Moral Music- by Brother James Melton

[ChosenbyHim]

MORAL MUSIC

Written By Brother James L. Melton


​

Certain sounds are pleasing to God, even when no words are present. The Scriptures confirm this quite well:

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come . . .” (Song 2:12)

“. . . the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isa. 55:12)

“God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.” (Psa. 47:5)

“And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.” (Exo. 28:35)

“Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.” (Lev. 25:9)

“With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.” (Psa. 98:6)

Now, the question becomes what KIND of sounds does God accept? What kind of music is acceptable to God? Again, God has not left us without an answer:

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of MELODY.” (Isa. 51:3)

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making MELODY in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19)


The key word is melody. The world likes to feed its flesh with rhythm, but God prescribes melody for the saints. Webster defines melody as “An agreeable succession of sounds; a succession of sounds so regulated and modulated as to please the ear . . .” What is especially interesting is the fact that Webster’s definition of “music” (1828) doesn’t even mention rhythm, only melody and harmony.


Now, I’m not implying that music doesn’t need some rhythm, for it surely does, just as your body needs a pulse, but music doesn’t need to be dominated by rhythm. Music in the Balance, by Frank Garlock and Kurt Woetzel, illustrates this truth in the following manner on page 59:


Too much (or erratic) pulse-----------Body is sick
Too much (or erratic) rhythm--------Music is sick
No pulse--------------------------------Body is dead
No rhythm-----------------------------Music is dead
Pulse under control--------------------Body is well
Rhythm under control--------------Music is “well”

The pulse that God designed for your body is so well controlled that you cannot hear it without making a special effort. In fact, if you do hear it, you will not hear anything comparable to rock music, CCM, blue grass, or country-western music. According to the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health, the natural human heart plays a “duet” consisting of a “systemic waltz” and a “pulmonary waltz.”


I fear that the judgment seat of Christ will be very eye-opening to a great many Christians who never took the time to learn the basics about moral music. Yes, I said MORAL MUSIC. Much of the garbage blaring from the sound systems in many churches today does nothing but feed the flesh. And I'm not referring only to Christian rock or contemporary music. The trash that some of you older folks listen to and sing is nothing more than a honkytonk sound with religious words. It doesn't feed your spirit and bring you closer to the Lord, and it doesn't make you more fruitful as a Christian. It simply makes you FEEL good in the flesh, just as unsaved people feel good in the flesh when they hear Hank Jr., Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Carrie Underwood or Miranda Lambert. As Christians, we can do better than that, and we SHOULD do better. We should reckon the flesh dead, and then feed and edify the inner spiritual man. Bach stated it well when he said that music is for the GLORY OF GOD and the recreation of the human SPIRIT. Most Christians today honestly do not know whether they're feeding the flesh or the spirit. They merely justify their choice music by saying "I like it," as if that somehow settles everything. No, the word of God will settle it, or it will remain unsettled until the judgment seat of Christ.

 

[crossnote]

I don't know about moral sounds, but dissonant harmony is nerve wracking and should have been buried with Arnold Shoenberg

 

[Nautilus]

blah blah, blah, blah im a kjv onlyist and i have terrible worldviews and clearly do not have the common sense or introspection to know the difference.

 

[Magenta]

Thank God for the freedom I have in Jesus Christ.

 

[Depleted]

MORAL MUSIC

Written By Brother James L. Melton


​

Certain sounds are pleasing to God, even when no words are present. The Scriptures confirm this quite well:

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come . . .” (Song 2:12)

“. . . the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isa. 55:12)

“God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.” (Psa. 47:5)

“And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.” (Exo. 28:35)

“Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.” (Lev. 25:9)

“With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.” (Psa. 98:6)

Now, the question becomes what KIND of sounds does God accept? What kind of music is acceptable to God? Again, God has not left us without an answer:

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of MELODY.” (Isa. 51:3)

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making MELODY in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19)


The key word is melody. The world likes to feed its flesh with rhythm, but God prescribes melody for the saints. Webster defines melody as “An agreeable succession of sounds; a succession of sounds so regulated and modulated as to please the ear . . .” What is especially interesting is the fact that Webster’s definition of “music” (1828) doesn’t even mention rhythm, only melody and harmony.


Now, I’m not implying that music doesn’t need some rhythm, for it surely does, just as your body needs a pulse, but music doesn’t need to be dominated by rhythm. Music in the Balance, by Frank Garlock and Kurt Woetzel, illustrates this truth in the following manner on page 59:


Too much (or erratic) pulse-----------Body is sick
Too much (or erratic) rhythm--------Music is sick
No pulse--------------------------------Body is dead
No rhythm-----------------------------Music is dead
Pulse under control--------------------Body is well
Rhythm under control--------------Music is “well”

The pulse that God designed for your body is so well controlled that you cannot hear it without making a special effort. In fact, if you do hear it, you will not hear anything comparable to rock music, CCM, blue grass, or country-western music. According to the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health, the natural human heart plays a “duet” consisting of a “systemic waltz” and a “pulmonary waltz.”


