I'm a Believer

The Apocrypha is one of the most debated set of books in Christian history. Many people argue that these books are non-canonical, but are still useful for the Christian life. In a recent lecture, Dr. Plummer pointed out that the hymn penned by Martin Rinkart "Now Thank We All Our God" was based on Martin Luther's translation of Sirach 50:22-24.

Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom His world rejoices;
Who, from our mother's arms,
Hath blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.
O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
In this world and the next.

Also, the famous Christmas song "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" is based out of a passage in The Wisdom of Solomon:

"For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was now half gone, your all-powerful word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne." (Wisdom 18:14-15).

I've been thinking about this for a few days now. Is it honoring to the Lord to sing songs to Him based on books from the Apocrypha? This leads to me ask if it is honoring to the Lord to sing songs to him based on "Let the Nations be Glad" or "Mere Christianity." In the beginning, I was surprised and a bit standoffish to find out that I had been singing songs based on apocryphal writings. After much thought, though, I now believe that we can honor the Lord by worshiping Him with songs based on books outside of the Canon. I've written songs of worship from points in sermons or books that are not word-for-word Scripture.

However, if these sermons and books are not taken from the truths of the Bible, then they are in vain. If, for example, we were to stand a sing a song about Paul and Thecla’s love for each other, that would not honor the Lord. If I were to sing a song based on Ashley Simpson's latest "hit," that would probably not honor the Lord.

To my embarrassment, I will confess that I have, indeed, worshipped God to a song by The Monkee's entitled "Now I'm a Believer." It's a bit embarrassing, but I even played it on the guitar and sang out "Then I saw His face! Now I'm a believer. Without a trace of doubt in my mind. I'm in love...oooooohhhhhhh...I'm a believer, I couldn't leave Him if I tried!" No, seriously. I actually did that. But I was worshipping. And I think those words are Biblical.

Anyway-I am becoming more aware of the songs that I am singing. Are these words actual truths from Scripture or are they merely man's words that happen to rhyme and sound good together? The big debate today concerning music in the church is tradition versus contemporary. The debate should be Biblical truth versus shallow rhymes. And if you want to worship by singing “I’m a Believer” by the Monkee’s, please do so in the privacy of your own home.