Excerpt from John Piper's response to the following question:
I once heard that one of Christianity's great uniquenesses is that it is a singing faith and a rejoicing faith. Would you agree with that assessment?
"Absolutely. I don't think there are any other religions that sing like Christians sing. Christians really make music over their faith. Even the sheer radio reality of Christian contemporary music is an interesting phenomenon. It has many pitfalls because of, perhaps, the way that theology is dumbed down in it or the way it is infected with an entertainment mindset; but the sheer existence of Christians who are always looking for ways to make melody about their faith and find inspiring tunes growing out of their convictions about God and Christ and forgiveness and eternal life--I think that is an amazing and unique thing. I don't think there are any other faiths in the world that come close. ...
So absolutely, the fact that Christianity is a singing religion bears witness, not only to the way we're wired as human beings, but to the kind of God we have: namely, a God who is one day, according to Zephaniah 3:17, going to sing over us. He is going to lead a choir and celebrate the fact that we are his. ...
So I really don't have a lot of patience, frankly, even with Christians who want to put a lid on music and singing, or put it back five centuries, or limit it to one kind of instrument, or take away all instrumental music and just let it be voice. I just think all of that is hopelessly defeatist, because we are an explosive soul; and the reason we are is because God is explosively beautiful and great and glorious. ... "
3 comments:
Wow! This is the quote of the week for me: "...we are an explosive soul; and the reason we are is because God is explosively beautiful and great and glorious. " -John Piper
So, regardless of whether I am an introvert or an extrovert, if I hold in (repress, hold down, keep under a tight wrap) the joy my soul feels in God and don't act out or express my joy and praise for God, then I am denying my very nature - the fact that I am created in His image, the fact that I reflect Him! -Paul
I think he has hit the nail on the head, and we need to use whatever gifts or whatever talents that we have been blessed with to praise and be EXPLOSIVE for and to God.
I am particularly interested in John’s comment on the group of people who want to sing only. Some could see John’s reasoning as dramatic, emotional, and explosive desires that could lead one into sin instead of praise and honor of God. But I believe John is coming from a very biblical framework of response oriented lives to what God has done God’s children use the gifts He created for us in a God-honoring fashion. This does not have to be “heathen revelry,” or mindless excitement. It could be acceptable life changing worship and praise that loves God’s truth and is equallyloving to those around us. Truly anything that violates the command to “love God and love your neighbor as yourself” goes against the very core of Scripture. But let us become uninhibited and unafraid in our worship of our loving heavenly Father. God is not spying on us, waiting to catch us doing something wrong in our adoration of Him. It is probably more like, “let the little children come to me.” - Chris
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