I fear that the judgment seat of Christ will be very eye-opening to a great many Christians who never took the time to learn the basics about moral music. Yes, I said MORAL MUSIC. Much of the garbage blaring from the sound systems in many churches today does nothing but feed the flesh. And I'm not referring only to Christian rock or contemporary music. The trash that some of you older folks listen to and sing is nothing more than a honkytonk sound with religious words. It doesn't feed your spirit and bring you closer to the Lord, and it doesn't make you more fruitful as a Christian. It simply makes you FEEL good in the flesh, just as unsaved people feel good in the flesh when they hear Hank Jr., Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Carrie Underwood or Miranda Lambert. As Christians, we can do better than that, and we SHOULD do better. We should reckon the flesh dead, and then feed and edify the inner spiritual man. Bach stated it well when he said that music is for the GLORY OF GOD and the recreation of the human SPIRIT. Most Christians today honestly do not know whether they're feeding the flesh or the spirit. They merely justify their choice music by saying "I like it," as if that somehow settles everything. No, the word of God will settle it, or it will remain unsettled until the judgment seat of Christ.

This reminds me of the sock-sock-shoe-shoe or sock-shoe-sock-shoe debate. Rather useless, and still part of the freedom to choose we have even in the Lord. Sorry, you're just never going to convince me only your view of music is Biblical. If music style was that important to God, he would have spelled it out in his Word. His yoke is light, so why do you insist on trying to make it heavier?

If this is the best you can come up with important lessons, may I recommend a new hobby? Anything but teaching. Some folks have skills as teachers. You're not one of them.

 

[ChosenbyHim]

This reminds me of the sock-sock-shoe-shoe or sock-shoe-sock-shoe debate. Rather useless, and still part of the freedom to choose we have even in the Lord. Sorry, you're just never going to convince me only your view of music is Biblical. If music style was that important to God, he would have spelled it out in his Word. His yoke is light, so why do you insist on trying to make it heavier?

This information is very useful, and just because you have not taken the time or the energy to study the CCM issue and apostasy does not qualify you as an expert on this important subject. Rock music has always been the devils music. Rock and roll music was birthed out of rebellion and occult vodoo practices. Look this stuff up. DO your own due diligence and stop being willingly ignorant of this issue. Are you offended yet? Good. Go and build a fence around it.

If this is the best you can come up with important lessons, may I recommend a new hobby?

And this issue of Music is a very important lesson and subject. Music is really powerful. And no you may not suggest a hobby.

 

[Nikki84]

This information is very useful, and just because you have not taken the time or the energy to study the CCM issue and apostasy does not qualify you as an expert on this important subject. Rock music has always been the devils music. Rock and roll music was birthed out of rebellion and occult vodoo practices. Look this stuff up. DO your own due diligence and stop being willingly ignorant of this issue. Are you offended yet? Good. Go and build a fence around it.




And this issue of Music is a very important lesson and subject. Music is really powerful. And no you may not suggest a hobby.

So all music except for the music YOU listen to is bad? Not buying this silliness

 

[Willie-T]

blah blah, blah, blah im a kjv onlyist and i have terrible worldviews and clearly do not have the common sense or introspection to know the difference.

Uh............... So is the guy who wrote that article.

 

[Willie-T]

I think Melton is a bit of a fanatic, but he did write one interesting little booklet:

The Bible Believer's Helpful Little Handbook

 

[wwjd_kilden]

Sounds like the author of that is trying to say that "the type of music I like is the only kind of music anyone should listen to."

I hate hip-hop, but like most other kinds of music.
I can feel calm listening to heavy metal.
I can feel annoyed listening to psalms.

It's not as much the music affecting my feelings as mu feelings affecting the music.

As for the nature / music references: Of course we feel at harmony when in God's creation,
that has nothing to do with music that we can make, but with being away from the hassle of the man-made world.

 

[Nikki84]

This information is very useful, and just because you have not taken the time or the energy to study the CCM issue and apostasy does not qualify you as an expert on this important subject. Rock music has always been the devils music. Rock and roll music was birthed out of rebellion and occult vodoo practices. Look this stuff up. DO your own due diligence and stop being willingly ignorant of this issue. Are you offended yet? Good. Go and build a fence around it.




And this issue of Music is a very important lesson and subject. Music is really powerful. And no you may not suggest a hobby.

Rock and Roll came from the blues which is music about life. No occult or voodoo. Just musicians expressing the hardness of life

 

[Willie-T]

In other writings this guy, Melton, actually says: Moral or Christian music is music "that sounds good." Whatever the heck THAT might mean. Sounds like an Old Fogey who only approves of music that he happens to like, for sure.

