Music is not Amoral

Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good , or whether it be evil.” 

Pick out one letter from the alphabet: “a” or “m” or “z” or any letter. Does that letter have sin? Is there such a thing as sinful letters in the alphabet? Of course not. But wait. What if you take some letters to form a word. Can a word be good or evil? Yes, it can. Actually, in Mt. 12:36-37, Jesus promised that every word we speak, even idle words of conversation, are judged by God. So even though letters don’t have sin, words definitely do. 

Take a single note in music. Is a single note wrong? No. But when you put that note of music with other notes to form a song, you have a composition that is either good or evil. This composition or “work” of music is judged by God, according to our text Ecclesiastes 12:14, as good or evil since “every work” will be brought into judgment. 

The term “amoral” is a word that indicates something has no morality. “A” in the word means “without”. (I personally find it funny that the word “amusement” means “no thinking”. People don’t like thinking when we ride a roller coaster, play a video game, or watch TV. 🙂 When I was a young man, I heard a believer defend their wrong music by saying that all music was amoral. They were meaning that there is no good or bad music. They were saying all music is okay to listen to. But that’s impossible since we have already learned from the Bible in previous articles that our good God made good music, and the wicked devil corrupted music. Simple logic dictates that God’s music is good and Satan’s is bad. Music cannot be amoral. Actually, many believers have taken this stand with any type of media and amusement. Why? Because if there is no morality in what you do, where you go, and what you sing, you’re not going to be judged by God and there will be no consequences. Sinful man sure does love to wiggle out from under our holy God. And yet, Ecclesiastes 12:14 stands firm that all man’s works (movie productions, fun activities, performed music, etc…) are only judged as good or evil. 

Some argue that Ecclesiastes 12:14 is only talking about man’s works. “I didn’t make the movie, song, or restaurant that serves alcohol. I only watch, listen, and pay for it.”) As if that makes it any better! Notice: 

II Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 

If you are alive on this earth, you live in a body. And everything “done in” your body (which is everything) is judged by God as good and bad. Friends, music is not “amoral”. Whether you “work” (Eccl. 12:14) to write, sing, conduct, or perform a song or whether you just simply choose to listen to (II Cor. 5:10) a song, you are judged by God. 

Before we conclude, we also must emphasize that there is no middle ground. There is no gray area in music. Ecclesiastes 12:14; II Corinthians 5:10; Rom. 2:6, 9- 10; and Mt. 12:36-37 all point to our works, words, thoughts, and enjoyments as good or evil. There is nothing else. Man’s eyes almost always see only gray; compromise. God’s holy eyes see only black and white; good and evil. 

So, dear reader, don’t be deceived. Music has morality. There is no “amoral” music. God’s music is always good. Satan’s music is always bad.