Singin' about Dyin'
When my dad was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer a few years ago, quite a few changes occurred in my perspective on life and death. The brevity and fragility of life were no longer abstractions. I truly felt them. One result of this new awareness was that I began to notice all the hymns and songs with stanzas about dying.
I recall selecting some songs for Sunday school one day. As I glanced down the list of songs in our database—those we hadn’t sung in a long time, I came to a title I’d passed over many, many times. This time it gripped my attention. A song that had seemed frivolous and silly to me before now moved me deeply as words and music played involuntarily through my mind.
Some glad morning when this life is o’er, I’ll fly away
To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away.
The congregation sang it in Sunday school. It’s providential that I was at the piano because I don’t think I could have sung it. Though it had never been more than a light, peppy trifle to me before, it was now too strong to sing.
For a while, quite a few songs were hitting me like that.
Discussion
Scripture Contains The Word Of God.
I Corinthians 7:12 KJV, “But to the rest speak I [Paul: , not the Lord.”
Ibid. 25, “Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: Yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.”
II Corinthians 8:8 KJV, “I speak not by commandment, but by the forwardness of others.”
Discussion
Jesus Does Not Abide By Invitation.
John Ch. 14-15 has Jesus’ instructions for required abiding in Him as He abides in Believers. However, there is no example there, or in any other part of Scripture, to either exemplify or instruct Believers to “Ask Jesus into their hearts.” Such a request for Jesus to do so is not part of The Gospel. Rather, Jesus abides in Believers as He chooses and upon His terms, and not as the Believer would request Him to for their own reasons. Jesus cannot be controlled in this manner, or in any other manner, not by even the most sincere and needy person.
Discussion
Jesus Never Chatted.
Matthew 12:36 KJV, “I [Jesus: say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.”
Proverbs 10:19 KJV, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin; but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”
Titus Ch. 2:2-6 KJV specifies “Aged Men,” “Aged Women,” “Young Men,” and “Young Women” to all be “sober.”
I Peter 4:11 KJV, “If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God.”
Discussion