 

[Willie-T]

This would be what CBH and Melton would call "The Devil's Music."
[video=youtube;xkvdAQl4OBA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvdAQl4OBA[/video]

 

[KennethC]

This thread is the true usage of legalism !!!

Adding things on others not to do (or in this case not to listen to) that is nowhere considered wrong in the Word of God.

Placing one's personal preferences on others and thus making others to think they are sinful if they don't follow their own personal standards !!!

What makes music or a song good or wrong is not the beat or melody, it is the words spoken !!!


There are a number of good Christian rock, Christian rap, Christian gospel groups, and such that edify the body and give honor and praise to God in their lyric's !!!

Just because you don't personally like one type does not make it wrong !!!

 

[Nikki84]

This thread is the true usage of legalism !!!

Adding things on others not to do (or in this case not to listen to) that is nowhere considered wrong in the Word of God.

Placing one's personal preferences on others and thus making others to think they are sinful if they don't follow their own personal standards !!!

What makes music or a song good or wrong is not the beat or melody, it is the words spoken !!!


There are a number of good Christian rock, Christian rap, Christian gospel groups, and such that edify the body and give honor and praise to God in their lyric's !!!

Just because you don't personally like one type does not make it wrong !!!

Exactly!!!!!! I can't stand rap. I don't even know why it is considered music. Having said that, artists are praising God through this "music". I'm not going to stop them.

 

[kaylagrl]

MORAL MUSIC

Written By Brother James L. Melton


​

Certain sounds are pleasing to God, even when no words are present. The Scriptures confirm this quite well:

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come . . .” (Song 2:12)

“. . . the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isa. 55:12)

“God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.” (Psa. 47:5)

“And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.” (Exo. 28:35)

“Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.” (Lev. 25:9)

“With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.” (Psa. 98:6)

Now, the question becomes what KIND of sounds does God accept? What kind of music is acceptable to God? Again, God has not left us without an answer:

“For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of MELODY.” (Isa. 51:3)

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making MELODY in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19)


The key word is melody. The world likes to feed its flesh with rhythm, but God prescribes melody for the saints. Webster defines melody as “An agreeable succession of sounds; a succession of sounds so regulated and modulated as to please the ear . . .” What is especially interesting is the fact that Webster’s definition of “music” (1828) doesn’t even mention rhythm, only melody and harmony.


Now, I’m not implying that music doesn’t need some rhythm, for it surely does, just as your body needs a pulse, but music doesn’t need to be dominated by rhythm. Music in the Balance, by Frank Garlock and Kurt Woetzel, illustrates this truth in the following manner on page 59:


Too much (or erratic) pulse-----------Body is sick
Too much (or erratic) rhythm--------Music is sick
No pulse--------------------------------Body is dead
No rhythm-----------------------------Music is dead
Pulse under control--------------------Body is well
Rhythm under control--------------Music is “well”

The pulse that God designed for your body is so well controlled that you cannot hear it without making a special effort. In fact, if you do hear it, you will not hear anything comparable to rock music, CCM, blue grass, or country-western music. According to the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health, the natural human heart plays a “duet” consisting of a “systemic waltz” and a “pulmonary waltz.”


I fear that the judgment seat of Christ will be very eye-opening to a great many Christians who never took the time to learn the basics about moral music. Yes, I said MORAL MUSIC. Much of the garbage blaring from the sound systems in many churches today does nothing but feed the flesh. And I'm not referring only to Christian rock or contemporary music. The trash that some of you older folks listen to and sing is nothing more than a honkytonk sound with religious words. It doesn't feed your spirit and bring you closer to the Lord, and it doesn't make you more fruitful as a Christian. It simply makes you FEEL good in the flesh, just as unsaved people feel good in the flesh when they hear Hank Jr., Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Carrie Underwood or Miranda Lambert. As Christians, we can do better than that, and we SHOULD do better. We should reckon the flesh dead, and then feed and edify the inner spiritual man. Bach stated it well when he said that music is for the GLORY OF GOD and the recreation of the human SPIRIT. Most Christians today honestly do not know whether they're feeding the flesh or the spirit. They merely justify their choice music by saying "I like it," as if that somehow settles everything. No, the word of God will settle it, or it will remain unsettled until the judgment seat of Christ.

Straight from the horses mouth... Loosely interpreted its called the "we four and no more crowd".

We are independent and fundamental Baptists who adhere to traditional Baptist beliefs.

We further believe that the King James Version of the Bible is the preserved word of God for the English speaking people, and it is the official and only translation used or believed by the Church .

