Sing Hymns II - Spiritual Growth for New Believers

Chapter 2: The Conditions of Hymns

Every good hymn must meet three fundamental conditions. If any one of these conditions is missing, the hymn is not a good hymn.

1. It Must Be Based on Truth

Many hymns may meet other criteria but contain errors in doctrine. If God's children sing such hymns, they are being led into error, approaching God with false beliefs, which places them in an improper spiritual position. When God's children sing hymns, their emotions should be directed toward God. If the hymn contains erroneous teachings, it only deceives them, preventing them from touching the true reality. God does not allow us to approach Him based on poetic sentiment, but only through truth. We can only come before God in truth; if we do not approach Him in truth, it is wrong and we cannot touch reality.

For example, there is an evangelical hymn that speaks of the blood of Jesus "washing our hearts." However, we do not find such a statement in the New Testament. The blood of Jesus does not wash our hearts. This phrase does not exist in the Bible. Hebrews 9:14 says that the blood of Jesus cleanses our conscience—our moral awareness—not our hearts themselves. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. Because sin is cleansed, our conscience no longer accuses us before God. Therefore, the blood cleanses the conscience, not the heart. Our hearts cannot be cleaned with blood. The human heart is more deceitful than all things (Jeremiah 17:9), and it cannot be purified no matter how much you wash it. The Bible teaches that the heart is replaced—God removes the heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). He gives us a new heart, not to cleanse the old one. When a person believes in the Lord, God gives them a new heart, not to cleanse their old heart, but to cleanse their conscience. If you praise the Lord saying, "The blood of Jesus washes our hearts," that praise is not in line with the truth. Therefore, it is very serious that if a hymn's doctrine is wrong, it leads people into the wrong spiritual state.

Many hymns do not distinguish between dispensations. It is unclear whether they are meant for Abraham or Moses, whether they are sung by Jews or Christians, or whether they are Old Testament or New Testament hymns. Singing such hymns may make a person feel like an angel who is unrelated to redemption, or like someone who does not need the blood of Jesus, someone without sin. If a hymn does not clearly distinguish the dispensations and does not reflect the age of grace, it places God's children in the wrong position.

Many hymns lack assurance. They only express hope: hoping for salvation, longing for salvation, seeking salvation, but they lack certainty. There is no assurance in them, no certainty of the Christian faith. We must remember that every believer comes before God with assurance. We come to God filled with faith, knowing with certainty that we are saved. If someone sings a hymn as if they are standing outside the courtyard, it makes them feel like they are not God's people but just wishing to be. Many hymns seem as though the person has not yet received God's grace, always begging for something they already have. Such hymns place the Christian in the wrong position. This is not the position of a Christian. The position of a Christian is one of assurance, knowing that they are saved. Any hymn that lacks assurance is not suitable for Christians to sing.

Another common error in many hymns is the idea that after death, people enter glory. Many hymns suggest that death leads to glory, as if people can enter glory through death. However, the Bible does not say that death leads to glory. Entering glory is something entirely different. After death, we do not enter glory; we await resurrection. The Lord entered glory only after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:43). Any hymn that gives God's children the mistaken impression that "after death, they enter glory" should not be sung, as this is not the biblical teaching.

Thus, a good hymn must contain accurate doctrine. If it lacks sound truth, it will lead Christians into error.