"Tell Me the Story of Jesus"
1. "Tell Me the Story Most Precious": The Word Who Dwelt Among Us
2. "Tell How the Angels in Chorus Sang as They Welcomed His Birth": What Happened at the Birth of Christ?
3. "Tell of the Years of His Labor": What Do the Life and Ministry of Christ Mean to Us?
4. "Tell of the Cross Where They Nailed Him": What Does the Death of Christ Tell Us?
5. "Tell How He Liveth Again": What Leads Us to Believe that Christ Arose from the Dead?
"How Can I Jump-Start My Relationship With God?"
1. "How Can I Increase My Faith?"
2. "How Can I Deepen My Hope?"
3. "How Can I Strengthen My Love?"
4. "How Can I Develop the Joy of the Lord?"
5. "How Can I Obtain the Peace of God?"
"Taking Time to Be Holy"
1. What It Means to "Take Time to Be Holy"
2. Taking Time to Be Holy in Our Relationship to the Lord
3. Taking Time to Be Holy in Our Relationship to the World
4. Taking Time to Be Holy in Our Daily Activities
5. Taking Time to Be Holy in Our Own Souls
If anyone would be interested in my presenting any of these series, just let me know!
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; November 22, 2009; Number 17
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THE KINGS OF THE EARTH
by Wayne S. Walker
“All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, when they hear the words of Your mouth’ (Psalm 138:4). While we understand that God’s greatest gift to mankind involves salvation through Jesus Christ, we know that His plan for our lives here on this earth also includes civil government for our well being. He rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will (Daniel 4:32). Therefore, everyone, Christians and unbelievers alike, should be subject to the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-4). The fact that “the authorities that exist are appointed by God” does not necessarily mean that God approves of every government and everything that any government does. He simply has ordained that there be civil government.
God certainly did not approve of the persecution of Christians by the Roman government, and the book of Revelation even announces God’s judgment upon the Roman empire for its evil. Yet, this was the very government in power when Paul said, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.” Thus, we can and indeed must be subject to properly constituted authority even when we disagree with some of its actions. Yet, there is a big difference between a government founded upon God’s standards and one founded upon ungodliness. In the early days of our country, the vast majority of our founding fathers were very religious men who publicly upheld the traditional Judaeo-Christian standard of morality because they knew that it was good for society. No one thought this odd or out of place.
Today, however, when people, including those in government, try to follow God’s standards in their civic affairs, such as in opposing abortion and homosexual marriage, they are accused of trying to establish a “theocracy,” of pushing their religious beliefs off on others, and of violating the “separation of church and state.” However, these charges are made only against those who follow “conservative religious” beliefs, never of those who adhere to “liberal religious” beliefs (and believe me, support for abortion and homosexual marriage are truly “religious beliefs” with the liberals) and try to force their religious beliefs on others. Christians should not be cowed or driven away from their support, political and otherwise, for God’s standards by this type of argument, because it is still true that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
God’s people always fare better, and most likely feel better, when those in authority at least show a respect for the principles of righteousness and morality that God has given to mankind. We like to see “all the kings of the earth” praising the Lord and striving to do His will. However, we understand that this will not always be the case. History is littered with rulers who were genuinely evil. And even today we see government officials who seem bent on promoting something sinful or ungodly. Yet, we also know that someday God will make it right, when, as He says, “Every knee shall bow to me [including those rulers who have ignored His will, WSW], and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11). Yes, we would prefer to see them do it here and now, but we must let God take care of it in His own good time and way while continuing to do what we can to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16).
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Gospel Preachers I Have Known
WELDON WARNOCK
by Wayne S. Walker
I had heard the name Weldon Warnock from my earliest remembrances. I grew up in south central Ohio and Weldon came from the northeast Kentucky/Portsmouth, Ohio, area. He was often in gospel meetings with congregations in the region. I recall times when my grandfather, who preached with the small Mt. Zion church in my home county, would tell about having Weldon in their home when he held meetings at Mt. Zion and also about hearing Weldon in debates. While I was growing up, we received a bulletin from the West End church in Bowling Green, KY, when Weldon was there. However, I never met or heard him until my first year at Florida College when he spoke at the lectures. I went up to him in the cafeteria, introduced myself, and asked if he remembered my grandparents (I had a picture of them on their fiftieth wedding anniversary in my billfold). He did.
After I began preaching, I came across some followers of a faith healer named William Marrion Branham in Sandusky, OH. I had never heard of this fellow, but I saw that Weldon, who by then was working with the Knollwood church near Dayton, OH, had debated another Branham follower, so I wrote him to get information, and he sent me what he had. When I moved to Akron, OH, to work first at Thayer St. then at Harpster Ave., Weldon was preaching at Brown St., and he and his wife Betty became good friends. In fact, Weldon had previously worked at Harpster Ave. when it was Ninth St. and was building the new building. Whenever I attended a meeting at Brown St., they would invite me to their home. During this time I had ample opportunity to hear Weldon in meetings throughout northeast Ohio, and he was very active in the pulpit. He could lead singing too. I remember one night at Tallmadge, OH, where Austin Mobley, who was also very active in the pulpit, was holding a meeting and Weldon was asked to lead singing. The local preacher, Hubert Showalter, said that we were in for a double treat--we could both watch Austin preach and watch Weldon lead singing!
Weldon eventually ended back up at Knollwood near Dayton, OH, and was there when we moved to Dayton for me to work with the Haynes St. church. Again, we were in their home from time to time, and they in ours. In addition, their daughter Julie, who was a nurse, was very helpful in dealing with some medical issues that we had at the time. The Warnocks moved from Dayton to Beckley, WV, and we stopped in to see them one Wednesday evening while travelling back from South Carolina where we had been to visit my parents. Some problems at Knollwood brought Weldon and Betty back there for a couple of years, and he served as an elder for part of that time, but they later returned to Beckley. While there, Weldon came to Haynes St. to speak for us in a gospel meeting. By then he was already suffering from macular degeneration and could no longer see well enough to drive, so they took the bus. But his sight impairment did not affect his preaching one bit!
