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Jesus Loves Even Me

Words: Philip Paul Bliss (b. July 9, 1838; d. Dec. 29, 1876
Music: Philip Paul Bliss

Note: Philip Bliss’s original song had six stanzas. (You can see all of them on the Cyber Hymnal.) The last three of the six (as ordered in the CH) are fine too, but since (3) takes us to “eternity,” it makes a fitting place to conclude this beautiful hymn. As to the tune, if you use the one Bliss wrote, be careful not to sing it too fast. The old Irish tune Slane (used with the hymn Be Thou My Vision) works wonderfully as well, and it seems to encourage a slower and more reflective pace.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This is one of my favourite gospel songs. I admire it for its simplicity, its doctrinal clarity, and its devotional ardour. Hymn books often seem to relegate it to the “Children’s Hymns” section. But that limits its usefulness far too much. The wording is simple enough for a child to understand, yes. But this is a song for everyone. Please sing it often.

Sometimes, in a classroom or a seminar, I have called attention to the words of contemporary “Christian” songs with messages that are vague, or riddled with New Age teaching–songs which sometimes do not even mention the Lord Jesus Christ by name! Then, I have recited the words of Philip Bliss’s song, to show the difference. (And there can be no complaint about old-fashioned lyrics that a modern congregation can’t understand!)

(1) starts where we need to start, with our faith fully grounded on the Word of God. “The world through [human] wisdom did not know God” (I Cor. 1:21). We only know about the love of God, and the meaning of Calvary because God has revealed them “in the Book He has given.” There are many wonderful things in the Scriptures. But the most profoundly amazing, and life-transforming is the love of Christ for us, and what happened because of it.

“The Son of God…loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). “Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us” (Eph. 5:2).

As noted in the Wordwise Hymns link below, this song was inspired by what Bliss saw as an over-emphasis on our love for the Lord, in a meeting he attended. He felt it was more important to focus on His love for us. This seems to be borne out in the writings of John. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [the full satisfaction of God’s justice] for our sins….We love Him because He first loved us” (I Jn. 4:10, 19).

(2) begins by reminding us of our own weakness. There is always the danger that we will forget Him, neglect His Word, and tend to rely on our own strength and ingenuity. All believers have the potential to backslide, and “wander away.”

A “backslider” is not an unsaved person. The unconverted have never been in a spiritual condition to slide back from. A backslider is a child of God who is out of fellowship with God, because of unconfessed sin, or because he has adopted carnal, worldly ways and values. It is not God who has moved, it is the backslider. He has acted contrary to his commitment, and forgotten God. “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways” (Prov. 14:14).

The Lord lovingly calls for the backslider to return (cf. Jer. 3:12-13, 22). And the remembrance of His love plays an important part in drawing the backslider back to Him. In a spiritual sense, like Naomi in Moab, he or she hears “that the Lord has visited His people by giving them bread” (Ruth 1:6), and longs for the soul nourishment that only the Lord can give. “Back to His dear loving arms would I flee, / When I remember that Jesus loves me.”

Finally, in (3), Philip Bliss notes that our worship of the Lamb of God will continue on through all eternity. In John’s vision, the saints “sang a new song, saying…You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). No wonder we will “sing…the song of the Lamb”! (Rev. 15:3). And “This shall my song in eternity be, / ‘Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me!’”

Questions:

  1. It is possible to see a failure to appreciate the love of God as the first step in backsliding. (Explain.)
  2. What attitude toward himself is reflected in Bliss’s phrase in the refrain, “Jesus loves even me.” What problem does the absence of such an attitude indicate?

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Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow

Words: Thomas Ken (b. July ___, 1637; d. March 19, 1711)
Music: Old Hundredth, by Loys (Louis) Bourgeois (b. _____, 1510; d. Aug. 25, 1572)

Note: Musician Louis Bourgeois was born in Paris, but, being a follower of John Calvin, he moved to Geneva in 1541–and actually lived with Calvin. The latter appointed him editor of the Geneva Psalter, for which he either composed or arranged tunes to fit the Psalms. He returned to Paris in 1557, after a disagreement with Calvin. (The latter refused to allow parts singing–singing in harmony–in the church.) It is possible that Louis Bourgeois was one of many thousands of French Protestants killed during the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, in 1572.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

In 1673 or a bit earlier, Bishop Ken (bishop of Bath and Wells) wrote a trio of hymns for Morning, Evening, and Midnight. What we now know as the Doxology (from the Greek word doxa, often translated glory in, or praise) was the closing stanza of each:

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Many stories are associated with the singing of these four lines. The Cyber Hymnal cites a touching example concerning Union prisoners during the American Civil War. Another rather unusual incident relates to the opening of the Bridgehouse Wesleyan Chapel, in Sheffield, England, in 1835. Services continued all day and late into the night, and the Doxology was sung no less than thirty-five times, giving thanks to God for His blessings!

