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Pop-Idiom Music
In Worship and Evangelism
by Dr Peter Masters
Dr Peter Masters is minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London,
England (C.H. Spurgeon's church) and has kindly granted us permission
to reproduce "Pop-Idiom Music" here. If you have any questions
or queries about this article, please feel free to write to Dr Masters
at the address given below, or
contact us at Freedom Ministries.
Section 3
Christians are Meant to be Different.
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As we test the suitability of pop-idiom
music for worship and witness,
we must be very clear about the New
Testament teaching that Christians are
meant to be different. The Lord Jesus
calls us to a life which is separated
from worldly ways. We are to set our
affection on things above, not on
things on the earth.
This was bread-and-butter teaching
in all evangelical circles without
exception until a few years ago, but
that era has passed and a new, liberal,
permissive age has swept in.
When I was a young believer we
were all taught the principle of James
4.4- that friendship of the world is
enmity with God, and that whoever
therefore makes himself a friend of the
world becomes the enemy of God. We
were warned that to want distinctively
worldly possessions, pleasures and
lifestyles is to commit the sin of worldliness.
We were told that worldliness is a
form of spiritual adultery - the sin of
preferring the world's fashions and
amusements to the Lord's things, and
we were cautioned about ever playing
double with the Lord in such matters.
If evangelicals of any generation
prior to the 1950s were to be resurrected
amongst us today they would be
stunned and appalled at our indifference
to the commands of the Bible,
and our disdain for its warnings.
Worship must never he offered to
God, nor must the Gospel be presented,
in such a way that it is coupled
with the standards of the world, for
God says, Be not conformed to this
world: but by ye transformed... that
ye may, prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God
(Romans 12.2).
The Lord Jesus Christ stated
emphatically that the works of this
world are evil (John 7.7). He said that
true believers are not of the world, and
prayed that they would be kept from
its evil ways (John 17.14-15).
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Old things are passed away
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Paul said - If any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are
become new (2 Corinthians 5.17). The
new man has tastes, desires and pursuits
which are completely different
from the delights of the worldling.
Our Saviour gave himself for our
sins, that he might deliver us from this
present evil world (Galatians 1. 4), and
yet many Christians seem determined
to stay with its fashions and ways as
much as they possibly can. Such friends
cannot say, with Paul - The
world is crucified unto me, and I unto
the world (Galatians 6.14).
Worldliness, for every believer, is
supposed to be a matter of the past
tense, for the Bible says -In time
past ye walked according to the course
of this world ... fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind (Ephesians
2.2 & 3). James tells us that pure religion
is defined as keeping ourselves unspotted
from the world (James 1.27).
Can the performers and advocates of
worldly entertainment methods in the
Lord's service be credited with paying
the slightest attention to the Lord's
commands? As they pander to worldly
tastes, strive to give people the kind of
show they want to see, and attempt to
find 'stars" who will give carnal excitement
in exchange for admiration and
applause, are they not aware that the
Spirit of God has already pronounced
judgement? - Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world
- For all that is in the world, the lust
of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but is of the world (1 John 2.15-16).
These articles remain
© Copyright Dr Peter Masters 1983
The Metropolitan Tabernacle
Elephant and Castle
London SE1 6SD
England, UK
who should be consulted before any further copying, storing or distribution, either
in whole or in part is made by any means.
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