GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

Audio for the following may be found here.

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

            Psalm 136 begins with these words: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good . . . ” (v. 1) The rest of the entire psalm then is based on God’s abundant goodness. Psalm 136, among other places in the Bible, makes clear that God is good by nature. Growing up, I often heard people exclaim, “God is good . . . ” to which others would respond with, “All the time!” Then the saying would be reversed to, “All the time God is good!” The substance behind this factual statement is that God’s goodness is not dependent on anything but himself. In fact, all goodness is a derivative of the character of God. Therefore, God does not have to act in a particular manner to be good; he is already good by nature.

            God’s goodness has a plurality of implications for the church. We worship a good God. How then do we reconcile God’s goodness in a troublesome world? I have three thoughts toward this end that should help us in our approach to worshiping an inherently good God.

God’s Goodness Is a Perpetual Fact

            We must, first, recognize that God’s goodness is a perpetual fact not dependent on anything including circumstances.  We often (and perhaps subconsciously) think of goodness in terms of acts, as if goodness is the result of good works. Goodness, nonetheless, is not derived from works, but works are derived from goodness. With that thought, the Bible teaches that every good and perfect gift is from God (Jas 1:17a). Furthermore, James assures us that God is unchanging (Jas 1:17b); his goodness is transcendent. God is the source of goodness so when circumstances are terrible, it is not a reflection of God’s goodness or lack thereof, but it is, in fact, a consequence of humanity’s sin. God, on the contrary, is perpetually and eternally good, and we should worship him as such.

We Should Respond to God for Who He Is

            I often remind people that our first reason for worshiping God should not be his great and wonderful works in our lives but rather who he is. It should not take much pondering to realize that we do not deserve God’s benefits; yet, we often need that reminder. We should not fail to realize that God’s benefits toward his people are utterly undeserved. If we worship God for who he is more than what he has done, his perpetual goodness is brought into the scene. Goodness is an eternal characteristic of God. We then should never assume God is not good because of the circumstances in our lives. A large part of the constitution of worship is satisfaction in the object of worship. If our satisfaction is in the God we worship, the acts he does or does not perform will not negate the worship we give. Irrespective of what God does or does not do as in the subject of worship (the one who acts), he has been and will always be the object (the one to whom worship is given).

            I do not mean to minimize the importance of praising God for his many benefits; in fact, the psalmist does so in Psalm 103. Nevertheless, God’s benefits should not be the primary reason we consider God’s goodness. He is good by nature. Additionally, we frequently fail to remember God’s goodness. For example, when there is a horrific plane crash with no survivors, questions usually arise that go something like this: “How could a good God allow something like this to happen?” Yet, how often do we remember to thank God in his continued provision for the tens of thousands of planes that take off and land each day? I think we have it upside down when we think that God’s goodness is based on his acts. Tragedies and catastrophes are not pleasant; yet, even they result from God’s goodness even though we often cannot possibly understand how. We should, first and foremost, worship him for who he is.

            In Job 38, God himself responds to Job’s critical and questioning attitude with a series of “Who are you?” and “Where were you?” questions. It was a reminder Job needed to put him in his place and a reminder which we often need. We are not good by nature because we are not God. The situations we face then should not determine our worship, but our worship should build upon the foundation of who God is. He is good by nature; we must never fail to remember that consistent truth.

A Heart of Worship Recognizes God’s Goodness Not Because of His Works but Irrespective of His Works

            A foundational aspect of worship is satisfaction in God, which is irrespective of his works. If God is good by nature, then his works do not determine his goodness. A worshipful heart recognizes this. If we find it difficult to worship God during trials or if we even cease to worship God during trials, we do not exhibit the heart of worship. Certainly, it is difficult to function in many aspects or to even make it through our daily affairs when we face tribulation; nonetheless, worship should be a vastly different issue because proper worship does not depend on circumstances. We may be tested, but if circumstances are the basis of our worship, we are truly not worshiping God to begin with.

            God is good; it is his very nature. All his works then are derived from his goodness. This means that when we cannot understand what he is doing and when situations in our lives do not make sense, God is still good. With a faithful devotion to worship, we can say clearly and with assurance that no matter what is going on around us, “God is good all the time and all the time God is good.”

