This link has links to parts 1-7, and the last two days are 8 and 9.
I'm going to get straight to it, but let's review again.
One, we are to prove all things (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Two, music has meaning.
Three, as an addendum to two -- since music is a means of communication, it can communicate moral or immoral.
Four, we determine what is moral, sacred music by applying biblical principle.
Five, applying scripture requires an understanding of truth in the real world.
Six, Music as Praise or Worship is Directed to God and the Gospel Is Preached.
Seven, God is worshiped with beauty (there is objective beauty).
Eight, Christians have historically, characteristically, considered or believed beauty to be objective and measured after the nature of God.
Nine, we now have an idea of what Israel's music sounded like.
Ten, music directed to God must be melodic.
Eleven, music directed toward God must be spiritual.
Twelve, God must be worshiped with true affection. I use the terminology "true affection." Maybe I could say "genuine affection," but better, "ordinate affection." In saying "affection," I'm saying "versus passion," which is the equivalent of "bowels" versus "belly" and "chest" versus "belly" (C. S. Lewis). There have been various ways of designating this in the history of Christianity. I'm also saying "ordinate affection" versus "inordinate affection," so "true affection" in that way.
This also relates to euphoria, enthusiasm, and ecstasy, versus something that is truly spiritual. This overlaps with #11. Those are mistaken for something spiritual. But the last three -- 10, 11, 12 -- all overlap. There's nothing wrong with having a feeling or getting a feeling, but how do you get it? That matters.
If we love God, like He loves us, then our love is impassable, that is, we love God with a lack of passion. Loving God starts with true thoughts about God, which affect the will. Emotions follow, but it is worship based upon truth. This is related to Jesus saying, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." We hear His commandments, think about them, learn them, and obey them. We don't feel His commandments.
The overlap here comes with the nature of spiritual worship. Our worship is to be spiritual (Philippians 3:3), which means, it is genuine, which always starts with the truth, and truth should begin with the mind. We must get the right estimation or value or worth of God first.
When it starts with true thoughts, it will not be deceived by feelings, as it was in Corinth with the mystery religion. They mistook their feelings for spirituality, because they worshiped in passion rather than affection. The feelings can be manipulated, as they were in Corinth.
Affections are directed by the thoughts, and true affections will reflect true thoughts about God. The emotions will be shaped or formed by those right thoughts. Inordinate affections come from the thoughts, but not right thoughts. It is more than just thinking, but thinking right. When we are thinking right, then emotion will be directed. This relates to God's emotion. For instance, God doesn't blow up. He doesn't have mood swings. His emotions are not directed by the outside, but by Himself, which is always the Truth.
Only certain musical forms are conducive to impassability or affection. Emotion is not neutral. There is good and bad and right and wrong. Our thoughts should be after God, but so should our emotions. This is how we love Him with our soul.
More to Come
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