Common Grace to ‘Amazing Grace’

The best argument for the existence of God is not logical or scientific, theological or apologetic. 

It is aesthetic.

Proof of the LORD is not found in the best formed defensive argument, but rather in beauty.  This might seem a bit odd, or even a bit bias (duh, the artsy-fartsy guy thinks music is the best way to see God!).  But, I really think the wonder and awe experienced in the presence of something truly beautiful is what can move someone from unbelief into belief. 

I do want to be careful here, because I am not saying that someone will find a saving faith in Jesus Christ by hearing a good song or viewing a nice painting.  Before someone can profess Christ as Lord, they need to first believe there is a God of the universe.  Music, Art, beauty, and creation make that case far better than any scientific or theological debate I have ever heard.  And ironically, I am going to use science and theology to make my point. 

So, why is music, art, and beauty such a compelling argument for the reality of the LORD?

Evolution and Music

A purely atheistic (non-God) view of music and art is that it developed as an evolutionary adaptation as our species learned to hear and see patterns in the wild that allowed us to survive.  Such as distinguishing between the rhythmic pattern of a two-legged friend vs the 4-legged footfalls of a predator.  Or discerning the ”musical” sound of footsteps, breathing, and movement through foliage that distinguished friend from foe.  Or correctly identifying the visual pattern on a poisonous plant.

Steve Pinker has called music “auditory cheesecake”.  Like cheesecake, music is not necessary to survive.  But evolution resulted in us adapting towards that which is sugary and fatty to eat, or pleasing to listen to.  A satisfying distraction to the meaningless chaos around us. 

And as logical and scientific as that could be, it just leaves me wanting.  That cannot be all there is to it?  The transcended experiences we have had listening to music, viewing great art, or reading literature cannot simply be an evolutionary left-over of what allowed someone to not get eaten a million years ago.  There should be, needs to be, must be more! (to which my staunchly naturalist friends would say, “too bad, that’s all there is”.)

Theology and Music

The theological view of music would say that our transcendent experiences with the arts is a part of God’s “Common Grace” that illustrates His glory.  God allows all people, believers and non-believers alike, to be moved by beauty because that is a grace by which God will draw people to Himself. 

This “Common Grace of Beauty” plays out far beyond just music.  We see it in the physical world when we are met with an overwhelming sunset.  We see it in the societal world when we witness acts of selfless bravery, sacrifice, and love.  We even see it in the moral world when an injustice is met with justice.  In this way, music is NOT “auditory cheesecake” that distracts us from chaos, but rather it is a Grace that draws us to the LORD. 

Common Grace to ‘Amazing Grace’

Not every evening has a spectacular sunset and not every day we witness acts of selfless love.  Yet every day we hear music.  Every person we encounter has a favorite song.  Everyone could tell of story of, “I remember when…” having a transcendent experience with something beautiful.

For me, one of those was watching Danial Lanois perform at the Englert Theater in Iowa City.  I went to this concert by myself so I was quite free of any distraction beyond the music.  There were only three musicians on stage, yet the sound they made was so much more than the three of them together.  For two hours, the whole room understood we were in the presence of something more than three noise-makers.  I knew we were in the presence of God’s ‘common grace’. 

And it is those experiences that can move someone from God’s common grace, to His saving grace in Jesus Christ.  When stopping to ponder “what was going on there?”  “How was that different?” or “Why did that feel that way?”, often times a dormant awareness of the King of the Universe can rip to the fore and demand a response of calling upon the name of Jesus. 

So the next time you hope to share the gospel with someone, perhaps start from a different place than, “Do you believe in Jesus?”.  Perhaps start with “what is your favorite song?”

Apple founder Steve Jobs to cellist Yo Yo Ma:

"You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human alone can do this.”