Other Unscriptural Songs

Christians seem to think every song they hear in church is scriptually correct. This is just not true. Songs can and do influence people the wrong way.

Ask and Seek and Knock

This song by John R. Rice has a chorus which contains the phrase, "We have not our needs, Because we do not plead with Jesus". Pleading implies begging. We do not need to beg. God is gracious and even prepares things before hand. Matthew 6:8 says, "Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." God wants us to ask of him but he still does many things for us that we never even think to ask about. What about air? Usually that is not on the prayer list but God gives it to us. Do you ask God every day to keep your heart beating and your lungs breathing? Hebrews 10:2 says, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Many things happen that of which we are not aware. God will not give us everything we ask for but instead that which we ask for in his will. The apostle Paul asked of God and was denied. Second Corinthians 12:7 tells us, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." There was a reason for the thorn not being removed. If that was the case then there was a need for the thorn to exist. Paul had a thorn he needed by his own admission, but he certainly did not ask for it. It is true that we should be "careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6) but understand God will provide many things you do not ask for.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

This song starts of with "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord". The coming of the Lord refers either to Jesus Christ taking all of his believers out of the world through the rapture or his return to the earth and the end of the seven year tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 prophecies, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. This is what is known as the rapture. It will be followed by a seven year period of great trouble known as the tribulation. At the end Jesus will return to earth. This has not happened yet and the writer did not see this. The lyrics also include the line, "In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea". Luke 2:7 provides a general idea of the conditions where Jesus was born with, "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. Lilies are not mentioned in the accounts of Jesus' incarnation but instead appear to be extremely inconsistent with the meek and lowly birth of Jesus. Unless the author had a special spiritual revelation from God that the manger was far different than other mangers, she made this up. Deuteronomy 4:2 warns, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." This is a great tune but it needs the lyrics cleaned up.

Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! This is a great tune. It actually does not say anything wrong but it is usually sung around Easter time and in the context that Jesus rose on Sunday morning. Jesus had already risen when the empty tomb was found Sunday morning. See the Resurrection to find out more.

Draw Me Nearer

The chorus ends with:
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

I really like this song. There's only one problem. It's not completely scriptural. Referring to Jesus, Hebrews 10:12 says, "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;". Romans 6:9-10 reads, "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God." Hebrews 9:28 tells us, "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Jesus bled and died. He is not bleeding anymore. He suffered and died for our sins and rose again. His suffering is complete.

One Day

This song says "Living, He loved me: dying, He saved me ; Buried, He carried my sins far away; Rising, He justified..." This is not correct. John 19:30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." Jesus said it was finished on the cross. There were no sins to be buried. When Jesus rose, he did not justify us but instead became the first of the resurrection. The song goes on to say the stone was rolled away and then Jesus was resurrected. Actually, Jesus rose on the sabbath. The stone was not rolled away until the first day of the week. The Lord who made the heavens and the earth, who had power over death did not need to have a stone moved to get out of the grave.

My Saviour's Love

The song talks about Jesus having sweat drops of blood as he prayed in the garden. This didn't really happen. What does the Bible really say? Luke 22:44 says, "And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Notice the phrase "as it were". This is a comparison only. Jesus was sweating greatly but the Bible does not say he was bleeding.

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

This is a great song. Unfortunately, the part that says, "Tell how the angels in chorus, Sang as they welcomed His birth" isn't accurate. Luke 2:13 uses the word "saying" not "singing".

Victory in Jesus

The author says he heard "about the angels singing". The context of the lyrics suggests he heard it from the Bible. The Bible does not mention angels singing but only speaking such as at the birth of Jesus Christ in Luke 2:

This is a good song and it can be salvaged if "singing" would be changed to "saying". The only question is what is most important to the music ministers in church today; scripture, convenience or tradition.

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Online Bible Source: Blue Letter Bible

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