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| Constructing a theology of music, a theology of praise can be slippery at times. When specific examples get raised, questions begin to multiply. When questions multiply, answers must be given. Where do we get these answers? From musicology? Sociology? History? Let us consider a 6 verse psalm that defines for us a solid, biblical philosophy of praise. Let us consider Psalm 150 (NAS). 1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. 2 Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. 3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! The Focus of Praise is God and Only God. (Psalm 150.1-2) The focus for all praise and musical worship is God. Praise is God-centered. Psa 150.1-2 show that God's character (v.1) and God's work (v.2) are the themes for praise. Notice, there is nothing human in focus here. There is no how I feel about life, God, work, relationships, problems, joys, etc. The themes are God in His holy heavens, set apart, inaccessible, unreachable, completely and highly exalted above all creation. The thrice holy God and His mighty deeds. Everything God does is mighty. There is nothing feeble, lacking, mediocre, common, or weak in His works. They are altogether wonderous and strong. When worship music fails to keep God as the center, it ceases to be praise. When worship music begins to focus on the indivdiual and his emotional, psycho-social dispositions and reactionary mental workings and behaviors to his environment and circumstanecs, the music ceases to be praise, and begins to be musical hedonism. Also note that in v.2, the psalm states: "Praise Him according to His excellent greatness." Give attention to "according to." There is a specific way in which this praise is to be given that is according to God's excellent greatness," literally, "abouding greatness." Mediocre praise worship is never justified. Note that the issue of excellence is not musical excellence, but worshipful excellence. An excellent heart of worship is required of us when we come to the place of praise worship. Haphazard preparation, meaningless repetition of stanzas, overemphasis of musical activity without spiritual participation in worship, mediocre interest and attention to God--these are not "according to" the excellent greatness of God. When mediocre or even worse, non-spiritual worship is done, then we are not praising God "according to" HIS greatness, but according to OUR dispositions. This is human-centered to its very core and completely dethrones God of His rightful place as the object of worship during praise. This is a great responsibility that we have, let us trust in the great grace that we have been given and offer a sacrifice of praise that is worthy of the Name that we are exalting. The Manner of Praise is Personal Devotion. (Psalm 150.3-5) Many instruments are named. Some may find justification for using certain instruments with a passage such as this. But this is not the central focus of these verses. To find a justification for physical imitation in areas such as these is hardly a fruitful hermeneutical exercise. Rather, let us look to the principle behind the text. To play with such instrumental accompaniment is to entail learning, skill/technique, concentration/focus, time, effort, and devotion. This is a very personal activity that does not seek to benefit from it like secular music performances. Rather, praise worship is not a performance but a sacrifice, something offered as an expression of love and adoration. Also note that it is the instruments that accompany and assist praise, not the other way around. Praise does not accompany instrumental performance. If I were to play a guitar in praise worship, I do not participate in praise worship in order to have a chance to show off my guitar playing skills. Nor do I play the guitar for worship in order to avoid falling asleep if I "just sit through worship." Is the guitar the accessory or is praise the accessory? Do I get bored in praise worship when I just sit as opposed to playing an instrument? If I am playing an instrument for a praise worship, is to more important that I be there for worship than when I don't play an instrument? Does my involvement with the praise team determine how I value worship? Which is more indispensible in my praising God - the musical instrument or the heart of worship? Playing an instrument during praise is not a performance, but a sacrifice that is given and offered to God. We are all offering a sacrifice to God, the question is, who has the heart devotion while we dynamically praise God? The Requirement of Praise is Every Living Thing (Psalm 150.6) Who is required to praise God? The church choir, praise team, songleader? The musically gifted, interested, or passionate? Verse 6 shows that everything that has breath is called to worship. If we live and breathe, our duty is to praise God. Even the stars shine as they are supposed to shine. The winds blow as they are supposed to blow. The creatures of earth, sea, and air all do what they are supposed to be doing. And what of humanity? What is humanity supposed to do? The Spirit of God shows us in Scripture that we were created in the image of God, therefore, we are supposed to reflect God. As creatures who breathe, our job is to glorify God, to praise Him. Are we praising God? The call to worship is made. Who will answer the call the right way, according to God's excellent greatness? Who will praise God with a personal devotion? Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! | | |