REGULATIVE VS. NORMATIVE PRINCIPLE

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REGULATIVE VS. NORMATIVE PRINCIPLE

            A common topic in conversations of biblical authority is the regulative vs. normative principle in worship prescription. The regulative principle suggests anything not explicitly prescribed in Scripture (the New Testament specifically) should not be utilized in worship, e.g. instruments, while the normative principle suggests that there is freedom for use of items which are not mentioned in the Bible if they do not contradict moral or ethical values. Entire sects and denominations of the Christian faith have been formed largely because of various understandings in this dichotomy. It is certainly not a salvific issue, but it is an important discussion to have, nonetheless. Where do we, as Christians, draw the line for our prescribed worship practices. If it is not explicitly stated in Scripture, do we have flexibility in the way we worship? I personally subscribe to the normative principle. Besides issues of its existence in the Bible, I would like to pose a few questions to help worshipers in determining what items to utilize in corporate worship.

1.      Does It Benefit the Church?

We must first ask ourselves if the practices we employ or consider employing benefit the church. Do they build and encourage the church, or are they items of division? Now let me clarify by stating that divisiveness in and of itself does not mean a worship practice is inherently wrong or should not be utilized; the divisiveness could, in fact, be the result of a deeper issue in the church. It is vital to determine why a worship practice might be divisive before merely getting rid of it. We, as worship leaders, must seek to help the church. In deciding which worship practices to employ, whether aesthetic or otherwise, we should resolve to benefit the body of Christ through its use.

2.      Does It Enhance Worship?

When people are not comfortable with worship practices for any reason, I often hear a question like this: is that really necessary? I think what people mean by that question is to point to their discomfort. I recently wrote about the difference in a distraction and a discomfort. The two are not one in the same; sometimes our discomfort is because we are being stretched. The question of necessity is usually a futile one because there are many practices we employ in our worship services which are not necessary, e.g. lyrics on a screen, hymnals, instruments, microphones, or even the space we worship in. Nonetheless, these elements enhance worship. Necessity should not be the standard we look to, for at that point, we are seeking the bare minimum. If we, as the people of God, desire worship to be as excellent as possible, we should constantly strive to enhance worship including through the practices we employ. If the Bible does not give a clear directive against a particular worship practice and we desire to employ it, let us ask how it enhances the worship of our congregation.

3.      Does It Serve a Purpose in the Dialogue?

Corporate worship is a dialogue between God and his covenanted people. It is doubtlessly a continuous dialogue, but each weekly worship gathering should serve to present a theme or an idea as a part of the overarching gospel narrative. The practices involved then should play a role within that dialogue. In planning specific practices of worship, worship leaders should decide if what is being executed serves a purpose in the dialogue, i.e. is a song being chosen connected to the rest of the dialogue, or is it merely a song thrown in the mix because people enjoy it? If the latter is true, I think it is time to reconsider its placement or usage. Worship leaders should plan intentionally. If Scripture is not overt about a worship practice, a determining factor should be its purpose in the dialogue or its lack thereof.

The Line between Biblical Authority and Manmade Legality

There certainly exists a line between biblical authority and manmade legality. If an explicit command against a worship practice is not revealed in the Bible, how do we have any authority to pronounce it as wrong or sinful? Yet, worship leaders should also be wise in how worship practices are executed. These questions surely help in determining the benefit of our worship practices. We should strive to be biblical, not extra-biblical, and allow personal convictions to remain personal without universalizing them. We have a responsibility to exercise wisdom so let us seek excellence in the way we worship, guidance of the Holy Spirit, and wisdom in how we worship together.

SING A NEW SONG TO THE LORD: AN EXPLICIT COMMAND

Audio for the following may be found here.

SING A NEW SONG TO THE LORD: AN EXPLICIT COMMAND

            In the text of Scripture, we see unequivocal commands to sing a new song to the Lord. Psalms 96, 98, and 149 all begin with such a command, and likewise, we see reference to a new song in Psalm 33:3 and Isaiah 42:10.[1] As a worship leader, I must navigate the treacherous waters of calamity between old and new music. Personally, as I have grown older, my approach to worship has become more formal in nature. Understand clearly, however, that this approach has little to do with musical style and more to do with the way I approach the entirety of the worship experience. With such specific commands to sing a new song given in the Bible though, we must grapple with this idea and faithfully employ it in the worship of the church. With that stated, there a few thoughts I have on new music in worship.

Compatibility between New and Old

            First, the command to sing a new song does not negate the importance of an old one, i.e. new and old music are both compatible and useful in worship. In fact, we see both in Scripture, e.g. those who conquered the beast sing the song of Moses (Rev 15:3).[2] I submit then that we should not choose between old and new, but rather we should retain both. The two are not mutually exclusive but are, in fact, mutually compatible. In singing both old and new music, the church also draws a connection with saints of the past, who are surely part of the same family of God as Christians today. Both new and old music then should be utilized in the church’s worship practices.

