Can Music Save?

This concept of putting off the things of the world for the things of God seems to circulate everywhere. I'm seeing it in even polar realms of Christianity: I've seen it in both the conservative homeschool community and the extreme youth conference. In both groups we're looking for some way to get higher. We want to fly so badly (how does the song go? "I'll fly away oh glory, I'll fly away!" ). I'm starting to wonder, though, if our psychokinesis and ethereal desire will really give us wings to God. We may be trying too hard to levitate ourselves from this earthly life that Jesus descended into.  Jesus came to earth, resurrected-- and yes--ascended. But then he said he was with us always and was coming back. This means it is his kingdom, and we are here to glorify him through it. Shouldn't we glorify him through it, not instead of it?

As you may have guessed, I'm leading up to the point that I heard a few gnostic strains in the article. His caution to keep Christ central, however, rings strong and clear as it should. All things are made by Christ and for Christ. Both this article's author and I would agree, I think, that the aim of music lies within God's design. What better platform to sit on?

After that, I'd love to ask: Can music *be saving* the world without *being the Savior*? 

What do you think?

Music: the Savior of the World?

Posted on June 17, 2009 at 12:45 am, by Ben

“I believe in God, Mozart and Beethoven, and likewise their disciples and apostles; I believe in the Holy Spirit and the truth of the one, indivisible Art; I believe that this Art proceeds from God, and lives within the hearts of all illumined men; I believe that he who once has bathed in the sublime delights of this high Art, is consecrate to Her for ever, and never can deny Her; I believe that through Art all men are saved.” - Richard Wagner

“I despise a world which does not feel that music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.” – Ludwig Van Beethoven

Music does not possess the power to save because music is not our Savior.

Though created by God with specific designs and intentions (a topic for another day), music was not created to be the savior of men or the savior of culture—that claim belongs to Christ. Furthermore, nowhere does scripture indicate that music is the agent God uses to open the eyes of the spiritually blind or to spiritually awaken those who are dead in their sins, but throughout it clearly outlines what is: the grace of God through faith by the hearing of the Word.

But surely, if we could just show an unbeliever the evidence of Creation—perhaps through a really beautiful and emotional piece of music—and tell him how reasonable it is to believe in God… that would be enough to convince him of his error and prick his heart unto repentance, right? No, because human unbelief is not due to a lack of earthly evidence, but a complete inability to properly understand the created things of God because we are spiritually dead and blind in our natural state. Fallen man requires Christ as his savior because he is in desperate need of the eye-opening saving grace that no amount of evidence, emotional stimulation, or even music (however beautiful), can provide. Scripture portrays a crystal-clear dichotomy between the spiritually dead and the spiritually alive in Christ. The notion that the dead can make himself live is ridiculous, and the suggestion that the blind can see for himself the way of light is utterly absurd… So why do we even pretend to believe that a spiritually blind, dead man can discern the salvation of Christ through the hearing of music when we are clearly told that Christ saves through the hearing of His Word?

Most theological blunders are birthed when we conform the Word of God to our individual lifestyles and not our lifestyles to the Word. If saving faith was triggered merely by an emotional jolt souls could be saved by the music we write and play, seemingly eliminating the need to stand up in times of intense persecution to proclaim, preach, teach and uphold the Word of God or evangelize to the lost (Mat 28:18-20, Col 1:28, Rom 10:14). God forbid that we ever replace His mandates and commissions with ones of our own construction.

I praise God that He has opened my eyes to behold a revelation higher even than music, and that I can stand in confident opposition to the teachings of Wagner and proclaim with joy that the salvation of mankind lies not in art or music but in Christ, the only true Savior.

~Sarah