The binding on Thomas Ken’s Greek New Testament was so worn that it opened of its own accord to a text clearly dear to him, “By the grace of God I am what I am” (I Cor. 15:10). For many years, it was his practice to write “All glory be to God” at the top of all his letters. These words are also said to be the last he uttered, with his dying breath. Because of his strong moral convictions, his life was not an easy one, but the Doxology seems a fitting legacy from this man. He purposefully lived his life and conducted his ministry to the praise of God.

The Bible speaks many times of praising God, from Genesis to Revelation. The first mention concerns Jacob’s wife Leah praising God for a son (Gen. 29:35). She named him “Judah,” from a Hebrew word meaning to praise or give thanks. The final reference to praise comes in John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom: “Then a voice came from the throne [of God], saying, ‘Praise our God all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!’” (Rev. 19:5).

It is understandable that Psalms, the hymn book of Israel and the early church, should contain the most references to praising the Lord (over 200 of them). Several Hebrew words are used that show different aspects of the theme. Yadah (Ps. 33:2) includes the element of giving thanks; halal (Ps. 34:2; 69:30) means to boast about, or glory in; zamar means to sing praises (Ps. 68:4, 32); and a hillah (Ps. 22:3, 25) is a praise song or hymn.

The eternal and triune God, is infinitely “worthy to be praised” (Ps. 18:3). Any time and all the time, by both old and young. When the Jewish chief priests and scribes were indignant that children should be greeting the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem with joyful celebration, the Lord said, “Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?” (Matt. 21:15-16–the Lord was quoting Psalm 8:2, from the Greek version of the Old Testament called the Septuagint).

It is fitting, as noted above (in Rev. 19:5), that the ushering in of the eternal kingdom should be accompanied by a command to praise God. This will be the preeminent occupation of our lips and the central purpose of our lives forever. How appropriate, then, that we get in the habit now! “Let everything that has breath praise [halal, glory in] the Lord” (Ps. 150:8).

Questions:

  1. What are three things you praise the Lord for at this moment?
  2. What reasons can you think of that Christians do not praise God as much as they should?

Links:

Old-Time Power

Words: Daniel Paul Rader (b. Aug. 24. 1879; d. July 19, 1938)
Music: Daniel Paul Rader

Note: Paul Rader’s daughter claimed he was born in 1878, a year earlier than published reports state.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Paul Rader was a prominent pastor and evangelist, in the early part of the twentieth century. He also wrote a number of gospel songs. Only Believe is one of his, as is the present hymn, Old-Time Power, published in 1917.

With the coming of the industrial revolution, and the many inventions of the nineteenth century, new kinds of power were adopted, and old ones were less frequently used. Lamps and candles were replaced with electric lighting. The horse and buggy gave way to the automobile. And ships, no longer equipped with sails, were driven by powerful engines.

The avalanche of discoveries and inventions caused some to think that science and human ingenuity would one day bring paradise on earth. The launching of the great ocean liner Titanic in April of 1912 typified the optimism of the age. The ship was considered unsinkable, and there were only enough lifeboats to accommodate about one third of the passengers. But it sank on its maiden voyage, and now it lies, a rusting hulk, two and a half miles down in the cold Atlantic.

More than fifteen hundred people died that night, and a little of man’s confidence in his own technology dissolved as well. No human invention can make us absolutely safe and secure. More than that, no source of earthly power can save lost sinners or transform a life. The answer is the “old-time power,” spoken of in the Scriptures. Among other things, the dynamic power of God saves sinners through the preaching of the gospel (Rom. 1:16; I Cor. 1:18; I Thess. 1:5), and it energizes Christians for their life and service for Christ (Acts 1:8; II Cor. 3:5; 4:7; Eph. 3:6-7, 16-17, 20; Col. 1:10-11).

