You may wish to read the part on “Analogy to Food and Drink”. Some of the points are:

1. All elements of music (rythm, pitch etc) are created by God and therefore good.
2. However, man’s refashioning of such elements may be deemed moral or immoral. The basic criteria for Christian music is a) to be based on truth and b) to glorify God.
3. As long music is good, one has the choice to choose his preference. (our preferred musical traditions may not suit others. This is especially true of youngsters who wish the church can play a lot of rock music which may not be suitable for the older folks, or the conservative who rigidly stick to hymns and wants no CCM.)
4. We may be restricted by circumstances, by our conscience to listen to a certain kind of music as the law of love applies (eg. if rock music reminds a fellow believer of his sins/promiscuity/drunkenness, we should avoid it.)
5. God may use something which is culturally associated with evil and use it for redemption.

One interesting thing to note is the history of church worship. We can learn how music evolved in order not to be too rigid in our thinking.

1. The early church Fathers often admonished musicians to keep the words audible and to avoid excessive musical elaboration. Solo songs and unison chants were preferred features of musical worship in that day. The texts for the songs were based upon Old Testament scriptures (principally psalms) or drawn from Christian doctrine found in writings comprising the New Testament.

This is probably what is closer to hymns, which are biblically based.

2. In the 1500s the violin was considered an instrument appropriate only for dances or weddings, yet within a century it displaced its string counterpart of the viol family and became an important instrument in sacred music.

Instruments ithemselves are culturally binded. To oppose a use of a musical instrument (eg. drums) is unwarranted.

3. Martin Luther took an active part in the preparation of a new repertoire of church music, with congregational singing encouraged. The Lutherans set German texts to new melodies and Catholic hymns. The use of contrafacta, that is the setting of Christian text or poetry to secular music, was widespread among Lutherans at this time.

This is what is familiar to modern day CCM, their use of Christian lyrics and putting them to rock tunes.

Brent Chambers, 1977, Maranatha! Music
Psalm 57:9-11

I will give thanks to Thee
O Lord, among the people
I will sing praises to Thee among the nations
For Thy steadfast love is great
Is great to the heavens

And Thy faithfulness,
Thy faithfulness to the clouds

Be ex–alted, O — God — above the heavens
Let Thy glory be over all the earth

Be ex–alted, O — God — above the heavens
Let Thy glory be over all the earth!

Let Thy glo–ry, let thy glo–ry
Let thy glory be over all the earth!

Thou Art Worthy

By Pauline Mills, from Rev 4:11
1975 Fred Bock Music/Kingsway
Thankyou Music

Thou art wor-thy, Thou art wor-thy,
Thou art wor-thy O Lord.
To receive glory, glory and honor,
Glo-ry and hon-or and power.
For thou hast cre-a-ted,
Hast all things cre-a-ted,
For thou hast cre-a-ted all things.
And for thy plea-sure they are cre-a-ted.
Thou art wor-thy O Lord.

O Magnify the LORD

Based on Psalms 34:3
Words and Music by Dick and Melodie Tunney

O magnify, O magnify the Lord with me
And let us exalt His name together
O magnify the Lord
O magnify the Lord
And may His name be lifted high forever

O worship Him, O worship Christ the Lord with me
And let us exalt His name together
O worship Christ, the Lord
O worship Christ, the Lord
And may His name be lifted high forever

King of kings and Lord of lords
King of kings and Lord of lords
May His name be lifted high forever

1. Its message is Scriptural (Col 3:16). Good Christian music must present a message that is true to the Word of God and doctrinally sound.

2. It should lead us to think in Biblical patterns and not be suggestive of evil either in message or in musical arrangement (Phil. 4:8). The text and music should not be cheap or tawdry.

3. It should help us to honor God with our bodies (I Cor. 6:19-20). Music which tends to imitate the effects of godless rock upon the human body or which either destroys or impairs one’s hearing is not Christian music.

