Bible Studies

Lyrical Accuracy Part 2

by Doug Laird 
10/14/24
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The spiritual warfare of the Church Age is a war fought through communication, true and false, with the individual souls of Man hanging in the balance.

God and His spokespersons promote the unadulterated Gospel Message for salvation, and accurate Bible Doctrine for the development of post salvation discipleship.

The devil and his spokespersons promote atheism, many different false gods, false religions OUTSIDE of the Christian Community, and false gospel messages and accompanying practices WITHIN the Christian Community.

Matt. 7: 13, 14 teach, and secular statistics concur, that the devil has had considerable success. I say this because only a minority of each generation are ever born-again, and only a minority of those who are born again ever advance in post salvation discipleship.

Although God desires that everyone be saved (1), everyone is not going to reside in Heaven (2). Not everyone in Heaven is going to receive the same reward (3) and privileges (4).

Music, with its lyrics, plays a large part in this war of communication. Depending on it’s lyrics, it is being used by both the forces of good and evil to promote or achieve their diametrically opppsed objectives.

As one advances in post salvation discipleship, he or she will develop a very sensitive sense of discernment regarding all that is being communicated to him or her.

He or she will not just accept as fact what comes from pulpits or ANYONE claiming to be a spokesperson from God.

“Now these people were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so (Acts 17: 11 NASB2020).”

Nor will he or she just sing along with the crowd or congregation, hymns or songs that contain errant lyrics.

For example, in the lyrics of the much beloved hymn, Rock of Ages, they speak of there having been saving and purifying blood and water that poured out of the pierced side of Jesus.

But a closer look at the details of Scripture will clarify that the atoning blood (no water), that was shed by Jesus took place while He was physically ALIVE on the cross, and that He Himself (obviously still physically alive) declared, “FINISHED (John 19: 30 NASB2020) BEFORE He died.

The water and the blood that flowed from His side, was the result of being pierced through by the soldier’s spear AFTER He was already dead.

Without a pumping heart, (dead) men do not bleed, but gravity can cause blood to drain from an open wound. The elevated dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ was still nailed to the cross when His side was pierced through by the soldier’s spear, resulting in the flow of blood and water.

Such scrutiny of what comes from a pulpit, or found in the lyrics of the hymns and songs that are a part of worship services, may seem like unnecessary “wrangling over words” 2Tim. 2: 14 NASB2020),” to many, but the advancing disciple knows what damage can be done when just a little leaven (errant information) is allowed to remain and become a part of our soul structure.

It amazes me how we can be so concerned about the quality of food that we feed a body that could be here today and gone tomorrow, yet be so carefree about the quality of the information that we store in our souls that are never going to die.

Errant information is the seeds from which false doctrine and accompanying rituals flourish.

When repeatedly long enough and by enough people, we succumb to calling what is good, evil, and what is evil, good (5).

Perhaps the greatest contribution that a music director in a local assembly can make, is to closely monitor the lyrics and the Biblical accuracy of the accompanying messages being communicated.

We are ALL a work in progress with an ongoing need to conduct 2Cor. 13:5 SELF examinations. These examinations go far beyond merely identifying sin that we need to address (6). Even a child in Sunday School knows when he or she has done wrong.

The 2Cor. 13: 5 SELF examinations that an advancing disciple conducts includes an inspection of the existing information that he or she has allowed to become a part of his or her edified soul structure.

Scripture (7) teaches that whatever a person is in his thinking, is what he or she is. Only by developing, maintaining and applying a Biblically sound soul structure, can a Spirit-filled, born-again believer learn of, and execute, the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.

Every day, the devil’s world bombards our soul structure with human viewpoint, false religion, misinformation, deception, and in some cases, the, “ teachings of demons (1Tim. 4: 1 NASB2020).”

It can come from the media, apostate pulpits, worldly-minded people, entertainment, and music.

In this article the focus of attention was mainly on the need to focus on the lyrical accuracy of music, especially with music that is a part of worship services.

Because lyrics are repeated over and over again each time the song is sung, it is a powerful tool that is used by both sides to promote their very different kingdoms. 

In closing, consider asking yourself the following question when you conduct your next 2Cor. 13: 5 examination.

How many decisions do I make based on Biblical doctrine that I have stored away in my soul structure, compared to the amount of decisions that I make based on human viewpoint, my own plans and desires (independent of God), and what people have said or likely to say.

Finally, as it pertains to our study at hand, how much influence has the lyrics of music played in my decision-making process, and are there any changes in either the type or accuracy in the lyrics that I have made a part of my soul structure?

End of Part Two

(1) 1Tim. 2: 4 (2) Rev. 20: 13, 15 (3) 1Cor. 3: 14 (4) Rev. 2/Rev. 3 (5) Isa. 5: 20 (6) 1John 1: 9 (7) Prov. 23: 7