After we moved from Dayton to St. Louis, MO, I pretty much lost personal contact with Weldon and Betty. He worked with the church at Scottsville, KY, for several years until his health began to decline. In addition to the macular degeneration, he developed cancer. They moved to be near Julie and her husband Wilson Adams, who is a gospel preacher also, at White House, TN, then at Baytown, TX, and finally at Murfreesboro, TN, where they lived at Adam's Place, an assisted-living and nursing facility. On Wednesday, Sept. 30, Weldon fell and broke a hip. He had taught an outstanding lesson on Instrumental Music at Compton Road, another church in Murfreesboro, a few months before according to David Arnold. Unfortunately, complications resulting from bone cancer prevented treatment of his broken hip, and he passed away, October 4, 2009, at 9:00 P.M. He was 77 years old.
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; November 15, 2009; Number 16
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“BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON”
by Wayne S. Walker
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1). God brought the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, through the wilderness, to enter the promised land. Israel became a great nation under the reigns of David and Solomon, but afterward the kingdom divided, the people went into apostasy, and they were taken into Babylonian captivity. Psalm 137 records how some of them, the faithful or the repentant or perhaps both, sat by the rivers of Babylon to weep when they remembered Zion. They hung their harps on the willows when those who took them captive asked them to sing a song because they could not sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land.
When I was a sophomore in high school, we read a short story from our literature book whose title, "By the Waters of Babylon," seems to have been taken from this Psalm. It was written by Stephen Vincent Benét and first published on July 31, 1937, in The Saturday Evening Post as "The Place of the Gods.” In 1943 it was republished under its present title in The Pocket Book of Science Fiction. At the beginning of the story, set in the future following the destruction of industrial civilization, one might think that it takes place somewhere in the Middle East or North Africa, because the story is about ruins and a great river such as the Euphrates or the Nile. But when the details are examined, the reader comes to see that the story occurs somewhere in the Northeastern United States, with the river Ou-dis-sun (Hudson), a statue that says "ASHING" (George WASHINGton), and a building marked "UBTREAS" (the Subtreasury Building of New York City). The plot produces a very eerie, almost chilling effect.
Benet evidently was comparing the feelings that the people of this futuristic setting would feel at the destruction of their industrial civilization to the response that the Israelites felt in their captivity following the conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. In like manner, when a person is separated from God by sin, there can be no true joy in his life. However, there is always hope. At the end of the short story, the main character, a young man named John who is the son of a priest The story ends with John stating his conviction that, once he becomes the head priest, "We must build again." A remnant of the Israelites returned to Jerusalem that they might rebuild. And even though we have sinned, “God so loved the world that He have His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Yes! We too can start over and build again.’
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COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET
by Carey Scott
I am sure the title of this article caused you to think about those who formerly practiced homosexuality in private and the ”coming out of the closet” is a way of expressing their practice with pride and openness and with the hope that they will be accepted.
This article is not about homosexuality which the Bible describes as a sin and those who practice such shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). But the person who ceases the sinful practice and obeys the Gospel will be accepted by God (1 Corinthians 6:11). The coming out of the closet that this article will address is the Christian revealing their faith.
So many people are worried that if they let their friends and neighbors know that they are a Christian, that they will be treated differently. Stop the worrying, the Bible tells us that Christians will be treated differently. We who profess our faith in God will be made fun of. We will be the brunt of the office jokes, and the snide comments will continue. This will continue until we denounce our faith and start to practice worldliness once again. Then we would be like those who practice all sorts of wickedness, and that would make them so happy.
We who are Christians are hated by just about every person who does not like to live by the rules God gave us in His Bible. The media looks for ways to make a public spectacle of true Christians. I say true Christians because there are a lot of pseudo-Christians out there that may wear a title called “Christian”, but their lives show no proof of them being one. In fact, if you have to tell someone you are a Christian, you are probably not being one. (Let that sink in and soak for a while).
Jesus taught that the people who persecute the Christians are in effect persecuting the Christ. Notice in Acts 9 that Saul was persecuting Christians, but Jesus asked “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4).
A Christian is to let their light shine (Matthew 5:16). This does not mean turn on the light bulb, and it does not mean to shine so that people will glorify us. It means to let a Christian set a good example of faithfulness and love and obedience in worship, with the hope that others will glorify God themselves.
A Christian is to trust in God and not worry about what a person or group of persons can and would do. Jesus said we would be blessed if people curse us for His names sake (Matthew 5:11). So how do we get Christians to come out of the closet? We need to encourage them to do so. The first thing is to examine our faith 2 Corinthians 13:5, and next we need to dedicate ourselves to the Lord, and be devoted to Him. If our focus is on Jesus and God, then we should not have a problem causing others to focus upon them either.
If you are afraid to let the world know that you belong to Jesus, then Jesus will not accept you into Heaven. Read Matthew 10:32-33. Are you ashamed of God or Jesus? Stop it now and come out of the closet. Show the world you belong to Jesus.
Let us help you on that pathway towards glory. God is not willing that any perish (2 Peter 3:9). You must believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died on the cross for your sins. (Acts 8:37). You must repent of your sins (Luke 13:3), you must confess Jesus as Lord (Matthew 10:32) and you must be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Then you must remain faithful and continue learning how to serve God (2 Peter 3:18). Let us help you on your spiritual journey. May God bless you in your study of His word.
