Why do we worship? What’s with all the music and songs at church? And what is it we, the church (all, not just McCleary Rock Harbor) are trying to accomplish/fulfill in it?
As with anything in life, it is easy to get caught up in the routine of things and focus on the routine rather than God being there priority.
So let’s take a deeper look into Colossians 3:16 as we look at the power in singing songs of praise, hymns and songs from deep within our souls in order to teach and warn/admonish our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In Colossians 3, Paul is encouraging the church at Colossae to let God’s Word dwell richly within them. How can it dwell richly within the church? By using it wisely (with all wisdom) in teaching AND admonishing one another.
First off – before we finish that verse, I want to take a look at those two words: to teach and to admonish.
To teach is pretty self-explanatory. It means to teach or direct in a public assembly. Give instruction.
To admonish, however, at least speaking from my personal experience, isn’t a word we use a lot today. So what does it mean? The Greek word’s definition is to admonish, warn, exhort. To “put into mind” — to caution or reprove gently.
Now that we have that understanding, Paul goes on to say that we should let the word of Christ richly dwell in us (the church) by employing wisdom to teach and admonish/warn/caution one another… with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
So what does this all mean? It means that times of worship (hymns/spiritual songs) are not only a time where we respond to God in “emotive” ways – which are great but Paul points out how important it is to realize that worship through song is also a vital way to help the church understand Scriptural truth. This carries with it a notion that it serves as a reminder. That through songs, the church both learns and is reminded/warned/reproved, etc…
Whether they would sing songs to one another as a way of reminding someone of an important teaching (Word of Christ) in a moment or not, it was clear that congregational worship through the singing of songs was and still is today a vital way of not only expressing our love for God but ALSO to encourage, strengthen and realign the church as a whole as well as the individual believer with the truth of God’s Word.
So next Sunday as you worship – make sure to pay attention to the words you are singing and find the biblical foundation in them and read that Scripture and let God help you #LearnGrowGo in those ways! Express your adoration to God and also let the truth you are singing help you learn new things and also recognize how God wants to keep you aware to keep in mind how His Word can admonish us as well – warning us of things that don’t belong in our lives as followers of Jesus so we can continue to seek Him and live for Him with all purity.