# Vow question in regard to my hobby



## Miller (Dec 7, 2006)

I'll be taking membership vows this Sunday.

Last night the preacher and I were discussing putting to death the old nature and forsaking the world. (membership vow #3)

I play in a punk band. Lyrically there's nothing bad. He was concerned though about the appearance, reality and lifestyle that the music contributed to, being that the local venue we play at is about as worldly as possible (i.e. drunkenness, drugs, premarital sex, etc...)

I'm not sure I understand everything he said though and my band members are wanting to talk but I don't feel as though I have the answers, so can anyone give some input about this? Is it wrong?


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## ReformedWretch (Dec 7, 2006)

> being that the local venue we play at is about as worldly as possible (i.e. drunkenness, drugs, premarital sex, etc...)



That's a bit concerning. I suspect it bothers you as well?


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## Miller (Dec 7, 2006)

houseparent said:


> That's a bit concerning. I suspect it bothers you as well?


Honestly, I think I was desensitized to it, but since my pastor brought it up I am bothered and want to do the right thing. 
What scriptures apply to this? Maybe something about the fellowship with darkness or abstaining from the appearance of evil? I'm not sure.


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## ReformedWretch (Dec 7, 2006)

Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

1 Thes 5:5For you are all children* of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 12We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,[c] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.*


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## Miller (Dec 8, 2006)

> Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.


I'm sorry, sometimes I have trouble catching on but, how do you apply this verse to my situation? 


> 22Abstain from every form of evil.


Would you say that what I've partaken in is a form of evil? Be harsh if you need to.


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## ReformedWretch (Dec 8, 2006)

> I'm sorry, sometimes I have trouble catching on but, how do you apply this verse to my situation?



How does entertaining at this venue cause you to do any of those things in any way? Are you helping anyone else to do so?



> Would you say that what I've partaken in is a form of evil? Be harsh if you need to.



Do you believe a follower of Christ should entertain others in a place where you perform? Evangelicals say corny things like I am about to say, but would you invite Christ into this place to hear you perform? Yes, He might go in to preach, but that's not what I'm asking. Would you ask the Lord (if possible) to come into this place in order to entertain Him? If not, why not?


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## Miller (Dec 8, 2006)

> How does entertaining at this venue cause you to do any of those things in any way?


It doesn't.


> Are you helping anyone else to do so?


Yes, but my lyrics seem to go in one ear and out the other. Perhaps I've thrown pearls to swine?


> Do you believe a follower of Christ should entertain others in a place where you perform?


That's why I started the thread, and the answer would be no.


> Would you ask the Lord (if possible) to come into this place in order to entertain Him? If not, why not?


My pastor asked a similar question. He asked how would I feel if the congregation came to see me play. I said I'd be comfortable. He said what about the girls dancing and making out? I said oh, yeah that would be uncomfortable.

A couple days ago I would have asked Jesus to come. Now I would not because...I suppose the environment is not one suitable for Christians. There's no point in subjecting ourselves to temptation or to look as though we approve such sinfulness. Does that sound about right? Anything you would add or take away?


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## ReformedWretch (Dec 8, 2006)

> suppose the environment is not one suitable for Christians. There's no point in subjecting ourselves to temptation or to look as though we approve such sinfulness. Does that sound about right? Anything you would add or take away?



That's exactly what I'm saying.

This is from my favorite Charles Spurgeon sermon

we are called most distinctly to come out from among the ungodly, and to be separate, and not to touch the unclean thing. We cannot be fishers of men if we remain among men in the same element with them. Fish will not be fishers. The sinner will not convert the sinner. The ungodly man will not convert the ungodly man; and, what is more to the point, the worldly Christian will not convert the world. If you are of the world, no doubt the world will love its own; but you cannot save the world. If you are dark, and belong to the kingdom of darkness, you cannot remove the darkness. If you march with the armies of the wicked one, you cannot defeat them. I believe that one reason why the Church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the Church. Nowadays, we hear Nonconformists pleading that they may do this, and they may do that,—things which their Puritan forefathers would rather have died at the stake than have tolerated. They plead that they may live like worldlings, and my sad answer to them, when they crave for this liberty, is, "Do it if you dare. It may not do you much hurt, for you are so bad already. Your cravings show how rotten your hearts are. If you have a hungering after such dog's meat, go, dogs, and eat the garbage! Worldly amusements are fit food for mere pretenders and hypocrites. If you were God's children, you would loathe the very thought of the world's evil joys, and your question would not be, 'How far may we be like the world?' but your one cry would be, 'How far can we get away from the world? How much can we come out from it?' Your temptation would be rather to become sternly severe, and ultra-Puritanical in your separation from sin, in such a time as this, than to ask, 'How can I make myself like other men, and act as they do?"'