---Carey Scott is the preacher for the Hwy 90 Church of Christ, 1115 Hwy. 90, Madisonville, Texas 77864 (http://www.simplebiblestudies.com/ )
Quotation
"As I sat last year under a wide-spreading beech, admiring that most wonderful of trees, I thought to myself, I do not think half as much of this beech tree as the squirrel does. I see him leap from bough to bough, and I feel sure that he dearly values the old beech tree, because he has his home somewhere inside it in a hollow place, these branches are his shelter, and those beech-nuts are his food. He lives upon the tree. It is his world, his playground, his granary, his home; indeed, it is everything to him, and it is not so to me, for I find my rest and food elsewhere. With God's Word it is well for us to be like squirrels, living in it and living on it. Let us exercise our minds by leaping from bough to bough of it, find our rest and food in it, and make it our all in all. We shall be the people that get the profit out of it if we make it to be our food, our medicine, our treasury, our armory, our rest, our delight. May the Holy Spirit lead us to do this and make the Word thus precious to our souls." (Charles H. Spurgeon)
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; November 8, 2009; Number 15
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“FOR HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER”
by Wayne S. Walker
“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136:1). In the New King James Version, Psalm 136 is headlined, “Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy.” It mentions several things that God had done to deserve this thanks. He created the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars. Also, He brought the plagues upon Egypt, delivered Israel from bondage, overthrew Pharaoh in the Red Sea, led the people through the wilderness, slew the kings of Canaan, and gave Israel the promised land. Then He remembered our lowly estate, rescued us from our enemies, and gives food to all flesh. Each verse in the Psalm ends with the clause, “For His mercy endures forever.”
There was a time in the early days of the English speaking church, following Henry VIII’s break with Rome, when the primary musical expression of public worship was the singing of Psalms. We still sing “All People That on Earth Do Dwell” from the Anglo-Genevan Psalter, and “The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want” from the Scottish Psalter. Other writers have sought to express the sentiments of the Psalms in more literary terms, including Isaac Watts (“O God, Our Help in Ages Past”), Henry F. Lyte (“Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”), and James Montgomery (“Hail to the Lord’s Anointed”). But today we sing far more hymns and gospel songs than we do Psalms.
In the winter of 1623-1624, while living at his father's house on Bread St. in London and learning his lessons at St. Paul's School, the fifteen-year-old John Milton (1608-1674) produced a free rendering of Ps. 136 in 24 two-line stanzas, evidently for his own delight or for that of his father and teachers. Each of the stanzas ended with the couplet, "For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure." It was natural, considering his Puritan heritage, that he would turn to the Bible for his inspiration. The fact that he chose a Psalm to paraphrase shows that the Psalms were still the chief outlet for singing praise to God in his day. Young Milton, the lyric poet, was just imitating his elders, but many feel that he did a better job than they did. The poem was not published until 1645 in his Poems, Both English and Latin. Milton went on to become one of the most famous English authors of the 1600s with Paradise Lost in 1667 and Paradise Regained in 1671. His version of Psalm 136 was never used as a hymn until 1855, when it was included in the Congregationalist Hymn Book. It is not as popular as it once was, but it is still a great hymn. "Let us with a gladsome mind, Praise the Lord for He is kind; For His mercies aye endure, Ever faithful, ever sure."
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THE "WORSHIP WARS"
by Wayne S. Walker
In an article headlined "Understanding the 'worship wars'” from World Magazine's website on October 16, 2009, Warren Cole Smith began, "A recent Religion News Service dispatch caught my attention. Under the headline 'Missouri Synod Leaders Declare Worship Wars "Sinful"’ came an article announcing the conservative Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s eight-page 'Theses on Worship.' The document was adopted unanimously in September by the denomination’s Council of Presidents, which includes its top officials and leaders of its 35 regional districts. The Theses on Worship took two years to complete, and—according to the RNS report—'describes worship as a command of God but says the Scriptures and doctrinal statements permit ‘considerable freedom’ in choosing the rites and ceremonies used for worship.' The document itself declares: 'The polarization that is affecting the church concerning the issue of forms, rites and ceremonies is sinful and hinders the proclamation of the gospel.'”
Smith continued, "True enough. These intramural conflicts consume a lot of energy, and to the outside world they can often appear to be irrelevant to the point of silliness....But it is important to be clear about one point: A dwelling of unity that is not built on a foundation of truth is nothing more than a house of straw that will blow over with the first strong wind. That’s why it’s important that we realize that many of us on the 'traditional' side of the so-called 'worship wars' understand that much more is at stake than what style of music we’ll sing on Sunday morning. The worship wars, properly understood, are not about taste, but about theology—and about protecting the core doctrines of the faith."
Churches of Christ are not immune to these "worship wars" that are erupting in various denominational churches. Just take a look at most of our recent hymnbooks. They, some perhaps more than others, are obviously being intended for a "blended worship," containing not only the great hymns of the faith and newer ones like them but also a growing selection of "camp songs" which are drawn primarily from the genre of "contemporary Christian music." Smith describes the process by which these songs become popular. "To get a glimpse into what I mean, consider how modern worship songs make their way into contemporary worship services. The songs generally are first heard and popularized on contemporary Christian radio stations. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that....But what happens next? The popular songs are then promoted relentlessly to 'worship leaders,' with sheet music and...if they’re a hit on Christian radio this week, they get performed in church the next."
Smith then notes, "Contrast that to the way music has historically been chosen for the church. The process has involved some of the greatest theologians and musicologists of our denominations who carefully deliberate matters of theology and discipleship. They ask: Does this song reflect our beliefs? Does this song deepen our understanding of poorly understood doctrines? Does this song unite old and young, black and white, or is it so stylistically specific that its attempt to be 'relevant' to some alienates everyone else?" Ignoring for the moment the reference to "our denominations," since churches of Christ seek to be completely undenominational, we must note that there is still a kernel of truth in what Smith says.
