Due to the title, perhaps you think I'm going to now say that I think you should also listen to secular music. I am not going to say that. This post is not about why you, me, or anyone must listen to secular music. It's about why I choose to. And the reason is pretty simple: I glorify God through it.
Secular can sometimes be defined poorly in the Christian's vocabulary. People equate secular with sinful. This is not the case. Merriam-Webster defines it simply as "not overtly or specifically religious." In other words, the opposite of the sacred, the "overtly or specifically religious." It is the music that doesn't say the word, "God" and doesn't talk about the work of Christ.
I decide what secular music to listen to by a set of strict personal standards. These are standards I could not impose on others but are matters of conscience to me. I will not listen to music with profanity. I will not listen to music that jokes about sensitive manners. I will not listen to music that glorifies sin.
But I will listen to music that reflects on the beauty of creation or family or love or joy - even if it doesn't have the label of Christian on it. I once heard a sermon where the preacher encouraged people to listen to secular music, but he said, "If you are not listening to music that expresses the brokenness and darkness of the world, you are not glorifying Jesus." I disagree. I listen to secular music that expresses the beauty and light of this world, and I believe that that glorifies Jesus.
There are books written by non-Christians that I've read that were so rich and beneficial and moving to me. It is the same with music. In God's common grace, He has granted some unbelievers incredible artistic, aesthetic talent. And any of the beauty that they create comes from God. There is secular music that teaches me about sin and grace, secular music I listen to occasionally that is simply clean and fun, and secular music that displays beauty and brokenness.
It all comes down to whether I can wholeheartedly glorify God through this music. If I can give myself adequate answers to these questions, I listen to it. I don't listen to it just because I can. I don't cry "Legalism!" to justify my own sin. I listen to it because it makes me more like Christ. And that means that sometimes I have to clean up my music library or it means I have to turn off music that I've been listening to.
As I've said before, this is a liberty of conscience matter. I am not giving you a list of rules I think you should abide by. I'm not saying you must listen to secular music. I'm not saying you can't. But if you can glorify God through it, like reading a secular book or watching a secular television program, do it and don't feel guilty. Glory in Christ. Be edified. Be entertained. Grow. Listen. Learn.