From the Spirit and Our Hearts to the Lord

Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19)

Expanded Passage: Ephesians 5:19

There was a time in my spiritual life when I had very controversial views on Christian music composition. I would criticize Christian artists for bringing back to the gospel whatever theme they were dealing with in their music. I began to change my mind after I witnessed a particular event at a concert by a Pagan artist I liked, who was performing at an end-of-year party at work. At the beginning of his performance, he played a musical tune composed in honor of a pagan goddess he believed had made him successful in his career. This experience and similar testimonies I heard from other non-Christian artists rallied me to the just cause of evangelical Christian artists.

After giving a series of dos and don’ts on Christian living, in Ephesians 5:15–18, the apostle ends verse 18 with, “Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” Immediately afterward, he follows up with a series of instructions on music. Paul offers the music composed and sung from the Spirit and our hearts to the Lord as one way of being filled with the Spirit.

We are constantly being drawn to worldly music. May God let us be drawn to Christian music that edifies us, strengthens our faith, and enhances our relationship with him and our sisters and brothers in the Christian community.

Sing music from the Spirit and lift your heart to the Lord.

Handy Calixte is the national director of Christian education for L’Église Wesleyenne d’Haïti. He is pursuing a master of divinity at Wesley Seminary (IN). He is married to Johane and has three children.