He continued, "Certainly there are limitations to the slow-changing, sometimes bureaucratic way new music has historically made its way into Psalters and hymnals. And I want to be clear that I’m not advocating tradition for tradition’s sake. But let’s get to the point: Christianity is a religion based on history and tradition. The Resurrection is not an idea; it was an historical event. Jesus was not just a great teacher; He was God Incarnate. He chose to reveal Himself to us in history. That’s why when we throw over the highest and best traditions and practices of our faith in the never-ending pursuit of what’s new, what’s relevant, what’s 'hip' or 'cool,' we inadvertently but no less certainly erode core doctrines of the faith. We say to ourselves and to our children: History doesn’t matter. The testimony of the faithful men and women who came before us doesn’t matter. The highest and best thinking of our greatest minds—well, what was so great about them anyway?"
The article concluded, "So, are the 'worship wars' unfortunate? Most certainly. But let us not shrink from these battles for the sake of a false and temporary 'unity.' Let us instead use them as an opportunity to come to agreement not about how we can be relevant to the culture, but rather about how we can bring what is permanent and eternal to a culture otherwise headed for the trash-bin of history." I do not consider myself merely a "traditionalist," but I bristle whenever I hear someone refer to the great hymns of faith simply as "traditional" hymns. The point is whether a song can genuinely be categorized as a psalm, a hymn, or a spiritual song, and does it really teach the truth?
There were many comments to the article, some for and some against, too many to include them all here. However, two of them caught my eye. One person objected to the statement that "Christianity is a religion based on history and tradition" with the claim that Christianity is based on the word of God rather than history and tradition. Another responded, "Yes, Christianity is based on history and tradition in the sense that it was stated in the post. The history referred to is not church history, but the historical facts of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. And the fact that the teachings of the apostles were incorporated into the Bible doesn’t mean they’re not traditions. Smith’s point is that, unlike something like New Age religion that can borrow from other traditions or make completely new stuff up, Christianity cannot be divorced from its roots in the past, or it ceases to be Christianity."
And one other person hit the nail on the head so far as I am concerned with his objection to many of the contemporary style "praise" songs. "What I’ve found about much of the contemporary/popular 'praise' music is its 'me' focus — 'I' will worship you, 'I' love you. The lyrics are 'I' centered, not Christ centered. They hymns are to be teaching tools in worship, they should deepen our understanding of Christ and the Scriptures." Again, the real issue is not just old versus new but objective truth versus subjective feelings. My conclusion is that the vast majority of the "contemporary Christian music" songs that are being brought into our worship services today fall into the latter category, and that is one of my main objections to them.
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; November 1, 2009; Number 14
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SINGING PRAISES TO HIS NAME
by Wayne S. Walker
“Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant” (Psalm 135:3). The New Testament teaches Christians to “Praise the LORD…; sing praises to His name” just as the Psalmist exhorts. Sometimes, this raises questions in people’s minds. I was recently sent the following request. “Thank you for your review of Sacred Songs of the Church. Some of your comments really got me to thinking about the songs we sing in our worship services. I love God with all my heart and pray that I am doing what He commands. Maybe you can help me understand this a little better, since you have a better knowledge of these songs and their writers than I do. My question is: How can we know that the songs we are using to worship and praise our Heavenly Father are acceptable to Him? I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you so much for your time.”
This is a very difficult question to answer for a couple of reasons. First, the scriptures do not give us much specific information about the kinds of songs that are acceptable to the Lord in worship. All we know is that He authorizes “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16). The usual definitions given to these terms are that psalms are devotional songs which are of the character of the Old Testament Psalms, hymns are songs of praise to God, and spiritual songs are songs which teach spiritual truth. However, I am not sure that Paul is intending to give us three hard and fast categories into one of which a song must fit to be approved but to provide general descriptions of the kinds of songs that God wants in worship.
Secondly, there is a great deal of personal taste involved. Historically, following the break between the English church and the Roman Catholic Church, the English churches sang only the Psalms. When “hymns of human composure” were first introduced, the older generation objected to them, but with the passing of time they gradually won out over the Psalms. Then, when gospel songs began to be popular, again the older generation expressed its preference for the more sedate hymns, but in succeeding generations the vast majority of hymnbooks contained a combination of older hymns and newer gospel songs. Now, we have the introduction of the so-called “praise song” drawn primarily from the genre of “Contemporary Christian Music,” and the differences in tastes between the older and younger again become pronounced.
Most of our newer hymnbooks contain a mixture of a few Psalms, some hymns, a lot of gospel songs, and a growing number of the contemporary “praise songs.” It is no secret that I do not care for the vast majority of these “praise songs.” However, I have no desire to set myself up as some kind of standard to dictate to brethren what they can and cannot sing. Yet, I do have some serious concerns about many of the “praise songs.” Now, I have no objection to new songs. I have often led “new” songs and have even written some myself. So the problems that I see with a lot of the “praise songs” have nothing to do with their being new.
Since we are to be singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord, the primary focus in our singing should be that of praising God in hymns. However, since we are also to be teaching and admonishing one another, there ought to be a place in our singing for spiritual songs on scriptural topics that edify and exhort us as well. So, how can we tell if the songs we are using to worship and praise our Heavenly Father are acceptable to Him? Of course, we must first make sure that they are in harmony with truth. At the same time, we must not fall into the trap of assuming that “calling things by Bible names” means “calling Bible things by King James names.” There must be allowance for poetic license. But Bible truth must be a priority.
Second, we should strive for songs that are Christ centered rather than man centered. Obviously, some judgment will be involved as to how to apply these concepts. This does not mean that all songs in worship must be hymns that directly praise the Lord, although we would do well to have more such songs in our assemblies. Merely singing “Let’s just praise the Lord, praise the Lord” ten times to a catchy tune is not the same thing as actually praising the Lord. It is not wrong for us to sing about our faith, our hope, our love, and so forth, because those are scriptural topics by which we can teach and admonish one another. Yet, we should be careful to strive for songs that place more emphasis on God and Christ than on us and how we feel.