4. It will maintain a balance between spirit and understanding (I Cor. 14:15). Music that is primarily emotional froth would not fulfill this requirement.

5. It will contain words that are full of beauty, dignity, reverence and simplicity, words that are worthy of the worship of a holy God (Isa. 6:1-6).

6. It will be free of mental association with worldly musical styles and evidence a holy consecrated character (Rom. 12:2; I Jn. 2:15). Music that seeks to copy the worldly approach is not honoring to God.

7. It should be expressive of the peace that accompanies the Christian life, not the clamor, confusion, din, and turmoil of the world (Col. 3:15-16). The various forms of rock music do not contribute to peace of heart but partake of the constant jangle of the sinful world. Christ promises peace to His people (Jn. 14:27).

8. It should be characterized by musical preciseness, finesse of poetic technique and should evidence a structure of harmony and order. God is a God of order and not disorder (I Cor. 14:40).

9. It should promote and accompany a life-style of godliness, modesty, and holy quietness, and not modish fashion, suggestive acts, or sexual aggressiveness (1 Pet. 1:16; Tit. 2:11-12).

10. It should not contribute to the temptation of new or weak believers (Rom. 14:13,21; 15:2). Music that reminds newly-saved converts of their old life of sin is to be abhorred and rejected.

Comments: Evidently this pastor does not allow rock music at all. That is one of the extremes on the side of the overly conservative who disallow anything with a beat/ rock music. The other extreme is of course to be too engaged in heavy rock and lousy lyrics and worldly styles. Our objective is to show both extremes are unhealthy. I will be going to listen to www.sermonaudio.com sermons which have very fundamentalist attitudes to rock music, to give a view from their persepective.

P/S: I have added Bill Muenlenberg’s blog on the side as link. He talks about some issues like abortion, euthanasia, science, environment, family etc. Might give us some ideas.

At the moment, euthanasia is illegal in Singapore and in many other countries. Only the Netherlands has legalised euthanasia, or what is also known as physician-assisted suicide. Should we ever wish to look into this area of medical ethics, I suggest we can consider doing withdrawal / withholding of treatment. This is more applicable and prevalent in our context, especially as more of us face the prospects of making such decisions for our loved ones.

Ok back to researching for CCM, I promise!

Argument 1: The human embryo deserves full moral status because:

-         It has the full human genome.

-         The normal course of development would be from embryo to child to adult.

-         It is a unique human (number of possible permutations: 23²³)

-         Cell division and respiration prove that the embryo is alive.

-         Its transition from gametes to embryo shows a significant increase in the embryo’s potential for development.

Argument 2: The human embryo deserves only partial moral status because:

-         Full moral status is conferred upon only at birth

-         It is recognized that the embryo is alive, but does not have similar moral status as infants or animals.

Considerations in conferring the human embryo moral status, or personhood:

-         Immune system to distinguish between self and others must be present

(à this criteria excludes AIDS & rheumatoid arthritis patients as ‘persons’)

-         Primitive streak must be present

-         Must be independent from mother

(à this criteria excludes premature babies, infants, teenagers & ventilator-dependent people as ‘persons’)

-         Embryo must be implanted into womb

-         Intrinsic worth of a human being as bestowed upon by God; man created Imago Dei

Problems with granting partial moral status to embryo

-         What we would do to a 14-day old embryo in a petri dish, we should also be able to do to an embryo planted in the womb

-         Owner of embryo decides on its fate: relativism

-         Gives rise to the possibility of justifying using embryos as a means to the end, subsequently giving way to regarding the disabled, mentally impaired, comatose as partial moral beings

-         Once a distinction is made between embryos created for research and those for IVF, a moral distinction will be implied as well à embryos for research not created ‘morally’ and so can be destroyed

Problems with granting full moral status to embryos (research progress impeded)

-         Research on embryos, however promising to medicine, would be forbidden

-         Abortion will be forbidden since the child stands on equal moral footing as his/her mother

-    Chimera research would face great objections

-         Leftover eggs from IVF would pose a great ethical problem

Anyway, just to let you know that I have made copies of the Methodist Church’s social principles for all of us. I’ll pass it to you this Sunday and you can read it and maybe post your comments here, ok?

