NOTE: Be objective when evaluating music; do not let your feelings/emotions decide. We can learn to like new music: familiarity is the key. Since we hear pop/rock constantly, we are familiar with it, and we begin to like it. The same principle applies to moral music: the more we hear it, the more we will become familiar with it and begin to like it.

These considerations apply to both sacred and secular music:
 
1. Does this music reflect one or more of God’s attributes? His holiness, His righteousness, His purity, His love, His glory, His redemption, His majesty, His peace, His orderliness, His lordship, His joy, His truthfulness, etc.

2. Does this music fully comply with moral techniques for music? Does every area pass scrutiny?

* Is the melody the priority, with any other rhythms in support and subjection to it (no back-beat or other repetitious rhythm patterns)?
* To what are you reacting, the melody or the drum rhythms? (If it’s a march, remember the drum rhythms are ONE, two, ONE, two, and support the melody.)
* How does your body want to react (morally or immorally)?
* Are the rhythms played “straight”? If there is syncopation, is it used properly (without excessiveness, and delivered crisply and cleanly)?
* If there are vocals, are they honest (i.e., without pretense, sensuality, or “showbiz”)?

3. Is this music reverent? Does it show honor and respect for Who God is? Joyful, lively music can be reverent, because if it follows moral standards, it’s honoring and respecting God’s Word and His righteousness.

4. If there are lyrics, are they biblical? Are they doctrinally sound? If it’s a secular piece of music, are the words in harmony with the Christian life? The words should not contradict what it means to be a Christian.

5. Do you get a sense of “light” in the music? Is there a sense of pureness?

6. Could this music be played around God’s throne?

7. If there is any check in your spirit, heed it. (When in doubt, don’t.)

If there are sensual, worldly, or other immoral elements in any musical piece, we can be certain that these do not reflect God’s true character. Neither do these techniques properly represent the Christian life, nor do they show respect for a holy God.

[See “Resources” for examples of moral, non-carnal music.]

NOTE: Much New Age music conveys far-Eastern religious philosophies, and it is used for meditation purposes to achieve trance (which is unbiblical), so beware. This is discussed in Oh, Be Careful Little Ears, pp. 67-70.)