Third, we ought to seek out songs that are singable. The singability of various songs will differ from congregation to congregation depending on people’s abilities. However, the vast majority of hymns and spiritual songs which have endured through the years have simple melodies, harmonies, and rhythms that are within the reach of the average congregation to render. In contrast, so many of the newer “praise songs” from the “Contemporary Christian Music” genre, like the southern gospel style of convention songs that were so popular a few years ago, while very catchy are frankly rather difficult for a large number of people, not only harmonically and rhythmically but even melodically. I believe that considering these three guidelines will help in choosing songs that are without a doubt acceptable to the Lord and beneficial for us.
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PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
by Jerral Kay
A fountain pen salesman persuaded a merchant to order 500 dozen pens. He was writing the order in his notebook when suddenly the merchant exclaimed, “Hold on! I’m canceling that order!” Then he turned to wait on a customer. The salesman left the store perplexed and angry.
Later, the merchant’s bookkeeper asked, ““Why did you cancel that fountain pen order?” “Why?”” responded the merchant, “because he talked fountain pens to me for half an hour, using a number of forcible arguments, and then booked my order with a lead pencil. His practice did not agree with his profession.”
Does your Christian practice agree with your profession? Be on guard, as you’ll be tested when you least expect it!
QUOTATION
“A badly divided, discordant, wrangling church is about the most offensive, as well as the most inefficient thing the eye can look upon. A church in which the sentiment of unity has been displaced by the bitterness of mutual ill will has reached the day when its prosperity is at an end.... How much harm has been done to individuals, how the advance of the Lord’s kingdom has been hindered, by the unseemly spectacle of disciples of the Lord arrayed in bitterness against each other. Resentments, whims, whisperings, grudges, alienations are all out of place in a company of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. They can make no headway in commending the gospel to others, or in magnifying it as the saving power of God, if they themselves were split into factions, and were biting and devouring each other instead of exemplifying a temper of love and unity (J.W. Shepherd in the Gospel Advocate commentary on Philippians. 173).
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; October 25, 2009; Number 13
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LIFTING UP HANDS
by Wayne S. Walker
“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD” (Psalm 134:2). The Bible makes many references to the lifting up of hands. Concerning this verse, Charles H. Spurgeon, who says that the Psalm was an exhortation by the returning pilgrims to arouse the priests to pronounce a blessing upon them and thus teaches us to pray for those who are continually ministering before the Lord, wrote, “In the holy place they must be busy, full of strength, wide-awake, energetic, and moved with holy ardour. Hands, heart, and every part of their manhood must be upraised, elevated, and consecrated to the adoring service of the Lord. As the angels praise God day without night, so must the angels of the churches be instant in season and out of season.”
I have heard, though I cannot confirm it, that the lifting up of hands was a common motion of greeting to show that one did not have any weapons. We have all probably seen some movie or television show where the police are bearing down on someone who immediately holds his hands up to show that he is not armed or will not take any retaliatory action. Somehow, it must have become a custom associated with worship. Spurgeon quoted Samuel Eyles Pierce who said, “The lifting up of the hands was a gesture in prayer, it was an intimation of their expectation of receiving blessings from the Lord, and it was also an acknowledgment of their having received the same.”
In 1 Timothy 2:8 Paul wrote, “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” In many denominational worship services, it is common to see people holding up their hands and swaying during prayer and even singing. As in the washing of feet by Jesus in John 13 and the holy kiss of Romans 16:16, the thing being commanded here is not the action itself but the attitude that it represents—holiness, having nothing of an ulterior nature behind us. If for whatever reason a person might choose to hold up his hands in prayer, one would be hard pressed to say that it is unscriptural, but there is no passage of scripture which teaches that it is necessary or that one sins without doing it.
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ALEXANDER CAMPBELL AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
by Wayne Jackson
Members of the Lord's church are sometimes erroneously referred to as "Campbellites." What exactly is behind such appellation?
It is a tiresome thing to have to respond, again and again, to the same misguided (and frequently dishonest) charges. But one is compelled, from time to time, to do so.
First, Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) never started a church (or claimed such), even though reference works frequently refer to him as "founder" of the "Christian Churches" and "Churches of Christ."
It is a tragedy that the man who labored the bulk of his adult life with a view to encouraging others to abandon sectarianism should himself be accused of being the head and founder of the "Campbellite" church. The reformer utterly repudiated the designation. In 1826 Campbell wrote:
"Some religious editors in Kentucky call those who are desirous of seeing the ancient order of things restored, "the Restorationers," "the Campbellites". . . This may go well with some; but all who fear God and keep his commands will pity and deplore the weakness and folly of those who either think to convince or to persuade by such means" (The Christian Baptist, Vol. IV, pp. 88-89).
In 1828 Mr. Campbell responded to the question: "What is Campbellism?" in the following fashion:
"It is a nickname of reproach invented and adopted by those whose views, feelings and desires are all sectarian - who cannot conceive of Christianity in any other light than an ISM" (Christian Baptist, Vol. V, p. 270).
It is a matter of historical record that there were churches of Christ - both in Europe and in America - before Alexander Campbell had a clear concept of what primitive Christianity was all about. Leslie G. Thomas has documented New Testament churches in Scotland, England, and Ireland, dating between 1778 and 1810 (The Restoration Handbook, p. 73). Historical accounts reveal that the Old Philadelphia congregation of the Lord's people, which was near Morrison, Tennessee, was organized in the year 1810. Alexander Campbell was not baptized until 1812, and he continued to he affiliated with the Baptists until the 1820s.
