Why Don’t We Sing? - part 3
Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
- Ephesians 5:19
Our Spiritual Fellowship
Part 1: Singing was a natural extension of Christian fellowship.
Part 2: Spiritual singing should go beyond a pre-planned activity and the domain of the polished singer.
In this last part on “Why Don’t We Sing” I want to dig into perhaps the most controversial aspect of this verse. I believe this verse offers a ringing reproof of the nature of our Christian fellowship.
Let us Pray
I read recently about Charles Spurgeon’s sense of humor. Apparently, it was a good one. He would have a whole room laughing at a joke and then, without missing a beat, say, “Let us pray.” Apparently there was nothing incongruent about this; it wasn’t jarring for him to say this. There was nothing about his humor that was impure or ungodly, and so when the impulse to pray arose, it was natural to take to the task. He didn’t have to clear his throat into religious gear. He didn’t have to gently steer the conversation in a spiritual direction: it was already there.
Could it have been like this for New Testament Christians when it came to singing? Our text seems to hint at this. There are plenty of verses that suggest prepared singing in Church gatherings, but this one just doesn’t quite fit. It says, in essence, “Sing to one another,” and does so in the context of relationships within the local Church.
Time Wasting
Do you do this? When you hang out with fellow believers, how natural would it be for you say at some point, “Let’s sing.” For many of us the answer has to be, “Not very natural at all.” No kidding. It would be awkward, to say the least. This might be, in part, due to a lack of musical ability – not a good excuse, I’m afraid. However, it’s as likely to be attributable to the nature of our conversation as anything else. When we’re gossiping, or boasting, or arguing, or using worldly humor, we are not going to say, “Let’s sing!” In this same passage we are forbidden three types of worldly talk: filthiness (vulgarity), silly talk (clever, but immoral wit), and coarse jesting (low-brow wit.) Falsehood is also prohibited, as are rotten, bitter, angry, slanderous and malicious words. Certainly in such conversation, no one is going to pause and say, “Let us sing.”
However, the conversation need not be so blatantly offensive to create such a barrier. Idle, meaningless banter will do the trick. We can talk about sports, hair-do’s, celebrities, clothes, work, politics – any number of things, and not come within a mile of spiritual fellowship. “Make the most of your time,” says verse 16. Too often we fritter it away. I’m not saying there isn’t a place for non-spiritual conversation, I’m more worried that we’ve left no place for spiritual conversation. How do I know if I am making the most of my time in a given conversation? Might I suggest one test: would it feel like an out of body experience to suggest that you sing a spiritual song together?
If you’re not feeling convicted by this, then I freely confess that you are a more mature Christian than I. May God continue to bless you richly as you walk in a manner worthy of your calling, living in close fellowship with your Christian brothers and sisters. For myself and many others, Paul’s injunction to “sing to one another” exposes the soft underbelly of our fellowship. We love each others’ company. We enjoy spending time together. We know that we are fellow believers in Christ. But our thoughts and conversations are spent elsewhere. Why is this? As James says – and also in the context of our words – “My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.” Does God only own our fellowship on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings? Are we Christian friends on those days, and non-Christian friends on every other?
First, Be Filled
A pivotal statement for this passage is in verse 18, “Be filled with the Spirit.” That is the key to spiritual fellowship. In fact, our main text is a continuation of this command:
If we would make the most of our fellowship together we must be filled with the Spirit. If this is not happening, then our time together will continue to be frittered away. Rarely, if ever, will anyone pause in the middle of such chat and say, “Let’s pray,” or “Let’s sing.” We are family. We have been given the mind blowing right to be called children of God. We share a salvation and an inheritance whose value cannot be measured, whose fullness cannot be grasped by the finite mind. We are filling up our minds and hearts with unfailing truth from Scripture, having the very core (“spirit”) of our mind renewed. How can it be that this does not overflow into our conversations? How did we find the off switch and why do we use it? Why don’t we sing?
- Ephesians 5:19
Our Spiritual Fellowship
Part 1: Singing was a natural extension of Christian fellowship.
Part 2: Spiritual singing should go beyond a pre-planned activity and the domain of the polished singer.
In this last part on “Why Don’t We Sing” I want to dig into perhaps the most controversial aspect of this verse. I believe this verse offers a ringing reproof of the nature of our Christian fellowship.
Let us Pray
I read recently about Charles Spurgeon’s sense of humor. Apparently, it was a good one. He would have a whole room laughing at a joke and then, without missing a beat, say, “Let us pray.” Apparently there was nothing incongruent about this; it wasn’t jarring for him to say this. There was nothing about his humor that was impure or ungodly, and so when the impulse to pray arose, it was natural to take to the task. He didn’t have to clear his throat into religious gear. He didn’t have to gently steer the conversation in a spiritual direction: it was already there.
Could it have been like this for New Testament Christians when it came to singing? Our text seems to hint at this. There are plenty of verses that suggest prepared singing in Church gatherings, but this one just doesn’t quite fit. It says, in essence, “Sing to one another,” and does so in the context of relationships within the local Church.