| David Elkind writes concerning adolescent identity construction: "Identity formation requires a kind of envelope of adult standards, values and beliefs that the adolescent can confront and challenge in order to construct and test out her own standards, values and beliefs...Today, however, adults have fewer standards, values and beliefs and hold on to them les firmly than was true in the past. the adolescent must therefore struggle to find an identity without the benefit of this supportive adult envelope." This quote was taken from Chap Clark's Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers. It was the first part of this quote that really caught my eye and reminded me how I should act toward the adolescents in the church. Our adolescents are trying to form an identity and are in the process of building a standard of beliefs and values. One of the ways they do this is by testing the standards of churches and pastors and challenging them to see if they are true and hold through the test of what adolescents believe to be a right way of verification. When ministers and youth workers take their challenges on a personal level and take offense at their stabs at authority, we forget that how we react will impact their identity formation. If we can look beyond our own securities (and insecurities) and see the individual who is struggling to work out a personal identity for herself, we can more effectively and lovingly minister to our adolescents. Hence, if we can apply Elkind's observation in the latter portion of his statement to adolescent ministry, we can see that our deficiency to respond and interact with our churches' adolescents in a Christ-like manner will cause them to find and form an identity apart from "the benefit of this supportive adult envelope." It comes down to how faithfully we hold on to the standards, values and beliefs we have gained through Scripture and our walk with God. Our adolescents are hurt and we, like the Master, should reach out to their hurting souls and help, not hurt, the divine healing process. | | |
| There are times when a man hates himself; Not on account of any physical attributes, Personal skills, or lack thereof, But when a man opens his eyes to his inner self, And sees sin infesting his entire being, He knows that he is all too human, Prone to lie, to envy, to forget his first Love, He is but a worm, writhing in the enclosures of A dark and small world, wretchedly blind... There are times when a man knows himself; Therefore, he hates himself; He longs to be more than what he is, More than what he has become; The sin that he hates, he harbors in his heart, And it tears at his mind, creating havoc... His stifled cries merely resonate in his own ears, He is both witness and victim Of his own demented sorrow, utterly alone... There comes a time when a man desires more; No longer for worthless distractions That only corrupt him further, But for things of unimaginable beauty, For a peace that transcends the corruption That he is a part of, maddeningly impotent... There is a time to which a man’s rancid eyes Can look to for hope...for peace; A time that is forever engraved upon The eyes of heaven, A time in which the grotesque face of sin had been revealed for what it is, and crushed for what it had done... A man need only gaze upon The old, rugged tree of Life, He need only come to The old, rugged tree of Life, And find salvation from his cursed corruption, eternally forgiven. | | |
| Introduction Why does God seem so angry and wrathful in the Old Testament and so loving and merciful in the New Testament? Did God change? Did He loosen up from being strict to being more tolerant? The answer is that God did not change at all because God's wrath and judgment on sin is also very apparent in the New Testament. Likewise, His love and mercy are clearly evident in the Old Testament. The following is a sampling of a few biblical passages that testify to the truth of an unchanging God through history. The study is divided into three parts: (1) God's love in the OT, (2) God's judgment in the NT, and (3) God's unchanging nature in the entirety of Scripture. God’s Love in the Old Testament Genesis 1.27-28; 2.7 God created us in His image. He did not have