2 Peter 2:1-3
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
It seems to me that, when it comes to modern "Christian" music, Peter hits the nail squarely on the head. The Church in the West has been industrialized; around it has clustered those who would make merchandise of (i.e. exploit) the Church, creating an industry of "teachers" who, for the sake of material gain and personal notoriety (think: Joel Osteen, Andy Stanley, Todd White, Kenneth Copeland, etc), secretly introduce destructive heresies into the Church and musicians who, for the same reasons, provoke the natural sensuality of Christians and lead them into grossly carnal and even blasphemous "concerts of worship." There is nothing of God in the "sound and fury" of modern "Christian" pop music, only the flesh in the costume of "spirituality" and "praise." God is not lifted up by these promoters of sensuality, they are.
2 Peter 2:13-15
13 ...They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;
15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Peter's words here are very applicable to the modern "worship" industry; terms like "pleasure," and "revel," and "carouse" describe modern "Christian worship" extremely well. And the fleshly tumult of these concerts mimics very closely the concerts of the God-hating lost whose music demonstrates that they are bound under the power of the World, the Flesh and the devil (Eph. 2:1-3; Tit. 3:3). What does God say to those who would know Him?
Psalm 46:10
10 Be still, and know that I am God...
Isaiah 32:16-18
16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
When Jesus wanted to draw near to the Father, to commune with Him, did Jesus look for sensual stimulation? Did he search for noise and colorful pageantry, for a jumping, screaming Mob whipped into an emotional frenzy by a cluster of musicians bouncing around a stage, pounding out tunes? No. Instead, he resorted to the solitude and stillness of the wilderness and mountains.
Scripture is very clear that spiritual living cannot come by way of fleshly, sensual living, by stimulation of one's physical senses and agitation of one's emotions. Fewer and fewer are the Christians today who know this, however.
James 3:15
15 This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
2 Peter 2:9-10
9 ...the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires...
Jude 1:18-19
18 ... there will be mockers in the last time, who will walk after their own ungodly lusts.
19 These are they who cause divisions, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Romans 13:12-14
12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Galatians 5:17
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Romans 8:5-8
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The more sensual - that is, stimulating to the physical senses of one's flesh - a Christian's "worship" is, the less spiritual it is. The things of the Spirit and the things of the flesh don't mix; you can't make appeals to the flesh with pounding noise, flashing lights, fog and writhing, bouncing musicians and be having a genuinely spiritual experience. Caught up by the force of the Mob and the music, one may have an intensely emotional experience, but this is by no means therefore a spiritual experience. If God's word is correct, these two things - fleshly excitement and a spiritual encounter with God - are actually in opposition to one another.
