Short answer: No. Music is a gift from God, and listening to secular music is not a sin in itself. The Bible gives no list of approved genres. It asks us to fill our minds with what is true, noble, pure and lovely, and to avoid whatever promotes sin. So the test is the content, the effect on your heart and your own conscience before God, not the style of the music.
In This Article
People in church ask this question more often than you might expect. A teenager wonders whether the songs on their phone are keeping them from God. A parent worries about what the children are hearing in the car. A believer who grew up in a strict home feels guilty enjoying a song that mentions nothing about Jesus.
The Bible says a great deal about music, and it says nothing that settles the matter with a simple rule. What it gives us is principle, and principle asks more of us than a rulebook would. Here is how I read it.
What Does The Bible Say About Secular Music?
Scripture never uses the word secular for music, and it does not divide songs into approved and forbidden genres. What it does is show music everywhere. Psalms, the Bible's book of songs, is its longest book, and some of its songs were sung in temple worship while others were private cries for help or thanksgiving to God.
Music goes back to the earliest pages. Jubal is named in Genesis 4:21 as the father of those who play stringed instruments and pipes. When God rescued Israel from Egypt, their first response was to sing, and Moses' song of praise is recorded in Exodus 15. Mary sang to God in worship when she learned she would bear the Savior (Luke 1:46 to 55). Music can lift the spirit and it can voice grief:
speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord
Ephesians 5:19 (NIV)
Music can soothe a troubled soul too. When Saul was tormented, David played his lyre for him.
Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better
1 Samuel 16:23 (NIV)
In Psalm 88 a believer brings sorrow and darkness to God in song. Across all these passages, music is treated as a gift that can honor him, and never as something wicked in itself. Because the Bible does not dictate which genres to enjoy, believers have freedom to choose, using biblical principles to make wise decisions.
Can Christians Listen To Secular Music?
Yes, with discernment. There is nothing wrong with enjoying a particular secular song as long as it does not encourage sin, the lyrics are clean, it does not shape your thinking in a bad direction, and it does not glorify evil. Many songs about love of family, the beauty of the world, hard work or heartbreak raise no problem at all.
The trouble begins when the message of the song works against what we believe. Many songs today promote selfishness, hostility, anger or hatred, and we do not want music to keep reinforcing those ideas in our heads. Paul warns that what surrounds us shapes us:
Bad company corrupts good character.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
That applies to the voices we invite into our ears day after day. The proverb about walking with an angry person makes the same point about influence (Proverbs 22:24 to 25). Repetition has power. A song heard a hundred times can plant an idea more deeply than a sermon heard once.
Is Any Genre Of Music Wrong For A Christian?
The Bible does not name specific genres as recommended or forbidden. Rock, country, classical, hip hop and pop are not mentioned, and none of them is holy or unholy by its sound. Musical genres are not inherently good or bad. The content and message of the songs, and the values they promote, are what we should weigh.
Some Christians choose to avoid certain genres because of the content, themes or lifestyle linked to them, and they are free to do that. Others, with an equally clear conscience, enjoy a wide range. Scripture teaches that a person should not look down on the other in disputable matters. Where a brother or sister has a tender conscience, we should respect it, and where we have freedom, we should not use it to cause someone to stumble. See whether it is wrong to cause others to sin.
I should also be honest about one thing. Some passages that people use against particular music do not say what they claim. For example, Deuteronomy 12 is about not worshiping false gods the way the pagan nations did. It is a command about idolatry, not a ruling on musical styles.
How Do I Decide What To Listen To?
The Bible gives us a filter, and it is a good one:
whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
Paul says to think about such things. He also warns against anything that promotes sexual immorality, impurity or the glorification of evil (Ephesians 5:3 to 4). Putting those together, here are questions I would ask about any song.
- What is it saying? Listen to the words, not just the beat.
- What is it doing to me? Does it stir up lust, anger, envy or despair, or does it settle and refresh me?
- Can I hold it up before God? The psalmist said he would not look with approval on anything vile (Psalm 101:3).
- Would it trouble a younger believer who saw me? Love for others is part of the test.
If you find a song stirring something you know displeases God, let it go. Our conscience is a guide, and the Holy Spirit uses Scripture to sharpen it. For related questions about what we take in, see what the Bible says about watching bad things, horror movies and twerking.
Is Worship Music The Best Choice?
Ideally, yes. The best music for Christians to listen to is worship music, because it turns our minds toward God and fills our heads with truth we can carry through the day. That does not make everything else forbidden. It means that if you are going to give your ears hours of the day, giving a good share to songs that sing Scripture is wise.
The Lord has blessed us with music, and we should not take such a strong and wonderful gift for granted. God sometimes uses it to speak to us. We are to discipline ourselves to do his will and let go of whatever we know displeases him. For a broader look at the definition behind all of this, see what sin is, and if language in songs bothers you, read whether swearing is a sin.
Key Bible Verses About Music
- Ephesians 5:19: sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.
- Colossians 3:16: let the word of Christ dwell richly as we sing psalms, hymns and songs.
- 1 Samuel 16:23: David's music brought relief to Saul.
- Exodus 15:1: Israel's first response to rescue is a song.
- Philippians 4:8: fix your thoughts on what is true, noble, pure and lovely.
- 1 Corinthians 15:33: bad company corrupts good character.
- Psalm 101:3: refuse to look approvingly at anything vile.
- Psalm 88: a song that brings grief honestly before God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Bible say about secular music?
The Bible does not mention secular music or rank genres. It treats music as a gift and asks us to dwell on what is true, noble, pure and lovely. The content of a song, not its style, is the test. See Philippians 4:8.
Can Christians listen to secular music?
Yes, as long as the lyrics are clean, the song does not promote sin, and it does not pull your thoughts in a bad direction. Use your conscience and Scripture, and respect other believers who choose differently.
Is Christian music better than secular music?
Worship music is the ideal because it fills our minds with truth about God, but secular music is not forbidden. A good share of what you listen to can sing Scripture while you still enjoy clean songs of other kinds.
Should children listen to secular music?
Parents are responsible for guiding what their children hear. Listen to the lyrics together, explain what is wrong with messages that promote sin, and teach children to use the test in Philippians 4:8 themselves.
Is it a sin to enjoy a song with bad words in it?
If the song celebrates sin or the language pulls you toward it, it is wise to turn it off. See our article on swearing for how the Bible treats language.
