Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 3

 

Psalms Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: study of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16-part 3

          The reason Christians are given such a solemn charge concerning singing is that in the New Testament like the Old Testament the ultimate goal of singing is the presentation of the Word of God.  As a matter of fact, we are told to "Let the word (logos 3056) of Christ (Christos 5547) dwell (enoikeo 1774) in you richly (plousios 4146) . ."  The words logos Christos mean that communication of Christ must enoikeo plousios or inhabit us copiously i.e. let your singing cause your mind to be crammed full of God.s word.  Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs should cause our minds to be inhabited by the Scripture i.e. we should be catechized by our singing. One of the reasons that I believe this so strongly is that people become what they hear and perform musically.  Nutritionists say, “You become what you eat”.  Wolf says, “You  become what you sing and play.”

           Paul’s writing here connotes that the correct communication of Christ through the vehicle of music may become a means of grace to the Christian.  Our church music should become a vehicle for the word of Christ to enter our minds or hearts. I have often told my college classes that music is the handmaiden of God’s Word. St. Paul is referring to our heart in a spiritual sense when he uses the word hearts (2588).  Behm states that, "the thought that the heart is the central organ and seat of physical vitality occurs in the New Testament only in Luke 21:34 and in James 5:5."5   He goes on to explain the meaning of heart here as ". . .the religious center to which God turns, which is the root of religious life, and which determines moral conduct. . "6  So we can see that these songs should cause the logos to inhabit the religious center which will control our moral conduct.

          In this context we can see the importance of our songs being theologically sound so that they will correctly communicate the "word."  Colossians 3:16 warns us to use wisdom (sophia 4678) in our teaching and admonishing through song.  Along this same thought, Galatians 1:7 warns against perverting the gospel (2098) or good message of Christ.