Pastor Rader’s hymn is a prayer for the Lord to empower His people. With that petition I have no disagreement (cf. Heb. 4:16). However, the song seems to represent a theological position called crisis sanctification that I do not believe is biblical. The idea is that there is a further work of the Holy Spirit which must be sought after salvation. Sometimes this is called the “second blessing,” and believers who have never had this alleged experience may be looked down upon by some as second-class Christians.

Space in this short blog does not allow me to explore the subject fully, but this theology is based on a misinterpretation and misapplication of the Word of God. It confuses the filling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18-19) with the Spirit’s baptizing work (I Cor. 12:12-13), and tries to make Pentecost (the historical and one-time event described in Acts chapter 2) the norm for everyone throughout the Church Age.

(3) suggests we “claim, by faith, the promise of the Holy Ghost and fire.” This refers to a prophecy of John the Baptist that “[Christ] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt. 3:11). The second blessing folks take this to refer to the crisis experience they seek. However, it is more likely John, similar to the Old Testament prophets, is combining events related to Christ’s first and second coming, passing over the interval between.

Christ, at His ascension, sent the Holy Spirit to begin a new work. The baptizing work of the Holy Spirit occurs at conversion, uniting the new believer to Christ and to His spiritual body, the church (I Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:26-28). The baptism of fire most likely speaks of Christ’s coming in judgment at the end of the age (II Thess. 1:7-9). This is made clear in the context of Matthew 3:11 (see vs. 10 and 12). It is further indicated by the fact that when the Lord Jesus predicts the soon commencement of the Holy Spirit’s Church Age ministry, nothing is said of “fire” (Acts 1:5).

Are we able to obtain a “second blessing” of divine power? Certainly. And a third, and a fourth–as many and as often as needed (Matt. 7:11; Phil. 4:6; I Pet. 5:7). But that is not limited to a one-time crisis event. If the last lines of this hymn were changed to “Till we claim, by faith, the promise / Of the Holy Spirit’s power,” I suppose it would be suitable as a plea for supernatural enablement. I know some will disagree, but otherwise I cannot recommend this song.

Links:

I Love to Tell the Story

Words: Arabella Katherine (“Kate”) Hankey (b. Jan. 12, 1834; d. May 9, 1911)
Music: William Gustavus Fischer (b. Oct. 14, 1835; d. Aug. 13, 1912)

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This is one of those beautifully simple gospel songs that conveys a great message. After writing Tell Me the Old, Old Story (for the connection between the two, see the Wordwise Hymns link below), Kate Hankey penned I Love to Tell the Story. It expresses her eagerness to share the gospel with others.

In the hymn, the author gives us what we might call pragmatic and personal reasons for our witness. But there is another, overriding them both. Most fundamentally, we ought to do our part to share the gospel because Christ has commanded us to. The commission is issued in various ways in the four Gospels and in Acts. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” Jesus said (Matt. 28:19). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mk. 16:15). “You are witnesses of these things” (Lk. 24:46-48).” “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (Jn. 20:21). “And you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8).

Added to these, Katherine Hankey gives the following reasons for sharing the good news. First, “it did so much for me” (2). She speaks from personal experience of the power of the gospel in her own life. Second, “some have never heard” (3). Even in countries with many Christian churches, countries flooded with Christian broadcasting, and Christian literature, there are many who still need to have the gospel explained to them. That should be a motive for our service for Christ.

The spirit of these two motives reminded me of Anna, who was privileged to see Jesus in the temple, shortly after He was born. The Bible says, “She gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Lk. 2:38). Christ’s coming meant so much to her, she immediately wanted to tell others about it (cf. Jn. 1:40-42).

There is also an interesting contrast made in the hymn between the present and the future. Between what are now “unseen things above” (1), and the eternal future, “when, in scenes of glory, [we] sing the new, new song.”

Paul reminds us that “the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal,” and “we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Cor. 4:18; 5:7). Through all the difficult time of leading the children of Israel through the wilderness, that is how Moses remained steadfast. “By faith…he endured as seeing Him who is invisible” (Heb. 11:27). And Peter reminds us of this temporary state of things, in our relationship with Christ: “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (I Pet. 1:8).

All of that is anticipatory of the “scenes of glory” to come. The Apostle John describing the heavenly city says, “Having the glory of God, her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal….The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb [Christ] is its light” (Rev. 21:11, 23).