 

[kaylagrl]

In other writings this guy, Melton, actually says: Moral or Christian music is music "that sounds good." Whatever the heck THAT might mean. Sounds like an Old Fogey who only approves of music that he happens to like, for sure.

Well let me fill you in so you have a better understanding. According to Melton...The Body: To Move or Not to Move

I can remember sitting in a worship service some years ago...the introductory music had a rather heavy and fast moving beat. This fact soon manifested itself in the form of a young man bobbing his head and shoulders around right there in the service. In addition to embarrassing his parents, he proved that some music feeds the spirit while other music feeds the flesh.


Now brother Willie, we all know head bobbing will send you straight to hell! The fact that king David danced with all his might,er,head bobbing is sin!

He continues...When a body movement is nothing more than a pure and holy outward display, or extension, of an inner joy, then that movement is acceptable to God. A Christian lady would not be wrong for waltzing across her kitchen floor while preparing dinner for her family with lovely waltz music playing in the background.but she would be in the wrong if she tried this at the gas station in front of unsaved men.


Well there goes my gas station dancing days.Have to tell hubby I need to find another way to bring in extra money. sigh.


We continue on our lessons...

Sing in your mind the following lyrics and then think of the kind of body movements you’ve seen associated with this music:

The hills are alive with the sound of music

That’s Julie Andrews singing and gracefully running and twirling in the meadow in The Sound of Music. The rhythm didn’t dominate the music, so the flesh was well controlled and did not make sensual or suggestive movements. A Christian lady could do the exact same thing for the glory of God. Now, try this one:

BOMP, BOMP, BOMP, another one bites the dust

That’s not Julie Andrews. That’s a 1970’s rock band whose leader has since contracted AIDS and “bit the dust.” His refusal to control his flesh was a perfect parallel to the music he produced.

So Julie Andrews is a good Christian woman because she twirls.Hope you all are getting this!

A professional orchestra of one hundred pieces might have a maximum of three or four instruments playing rhythm, and even then they don’t play continually. This means that less than four percent of the orchestra’s music is rhythm. The rhythm isn’t totally absent, but it is well controlled. By contrast, at least seventy percent of the average rock band’s music is rhythm. This is why rock music and Christian rock major in feeding one’s flesh, even when the lyrics to the music are acceptable.

Less than 4% is rhythm anything more is the devils music!!He goes on and on but does anyone really care? I for one,do not.

 

[Willie-T]

Well let me fill you in so you have a better understanding. According to Melton...The Body: To Move or Not to Move

I can remember sitting in a worship service some years ago...the introductory music had a rather heavy and fast moving beat. This fact soon manifested itself in the form of a young man bobbing his head and shoulders around right there in the service. In addition to embarrassing his parents, he proved that some music feeds the spirit while other music feeds the flesh.


Now brother Willie, we all know head bobbing will send you straight to hell! The fact that king David danced with all his might,er,head bobbing is sin!

He continues...When a body movement is nothing more than a pure and holy outward display, or extension, of an inner joy, then that movement is acceptable to God. A Christian lady would not be wrong for waltzing across her kitchen floor while preparing dinner for her family with lovely waltz music playing in the background.but she would be in the wrong if she tried this at the gas station in front of unsaved men.


Well there goes my gas station dancing days.Have to tell hubby I need to find another way to bring in extra money. sigh.


We continue on our lessons...

Sing in your mind the following lyrics and then think of the kind of body movements you’ve seen associated with this music:

The hills are alive with the sound of music

That’s Julie Andrews singing and gracefully running and twirling in the meadow in The Sound of Music. The rhythm didn’t dominate the music, so the flesh was well controlled and did not make sensual or suggestive movements. A Christian lady could do the exact same thing for the glory of God. Now, try this one:

BOMP, BOMP, BOMP, another one bites the dust

That’s not Julie Andrews. That’s a 1970’s rock band whose leader has since contracted AIDS and “bit the dust.” His refusal to control his flesh was a perfect parallel to the music he produced.

So Julie Andrews is a good Christian woman because she twirls.Hope you all are getting this!

A professional orchestra of one hundred pieces might have a maximum of three or four instruments playing rhythm, and even then they don’t play continually. This means that less than four percent of the orchestra’s music is rhythm. The rhythm isn’t totally absent, but it is well controlled. By contrast, at least seventy percent of the average rock band’s music is rhythm. This is why rock music and Christian rock major in feeding one’s flesh, even when the lyrics to the music are acceptable.

Less than 4% is rhythm anything more is the devils music!!He goes on and on but does anyone really care? I for one,do not.

I hang my head in shame. You are so right.

 

[Nikki84]

So a mosh pit is out? Trying to keep track

 

[kaylagrl]

So a mosh pit is out? Trying to keep track

Well I can't speak for Melton but my guess is he'd say you'd go straight to hell,don't pass go,don't collect a hundred dollars.