to create us in His image (1.27-28). However, He wanted us to reflect Him because of His love for us. In addition, God also took special concern and methods in creating us, which set us apart from every other created thing (2.7). Exodus 34.6-7 The LORD Himself said that He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth. He keeps lovingkindness for thousands, forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. Even in the fact that God will punish sin in 7b shows that God is looking out for the children of God by warning the fathers to walk uprightly and in holiness. Why would God address this issue? The reason is that this was a real problem: fathers were living such ungodly lives that led to broken lives (e.g. today's abusive homes). Hence, this warning is a severe warning to fathers to live in uprightness or the consequences will come. God is mercifully and compassionately looking out for the human children of wicked fathers. God is saying, think twice before doing something evil that you will severely regret. This is not an unfeeling, wrathful, angry God, rather it is quite the opposite – this is true compassion, mercy, and love. It is the unrighteous, wicked father that is loveless and unfeeling to the lives of those around him. Deut 4.31; 7.9 God is a compassionate God, He will not fail you, nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant which He had made. 1 Corinthians 13 says that love endures, love never fails. (Deut 4.31) God is a faithful God, keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commands. (Deut 7.9) Eze 16.3-14 God reminds His people that they were once Gentiles (v.3). No one cared for Israel in its youth (v.4-5) but rather hated them. God saved His people from death (v.6). God cared for His people, helped them grow healthily, and made a covenant with them (v.7-8). God blessed His people and raised them up to be famous and beautiful (v.9-14). Hosea 11 The heart of God is beautifully depicted in this picture of God’s love for His people. A deep study into Hosea 11 shows a message so moving, so heartfelt, so loving, that you can see that the Gospel of Jesus Christ began from the pages of the Old Testament. Jonah 4.2 Jonah knew that God was a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abundant in lovingkindness, one who relents concerning calamity. Therefore, Jonah fled from his duty to warn Nineveh of the coming wrath of God. Jonah desired judgment upon Nineveh, but God desired repentance. Jonah refused to share salvation with the unbelievers, but God desires that even the enemies of God's people receive the saving truth of God's word. Micah 7.18-20 God pardons iniquity, passes over rebellious acts, does not retain His anger forever, He delights in unchanging love. (v.18) He will have compassion despite our failure, He will tread our iniquities under foot, He will cast our sins into the depths of the sea. (v.19) God gives truth and unchanging love to His people in accordance with the covenant that He had made with His people. (v.20) God’s Judgment in the New Testament Mt 5.29-30 Jesus said to tear out that part of you that causes you stumble. If it does not function correctly to glorify God and reflect Him, then it must be judged. Jesus is not saying that we should mutilate our body, but that we should get rid of those parts of our lives that causes to sin (e.g. unrestricted internet access). Mt 7.13-29 The narrow gate and the wide gate. Those who choose the wide gate will be judged. (v.13-14) The good tree and the bad tree. The bad tree which bears bad fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (v.15-20). Those who practice lawlessness while confessing with their lips “Lord, Lord” will be separated from God because will say to them, “I never knew you.” (v.21-23) Everyone who hears the words of Christ and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. He will fall in times of testing. (v.24-29) Mt 24.25-25.46 Christ will gather the elect to Himself (v.31) in the last days. This means that there are those who are non-elect, these will receive judgment. The coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah – judgment will ensue (v.37-39). There is judgment for the wicked slave that does not do the master’s will (v.48-51). Jn 8.50 Jesus Himself states that God still judges sin. The book of Revelation The book of revelation has a two-fold message concerning the end of all souls: (1) glory for the faithful and (2) judgment on the unbelieving. God’s Unchanging Nature in Scripture Deut 31.6-8; Josh 1.5; Zeph 3.5 God will not fail us nor forsake us. Ps 73.26 God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. God is the psalmist’s full supply for all eternity; there is no changing this truth. Isaiah 46.3-5; 58.11 God sustained His people from their conception and even to their old age He will carry them (46.3-4). God is faithful and never failing no