And surely this provides another motivation for bearing witness to the truth of the gospel. Not only for the blessings we enjoy now, because of what Christ has done for us, but because of the glorious and eternal future He has prepared for His own. Even in the heavenly kingdom we’ll continue to worship and praise the Lamb. As Miss Hankey’s refrain says, “‘Twill be my theme in glory” (cf. Rev. 5:9-10, 12-13).

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.

Questions:

  1. What reasons do we have to share our faith, and tell what the Lord has done for us?
  2. What hindrances do we face in sharing our faith? And how can these be overcome?

Links:

All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

Words: Edward Perronet (b. Aug. 2, 1721; d. Jan. 2, 1792)
Music: Shrubsole (or Miles’ Lane), by William Shrubsole (b. Jan ___ , 1760; d. Jan. 18, 1806)
            Coronation, by Oliver Holden (b. Sept. 18, 1765; d. Sept. 4, 1844)
            Diadem, by James Ellor (b. Nov. 26, 1819; d. Sept. 27, 1899)

Note: The exact date of Mr. Perronet’s birth is disputed. The date given here is from Samuel Duffield’s book English Hymns: Their Authors and History, published in 1866. The date of William Shrubsole’s birth is likewise uncertain, but he was baptized as an infant on January 13, 1760.

Three fine tunes are commonly used with this hymn. Miles’ Lane in Britain, (allegedly a contraction of St. Michael’s Lane, a street in London); and Coronation, a tune more commonly used in America. The third, and I think the best tune of all, is Diadem.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

There are few who would argue the point that this is one of the greatest hymns of the Christian church. It has been called “the most inspiring and triumphant hymn in the English language.” And its high standing owes much to two factors: a radical revision of the original text, and several excellent tunes. (Many hymn books include at least two of these.)

The hymn was first published in 1780. Seven years later, Pastor John Rippon produced an amended version, to which today’s hymn owes a great deal. Of the original eight stanzas of the hymn, only four are commonly used today–and these have been somewhat altered. With some revision, many hymn books now include (1), (5), and (8). (A few use (7) too.)

Sometimes, later tinkering does not improve the original work of a hymn writer, but in this case it did. Some of Perronet’s biblical allusions are obscure, and his poetry stilted. For example, Perronet’s final stanza was:

Let every tribe and every tongue
That bound creation’s call,
Now shout in universal song
The crownèd Lord of all.

In the process of revision, John Rippon inserted a concluding stanza of his own that is much superior to Perronet’s:

O that with yonder sacred throng
We at His feet may fall,
We’ll join the everlasting song,
And crown Him Lord of all.

“Let angels prostrate fall” (1). From eternity past, since God created them, the angelic hosts have praised and worshiped God, and they will continue to do so on into the eternal future (Ps. 148:2; Heb. 1:6; Rev. 5:11-12). And when God called Abraham, and promised to make of Him a great nation, it was His purpose that “the chosen seed of Israel’s race” ((5); cf. Deut. 7:6; Isa. 41:8) should also be to the praise of His glory too (I Chron. 16:8-13; Ps. 22:23).

It is doubtful whether Edward Perronet recognized the important distinction between God’s earthly people Israel, and His heavenly people the church, but we shall do so here. The church is not Israel, and Israel is not the church. One is a nation descended from Abraham, the other is a spiritual body made up of all nations. And the Lord has a wonderful future for each. We do have a spiritual kinship with Abraham, as the father of the faithful, but that does not make us Jews. Nevertheless, it is true also of the body of Christ, as for Israel, that we are to be to His praise, and bring glory to Him (Eph. 1:3-6; 3:21).

Finally, in the Millennial Kingdom, and on into eternity, all nations shall praise and glorify God forever, together with the hosts of heaven (Ps. 22:27-28; 145:21; Hab. 2:14). Central to our worship will be the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God (Phil. 2:9-11; Rev. 5:13; 15:3-4). “All hail the power of Jesus’ name!”

Questions:

  1. In addition to praising God with words that glorify Him, what other forms of praise and worship are there?
  2. With this hymn, we exalt and extol the “power” in Jesus’ name.
    • What does it mean that there is power in His name?
    • Why is there such power in His name?
    • Power for what, or to do what?

Links:

Confessions of a Male Chauvinist (Or maybe not!)

