Is it a sin to listen to non-christian music?
Should Christians listen to non-christian music?
Well, it's not just a straight forward answer and it depends on the music. We need first to understand that God gave us music to enjoy and you can see that right throught scripture. A great example to look at is David. He sang and he worshipped God with music.
2 Samuel 22:1-3 "David spoke the words of this song to the Lord on the day res ued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the grasp of Saul he said: The Lord is my rock,my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge."
This goes on and on just to worship God with songs and look at how David and the singers of that time used music to praise and worship God when they carry the ark.
1 Chronicles 15:16 "Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments... harps, lyre, and cymbals."
So they even used musical instruments to praise God. And today, in some churches they say no you can't do that, you can't play any musical instruments in church. But you can if it glorifies God.
David even used a harp to play to soul to calm him down but the most amazing picture that we get form music is the angels in heaven who sing and praise God.
Job 38:7 "While the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy."
Luke 2:13-14 "Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising Gid and saying: glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors!"
So there is nothing wrong with music to sibg and praise God but what about secular songs that doesn't have God in it?
Well, there are normal songs out there, secular songs that sings about nature, about love, about normal things, that is not against scripture and then you can listen to it if it agrees with --
Philippians 4:8 "Finally brothers and sisters. Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is no any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy, dwell on these things."
Now, there is a lot of music that does not fit in with this verse or the whole Bible for that matter. Most people just listen to music because it has a catchy tune right, but they don't listen to the words, to the lyrics. Music is very powerful and you should be careful of what you let into your mind, into your thoughts because it will influence you.
Songs that have lyrics in them wuth just full of swearing and cursing ahould not be listened to. Most rap music today is full of it. It's focused on the sinful, fleshly nature that focus on our evil desires. A lot of secular music focus on immorality and violence, it moves away from everything that is pure and that is good and you should not listen to it.
An easy test that you can just do when you want to listen to a particular song is just ask yourself thos question: would Jesus listen to this song?
Now, you need to know that nowhere in the bible doesi t say that a particular instrument or style of music is sinful or ungodly. With that being said I will definitely listen to heavy metal music because Holy Spirit in me just does not agree with that. The best music out there will alwasy be a type of music that honor and glorifies God.