matter how hard the circumstances (58.11). Heb 6.16-17 God’s purpose in unchanging, which He guaranteed with an oath/covenant. It is impossible for God to lie. Heb 13.8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Conclusion It is true that sometimes we see God being wrathful in the Old Testament and loving in the New. But when we see God’s love in the Old Testament and God’s judgment in the New Testament, we see that God is consistent in loving souls and in judging sin throughout the entirety of Scripture. The difference is in HOW God administers justice. In the Old Testament, God judges within history. In the New Testament, God judges at the end of history. A change in the method that God judges is not a change in His nature, who He is. For example, if I say, "I have a blog on xanga" in Korean and then in English, I am not changing in who I am. I don't switch from one person to another when I switch the linguistic method to communicate the same truth. The one truth is communicated in two different ways. How does this help us in daily life? (1) We can have assurance, strength, and encouragement in the eternal hope that God has given us because God does not change, Heb 6.18. (2) This hope is the anchor of our soul. In times of hardship, in times of distress and worries, we know where we need to run to: the unchanging hope of eternal life in Christ. Without this spiritual anchor, our soul will drift to and fro with the waves of life. (3) Christ is our forerunner, our high priest/mediator, he is the unfading guarantee of this hope, cf. Heb 7.22-25. | | |
| Introduction When I was in my early teens (12-13ish), someone in the youth group showed me some passages in the Song of Songs. I was stunned! I could not believe that such expressions could be included in my HOLY bible! I did not know how to think about the Song of Songs, because it was so explicit in its descriptions about love and the people involved. The question is, does this book belong in the canon of Scripture? Such expressions that unabashedly celebrate sexual love between the lover and the beloved seem so out of place with the rest of the canon. The common religious themes are absent—there are no literary references to law, grace, sin, salvation or prayer. Other than one disputable translation in 8.6, there is no direct reference to YHWH. Why was such a book included in the first place? In Israel, the book is read on the eighth day of the Passover. “During the first fifteen centuries of the Christian church, most major Christian writers turned their attentions to this little work (Expositor's Bible Commentary).” Origen (2nd-3rd cent.) wrote a 10 volume commentary and a series of homilies on the Song. Whether Jew or Christian, the book has maintained the attention of believers through the centuries. So, if the people of God over the years have been so captivated by this little book, then there is something for us to gain from it today, after all, it is God's word. :) Then what is the purpose of book? Well, it seems to be that the Song of Songs is written: To celebrate human and divine love Even from the title of the book, the reader can see that this book is praising, celebrating love - "the Song of Songs," in the other words, "the greatest song of all." The celebration of love is further evidenced in the direct beauty of its words. In the past, church leaders have usually used allegory to interpret the Song of Songs. Their motives were indeed Christ-centered, but their interpretations were imaginative. A literal reading of the Song of Songs shows a celebration of love between a lover and the beloved. This does not mean that a spiritual understanding of the book is to be omitted. Rather, a balance between the literal and spiritual must be maintained to have an accurate understanding of the book. If the human part of the book is overemphasized, then it can lead to carnal interpretations and understandings, which is not the purpose for any book of Scripture. If the spiritual aspect is overemphasized, then the human aspect is lost, leaving us with arbitrary interpretations which confuse rather than build and unify the body of believers. Hence, the balance must be maintained. The celebration of human and divine love can be divided into three general aspects throughout the book: (1) marriage, (2) intimacy, (3) faithfulness. 