HISTORY
Scholars report that music, singing and dancing have always been present in religion. It is especially worth noting that music was an active feature of religion in Egypt, Sumeria and Babylon because these nations had profound religious influence on Israel which had its own unique musical history during Biblical times.

We conclude from this brief history that music, singing, dance and religion are inseparable. This history, along with our casual observations of religious activities in all cultures as we see them portrayed in movies and television, reveals that some form of music, singing, and body motion (sometimes outright dancing) is always present in religious activity. Consider, for example, the solemn processions of Catholics, hymns of the protestants, the dancing of Pentecostals and the dances of indigenous cultures. They all employ music, body motion (i.e. dancing, solemn processions, bowing, raising hands, etc.) and singing in their religion.

In addition to these modern examples that we can observe directly, researchers have documented the history of religious music in many cultures to confirm what we think we know about music and religion. And of course we have many Old Testament examples of music, dancing and singing that lend an apparent spiritual legitimacy to these activities. We say “apparent spiritual legitimacy” because we find many other scriptures that bring the spiritual legitimacy of these activities into serious doubt. These scriptures are the focus of this series of pages.

The idea that music, singing and dancing are not legitimate religious activities will shock most readers. How can something so beautiful, so inspirational be anything but spiritual? How can these traditions which have been practiced by our spiritual fathers for so many years be denied to be anything but Godly?

The reason that these traditions are ungodly is that religious nations in Biblical times included music in their religious practices. That fact alone will not convince most religious people that music and dance are ungodly. What should convince them, however, is the fact that many times God said Israel should not follow the abominable practices of other religions. If we consider these clear commands alongside the truths that all scripture is useful for training in righteousness, and that God does not look at outward appearances (including what the body might be doing), we can begin to appreciate that music and other expressions of human flesh are not acceptable to God. And if that does not convince, then we only need to remember that God looks at the heart and that flesh, including what the flesh does, counts for nothing.

When we say that music is not acceptable to God, we are not saying that music, singing and dancing are intrinsically evil or bad. What we are saying, however, that music, singing and dancing in a religious context are not recognized by God as ligimate expressions of spiritual worship. They are, however, expressions of religious worship which is not the equivalent of spiritual worship expressed through invisible faith (i.e. pure heart).

To understand that music, singing and dancing are not acceptable to God, we must first understand that religion can always be observed because it always involves use of physical, natural things — including the physical body which plays music, sings and dances. Physical expressions of the natural body cannot be spiritual, or faith-driven, because the nature of spirit and faith is that they cannot be seen, touched, tasted, heard or smelled. Therefore, while religion can be observed by anyone, true spiritual faith is always invisible — except to God — because they are internal matters of the heart which only God can see.

Religion is all around us. It is impossible to avoid the pervasive evidence of religion in the world. That is why God’s references to the world are symbolic references to the penetrating, pervading, permeating, extensive, ubiquitous, omnipresent, widespread,  universal, epidemic, inescapable, insidious presence of religion in every corner of the world. Religion is everywhere. It is nearly impossible to escape it — no matter where you live.

It is from this world of religion that God’s people are to be holy (i.e. set apart). God’s people live in the world of Old/First Covenant religion but they are not part of the world of religion. God’s people (i.e. New Covenant disciples ) are set apart from the world of religion when they do not do any of the religious things past religions did or present religions do. This describes Jesus relationship with his fellow Jews and describes the relationship Jesus’ followers have with the religious communities in which they live.

Living in a religious community without being a part of that community can be a lonely experience. This is what Jesus meant in his teaching about relationships his followers will have with the world of religion. Loneliness, rejection and hatred is a cost of holiness. But, the rewards of hearing God’s voice more than compensates for loss of relationships with people.

STUDY TIP: See The World for understanding of the world of religion.

No one is excused from obedience to God’s command that his people should not follow the customs of surrounding religious nations. The fact that a religious practice has been a tradition for many years does not make it acceptable to God. Nor does mention of God’s name or Jesus’ name in the music automatically qualify music as acceptable. Music in any form is always an expression of the flesh and not of the spirit.

If it is true that religious music is not acceptable to God, we might logically wonder how generations of Jews and Christians might have made such an error. The answer is the same for music as it is for all forms of religious activity found in the Bible. Music, along with all other religious activity is modeled after the religions of ancient Egypt and Babylon.

When reading the Bible we must always remember that it is full of symbolism where God uses natural things or behaviors to represent spiritual truths. This the fulfillment of the “first the natural and then the spiritual” principle in understanding the Bible. Thus, just as God uses physical temples, food and blood sacrifices to represent spiritual truths, he uses physical music and dancing to represent spiritual worship.

STUDY TIP: See Symbols, Signs, Types, Copies and Shadows, and subordinate pages for discussion of many Biblical symbols.

Accepting that music and dancing are manifestations of the flesh and not spirit will be a hard pill to swallow for religionists who have strong affections for their chosen styles of religious music. Nevertheless, it is a necessary step for anyone who wants to be set free from the bondage of defiled, Old/First Covenant religion.