CAN A CHRISTIAN LISTEN TO “SECULAR LOVE SONGS”?

Music is powerful! Love, the strongest emotion, is equally powerful! So when the two come together the effects are unimaginable. I know that music is a very sensitive subject and in the Christendom the age old discussion about whether or not a Christian can listen to secular music lingers on. Well, this article is focused on secular love songs (love songs by secular artistes) and whether or not a Christian can listen to it. My short answer? Yes! And my long answer? Yeeeeessss!! Lol. Wait a minute! Did I just say Yes? Well I did. Now let me explain.

The third edition of the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines listen as to give attention to someone or something in order to hear them. So once again, it’s a yes! Why? Because a Christian is a human being with two ears, and songs (including love songs) were made for the ears. But even more important than that, listening is not always an intentional and conscious act. There are many times I have been exposed to certain kinds of information without my permission and yet I had very little or no control over the situation. For example, sometime ago, I found myself listening to a secular lustful song because it was being played in a public transport in which I was travelling. What could I have done? Block my ears? Scream? Get out of the bus? Well probably, but that’s not what I did. I endured. So once again my answer is a Yes! as long as I take the question as literal as it is. Now let me back what I am saying up with a scripture:

"I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but not everything is constructive. (1 Corinthians 10:23- New International Version)

Listening is not always an intentional and conscious act.

As Christians, we have been set free and free indeed through Christ Jesus (John 8:36) and we are not under law anymore, but we are under grace (Romans 6:14), so really we can do anything we want! Really? Yes!

Okay enough of that. Let’s take a little twist now! I think that the question we are trying to answer is a wrong question because it’s a leading and close ended question which limits us to a “yes” or “no” answer. Besides, it sounds more “law-ish” than grace filled. How about asking, Is it beneficial for a Christian to listen to secular love songs? My answer? I don’t know! I honestly don’t know because I think there’s no objective answer. Once again let’s refer to the scripture I quoted above from 1 Corinthians 10:23. It’s quite obvious that my answer is congruent with the thrust of that message Right? Or what do you think?

Nonetheless, I will provide the following as suggestions you must consider before going ahead to listen to a secular love song. Here we go:

1. Lyrics/ Message: Is the message consistent with God’s word about love? Honestly, most secular love songs present messages that are contrary to what the bible says about love. For example, one of the secular “love” songs that was released in 2007 and became very popular was Love is Wicked by Brick and Lace. Wait a minute! Love? Wicked? How? Check out 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on love, and see if any of the descriptions of love is synonymous to wickedness (or the entire lyrics of that song). None! Besides 1 John 4:8 clearly states that God is Love. And if so, is God wicked? Certainly not! For God so loved…(John 3:16), …I have loved you with an everlasting love… (Jeremiah 31:3) etc. Well that particular song is one of many examples. Once the message of the love song promotes pre-marital sex, pre-mature dating, polygamy, unfaithfulness, unforgiveness etc I will recommend that you don’t go for it.

Most secular love songs present messages that are contrary to what the bible says about love.

2. Timing: Does it help you to glorify God and enjoy your current status? Remember that above anything else, a Christian must be preoccupied with loving God above anything else and living to glorify Him.

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' (Matthew 22:37- New International Version)

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

(1 Corinthians 10:31- New International Version)

Music is so powerful that it can cause you to think and act in ways that will shock you and others largely because of the way it’s able to engage our emotions. Therefore, it’s not wise, for example, to expose yourself to songs that will stir you up with thoughts and words you can think and say to your fiancée (or boyfriend or however you call it) when you are still single. And this same principle applies to every stage of our love lives. For example, although my fiancée and I are preparing toward marriage we realized that certain love songs, although sang by Christian artistes, will fill us with lust and nothing else because they are primarily suitable for married couples so we don’t expose ourselves to them. Nonetheless, I have to admit that there are certain love songs that can genuinely and “God-glorifying-ly” enhance the romantic part of people in a marriage-driven romantic relationship and I don’t think there is anything wrong with listening to such songs (a song like When God made you by Natalie Grant-a Christian artiste- is a great example). Therefore I suggest that you stay away as long as the song does not help you to uphold the values of love you must uphold in your current stage.

There are certain love songs that can genuinely and “God-glorifying-ly” enhance the romantic part of people in a marriage-driven romantic relationship

3. Environment: In whose company are you? Sometimes the message of a love song (perhaps sang by a Christian artiste) may be consistent with the bible’s message about love and may also be consistent with your current situation but may be precarious to listen to mainly because of the company in which you are at the time. For example, although I mentioned that Natalie Grant’s when God made you is a good song in a marriage-driven romantic relationship, it doesn’t mean that I should listen to or play such a song when I am with a female friend, especially when we are alone. Why? Because that same song will metamorphose from being a catalyst of love to a catalyst of temptation and lust. Really, the choice of love song we make must be determined by where we are, whether or not we are alone and who we are with.

In conclusion, although – in my opinion – there is no hard and fast rule, we all need to be very selective of the love songs we expose ourselves to, knowing how powerful music is.

P.S.: There are so many love songs by Christian artistes so let’s not be too quick to go for the “Secular” option because of the long term negative effects they (the secular artistes) can have on us inferring from the principles of sowing and reaping in Matthew 7:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:33. God bless you!