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General Discussion / Re: About Activities with Pagan Origins
« on: September 19, 2021, 06:43:13 PM »A useful "litmus test" for things like music, books and games is found in a couple of verses in 1 Corinthians:
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (1 Corinthians 6:12)
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (1 Corinthians 10:23)
The phrase "All things are lawful for me" refers to our liberty in Christ. It's not wrong, in and of itself, to listen to music, read something and so on. The word expedient means useful or profitable. So, when you come across a piece of music you want to listen to, or book you want to read, or suchlike, one thing to ask yourself would be, "Is this useful or profitable"? Am I making wise use of my time with this? Is it of any real benefit to me? Especially spiritual? Then you want to consider whether the thing is addictive. That's what being brought under the power of something means. I've had to give up a lot of games because I was under their power. I have also given up TV programmes because I was either addicted to them or decided that they really weren't expedient (I was feeding my flesh with them, but they were not otherwise useful or profitable and ultimately a waste of time). Rock music is unquestionably addictive (because of the sensual beat in particular). So aside from its evil doctrines, that is one major reason to avoid it. A particularly relevant question concerning music is whether it is edifying. Godly music, like sound preaching, is edifying. Most secular music is not edifying, and most of it is also harmful from a spiritual standpoint. Classical music is not too bad (that's only my opinion though). It doesn't overtly promote anything evil, and it has a focus on melody and harmony, whereas modern rock is all about the beat. So for example, listening to Beethoven's Fifth won't really edify you, because it's not designed to glorify or worship God. But it won't otherwise do you any harm, because there are no lyrics teaching wicked doctrines. So listening to something like that is unlikely to be sinful (but again, that's only my opinion, although I'm trying to judge the matter as Biblically as I can).
Sometimes though, whether something is sinful or not depends on the circumstances. For example, if you listen to a piece of classical music as something in the background while you're doing housework, I see nothing wrong with that. But if you listen to that same piece of music when you should be doing something else (e.g. if you sit down to concentrate on the music and don't do some other task you need to do), then it would be sinful. However, that's maybe digressing a bit too much from your question.
Another important thing is that if you believe something is sin, or you're not sure, it would be better not to do it. Consider this passage:
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:22-23)
So if you find yourself doubting or condemning yourself when you're listening to a piece of music, best to refrain. Hope this has been of some assistance.
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"The Alphabet Song" (A,B,C...) for music, and Snowwhite or films (a disney film with the witch being the villain,not hero)
As for Rowan, thank you for your response because it really hits the nail on the head on my Question. You made good biblical points thatll help me make informed decisions on what media i shall consume
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