Time Wasting
Do you do this? When you hang out with fellow believers, how natural would it be for you say at some point, “Let’s sing.” For many of us the answer has to be, “Not very natural at all.” No kidding. It would be awkward, to say the least. This might be, in part, due to a lack of musical ability – not a good excuse, I’m afraid. However, it’s as likely to be attributable to the nature of our conversation as anything else. When we’re gossiping, or boasting, or arguing, or using worldly humor, we are not going to say, “Let’s sing!” In this same passage we are forbidden three types of worldly talk: filthiness (vulgarity), silly talk (clever, but immoral wit), and coarse jesting (low-brow wit.) Falsehood is also prohibited, as are rotten, bitter, angry, slanderous and malicious words. Certainly in such conversation, no one is going to pause and say, “Let us sing.”
However, the conversation need not be so blatantly offensive to create such a barrier. Idle, meaningless banter will do the trick. We can talk about sports, hair-do’s, celebrities, clothes, work, politics – any number of things, and not come within a mile of spiritual fellowship. “Make the most of your time,” says verse 16. Too often we fritter it away. I’m not saying there isn’t a place for non-spiritual conversation, I’m more worried that we’ve left no place for spiritual conversation. How do I know if I am making the most of my time in a given conversation? Might I suggest one test: would it feel like an out of body experience to suggest that you sing a spiritual song together?
If you’re not feeling convicted by this, then I freely confess that you are a more mature Christian than I. May God continue to bless you richly as you walk in a manner worthy of your calling, living in close fellowship with your Christian brothers and sisters. For myself and many others, Paul’s injunction to “sing to one another” exposes the soft underbelly of our fellowship. We love each others’ company. We enjoy spending time together. We know that we are fellow believers in Christ. But our thoughts and conversations are spent elsewhere. Why is this? As James says – and also in the context of our words – “My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.” Does God only own our fellowship on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings? Are we Christian friends on those days, and non-Christian friends on every other?
First, Be Filled
A pivotal statement for this passage is in verse 18, “Be filled with the Spirit.” That is the key to spiritual fellowship. In fact, our main text is a continuation of this command:
- "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;" (Ephesians 5:18-20)
- "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)
- To be filled with the Spirit is to live in the consciousness of the personal presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, as if we were standing next to Him, and to let His mind dominate our life. It is to fill ourselves with God’s Word, so that His thoughts will be our thoughts, His standards our standards, His work our work, and His will our will. As we yield to the truth of Christ, the Holy Spirit will lead us to say, do, and be what God wants us to say, do, and be.
- In Acts there are ten occasions, at Pentecost and afterward, when an individual or group of individuals is said to have been filled with the Holy Spirit. In each case the common factor is that the persons involved immediately bore testimony to Jesus.
If we would make the most of our fellowship together we must be filled with the Spirit. If this is not happening, then our time together will continue to be frittered away. Rarely, if ever, will anyone pause in the middle of such chat and say, “Let’s pray,” or “Let’s sing.” We are family. We have been given the mind blowing right to be called children of God. We share a salvation and an inheritance whose value cannot be measured, whose fullness cannot be grasped by the finite mind. We are filling up our minds and hearts with unfailing truth from Scripture, having the very core (“spirit”) of our mind renewed. How can it be that this does not overflow into our conversations? How did we find the off switch and why do we use it? Why don’t we sing?
Comments
I must state that I have been greatly blessed by your meditations on this, altogether, neglected topic. Why don't we sing? Why aren't we constantly making melody in our heart? I mean look at what the triune God has done for us.
1)God predestined us for salvation before the world, gifting us to His Son.
2) Christ redeemed us by becoming a curse, becoming sin, becoming a worm as it were, as He bore God's wrath.
3) The Holy Ghost, convicted us of sin, regenerated us and is sanctifying us.
I know often a song is in my heart and I hope our Christian fellowship at NCC grows to where we can freely sing of God's beautiful grace at any given time. Be it praise to His glory of a Lament for our sin.
Thanks again for your truly inspirational input.
Dave Hammond
Great series. I mean great. Thank you for taking so much time to write this. I agree with you. Either we don't understand what God has done for us or we don't care (or as you point out in your comment on the first part some just aren't redeemed so we don't fully understand even if we think we think we do.).
Many times we've been at family gatherings (where many of our family are saved) and my dad will get out his guitar and we'll start singing. It is a great time of "informal" singing and thanksgiving.
I think one side note is that many modern churches may have "formalized" worship because of supposed movements of the Spirit that can be distruptive in other areas of worship (say in a church service) like preaching and teaching. We have seen this in past where someone will just burst out in laughter in the middle of a sermon. I've had friends talk about people staring to bark or growl (I only saw one instant of that by one person once) in a sermon.
I totally in every way agree with your writing here ... I'm just thinking that some churches may have had issues with things that may not have really been from the Spirit of God ... I don't think God wants disruption of the other areas of "worship".
I think some great parts of your writing are in the area of outside church. How many times to we give God thanks upon waking? We have another day to glorify Him! This morning I cried and sang out to the Lord for bringing my daughter home safely and for giving me another day with Him and with my family. It was awesome.
When we as believers get together for a night of fun ... what would be wrong with ending it with a few songs? Just before we all go on our merry ways ... while we are together gathered in one place just bursting out a few songs to thank God for the great time we had, for our salvation and for having each other there together to be able to meet for study, teaching or just fun? We are blessed to live in a country where (at least for now) we can do that! How awesome has God been to us?
When we gather together in any way we are celebrating the life that God has given us. When we get together for study or teaching we are celebrating the actual Word of the one, true, living God ... WHO ELSE CAN DO THAT??? Be it through deep, thankful prayer or a song from our hearts to our Lord ... we need to be more thankful for what we have been given ... now and more importantly for eternity.
Vince