Resisting New Ways

The Psalmist and Isaiah both recommend singing a new song to the Lord.  I know it isn’t profound, but by its very nature a new song isn’t an old song!

Now I’m not just talking about songs, but practices, procedures, worship practices, and really anything practiced in a 21^st century Christian’s life. We could adopt the idea that, if something is not prescribed in scripture, then it is taboo, but that pretty well throttles any “new song.” Or instead we might adopt a guide that says, “If scripture, in direct instruction, in principle, or by inference doesn’t prohibit a practice, then it is opened to be tried, safe with which to experiment.

Obviously, where scripture is clear in setting up a prescription for the Christian, we would want to follow it.  We can’t try stealing things in more subtle ways or “new ways,” because stealing is prohibited in all of its forms. 

But when it comes to church, the services, the types, the architecture, the location, the colors, the design, etc., so much of the Bible seems to be primarily descriptive more than prescriptive. I occasionally hear people wishing the church today would be more like the New Testament church in Acts.  I’m sure there is much to learn from that early church, but why do we read Acts and so easily assume the story to be prescriptive. We think we should all be like the church in the upper room, all in “one accord” and “sharing all things in common.” We love this description of the early church and think it should be like that today.  But we don’t think Jesus casting demons into the pigs is prescriptive for us, or that just because Paul didn’t die from the snake bite that we should be required to rummage through piles of fire wood, etc. 

The religious leaders were appalled as Jesus didn’t just do things in a new way, but in a way they thought went against scriptural prohibitions. We only need to read through the “Sabbath miracles” to see Jesus ignoring hundreds of years of Jewish teaching based on the “Law of God” as Jesus sings a new song. 

Paul pushes beyond most of our comfort levels but certainly seems to be open to some “new songs” when he writes:

“Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial.  Everything is permissible—but not everything is constructive.” 1 Corinthians 10:23 

Even in this very open way of thinking, there are parameters to give some guidance in that new songs (new practices) should at least be seeking to be beneficial and constructive.

In another section of 1 Corinthians, Paul writes about things which, while not prohibited, might not be wise to practice in certain groups.  While we might correctly know that an idol is nothing and, therefore, eating food offered to an idol is of no consequence, we might still refrain in deference to “the weaker brother.”   But remember the weaker brother Paul is writing about is the new believer who hasn’t matured in Christ.  We usually avoid “new songs” to not offend a long-time believer who still hasn’t matured.

I’m ready for change. Ready to “sing a new song” to the Lord.  Because I believe in the Almighty God of the universe, I don’t believe it is too late.  I believe God can inspire us and others to break free of the chains of tradition and offer our current culture, the world today, a new song.  We can learn to sing in a new cultural language. We can hold tightly the truth of God’s love and the story of salvation.  We can simultaneously find a voice, a language, practices, songs to sing that will communicate and demonstrate that love and story to today’s generation.

And God’s kingdom, one not locked in time and space, can find a fresh expression that is new in methods, looks, practices, and experiences, but simultaneously true in its representation of God and that honors all that has come before.

So I join with Martin Luther: “What is not against Scripture is for Scripture and Scripture for it.”

Andy McDonald