Exegeting the Hymns #30 - Songs we won't be singing

Songs we won’t be singing

I thought for the 30th edition of Exegeting the Hymns, I’d do something different. Instead of explaining the lyrics of a song we DO sing, I’ve decided to look at and break down a couple of songs we won’t be singing. Choosing the right songs is by far the most important part of being a worship leader. A great band, perfect blend, and flawless audio can’t compensate for a poorly written song. In fact, music can actually be very destructive if it cements false teaching into our minds.  

I don’t think songwriters go out of their way to write poor theology into their songs. I do think, however, many popular industry songwriters don’t have a good grasp of theology personally and it comes out in the sloppiness of their lyrics. So, this week, I want to look at 2 songs, one old and one new, that we won’t be singing at MABC, and why.

A New Name Written Down in Glory

I was once a sinner, but I came 
Pardon to receive from my Lord. 
This was freely given, and I found 
That He always kept His word. 

There's a new name Written down in glory
And it's mine, oh yes, it's mine
And the white-robed Angels sing the story
A sinner has come home
For there's a new name written down in glory 
And it's mine, oh yes, it's mine 
With my sins forgiven I am bound for heaven
Nevermore to roam.

I was humbly kneeling at the cross 
Fearing naught but God's angry frown 
When the heavens opened and I saw 
That my name was written down

In the Book 'tis written, "Saved by grace”
Oh the joy that came to my soul
Now I am forgiven, and I know 
By the blood I am made whole

This is an older hymn found in most hymnals. Theologically, only the title of this song is in error. The first verse speaks of the pardon found by those who seek to be saved. When God creates a seeker and we seek… Matthew 7 is clear that we shall find. God is faithful to that promise. The second and third verses show the proper humility of one who kneels at the cross. It also shows the work of God in saving us by His grace. Forgiveness is only through the blood of Christ.

So why would we not want to sing this song? There is so much truth in it, but the problem comes when we read the chorus. “There’s a new name written down in glory.” Revelation 3, 13, and 17 all speak of the Lamb’s Book of Life. This is the book that records the names of those who belong to the Lord. Those who are “in Christ”. It also gives clear indication as to when those names are written down. “Everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb”, and “written in the book of life from the foundation of the world” make it clear that there are no new names written. All the names have been written from before the world was even made. It is all part of the plan of God. Not only that, but Revelation 3 makes it clear that no names are ever erased from this specific Book… "I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.” Is this a major theological heresy… no, but it is inaccurate, and with thousands of songs to choose from, why would we chose a song with clear inaccuracies when we only have 5 to choose each week?

Reckless Love

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me
You have been so, so good to me
Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me
You have been so, so kind to me

O, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
O, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
O, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me
You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me

There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me

Here, we move from an older hymn written in the early 1900’s to a brand new song that is currently #18 on the Billboard charts. This one is very popular, and is sung in churches all across the country… but there are some real problems with the lyrics.  

The title of this song immediately stuck out to me. How is the love of God “reckless”. Reckless is defined as “doing something without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.” It implies risk. It implies a gamble. It is completely inconsistent with an omniscient and omnipotent God. We wouldn't speak of the "foolhardy, careless, negligent, thoughtless, hasty love of God...but they are all synonyms of reckless.  While I understand and certainly appreciate the truth that God’s plan will not be thwarted, and He will save His lost sheep, there isn’t risk involved. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” There’s no risk or recklessness in that. That is a promise by an omnipotent God.

Along with the use of a word that really doesn’t describe a Holy Sovereign God, I run into the same problem I had with the second verse of “What a beautiful name”. I detailed my issues with that song in a previous article, but one has to understand this song as being completely about those who have received Christ for it to make any sense. If the sheep are His sheep that He came to seek and save, then lines like, “There’s no shadow You won't light up, mountain You won't climb up coming after me” and “O, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine" will make sense. However, if this is a sweeping statement of all of humanity, then to say the “reckless love of God is unending” is just not true. One day, the time for grace will end and God will judge those who reject the Son. His eternal and just wrath will be poured out… not His love.

While I am glad that God saved me, without my permission to do so, when I was His enemy, it is the fact that there is so much room for misunderstanding, and for the sloppy use of adjectives to describe the God of the Bible, that makes me pass on this song.  

I hope this look into how I choose songs has been interesting to you. I may be too picky on some minor details and may miss others, but every single song we sing, I go through with a fine tooth comb like this. As shepherds and leaders of the flock, we are called to protect the sheep… the ones Jesus died to save and searches for. I feel this is my one gate that I am called on to guard. Ezekiel 33 says “"the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.” This job as watchman over the songs is one I take seriously… that’s why I exegete the hymns!

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