Content, Not Age

            Second, the substance of music in worship should be the content, not the age of the music. I am mostly referring to text, but certainly musical elements should be involved in this discussion as well. Contrary to popular belief, old hymns do not exclusively contain deep theological truth, and modern music does not exclusively contain shallow theology. It does not take much searching to find hymns with incredibly shallow theology and modern songs with incredibly rich theology, often much richer than most hymns. Furthermore, we should consider what constitutes old music. Relatively speaking, even most hymns we sing are not that old. Many young people might think that a song written five years ago is old. It can be subjective. From personal experience, I have often led hymns in worship services which are hundreds of years old (both text and melody) and then heard complaints that I needed to lead older hymns. I think it is because people often do not know some of these old hymns, thus proving that the age of the music has little to do with one’s comfort or discomfort. Likewise, I have led modern songs with rich theology and heard people complain that the text is shallow; when reasoned against most hymns, however, some of these new songs will far outweigh many older hymns in depth of theology. What matters here is the content. It certainly helps to sing a familiar melody and worship leaders need to be careful in crafting services which contain enough of that element, but the age of the music does not matter; it is instead the content of what is being sung.

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs

The Apostle Paul tells us to admonish one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19). It is evident, from this scripture, that there should be differences in the music we sing. Often, people associate hymns here with the hymns we sing from our hymnals, although that is an incorrect connection because these are vastly different hymns. In fact, I dare say that our churches do not use the hymns Paul is referring to. The specific meaning of each of these categories is much debated. I would like to share what I think they mean.

            I believe psalms to refer to what is given in the book of Psalms. The book of Psalms is often referred to as the hymnal of Israel. These texts and tunes were so widely used in Jewish culture that Paul surely would have been familiar with them as a part of public worship. Hymns would likely refer to songs of praise to God or about him for specific use in Christian worship. That is certainly applicable to what is in our hymnals, but the texts and tunes used in Paul’s day would have been different. It should also be pointed out that it is proper to not only sing songs to God but also about him. Corporate worship is the unified body of Christ offering worship to their covenant God; there is not only a vertical aspect to worship but also a horizontal aspect where the body is unified and communes with their God in Christ. For this reason then, I have no problem with singing songs both to God and about him. Paul finally mentions spiritual songs. Spiritual songs likely have a broader meaning that psalms and hymns. Today we could perhaps consider these to be Christian songs we might hear on the radio that have a gospel message but might not be conducive to corporate worship. These categories of song, whether new or old, are told to be used to admonish one another, i.e. they are all useful in the kingdom of God.

Now the Issue: Why a New Song?

            The issue here is new music. Why does Scripture give an explicit command to sing a new song? Both new and old music are okay, but our comfort level is often violated if we are not familiar with a text or tune. I have found that even setting a new text to a familiar tune is difficult for some people. If we have such a problem with change and newness then, why is the command given in the Bible? I have three reasons I would like to suggest.

First, we are told that the mercies of the Lord are new each morning (Lam 3:23).[3] With new mercies, we should be ever thankful as God’s people, and new responses should be inspired. Secondly, the work of the Holy Spirit is continuous and, therefore, always fresh. The Holy Spirit’s work should also inspire new songs of praise. Thirdly, our human minds respond better and more to newness than oldness. Have you ever had the experience of singing a familiar text to a new tune or in a different style than you had in the past? Often, the response, in our minds, is a freshness to what we are singing and a renewed realization of the textual meaning. The newness usually causes us to respond actively rather than passively and eliminates the dullness of routine. Routine is not bad; it is our own fault for allowing routine to cause complacency, but a fresh approach to music often livens our senses to worship. I believe these are all reasons to sing a new song to the Lord.

Conclusion: We Must Sing a New Song

            In any case, the Bible overtly commands us to sing a new song to the Lord. In the name of obedience then, we should embrace that call and respond accordingly with joy. We are the redeemed people of God. Let us, therefore, sing a new song to our creator in response to his great and abounding love and mercy and who he is.

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[1] David Mathis, “Sing a New Song,” Desiring God, accessed August 29, 2017, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/sing-a-new-song.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

1 TIMOTHY 4:6-10: THE FOUNDATION OF A GOOD SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST

Audio for the following may be found here.

