#CHURCHTALK 16: Christian Music and Worldly Music. What makes the difference?

A #ChurchTalk reader suggested today's subject for the Series. 

What do we define as wordly music?
How is it that some Christians despise some kinds of songs, merely because they are loud, with claims that such loud music 'drives' away the Holy Spirit?

The subject of music has generated and continues to generate intense debates amongst Christians all over the world till date.

Different Christians have different opinions about what they believe constitutes Christian/worldly music. A lot of these ideological standpoints, however, can often be traced to the denominational leanings as well as the cultural or educational backgrounds of these believers more than scriptural standpoints.

So, in writing this article, I'm going to deliberately avoid delving into a review or analysis of all the different standpoints. I'm just going to go straight to the point based upon new testament doctrine (which is what defines and details Christian lifestyles and ideologies).

What is Music?

Music is the art of giving rhythmical expression to the intellectual, emotional and willful dispositions/meditations of the human soul. It's like converting soul-talk into an audible rhythm of words.

We all know that the soul is intellectual, and so is the seat of our ideological positions and intelligence. It is also the container that houses our emotions, and so is the seat of our psychological appellations. Finally, it is the epicenter of our choices and convictions: hence, it is the seat of our wills as individuals. These three components make up the human soul.

Let me repeat this again for emphasis: music is what we hear when soul-talk is converted to audible rhythms of words by a person.

These rhythms are of different types. Some are fast while others are slow, and some are in-between too. Some are euphoric and rocky while others are blue and saddening. These different types or styles of rhythm are called genres of music. They include classical, country, blues, reggae, rock 'n roll, hip hop, rock, contemporary, pop, highlife, etc.

What is Christian Music?

The word "Christian" comes from the Greek word "Christianos" meaning "follower of Christ".
It refers to a person who believes in and practices the teachings and lifestyles of Jesus Christ, especially as were taught by His apostles.

Christian music artiste, Mercy Chinwo, sings on stage. 

So, Christian music is what we hear when the intellectual, emotional and willful meditations of a Christian or Christian teaching are converted into rhythmical words.

It follows that such music will consequently conform ideologically with the teachings and lifestyle of Christ as revealed in the writings of His apostles, and provoke emotions and convictions that reinforce that conformity.

Although it is regarded as one in social circles, Christian music is not a genre of music. It is a variant of music. Different genres of music are being used to create Christian music today including classical, contemporary, jazz, blues, reggae, hip hop, rock, etc. Depending on the genre, Christian music is often used for Christian fellowship or personal meditation.

Christian living stands on the tripod of hope, faith and love. Music which has any of these as its theme is very likely to be Christian music.

What is Gospel Music?

The gospel refers to the goodnews or message about the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with an emphasis on their significance to man's salvation and redemption through faith in the finished work of Christ.

Gospel music is a rhythmical expression of the ideological positions of the gospel message, provoking the emotions and convictions of that message. They are often used for Christian evangelism primarily, but also for Christian fellowship and personal meditation too.

Photo credit: GMIA

Like Christian music, gospel music is another variant of music too, not a genre of music. It is often sang by Christians, and so is also seen as Christian music too. But they are in fact different philosophically as seen above.

Scriptural accuracy, not genre, loudness, or denominational/cultural sentiment is what makes Christian music and Gospel music.

Songs with themes including grace, repentance, forgiveness, salvation, and faith in Christ are very likely to be gospel music.

What is Worldly Music?

The earth is not the world; it is the physical habitat or sphere in which the world exists. The world is the consummate system of thought and race which interact to form the course of human life on the earth. It includes ideological positions which serve to influence, regulate and govern human affairs on earth.

Worldly music is what we hear when the ideological positions, emotional expressions and convictions of the world are put into rhythmical expressions. It is often marked by immoral themes such as inordinate passion/pleasure, lust, pride, unbridled control, illicit sex, violence, orgies, debauchery, lewdness, anger, strife, covetousness, and ideologies that are antithetical to God and the testimony of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The Apostles of Jesus Christ taught in very clear terms that the world is at variance with God, so much so that Apostle John said that if one loves the world, the love of God cannot be in him/her as well.

1John 2:15 [NLT]
15. Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.
16. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

The temptations of Jesus reveal the level of far-reaching control which God's enemy, Satan, has over the world. This control is what produces the evil influences and tendencies that are rife in the people of the world. The Apostle Paul writes about this later on in his letter to the Christians in Ephesus saying;

Ephesians 2:2 [NLT]
You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at works in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.

For this reason, Christians often prefer to stay away from worldly music. They do this often in protest as loyal servants of God, and also as a means to openly and privately reject the values that are antithetical to those of their Lord and personal savior, Jesus Christ.

What is Secular Music?

Secular music is often closely affiliated to worldly music, but they are not the same.

Photo credit: Pexels

While worldly music postulates the ideologies, emotions and convictions of the world, secular music expresses the ideas, emotions and convictions which are revealed in God's attributes, specifically, the invisible things of God as revealed in created things.

Romans 1:20 [AMP]
For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks).

For example, if I were to write a song about trees, or social justice, or moral virtue, or government, they would qualify as secular music, not worldly music.

Secular music intelligibly talks about God's ideals as ordained in nature. But worldly music promotes ideals which God expressly rejects, including those that lead listeners down the road of disobedience to God's ways.

Again, both worldly and secular music are not genres of music. They are variants of music, and are often sang using different genres including highlife, reggae, hip hop, dance, rock, jazz, blues, rock 'n roll, pop, etc.

Proper understanding is meant to provoke a proper response to the truth. It is my hope that this article has brought much needed clarity to you our dear readers. Please share your comments in the comments section below. Thank you.


Chukwubuikem Paul Anunaso is a civil/structural engineer in Lagos, Nigeria. He is also the editor of The Paul Anunaso Blog.


Please participate by leaving your comments or questions about today's #ChurchTalk in the comments section below. Feel free to also discuss on social media platforms using the hashtag #ChurchTalk. 


Also, please suggest a #ChurchTalk topic for subsequent consideration, and we may feature it in the next edition of #ChurchTalk. State your suggested topics in the comments section below, or send them to thepaulanunasoblog@gmail.com 


Thanks for reading and participating.