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Some editors of our newer hymn books seem insistent on–perhaps I might even say obsessed with–pursuing gender equality in our sacred songs. Everything has to come out evenly, so none feel neglected, or slighted. But is this revisionism justified, or even helpful?

Why change the venerable line “Faith of our fathers” to “faith of the martyrs”? Or, as The Seasonal Missalette has done, add a stanza about mothers, to balance things out? (“Our mothers, too, oppressed and wronged, / Still lived their faith with dignity.”) The original hymn is not speaking of fathers or husbands. The reference is to our believing forefathers. And were there foremothers, too? I suppose. But the former is a widely accepted term for ancestors.

This editorial tinkering seems to be spreading, at least in some circles. “Sons of men and angels say,” the second line of Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, has become “Earth and heav’n in chorus say”. And instead of caroling “Good Christian men rejoice,” we’re now asked to sing “Good Christians all rejoice,” or, “Good Christian friends rejoice.” The classic “Jesu, joy of man’s desiring” has become “Jesu, joy of our desiring.” But are there reasons why this may not be the best idea? I believe so.

1) It is widely understood that masculine nouns and pronouns can be used generically.

Perhaps the human authors of the Scriptures were guided in this by the Lord, to avoid the clumsiness and complications that could ensue by repeatedly including “sons and daughters,” brothers and sisters. In other words, one reason the masculine form may be used there is for simplicity. Can you imagine how it would be, otherwise?

Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his [or her] brother [or sister] in need, and shuts up his [or her] heart from [him or her], how does the love of God abide in him [or her]? (I Jn. 3:17).

Masculine terms are used of Christians in general, in the Word of God. The Bible exhorts all believers to exhibit “brotherly love” (Rom. 12:10; I Thess. 4:9; Heb. 13:1). And we are to “love the brotherhood,” everyone in the family of God (I Pet. 2:17). The Bible also refers to all Christians as “sons of God” (Rom. 8:14; Gal. 4:6-7). And if we believe in the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, we need to think twice about assuming we know better what the words should be.

Join hands, then, brothers of the faith,
Whatever your race may be!
Who serves my Father as a son
Is surely kin to me.

It is condescending to think that women are unable to understand this. Are we to assume that they have so little perception that they aren’t aware that such statements include them? That may not be the intent, but it is the implication. Thus, in attempting to give women an equal representation, we may actually be insulting their intelligence!

2) There is merit in preserving our traditions.

Though tradition can be misused, it’s not a bad thing, in itself. The word simply refers to something that is passed on, from one person to another, or from one generation to another. The Apostle Paul spoke of the teachings he received from God, and conveyed to the Thessalonian believers, as traditions (II Thess. 2:15; 3:6).

Using our traditional hymnody gives us a sense of continuity and connectedness with the past. Abandoning or altering the older sacred songs (e.g. removing every “thee” and “thou”) can rob us of that sense of connection. Of course, we are certainly justified in changing the wording (or omitting a stanza or even dropping a hymn) if the original teaches something contrary to the Word of God. But beyond that, alterations seem rarely necessary.

Such editorial doctoring can compound itself. One change often mandates another. In the hymn Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts, the second line, “Thou Fount of Life, Thou Light of men,” has become “The fount of life, the light of all”–which doesn’t rhyme with “We turn unfilled to Thee again.” So, the latter must be changed to, “We turn, unfilled, to hear your call.” Come again? We turn to hear Your call? What on earth does that mean?

3) The proposed changes further divide the generations.

Some congregations have abandoned the hymn book altogether, in favour of contemporary songs projected on the wall. Another alternative has been to have what is called a “blended” service–which commonly means using mostly contemporary songs, with a few stanzas of an old hymn thrown in. But the latter may be set to an unfamiliar tune. And if the words are changed as well, those who love the songs may hardly recognize them.

Some of us don’t see as well as we used to. But we’re able to sing many of the great old hymns from memory, as we share favourites that have blessed our lives for many years. But I know of churches where most of the hymn singing has been abandoned, or the songs have been so abbreviated, and altered, that some have trouble joining in singing what’s left! This tends to disenfranchise our seniors, a valuable part of any congregation.

4) There is a danger of emasculating our hymnody.

I think that those obsessed with removing masculine references from our hymnody may be subtly emasculating the Christian faith in the minds of many, leaving it, by default, the province of women and children. Since God has given headship in the home, and leadership in the church specifically to men, is it not reasonable to have some hymns that address them, in particular?

