Interview:

I would like to start with what the Holy Bible says about the spiritual significance of music. Psalm 150 says to praise God with all instruments, and “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” [Psalm 150:6]. The Bible says that we are called and created to worship God. The word “spiritual” has to do with the inner spirit or soul. We all have heard songs that have lifted our spirit, given chills, or put a smile on our face. I believe this goes back to how God created us to worship Him.

Through music we worship and enter into a closer connection and relationship with God. As a believer this pleases the Lord along with faith and obedience because He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. This seems to be a sensitive subject for a lot of people. There is one thing I always tell people who question so-called “spiritual” music: there is no “bad” or “evil” music, it is what the lyrics say in the song that make it good or bad. For example, Heavy Metal and Rock N’ Roll music has a reputation of being rebellious, even anti-God, and has been called “the Devil’s music”. In my opinion, that is shallow thinking. It is the lyrics that make the songs “good” or “bad” morally. So to say that all Rock N’ Roll music is evil would be very shallow. I personally have seen several people come to the Lord, and get saved because of certain Christian bands. They were able to connect with Heavy Metal and Rock N’ Roll songs because that is the music style they enjoy. We all have different tastes in music, and whatever style you enjoy, if it brings you into a closer relationship, or state of worship with the Lord, then that is what works for you. I personally like to play and listen to Rock and Metal the most, but I also enjoy several different styles of music.

Now there are some bands that label themselves as Christian Death Metal or Doom Metal bands, that have mostly growling and screaming vocals; you can’t understand a word they say. How does that music in any way glorify God? Remember, what makes Christian music are the Christian lyrics. We write songs not for ourselves but to glorify God. I am a Christian musician and feel strongly that there is a spiritual significance to music. I can’t see how a Biblebelieving Christian could disagree. Find the genre of music you enjoy, then add God-glorifying lyrics to praise our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Even if you just listen to instrumental music. All good things come from the Lord, including talents, abilities, and musical gifts. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

“We all have heard songs that have lifted our spirit, given chills, or put a smile on our face. I believe this goes back to how God created us to worship Him.”
– Tim Rhodes, guitarist