Churches of Christ do not owe their origin to Campbell or any other human leader. The fact that some, therefore, delight in using the term "Campbellite" to refer to those who choose to be called simply "Christians," rather than wearing humanly-devised titles, is more of a commentary upon their characters than anything else.
Why is it that so many religionists have such a difficult time being comfortable with the name "Christian," and that alone (cf. Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16)? The use of human titles is sinful (cf. 1 Cor 1:10ff).
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BLESSED TRINITY—OR WHAT?
by Wayne S. Walker
“God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” When I was growing up, the congregation where we worshipped used Christian Hymns No. 2 edited by L. O. Sanderson and published by the Gospel Advocate Co. Therefore, when we sang the well-known hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy,” we sang Reginald Heber’s original words that began this paragraph at the end of stanzas one and four. Then we switched over to Sacred Selections which had the same words. However, when I went to college, the college auditorium had E. L. Jorgenson’s Great Songs of the Church No. 2 which had changed the words to “God over all and blessed eternally.” Most of the hymnbooks published by members of the Lord’s church since then have copied from Jorgenson and use the altered version.
In The Gospel in Hymns Albert Edward Bailey wrote, “The doctrine of the Trinity is uniquely Christian….In singing this hymn we may either accept the Trinitarian formula as true, mentally retranslate the formula into a statement of function—how God works; or do as the Unitarians have done—substitute for the last line of stanzas 1 and 4 the last line of stanza 2, and so cut the Gordian knot; or, as the Baptists have done less poetically—substitute for the same lines ‘God over all, and blest eternally.’”
This latter change was first made by the Baptists in their Hymn Tune and Service Book of 1879. Through the years, I have heard a number of brethren who expressed objections to this and other songs with the word “Trinity” in it either because the term is not found in the Bible or because they feel that certain ideas about the “Trinity” as described in various denominational churches are unscriptural. However, if we use the word "Trinity" simply to mean that there is one God existing in three divine persons, which is clearly taught in the scriptures (Matthew 28:19, Acts 17:29), then I personally do not see that there should be any problem with it.
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; October 18, 2009; Number 12
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HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT UNITY IS
by Wayne S. Walker
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). Unity among God’s people is something that is emphasized over and over in the scripture. Of course, it must be understood that this is not merely unity for the sake of being united; rather, the basis for this unity is a common acceptance of the truth of God’s word (John 17:17). There were times in Israel’s history when those who were supposed to be God’s people seemed united, but it was a unity in following unrighteousness and it finally led to their destruction. That is why we are warned to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11).
The Psalmist describes the beauty of godly unity as “like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron” (v. 2). Sometimes, especially in the winter, I let my beard grow out, although I doubt that it has ever gotten as long as Aaron’s probably was. Somehow, in our western minds, the picture of oil running down the head and dripping off the beard of someone is not necessarily a pretty one. However, it evidently was to the ancient Israelites. Thus, the Psalmist uses this vision to emphasize the fact that unity is a desirable goal. And having been through a few, not many but enough to form a conclusion about them, good church fights, I would heartily agree!
Jesus prayed for the oneness or unity of all who believe on Him through the apostles’ word (John 17:20-21). The denominational division among supposed believers is a scandal that gives the unbelieving world fuel for their criticism of Christianity. When division reared its ugly head in the church at Corinth, Paul commanded the brethren there “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10). The Bible gives us God’s plan for unity in Ephesians 4:1-16 and tells us that we should be “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (v. 3). Yes, Biblical unity is something that is good and pleasant.
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THE FLIP-FLOP GENERATION
by Steve Klein
Flip flops are perhaps the most casual footwear known to man. According to an online article entitled "The History of Flip Flops," flip flop type footwear has been around for thousands of years, but has only become accepted in American culture since the 1950's (http://www.pecheblu.com/history.php). The article states the following:
"Flip flops became defining examples of an informal lifestyle and came to represent the California lifestyle in general and surf culture in particular. It seemed like all kids wore them to the beach or the pool and cheap rubber flip flops appeared in every dime store and beach shop. Over time, designs spread from rubber to wood to leather to bamboo and stylized platforms, yet all of them remaining true to the original base design of the early rubber flip flops. Flip flops were mostly summer shoes for most of the country until the 1990s, when fashion in the workplace started changing and loosening, with experiments like casual Fridays and casual summer dress codes."
Nowadays, flip flops are everywhere. On July 19, 2005, some members of Northwestern University's national champion women's lacrosse team even wore "flip-flops" to the White House to meet with President George W. Bush.
Just as flip flop footwear epitomizes our generation's casual approach to attire, the term flip flop also captures our generation's approach to truth and morality. Don't get me wrong. I am not at all claiming that the moral demise of America can be attributed to its choice of footwear. While it could be argued that a casual approach to dress may be linked to a casual approach to morality, that is not my point. My point is that whether there is any direct connection or not, the generation that wears flip flops on its feet is also the generation that flip-flops in its soul.
God's truth is "forever . . . settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89). But it is not settled in the minds of many of today's men and women. Like Reuben long ago, we are "unstable as water" (Genesis 49:4). We cannot seem to make up our minds for certain about any number of moral and spiritual issues. Think about these questions.
Can a person be saved without being baptized for the remission of sins? (see Mark 16:16)
Is drinking alcohol for pleasure wrong? (see Proverbs 23:29-35; 1 Peter 4:3)
Is it wrong to promise to repay a loan and then fail to do so because it presents a hardship? (see Proverbs 15:4-5)
Should Christians go to church regularly? (see Hebrews 10:25)
Is it wrong for women (and men) to dress in immodest or provocative attire in public? (see 1 Timothy 2:9; Matthew 18:7)
The sad truth is that most people in the world, and far too many Christians, cannot seem to make up their minds about these issues (and many others) from one moment to the next. We are like "children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14). Bible virtues such as conviction and steadfastness have no place in our modern lives. We have not heeded Peter's warning: "Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" (2 Peter 3:17).