What if the male references in our hymnody are taken to heart, particularly by men? Is that so harmful? We need men! Men of strong Christian character, to guide our families, and provide leadership in the church. We need a muscular Christianity that connects with them. Don’t omit from our hymnals the call to Rise Up, O Men of God, or other songs of that kind, simply because they’re addressed to men.

5) It’s dangerous to tamper with hymns that quote the Scriptures.

In the soul-stirring gospel song, Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus, the third stanza says:

Ye that are men now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

It’s a fine challenge to the men of the congregation. But that is changed in some hymnals to “Ye that are brave now serve Him.” Not only does the original line have a historical connection to the writing of the hymn (see my post here). It is also virtually a quotation from the book of Exodus: “Go now ye that are men, and serve the Lord” (Exod. 10:11, KJV). Even though the application to Christian men is at odds with the context (where the words are spoken to the Israelites by a disdainful heathen ruler), it is still the Word of God.

Instead of “Dear Lord and Father of mankind,” we’re now to warble “Dear God, embracing humankind.” The reference to God the Father has been removed, as being too sexist–even though God is spoken of as our Father in every New Testament book but one (the tiny epistle of Third John). Furthermore, masculine pronouns are uniformly used for God in the Bible–and for angels, incidentally. From Genesis to Revelation, God is addressed as “He” (Gen. 1:5; 2:8; Rev. 11:15; 21:3). He is our heavenly Father (Matt. 6:9).

Unless we are willing to reject the doctrine of verbal inspiration (II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:21), there is simply no room for debate here. Yet the political correcters cannot leave even this alone. Another proposes changing 50% of the references to God in our hymns from “he,” to “she.” I was actually in a service where this was done. Song sheets had the congregation alternating “He’s got the whole world in His hands” with “She’s got the whole world in her hands”! (My oh my!)

6) Some changes obscure or miss doctrinal truths.

In a stanza of the hymn In Christ There Is No East or West (quoted earlier), “brothers of the faith” has been changed to “members of the faith,” and “who serves my Father as a son” to “who serves my Father as His child.”

Consider the latter phrase for a moment. The Bible refers to Christians both as children of God, and sons of God. But those who want to do away with what they see as the “exclusiveness” of the latter, often change references to “sons” in our hymns to “children.” On the surface, it may seem an acceptable alternative. However, the two aren’t precisely the same thing.

Through faith in Christ, we are children of God, brought into His forever family, through the new birth (Jn. 1:12-13). But all born-again children of God (male and female) are also elevated to the position of sonship, at the moment of conversion. In ancient times, sonship entailed a recognition of certain adult rights and privileges in the family. In the spiritual realm, these privileges of sonship are ours immediately, by adoption (Gal. 4:6-7; Eph. 1:5). Two different ministries of the Holy Spirit are involved, accomplishing two different things. So, let us be both children and sons of God.

Bottom line: There is rarely a valid reason to alter our hymns in this way, and it may actually do more harm than good.

Tell Me the Old, Old Story

Words: Arabella Katherine (“Kate”) Hankey (b. Jan. 12, 1834; d. May 11, 1911)
Music: William Howard Doane (b. Feb. 3, 1832; d. Dec. 23, 1915)

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This high-quality gospel song is a companion to I Love to Tell the Story. (For a further explanation of the connection between the two songs, see the Wordwise Hymns link below.) Katherine Hankey wrote Tell Me the Old, Old Story during a time of serious and prolonged illness. She said later that the phrase in (1), “I am weak and weary,” described her own condition.

There is also a logical connection between the two songs. When the sinner realizes his spiritual need, he seeks for someone to tell him how it can be met. Then, when he appropriates God’s great salvation, he’s excited about spreading the news to others. The account of the starving beggars in Elisha’s day illustrates this principle (II Kgs. 7:1-20).

Though the words of the hymn are simple, the construction is thoughtful. Each stanza tells us something about the Lord we need to know, and gives an added motivation to keep sharing the gospel. It may be an “old, old story,” but God’s power to save is undiminished.

Supposed answers to the world’s problems, and to those of individuals, seem as plentiful as snowflakes in a blizzard. What we need, we are told, is better political leadership, more education, better medical services, effective pollution control, or maybe this self-help book, or that one. Many of these things can have some effect in improving life at an external or superficial level. But the real underlying problem of humanity is sin. Unless we are prepared to deal with that in an effective way, all the rest fall short.