Brethren, the use of the Church in the world is that it should be like salt in the midst of putrefaction; but if the salt has lost its savour, what is the good of it? If it were possible for salt itself to putrefy, it could but be an increase and a heightening of the general putridity. The worst day the world ever saw was when the sons of God were joined with the daughters of men. Then came the flood; for the only barrier against a flood of vengeance on this world is the separation of the saint from the sinner. Your duty as a Christian is to stand fast in your own place, and to stand out for God, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh, resolving like one of old that, let others do as they will, as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord.

Come, ye children of God, you must stand with your Lord outside the camp. Jesus calls you to-day, and says, "Follow Me." Was Jesus found at the theatre? Did He frequent the sports of the race-course? Was Jesus seen, think you, in any of the amusements of the Herodian court? Not He. He was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." In one sense, no one mixed with sinners so completely as He did when, like a physician, He went among them healing His patients; but, in another sense, there was a gulf fixed between the men of the world and the Saviour, which He never essayed to cross, and which they could not cross to defile Him.

The first lesson which the Church has to learn is this: Follow Jesus into the separated state, and He will make you fishers of men. Unless you take up your cross, and protest against an ungodly world, you cannot hope that the holy Jesus will make you fishers of men.


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## Miller (Dec 8, 2006)

Thank you for your time and patience with me Houseparent. I will now be able to sleep and explain my thoughts much better to my bandmates.


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## ReformedWretch (Dec 8, 2006)

No problem brother!


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## bookslover (Dec 14, 2006)

Miller said:


> Thank you for your time and patience with me Houseparent. I will now be able to sleep and explain my thoughts much better to my bandmates.



Would it be possible to keep the band together but change the kind of music you play and the types of places you play in? You know, a total make-over of the band's music? I'm not saying that the band would have to enter (_shudder_) Pat Boone territory, but if you guys are talented enough, there must be other kinds of rock music you could play.


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## CDM (Dec 15, 2006)

Miller said:


> Honestly, *I think I was desensitized to it,* but since my pastor brought it up I am bothered and want to do the right thing.
> What scriptures apply to this? Maybe something about the fellowship with darkness or abstaining from the appearance of evil? I'm not sure.



You were/are desensitized to drunkenness, debauchery, fornication and the like?

This alone should be enough for you to discern the spiritual peril you may be heading in.


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## bradofshaw (Dec 15, 2006)

Miller Ansell
Christ Covenant Prebyterian Church (OPC)
Amarillo, TX

Hey Miller, is this pastor Brack's church? He and Betty headed up the youth camp back in the day. They're super cool folks!


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## Miller (Dec 15, 2006)

bookslover said:


> Would it be possible to keep the band together but change the kind of music you play and the types of places you play in? You know, a total make-over of the band's music? I'm not saying that the band would have to enter (_shudder_) Pat Boone territory, but if you guys are talented enough, there must be other kinds of rock music you could play.


Probably not. Musically I'm changing, and I'll get to that below.


trevorjohnson said:


> Are your team mates Christians..can you find some who are? Maybe you could write beautiful hymns to the Lord?
> 
> 
> Keep driving forward brother. I am glad for your post and I am glad for your God given gifts.


They show no fruit of being a Christian. I've actually started writing older sounding country tunes, music similar to Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Lefty Frizzell, etc...I guess you could call it "Calvin's Country."
Thanks for the encouragment.


bradofshaw said:


> Miller Ansell
> Christ Covenant Prebyterian Church (OPC)
> Amarillo, TX
> 
> Hey Miller, is this pastor Brack's church? He and Betty headed up the youth camp back in the day. They're super cool folks!


They are super cool. I've heard some great stories of Rev. Brack at presbytry meetings. Funny guy.


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