We need to repent and pray like David did, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). (--- www.NewGeorgiaChurch.com ).
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; October 11, 2009; Number 11
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“I DON’T GET MUCH OUT OF THE SERVICE”
by Wayne S. Walker
“Let us go into His tabernacle; let us worship at His footstool” (Psalm 132.7). David loved to be in God’s house. Sometimes people who are supposed to be Christians try to give themselves excuses for not being more faithful in their attendance at church services by saying, “I just don’t get very much out of the services. The sermons are all on subjects that I’ve heard before. The Bible class teachers discuss books and topics that I’ve already studied. Even the song leaders choose the same old songs over and over again.” Of course, if the preacher talked about the exact same passage of scripture every Sunday, the Bible classes stayed in the same Bible book all the time, and we sang nothing but “Holy, Holy, Holy” at each service, it would get a little boring, but is that really the problem?
Many years ago, before the days of indoor plumbing, there were two neighbors in a small village who went to the town well every day to draw water for their homes. One always came with a big bucket while the other brought only a small pail. One day, the fellow with the small pail acted rather disgusted and said, “I think that I’m going to quit coming to the well every day. I just don’t seem to be getting very much out of it!” Think! Who do you suppose got more out of the well? The one who used the big bucket, or the one who had the small pail?
Why is it that two people can attend the same service and one find it satisfying while the other “didn’t get much out of it”? Could it be perhaps that they came with different sized buckets? The first loves to praise God, loves to study the Bible, and loves to hear God’s word proclaimed. The second apparently just does not delight on those things, and so he “doesn’t get much out of it.” To be honest, I have sat through a few services when the class was taught by someone who was an unprepared, last-minute substitute, the song leader did the best that he could but did not know music very well, and/or the lesson was presented by a young man who struggling through one of his first attempts to preach. However, I still got something out of it!
Besides, we do not, or should not, attend church services simply because of what we can “get out of it.” There is also the matter of what we can give to others. Our very presence is a means of “exhorting one another” (Hebrews 10:25). By joining in the singing, we are “teaching and admonishing one another” (Colossians 3:16). Also, of course, each Christian has a responsibility before God to “worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). Yes, we may worship as individuals in private and as families in our homes, but there are times when God commands the church to come together for edification (1 Corinthians 14:23-26). In addition, if you find that you can do such a better job of teaching the class, or leading the singing, or presenting the lesson than someone else, then by all means volunteer! Those who actually give something usually find that they often get as much as if not more than they themselves give.
And there is one other consideration regarding the claim that “I just don’t get much out of the services.” I have heard the late Cecil Willis tell this story and I think that I have seen it in an article that he wrote. He was holding a gospel meeting, and at every service there was an elderly gentleman present who was blind and almost deaf. I believe that it was on the last evening Cecil, almost yelling into the man’s ear, said he knew that being blind the man could not see the chalk board and being almost deaf he could hear very little so he could not get much out of the services. Thus Cecil asked him why he bothered to come. The man replied, “So everyone will know whose side I’m on.” That is one good reason for a Christian to be at every service possible. “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” (Matthew 12:30).
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EVOLUTION IS JUST A PLAIN FAIRYTALE
By Terry W. Benton
The modern crime labs have a hard time reconstructing a murder that happened just last week, but doing so depends on a variety of pieces of evidence. A body and a weapon are not enough to tell who, why, where, and how this crime developed. So, they pursue fingerprints, hair that they might be able to trace to a potential suspect. They find a suspect. Now, they must find additional testimony from the suspect, such as when he was last at that scene, verbal testimony that will give them a greater knowledge base to work with and eventually get some eyewitness testimony or circumstantial evidence, maybe timing and motive can be discovered. The man is only a potential suspect until there is better evidence. The physical evidence is not enough and is wholly subject to imagination only at this point.
Yet, the modern evolutionist is imagining the origin and development of life on far less evidence. They throw around millions of years without any data. They find a bee fossilized in amber and date it at 80 million years. They cannot find another one for over 40 million years of history, but they theorize that it could have gotten started 40 million years before their oldest fossil (which itself is a suspicious and assumption-filled means of dating). Then they find a tree with apparent bee nests that is supposedly 140 million years older than their oldest bee fossil. Can you believe that nothing happened in 140 million years to encase another bee in amber? Can you believe that another bee could not be encased in amber in just 1 million years before the 80 million year old sample? Yet this is how the naturalists operate and pass along their theories as "science".
We are supposed to believe that the modern crime lab cannot reconstruct a murder from a week ago with just the visible evidence at the scene of the body and weapon, but the modern naturalist can reconstruct all of the history of the universe, the solar system, the development of life from non-life, and the supposed branches of life from the common ancestor by inflating guesses into millions of years and refusing to listen to available eyewitness testimony (God's testimony in the record of the Bible). One naturalist will say the bee came before the flower and another says they developed together about the same time. How do we explain a million years without fossils? No problem! You just imagine it and it becomes "science". Those who do not think this way are not scientists. When you are a true naturalistic scientist you can get away with imagining 140 million years of bee existence without fossils being left behind. It's simple. You find a bee nest in 220 million year old tree and subtract the 80 million year old bee fossil you have from that, and you get 140 million years of bee life with a story you can write any way you want to. After all, if you never mention God, the Creator, the rule of naturalism is that you are free to write the story of history with 1% data and 99% imagination. All they have to do is kiss the frog and imagine what happens next.
“26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:26-31, NIV). --- www.pinelanechurchofchrist.com .
