“MUSIC AND LYRICS”

16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Colossians 3:16

To us Christians, worship plays an integral part in our walk with God. But how truthful are the songs we are singing? How does God feel about our words in our praise of Him?

This series aims to help you establish a healthy worship life with your family. In our previous blog, we learned that brokenness before God is a legitimate way to train our families in worship.

Here’s one more way to make worship a part of your family’s daily schedule.

Sing theologically sound songs.

Today’s verse is part of Paul’s epistle to the Colossians where he encourages his readers to put on the new self.

When Paul wrote this letter, the believers didn’t yet have the whole Bible in their hands. So, the people had to “let the word of Christ dwell in them richly.” Not only were their hearts saturated by what was taught them, but they also sought to live lives pleasing to God. Their changed lives provided evidence of God’s love for them.

The dwelling of Christ in their hearts is seen in the vibrance of the community that they have created. In their meetings, people encouraged one another through different means, including worship.

Psalms are Scriptures. Hymns, on the other hand, are theologically rich songs that the church has screened and approved throughout the years. As such, hymns keep us in touch with our Christian heritage. With carefully chosen words and mesmerizing poetry, they also give our worship a sense of majesty and beauty. More importantly, hymns immerse Christian truths in our minds and hearts—perhaps one of the most effective ways to teach Christian doctrine!

Meanwhile, most modern worship songs are created to be catchy, emotional, and relevant. If you’re a new believer, you may find contemporary worship songs easy to appreciate because they sound like the secular tunes you hear on the radio or Spotify. Don’t get me wrong, there are really good contemporary Christian songs and we love singing them as a family. But some songs just raise people’s eyebrows because of their lack of biblical basis.

Our knowledge of God should overflow in the songs we sing for Him. So, how biblically accurate are the songs your family is singing? Do they convey the majesty and holiness of God? Are they God-centered or man-centered? Do they stir up your emotions or convict your soul? Do they encourage you to be repentant and humble? Are they rooted in Scripture and thus reflect the truth?

Pursue the Savior today!