Mozart And Doctrinal Uncertainty

“That thou mightest know the CERTAINTY of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Luke 1:4

Anyone that has known me for a long time knows there are three things of absolute centrality to my life: My God, my wife (family), and my music. That’s sort of my holy trinity.

To say music is a vital component of my life is an understatement. Almost as far back as I can remember, I’ve been immersed in music. I’ve dabbled with playing instruments, but primarily it’s listening to music that brings me the greatest joy.

By way of illustration, here’s a small sampling from my CD collection of music I’ve uploaded to iTunes. These are my two favorites. I have listened to all of it. Much of it many, many times.

Elvis: 3,760 songs

Mozart: 2,498 songs (and more on the way).

As I’ve blogged in the past, Elvis was my first musical experience at a very young age. I was, and am, hooked. From Elvis I went, at age 14, to Led Zeppelin. Doesn’t make sense but that’s what happened. After that it was Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Black Sabbath, Yes, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and my all time favorite: The Allman Brothers Band. Plus, my jazz, blues ….

Along the way I decided to explore the waters of classical music. So, in my late teens, I bought Beethoven’s 9 symphonies. It didn’t quite do it for me then, but I was intrigued and that opened the future pathway to classical music. (I now have two CD versions of those symphonies.)

I like: Handel, C.P.E. Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann. I like, Michael Haydn, Beethoven, but … Mozart soars above them all, for me.

Many years ago, I ventured into the world of Mozart and was grabbed immediately. There’s just something about him and his music that really touches me. I’ve read five books on Mozart (one twice) and have another on the way.

When thinking about these two categories of music, Rock and Classical, certain perceptions come to mind, probably. The one (Rock) is “darkness” and the other (Classical) is “light.” For sure, one group’s chance of being in Darkness is greater than that of the other group.

Most people would eschew the Rock grouping as something to avoid because of its perceived negative impact. And I’m supposing most people would embrace the Classical grouping as acceptable because of its perceived lack of negative impact.

My point.

Recently, as I was merrily going along enjoying my Classical music experience, I came upon this. It’s part of a very beautiful operatic oratory.

See what you think.

“I believe in one God; the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten not made; being of one substance with the Father, by Whom all things were made.

Who for us and for our salvation descended from heaven. And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost, of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

He was crucified also for us, suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried. And on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven.

He sitteth at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; and His kingdom shall have no end.

I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, Who prodeedeth from the Father and the Son, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; as it was told by the Prophets.

And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.

And I await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

There’s so much good in this. A person that believes this is saved and going to Heaven, right? Or … maybe not?

Of the eleven sentences that make up this operatic doctrinal confession of faith, two could be (and are) problematic. Did they leap out at you? Do you know which ones they are? Or, given the present state of Christianity are you — Doctrinally Uncertain?

That Confession of Faith is from Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor. It contains enough truth to be dangerously deceptive.

There are Evangelicals/Christians/Messianics that don’t see anything Doctrinally Uncertain about the emerging alliance with the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” The lines between truth and error have eroded in our day. So much so, that our doctrinal antennae miss the faint signals of error. And that is all it takes to send people to Hell.

Those going to Hell aren’t always clothed in Darkness. Sometimes Darkness presents itself as an Angel of Light. A very religious Angel of Light.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” II Corinthians 11:13-14

By the way, here’s what Pope Francis said about Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor: “Among musicians I love Mozart, of course. The 'Et incarnatus est' from his Mass in C minor is matchless; it lifts you to God!”

If you’re Uncertain about what is wrong with this operatic Doctrinal Confession of Faith, perhaps you need to check and see if you really are in the Faith. “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” Matthew 6:23

Make sure of your CERTAINTY.

P.S. I’ve posted this before but think it’s worth mentioning again. Emphasis mine.

841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.” — The “one holy catholic and apostolic Church” Catechism, paragraph 841.

I don’t see any Doctrinally Uncertainty, do you? ;-)