(1) declares the glory and love of the Lord, but reminds us that He is “unseen…above.” That is one reason why we need to share God’s revelation in His Word of these hidden things. And because many are “weak and weary,” as well as being “helpless and defiled,” we need to tell the story “simply.” Time enough to study deeper truths, and profound doctrines, but putting the gospel within reach, even of “a little child,” is likely going to be more helpful to start with.

(2) draws attention to the gospel story of God’s “wonderful redemption,” His “remedy for sin.” It’s a message that needs to be presented “slowly” and “often,” so it can be fully absorbed. Even those who have heard it before can “forget so soon.” If he can, the devil is going to distract the one who needs the gospel, and snatch away the seed of the Word (Matt. 13:4, 19).

(3) proclaims the wonderful truth that “Jesus came to save [sinners]” (cf. I Tim. 1:15; I Jn. 5:11). And when there’s a recognition that “I’m the sinner,” the individual is making a personal application of the truth, and we need to “softly” and “with earnest tones” develop the message of the gospel of grace, and tell it “always.”

(4) tells of the restorative power of the gospel. The words “Jesus Christ maketh thee whole” (Acts 9:34, KJV) refer to the physical healing of a man named Aeneas. But there are other kinds of “wholeness,” and Katherine Hankey makes a spiritual application. When there is a temptation to respond to the lure of “this world’s empty glory”–we need to hear again that fulfilment, true meaning, and spiritual wholeness are found in Christ alone. 

Notice how the glory of Christ, unseen above (CH-1) is contrasted with “this world’s empty [vain, worthless] glory” (4). One is eternal (I Pet. 5:10); the other will slip through our fingers like grains of sand.

Any time it’s needed, the truth of the gospel bears repeating.

Questions:

  1. What “new” stories have you heard that suggest a different supposed answer to man’s problems? Why are these inferior to “the old, old story”?
  2. What suggestions for effective evangelism come from Katherine Hankey’s hymn?

Links:

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Words: Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane (b. June 18, 1830; d. Feb. 19, 1869)
Music: St. Christopher, by Frederick Charles Maker (b. Aug. 6, 1844; d. Jan. 1, 1927)

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

As the old saying goes, if you don’t stand for something, chances are you’ll stand for anything! To use an analogy, if a boat isn’t tied to the pier, it could drift just about anywhere. In our spiritual lives, we need to have convictions, life principles that direct our lives. Some things are a matter of opinion, but for Bible-believing Christians there are certain things that are non-negotiable (cf. Jude 1:3).

The Apostle Paul was very definite as to where he stood, and where he was anchored. He told the Corinthian Christians,“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God….We preach Christ crucified” (I Cor. 1:23). And “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2).

Clearly, Paul did not mean by the latter statement that he preached and taught about nothing else. He was careful “to declare…the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). But the cross was the central fact in his preaching. As he draws his Galatian letter to conclusion Paul writes, “God forbid that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). Everything else flowed from that. Without Christ’s redemptive work, he had no message to declare.

The cross is a great paradox. It is a place of ugliness, of cruelty, and terrible suffering. Yet, for the Christian, there is a radiant beauty in the cross. It is an expression of divine love that can neither be equalled or fully comprehended. Christ is the Lamb “slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8). No sooner had the devil, in the guise of a serpent, seduced our first parents into sin, than God stepped in and promised One to come who would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15).

The Christian gospel rests upon three critical facts of history, the central one of which is the cross of Calvary. Before that there was the incarnation. Only by becoming Man could the sinless Christ take our place under the wrath of God. And the death of Christ would have been worthless without the resurrection afterward. The empty tomb is the final evidence that salvation’s work is done. That the “It is finished [literally paid in full]” that the Saviour cried from the cross (Jn. 19:30) is a reality.

No wonder Elizabeth Clephane revels in the cross of Christ. With poetic imagery she describes it as a sheltering shadow, a home in the wilderness, a place of rest (1), and a refuge, a place of eternal safety (2). In a colourful turn of phrase in (2) (a stanza seldom used), she calls the cross a “trysting place.”

O safe and happy shelter, O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting place where heaven’s love and heaven’s justice meet!

