.
3 Ezekiel 28.
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