1 TIMOTHY 4:6-10

THE FOUNDATION OF A GOOD SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST

            All Christians are called to serve Christ to the end no matter how difficult it may be at times. In our human pride and our natural desire to be first in everything, service is not something we like to consider. Yet, it is a vital aspect of our faith. We are all called to service. In considering the example of Christ, it is evident that Jesus served people. Even as the Lord of lords, the King of kings, and creator of all, God in the flesh was a servant. To serve is to put others before yourself or to humble yourself. Not only was Jesus a servant, but he served the least of these (Matt 25:40). I said hello to a person wearing a University of Texas shirt recently; talk about loving the least of these.

            The Apostle Paul was a mentor to young Timothy who was a new minister. In the two letters we have record of Paul writing to Timothy, he greatly encourages the young minister in his vital kingdom work. By young, it is not meant that Timothy was a child; he was likely in his thirties.[1] In the fourth chapter of his first letter to Timothy, Paul admonishes Timothy and confirms the new minister’s call to serve the Lord faithfully to the end. There are two things we may gather from Paul’s ministry to Timothy: 1) seasoned believers have a responsibility to mentor younger believers, and 2) all believers should serve faithfully to the end as the Apostle Paul did until he was martyred and as Timothy did in the local church until the day he died. In discussing the foundation of a good servant of Jesus Christ, Paul gives three characteristics which servants must exemplify.

1 Timothy 4:6-10 (ESV)

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

⁶ If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. ⁷ Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; ⁸ for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

A Good Servant Honors God Despite Difficulty (v. 6)

            First, a good servant honors God despite difficulty. Paul is writing this portion of his letter in the context of professing Christians who abandon the faith. Timothy, a new minister, would have likely been discouraged by his congregants leaving the faith, as any minister would be; yet, he is called to serve. The word used for servant here is the same word we get deacon from. Many people consider a deacon to be a leadership office of the local church, but it is not; it really describes a person who serves. In that way then, serving is something all of us should do. The unpleasant part of that call, nonetheless, is that we are called to serve the Lord faithfully despite difficulty. The reality is that everyone faces difficulty, although for some, it might be more extreme than for others. Nevertheless, we are called to serve. If we base our service to God on circumstances in our life, we will not be faithful servants. God is worthy of our service irrespective of the situations we face. Whether we are in a good situation or a bad situation, we are still called to serve the same. When our foundation is Jesus Christ, our love for him, and our satisfaction in him, we will can faithfully serve him until the end of our days.

A Good Servant Sets Eternal Matters above Temporal Matters (vv. 7-9)

            Second, a good servant of Christ realizes the importance of eternal issues and the futility of temporal issues. Paul encourages Timothy to remain away from silly myths (v. 7). I dare say that there are many silly myths in our society, and if we hear them long enough, they might be easy to give into, which is why so many churches and professing Christians are turning away from the truth of Scripture and creating a false gospel that suits their own desires. To counter this though, Paul tells Timothy to train himself (v. 7). Spiritual growth is your own responsibility and no one else’s. Your growth in Christ is not your family’s job, your spouse’s job, or even the church’s job; it is your own responsibility so train yourself.

To further clarify this, Paul makes clear that training for godliness has an eternal nature to it, while training for temporal matters might be futile (v. 8). Paul says that training the physical body might be good (v. 8), as it may certainly increase your health, but ultimately, it is temporal rather than eternal. In a world with a plurality of distractions coming at us, a good servant of Christ prioritizes the eternal above the temporal. The beauty in serving Christ is that there are eternal rewards that far outweigh the temporal rewards we might receive. Additionally, we are told that we can trust this saying (v. 9). It is worthy of acceptance because our faithful and covenant God has said it; if he says it, it’s true.

A Good Servant Toils to the End (v. 10)

Lastly, a good servant toils to the end. No one likes to think about the toiling aspect of our faith, but the Bible is clear that being a Christian and honoring God is difficult. We are called to toil, implying treacherous waters in our daily lives. Our service is built on a solid foundation though. Paul tells Timothy that our hope is set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe (v. 10). If our hope is in anything else, it will fail.

God is faithful to his people so that no matter the circumstances we face and no matter the age we may be, we are called to toil in joyful service to Jesus Christ till the very end. It is not a matter of woefully serving God, but in all circumstances, no matter how dreary they may be, if our satisfaction and joy is found in Christ alone, we can faithfully serve him till the end. Let us then be faithful servants to our great God and King.