At the same time I’ve also created a new category for our plan next year to venture into the dark murky world of ethics. Due to the nature of my work, I have access to many academic journals on abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, chimera, brain death … etc etc. Just to let you know that anytime you wish to read some of these articles and see how they argue for / against abortion and the like, just let me know. I won’t put them here coz the articles are licensed, but I’ll just make a personal copy to be distributed among us. Do post whatever findings you have on the two issues here too. I’m looking forward to this.

you hold my world
in the palm of your hand
and I’m yours forever

Jesus I believe in you
Jesus I belong to you
you’re the reason that I live
the reason that I sing
with all I am

I’ll walk with you
wherever you go
through tears and joy
I’ll trust in you

and I will live
in all of your ways and
your promises forever

Jesus I believe in you
Jesus I belong to you
you’re the reason that I live
the reason that I sing
with all I am

I will worship I will worship you x17

Jesus I believe in you
Jesus I belong to you
you’re the reason that I live
the reason that I sing
with all I am

To listen:http://www.imeem.com/people/Qlix1j/music/oIA8S03u/hillsongs_with_all_i_am/
( i still can’t figure out how to put the whole song here )

In my life You`ve heard me say
I love You
How do I show You it`s true
hear my heart, it longs for more of You..
I`ve fallen deeply in love with You..

You have stolen my heart
I`m captivated by You
Never will you and I part
I`ve fallen deeply in love with You

You and I, together forever
Nothing can, stand in the way
My love for You, grows stronger
each new day.
I`ve fallen deeply in love with You

You have stolen my heart
I`m captivated by You
Never will you and I part
I`ve fallen deeply in love with You

Jesus, you've stolen my heart
I`m captivated by You
Never will you and I part
I`ve fallen deeply in love with You

2) In Love With You lyrics – Chris Tomlin

I feel like singing now
My heart is free

You’ve forgiven me
Your name’s the sweetest sound to my ears,
Lord hold me near

I’m in love, love with You
Like I never dreamed
I’m in love, love with You
And I’m flying free
From the things that tie me down
I’m walking on the ground
I’m in love, love with You

You’re all I think about
Day and night all the time
How you make my world

Go ’round and make it stop
You’re all I got

——————————————————————-

Comments: Smacks of popular sentimentality: “you have stolen my heart”; “Like I never dreamed… I am flying free….I’m walking on the ground (whatever that means)” and the language uses expression of love used among men that is not suitable to express love from men to a holy God. I think this is all part of an errorneous theology that says either we ‘fall in love’ with God or God ‘fell in love with us’. God is said to set His affections on us (a wilful act, not a sudden, momentary change of heart, and so too is our love for God not mere sudden excitation of emotions!)

Come and lay your burdens down
Before the Friend who’s faithful
Before the One who’s able

For He is our God
And we are His people
(Yes) He is our God
And we will never be forsaken

Come, let us lift our voice in praise
Unto the Rock of Ages
Unto the God who saves us

Come and glorify His name
All the earth together
All the saints forever

You are our God
And we are Your people
You are our God
And we will be with You forever

————————————————————-

Comment: Good lyrics largely based on Jeremiah 31:33:

©1980 Maranatha Praise, Inc.
Words and Music by Dave Doherty

[Chorus:]
Alle, Alleluia to the Father to the Lord
Alle Alleluia to the Savior forevermore

comment: Any idea of ‘I lift you up’ is biblically used in this instance for praising God? I know of the phrase ‘Son of God will be lifted up’ refers to the death of Christ in Gospel of John… but are there any other instances in the bible ’lifting’ is used to praise God?