1. In marriage (Songs 1.4; 4.8-12; 5.1) The king's bedroom (1.4) and references of "my bride" (4.8-12; 5.1) point to celebration of human love WITHIN the bounds of marriage. This does not mean that individuals cannot biblically celebrate human love while dating or courting, as long as it's done with purity. However, even a surface reading of the Song of Songs shows that this celebration goes far beyond the premartial affections of a dating relationship. There is a sexual, physical element that can only exist within the bonds of marriage. Since it was God who had established marriage in the first place (Gen 2.18-25), there is nothing inherently unbiblical about celebrating human love in marriage. This leads to the spiritual aspect. Throughout the Scriptures, there are repeated references to the relationship between God and His people as being like marriage (Isa 54.5-6; Eph 5.22-25; Rev 19.7-8). Marriage is a covenant relationship between husband and wife (Mal 2.14). Our relationship with God is a covenant relationship which is testified throughout Scripture (Gen 6.19; Exo 19.5; Lev 26.15; Jer 34.18; etc). Hence we are in a marital relationship with God. When the Song celebrates love in marriage, it celebrates not only human martial love, but also the human-divine love that exists within the covenant relationship that God has established for His people. 2. In intimacy (Songs 1.2, 4; 2.6; ch.7; 8.3) There is no difficulty in finding passages that show human intimacy in marital love (Songs 1.2, 4; 2.6; 8.3; 7.1ff). These are just a very small selection from the abundance of verses detailing the intimacy shared between the lover and the beloved. Although we may not have physical intimacy with our God (unlike the divine-human fornications and adulteries abundant in Greek mythology), we do have a spiritual intimacy that is enjoyed and expressed in Scripture. For example, the book of Hosea is a humbling, heart-breaking, and hope-inspiring, beautiful book about how God's people have been adulterous against its Maker and how God longs for their faithfulness and their fellowship through the restoration and redemption that He will bring to them. The intimacy of Hosea 11.1-4, 8-9, though using other analogies to express the intimacy (e.g. parent-child relationship) there is nonetheless the intimacy that is existent between God and His people. 3. In faithfulness (Songs 2.4, 16; 3.1; 4.12; 6.3; 7.10; 8.6) There is a celebration of marital faithfulness in the Song. The picture of a warrior-hero who is victoriously expressing his exclusive ownership of affection through the "his banner over me is love" is present in Songs 2.4. The idea of a loving ownership is evident in repeated expressions of "my beloved is mine, and I am his" (2.16; 6.3; 7.10). There is a focusing on the lover in seeking him night after night and in saying that it is not just an infatuation but a soul-stirring love (3.1). She is a locked garden (4.12) to which only her lover has exclusive access. The seal of ownership and personal identification (8.6) is on her heart, it belongs to no one else. This is the God-intended, edenic marriage between a man and a woman. In addition, this is the ideal for the Christian and his God. Whenever God's people would break the covenant love, whenever His people would wander from His words, the unfaithful hearts would be described as playing the harlot, prostituting their lives at God's expense (Isa 1.21). God is a jealous for His people and wills their faithfulness and loyalty to their Maker (Zech 1.14-17). Though jealous is many times ascribed negative connotations in human relationships as a result of the role of sin in human life, with God, there is not this negativity, rather the jealousy of God emphasizes the exclusive, private, and special aspect of the divine-human relationship/covenant. There is no room for any other gods, no room for unfaithfulness. Conclusion The lack of religious references to law, sin, grace and the like would seem like the Song of Songs is deficient in being included as Scripture. Not only this, but the almost carnal-like expressions seem to almost strip holiness from this literary work. However, this is definitely not the case, rather it strengthens the message of Scripture as a whole. With an intense passion, the Song of Songs joyfully celebrates divine and human love. The question is not, "Does this book belong in the Bible?" but rather it is, "Am I intensely passionate and joyfully celebrating the love I have for God and for my spouse?" I would think that this would be a challenging question to many of us. The Song in its pure and direct exultation of love is not deficient as a book of Scripture. Rather, it is WE who are deficient as Christians when we lack a pure and direct exultation/celebration of our love for God and for our spouses. What is true holiness? Does the Song's candid expressions defy holiness by enjoying the divinely established covenant of marriage and our covenantal relationship with God, or is it we, who by not being captivated and soulfully faithful with our marriages and our relationship with God, are rejecting a life of holiness? In reading the Song, we must read ourselves and see if we are intoxicated by God's love for us and mesmerized with our spouses regardless of our external and internal circumstances. Songs 1.2 "May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine." (NAS) | | |
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