The term usually speaks of an appointed meeting place, especially of those who love one another. But here, it is where God’s love and justice meet. Oh my! Infinite love and absolute justice meet at the cross. To get hold of that is to understand something important about the reasons for Calvary. God’s love for humanity is a wonderful thing. But it could not welcome into the heavenly kingdom sinners whose debt of sin condemned them to eternal death. An utterly holy God cannot condone sin, or compromise His righteous standard.

However, what a just God did, in love, was to provide a perfect Substitute to die in our place, paying our debt of sin. That is the meaning of John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” In the realization of such sacrificial love, we bow before Him in faith, and say with the hymn writer, “My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross” (5).

Questions:

  1. What did Paul mean when he said he had nothing to boast about except the cross (Gal. 6:14; compare Phil. 3:4-7)?
  2. How would it affect our lives if we determined to take a stand beneath the cross, as Elizabeth Clephane did?

Links:

Why Do You Love Our Hymns?

You’re invited to participate in our poll. What are the reasons you love the church’s traditional hymns and gospel songs? Check off as many answers as apply to you. There’ve been over 100,000 visits to this site from over 185 countries! It’ll be interesting to learn what makes our hymns so loved by so many.

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Work, for the Night Is Coming

Words: Anna Louisa Walker (Mrs. Harry Coghill) (b. June 23, 1836; d. July 7, 1907)
Music: Lowell Mason (b. Jan. 8, 1792; d. Aug. 11, 1872)

Note: Mrs. Coghill wrote this song while she was still an unmarried teenager. As explained in the Wordwise link below, Lowell Mason edited Miss Walker’s poem slightly to make it fit his tune.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Words such as “work,” “labour,” “travail,” and “toil” are found in the Bible over 850 times. Work is a part of our lives, and has been since the beginning. Even in the innocence of Eden, before the fall, there was work to do. Adam was placed by the Lord “in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Gen. 2:15). And after the future consummation of all things, and our entry into the eternal state, there will still be things to do. There and then, “His servants shall serve Him” (Rev. 22:3).

Of course it must be noted that between the times described in those two texts, something significant happened. Adam and Eve sinned, and God put a curse upon the natural world that affected them both, and their descendants afterward. It became a continuing object lesson of the painful effects of sin. Adam was told:

“Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are , and to dust you shall return.”

Gen. 3:17-19

Suddenly, the rewarding service for God assigned in Eden (that wouldn’t have been excessively burdensome), became “toil” (vs. 17)–a very negative word suggesting that hardship, pain and sorrow would be involved. In addition to the weeds in the garden, specifically referred to in the text, work would involve such things as: drudgery and boredom, selfish competition and greed, the enslavement or oppression of workers, failure and frustration, injury, and ultimately death. Labour would be a necessary part of living, but often not pleasant.

Our work, by its very nature, is hard. Of course, that does not mean that there is nothing at all enjoyable or fulfilling in it. It is especially so when we are conscious of serving the Lord. And not all service for God is “church” work. Slaves in Bible times were encouraged to see all they did as being for the glory of God (Eph. 6:5-8; Col. 3:22-24). Indeed, each Christian is told to “do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:31). We are exhorted to see our “secular” full-time employment as that which gives us the needed resources to serve the Lord in helping others (Eph. 4:28).

When, by our efforts, we are able to show our love and gratitude to God for all He’s done for us, that is rewarding. When we can be of help to others, when we can be productive in our work, not only doing something that is meaningful for time, but is also an investment for eternity, then all of that puts our toil in a more positive light, even when it is difficult.

In Anna Walker’s song, the centuries of man’s earthly labours, from the dawn of creation to the ushering in of eternity, are compared to the brief period of a single day of work. It begins in “the morning hours…while the dew is sparkling” (1), but always with the awareness that “the night is coming, when man’s work is done.”

As time passes, we come to “the sunny noon,” (2) and we’re encouraged to “fill brightest hours with labour, [because] rest comes sure and soon.” Finally, we reach “sunset skies, [when] the last beam fadeth…to shine no more” (3). As Jesus put it, “The night is coming when no one can work” (Jn. 9:4; cf. Ps. 104:23). Then, for believers, comes the day of accounting, before the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10).

Questions:

  1. What difference would it make to all we do if we were more conscious of doing it for the honour of the Lord Jesus?
  2. What different priorities might we have if we were more aware that the end of this earthly life was swiftly approaching?

Links:

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