Introduction
Music forms a humongous part of the people’s lives regardless of culture or country boundaries, people are in unity due to melodies, beats and lyrics. To Christians music is a way of mend or drawn nearer to God and therefore fulfils the task of worship music. But Apostle Michael Orokpo, a Nigerian minister has warned Christians against the dangers of listening to secular music. As per him, the world music if continuously listened to, has the potential to harm the soul of the believer gradually in ways that can be realized but cannot be quantified, spiritual growth, relationship with God and the moral compass of the believer.
Spiritual WATCH on Secular MUSIC! In this article, Apostle Michael Orokpo shares some reasons why Christians should be on guard for secular music, and we will discuss the imperative reasons based on matters of the spiritual and practical facets of life. I will use scriptures, along with presenting a theological breakdown in an endeavor to identify why shun secular music is a means of fulfilling holiness and separation of a Christian from the world.
- SOCIALLY TABOO MUSIC; ITS EFFECT ON ONE’S BRAIN
“The Apostle Orokpo strongly points out that dance hall music seriously affects the mind as it constantly instills different thoughts, which go against most of the teachings of Christ.” Music has a natural way of penetrating past the barriers and getting into parts of the brain that may be long forgotten. Most of them have messages of love, passion, materialism and pride all of which are contrary to teachings of the Christian faith. Apostle Paul warns believers in Romans 12:2 to “not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds”, however the world music generally cultivates concepts and perceptive that result in erroneous world view among Christians.
Quite contrary to that secular music is sung in such a manner as to elicit the feelings and desires of every individual. According to Apostle Orokpo such messages…..“create room in the heart for such thoughts and desires which is bad for your spiritual health.” Philippians 4:8 instructs believers to think on things that are pure, and things that are lovely, and of good report. But in secular music, there are tendencies that are out of those guidelines and serve to subconsciously distract the believer from God.
- Influence of Spiritual Music
In the opinion of Apostle Orokpo, music is not merely an aspect of physical experience; to the contrary, it is spiritual by its nature. The scripture also teaches us that music moves the spirit in a constructive as well as destructive manner. Just as King David’s harp playing could drive away evil spirits from Saul (1 Samuel 16:23), and in essence, secular music can take a person’s spirit, and give it a connection to anything that would adversely affect the spirit.
Apostle Orokpo has said that music was originated in heaven and was meant to be used in praising God. However, when Lucifer fell, he perverted it for his use and made music as a tool on which he could.Project Onyx. Most of the current world’s music content is actually an antithesis of all that God stands for, calling listeners to screw their lives up and engage in sinful practices. This influence can bring a form of spiritual imprisonment in a Christian and thereby hinder the full Christian life.
- The Harmful Effects of Perverse Messages
Still, secular music frequently includes lyrics which praise sin in various forms, starting with pride and lust, and ending with violence and revenge. As Apostle Orokpo has noted, singing these songs or even inwardly reciting these lyrics makes Christians sanction sinful concepts. The Bible teaches in Proverbs 18:21 That spark of truth from James 21 that ‘death and life are in the power of the tongue.’ I accept the fact that when believers sing songs whose lyrics contain immoral things they are actually performing an immoral act which may lead to certain repercussions on the spirit realm.
According to Apostle Orokpo, what a Christian speak and what they have in their mind should reflect what the scriptures make up since these factors determine a Christian’s personality. Hence, exposing one’s mind continuously through listening to secular filled lyrics brings potential to the believers to dull their conscience to sin, thus easing the justification of the sinful actions/thoughts on the Christian beliefs.
- Listen to secular music and you get spiritually deflated.
Secular music has a tendency of distracting a Christian hence reduces their spiritual strength. From the perspective of Apostle Orokpo, the admission of secularism into the hearts and minds of Christians blinds them to spiritual feeling and experience and therefore destroys sensitive ability to hear from God and feel His leading. Galatians 5:16 exhorts Christians to ‘walk in the Spirit,’ which means that they should plug their ears to the world and more of the spiritual.
When a Christian’s mind is preoccupied with the temporal messages the world has to offer it becomes difficult to conduct oneself with Spirit-like demeanor. Secular music generally sets a conflict within, that is between the natural sinful self and the new redeemed self. Apostle Orokpo rightly observes that the first item in secular music may distract a Christian fully from worship and prayer and Bible study if he continues to expose himself constantly to it.
- Secular songs make the environment of worship change.
For Christians, worship is a holy and serious affair, in which they fellowships with the Almighty God. Apostle Orokpo said that secular music I can disrupt this, creating unholy winds in the life of the believer. Psalm 22:3 and says, “God is enthroned in the praises of His people.” Thus, when a believer worships, he or she is calling upon the Interstate Commission to respond to his worship environment. But, secular music sometimes brings another spirit, the spirit that does not allow a believer to communicate with God at a certain level.
Apostle Orokpo insists on dedicating the lives of believers, and their homes, minds as well as spaces surrounding them with music, in praise of the Lord. This may go a long way in preparing the congregation for the presence of God by providing a setting in which such presence is desired and appreciated.
- Holiness used in defending the heart
In the word of God also says, keep your heart with all diligence for out of it is the issue of life. Proverbs 4:23 says, “This is the most important of all, watch over your heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life.” Apostle Orokpo also said that everybody needs to be aware that secular music pollute the heart so that it is filled with ideas and intentions that are destructive to ones spiritual life.
The heart listens to what is fed into it and most of the secular music fosters desires that are away from the word of God. Still, listening to secular music that contains messages of lust, greed, revenge and such, dims the light of the believer’s heart and weakens his resolve to live a life strictly for God.
- Studies in the Christian life must therefore be sensitive to such double standards in order to help the reader in their Christian journey.
Apostle Orokpo convey on the same note of setting standardsTraits of Christ in every sphere of life as a true Christian ought to emulate Christ’s purity and love. However, listening to Secular music can be a double edged sword: believers are, in effect, consuming and in many cases promoting ideas that are contrary to their faith.
2 2 Corinthians 6:verses 14-15, mention in tradition the need of withdrawal from this world practices or vice versa. This assertion that secular music in its many ways encourages life contrary to that of a Christian is made by Apostle Orokpo. By avoiding profane music, believers seem to be continuously yielding their lifestyle to Christ thereby presenting a lifestyle that has been completely dedicated to Christ.
- WHY AMERICAN EVANGELICALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMBRACE WORSHIP MUSIC
Orokpo Apostle requests the churches to encourage people sing worship songs, which has replaced secular songs. Worship music not only elevates the status of God but also builds up a Christian’s bond of fellowship with Him. While worldly concerns predominate everyday issues, worship music bring messages of hope, faith and love to the heart and mind.
The Bible encourages believers to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Colossians 3:16). In worship music the Christians will always be a right choice in feeding the soul properly and connecting with God in the right way.
Conclusion
The message by Apostle Michael Orokpo is a wake-up call for Christians to be ward about the kind of music they listen. Secular music though places are good and many times enjoyable has melodies that have messages that are detrimental to the progress of a believer. Through proper intake of the words and melodies commonly from the Christian hymns, the hearts and the minds of the Christians are protected from the polluted music of the world, the souls are nurtured and the bodies thus prepared to receive God in our midst.
In my discussion, any important step that is pragmatic and results oriented for those who want to engage themselves a lot with the Lord is one that should be embraced not discouraged. Apostle Orokpo calls for believers to embrace a lifestyle of holiness in words and actions and to listen only to music that supports a godly lifestyle that inspires them towards a personal encounter with the Creator.