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[1] “How Old Was Timothy?” Evidence Unseen, accessed August 30, 2017, http://www.evidenceunseen.com/bible-difficulties-2/nt-difficulties/1-2-timothy-titus-philemon-hebrews-james-1-2-peter/1-tim-412-how-old-was-timothy/.

CHRISTIAN EXCELLENCE IN ART

Audio for the following may be found here.

CHRISTIAN EXCELLENCE IN ART

            If you are like me, you’ve often watched Christian movies and listened to Christian music and been embarrassed by the quality (or lack thereof) of art being produced in the name of Jesus Christ. It has often made me ponder why the church is okay with mediocre art. The trend in churches is to water down the quality. We use many excuses for this with the most likely being that worship is a matter of the heart. That, however, is only partially true, for we are told to love God with not only our heart but also our soul, mind, and strength (Luke 10:27). As a worship leader and an artist, it baffles me to see mediocre art presented in the name of Christ, but it disturbs me even more to see people who are okay with it. In considering how we, as Christians, are to present art, particularly as a form of worship, some thoughts come to my mind that I would like to divulge.

There Is No Foundational Sacred and Secular Division

            As humans, it is natural for us to compartmentalize. I compartmentalize often because I am a neat-freak. Naturally, we like things organized though. One way we do this is to classify art as sacred and secular. I think there are good intentions behind this, but all things are derived from God (Rom 8:36). He is author of all things. Therefore, anything that is used as a form of evil is not from God but is rather a distortion of what it was meant to be. Art is no different. There surely exists evil art. Nonetheless, it is merely a distortion of the foundational beauty God created. We should not first classify art as sacred or secular because at its foundation, all art is sacred. Additionally, we should strive to present art as it was intended, namely to glorify God. The implication then is that we should strive for the best quality possible.

All Art Should Glorify God

            J.S. Bach said, “The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.”[1] Let me clarify by saying that it is not necessary for all art to be used in corporate worship. Certainly, we utilize art in worship whether through singing, dancing, or even visual art such as painting; nevertheless, the chief end of art is the glory of God. The question might arise then of whether what we might deem as secular art (music, film, books, etc.) glorifies God. There are absolutely forms of art that would not be conducive to the context of corporate worship but honor God, nonetheless. As with anything, art is ultimately designed for God’s pleasure. Can movies glorify God? Yes. Can music glorify God? Yes. Can theatre, operas, and dance glorify God? Yes, yes, and yes. We are image-bearers of the creator so the more we know the creator, the more creative we become. With the goal in mind of glorifying God then, we should ask ourselves if the art we present, in any form, serves to glorify him in its content, its structure, and indeed in its quality.

For Leaders, It’s Not Only about the Heart

            There is often an overemphasis of the heart in Christianity. The heart represents the seed of the emotions. The heart is spoken of more in Scripture than other aspects of the whole person so it is vital. It is not all there is though. We must not neglect the soul, mind, and strength as well. As worshipers of God, we should worship with our whole being, not merely one aspect of it. Having stated this, there is something to be said for quality, particularly for leaders of worship and Christian artists. I’m astounded by how many professing Christians compliment terrible Christian movies which lack quality to the extreme. Perhaps it is a feeble attempt to support the group or church that made the movies, or perhaps it is because the message is good. Even if the message is good though, does bad art represent it well? The same goes for music. How can we, as God’s people, expect to take worship seriously when we don’t even take the quality of art seriously.

There are those who will say that it is a matter of the heart, not the quality of the art. That is certainly true for the common participant or observer, but for those who present the art and those who lead God’s people in worship through the art, skill is necessary. We are commanded in Psalm 33:3 to sing a new song to the Lord and to play skillfully. The Levites were given specific instructions in leading the people of God in worship and in their spiritual affairs. It was not acceptable to merely offer worship to God with little skill; it should also be unacceptable for us. Just because a Christian person or group offers the art, we do not have to support it as any sort of skill if that skill is, in fact, not there. Let us, as God’s people, give God the best we have without excuse.

Quality Is Right

If art that might be deemed secular can possess quality elements, why shouldn’t the art presented to God and to others in preaching the gospel retain at least the same level of quality? Let us be excellent in artistic endeavors and hold to a quality of excellence with the realization that God is glorified through what we offer him.

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[1] J.S. Bach, “Johann Sebastian Bach Quotes,” BrainyQuote, accessed August 27, 2017, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johannseba124622.html.