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SEARCH FOR TRUTH
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39)
Published by Wayne S. Walker, 503 S. Jefferson St., Salem, IL 62881; phone, (618) 548-6286 home, (618) 292-2694 cell; e-mail, wswalker310@juno.com .
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Volume II; October 4, 2009; Number 10
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TO CALM AND QUIET THE SOUL
by Wayne S. Walker
“Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalm 131:2). It is so easy to get frustrated and upset with things and with people. One thing that I have noticed in pitching baseball or softball to kids is that when some of them cannot hit the ball right away they become very irritated and annoyed which actually makes it more difficult for them to concentrate on watching the ball and reaching out to hit it. Often someone has to tell them to calm down, breathe deeply, and take it easy.
Kids are not the only ones who have that problem. There were times when our children were younger that they did something which made me so angry that I had to stop and do the proverbial “count to ten” before reprimanding or punishing them so that I would not do something rash or foolish (and occasionally I would do something rash or foolish anyway!). Probably all of us have had times when someone said something so wrong or so outlandish that we had to bite our tongues to keep from popping off and saying or doing something which we knew that we would later regret.
But what does it mean to have calmed and quieted our souls “like a weaned child with his mother”? Charles H. Spurgeon noted, “He had become as subdued and content as a child whose weaning is fully accomplished…To the weaned child his mother is his comfort.” Thus it refers to the fact that our needs have been met by God and we are satisfied. God will not always remove trying situations in our lives, but like Paul’s thorn in the flesh, we can find that if we trust Him His grace will be sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). That knowledge should help us to calm and quiet our souls.
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SEND THE LIGHT
by Dee Bowman
How? Did you say, "how?"
Get Next to the Light
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (Jno. 8:12). It's mighty important for the person who wants to let his light shine that he be near the Savior. As long as that proximity is maintained, you won't walk in darkness. The implication is that when you get away from the light, you walk in darkness and you know what that means, don't you? It means stumbling around, not knowing where you're going. And that's bad, right? The Master said, "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (Jno. 3:21). In other words, "...everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds be reproved" (Jno. 3:20). If you want to be good and do good, you have to get next to the light.
Flip the Switch
Jesus also said, "Ye are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14). But the light you are doesn't shine until you turn it on. It's up to you whether or not you shine as a light. "Let your light shine" (Matt. 5:16) indicates there's a choice involved in the matter. You have to decide to turn it on. And the reason is simple: "that they may see your good works." The primary purpose of light is to illuminate things so that it's easy to see. Actually, you can't see anything when there's no light. And furthermore, when folks see your light shining, they will be constrained to "glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16). So, turn it on and let it shine.
Get the Light out of the House
Now that's not meant to say that the light is not important in the house, for the Lord said, "...men do not light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house" (Matt. 5:15), but it's also so that if the light is going to do any good we have to get it out where it can light stuff up — or as we say, bring things to light. "A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid" (Matt. 5:14) indicates that you need to put it out where it can be seen. No matter how good the light, it's of no benefit to anybody when it's not being used. Actually, it's the purpose of light to shine. No telling how much good we could do if we'd just get our light out where folks can see it.
Don’t Let the Light Go Out
Paul implores that we "walk as children of light" (Eph. 5:8), for, says he, "ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord." And wasn't it the apostle John who said, "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another" (1 Jno. 1:7)? In fact, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." You can't walk in the light and do bad things any more than you can walk in the light and in the dark at the same time. You're either going to keep your light on or let it go out -- it's up to you. Jesus said, "the light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light" (Matt 6:22). You can't shut your eyes to the light and still see where you're going. You have to keep your eyes open and fixed on the goal.
And that's how you send the light! (---via Earnest Heed, May, 2009; published monthly by the Simcoe church of Christ, Highway 69 East, Cullman, AL.)
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“FOR SUCH A WORM AS I”
by Wayne S. Walker
"Alas, and did my Savior bleed, And did my Sovereign die; Would He devote that sacred head For such a worm as I.” These words were written by Isaac Watts (1674-1748). The hymn was included in his 1707 Hymns and Spiritual Songs. Most of us have sung it to a tune (Hudson) that was composed and the chorus added both by Ralph Erskine Hudson. This version of the song, called “At the Cross,” first appeared in Hudson's 1885 Songs of Peace, Love and Joy. It is believed that both the words and music of the chorus, which Hudson added to his original tune, were adapted from an old camp meeting melody.
The statement the original, "For such a worm as I," uses the concept of being a worm as a symbol of our being sinners. Several recent books have changed it to "such a one as I" or "sinners such as I," including some of our books. William J. Reynolds in Hymns of Our Faith claims that "Deleting the word 'worm' involves a literary expression and in no way implies any theological compromise." However, Steven Clark Goad wrote, "Why do we use antiseptic on our hymns and seek to sterilize our songs? Are we allowing a second cousin of political correctness to invade our thinking and our hymnals? Are we no longer...worms? Dare we admit that once upon a sinful time we were all but mere... worms without a snail's chance in a salt mine of making anything of our lives apart from the Master? I don't know about anyone else, but being reminded of what I was before Jesus came into my life helps me to enjoy the sense of His presence all the more." The fact of the matter is, when we compare ourselves to God, we are forced to the conclusion that we are as worms (Job 25.6, Psa. 22.6)
Ernest K. Emurian said, "While this generation substitutes 'sinners such as I' for the original, confident that we are not worms, it is well to remember that a worm is the only thing in God's world that can change into a butterfly. And Watts well knew the transformation, wrought in the human heart by the grace of God whereby the 'old man' dies and the 'new man in Christ Jesus' is born, finds its parallel in the process of nature whereby a worm dies that a butterfly may be born." The message of this good song is that Jesus died for us because we are sinners ("worms") and because God loves us. As Christians we should ever be grateful for all the wonderful gifts that God has made possible by what Jesus did for us "At The Cross."
