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Doctrine of Grace/Calvinisim In Hymns and Songs

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Jarthur001, Aug 1, 2006.

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  1. Jarthur001

    Jarthur001 Active Member

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    Much of the doctrine in old hymns is not found as much in todays songs. I'm not saying the new songs are all bad. There is good and bad songs then and now. I thought it would be good to share songs you like the most, showing the writer of the song understood the Doctrines of Grace.

    Here is one .....

    I heard an old, old story,
    How a Savior came from glory,
    How He gave His life on Calvary
    To save a wretch like me;
    I heard about His groaning,
    Of His precious blood's atoning,
    Then I repented of my sins
    And won the victory.


    I heard about His healing,
    Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.
    How He made the lame to walk again
    And caused the blind to see;
    And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
    Come and heal my broken spirit,"
    And somehow Jesus came and bro't
    To me the victory.


    I heard about a mansion
    He has built for me in glory.
    And I heard about the streets of gold
    Beyond the crystal sea;
    About the angels singing,
    And the old redemption story,
    And some sweet day I'll sing up there
    The song of victory.


    Chorus
    O victory in Jesus,
    My Savior, forever.
    He sought me and bought me
    With His redeeming blood;
    He loved me ere I knew Him
    And all my love is due Him,
    He plunged me to victory,
    Beneath the cleansing flood.


    Any other songs claiming the doctrines of grace, that you would like to share, be they old or new? Please do.

    Thanks..

    In Christ..James
     
  2. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    I don't see anything distinctively Calvinistic about "Victory in Jesus" - even in the lyrics you highlighted.

    What make you think it comes from a Calvinistic perspective? Do you know something about the lyric writer's background?
     
  3. drfuss

    drfuss New Member

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    BB writes:
    "I don't see anything distinctively Calvinistic about "Victory in Jesus" - even in the lyrics you highlighted."

    I agree. Grace applies to all believers, not just Calvinist.
     
  4. epistemaniac

    epistemaniac New Member

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    here is one of my favorites:

    "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me"
    by Augustus Montague Toplady, 1740-1778
    Text From:
    THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
    (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941)



    1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
    Let me hide myself in Thee;
    Let the water and the blood
    From Thy riven side which flowed
    Be of sin the double cure,
    Cleanse me from its guilt and power.

    2. Not the labors of my hands
    Can fulfil Thy Law's demands;
    Could my zeal no respite know,
    Could my tears forever flow,
    All for sin could not atone;
    Thou must save, and Thou alone.

    3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
    Simply to Thy cross I cling;
    Naked, come to Thee for dress;
    Helplees, look to Thee for grace;
    Foul, I to the fountain fly,--
    Wash me, Savior, or I die!

    4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
    When mine eyelids close in death,
    When I soar to worlds unknown,
    See Thee on Thy judgment-throne,
    Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
    Let me hide myself in Thee!
     
  5. epistemaniac

    epistemaniac New Member

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    here is another by Calvinist John Newton... I am willing to bet most will recognize it ;)

    Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
    That saved a wretch like me....
    I once was lost but now am found,
    Was blind, but now, I see.



    T'was Grace that taught...
    my heart to fear.
    And Grace, my fears relieved.
    How precious did that Grace appear...
    the hour I first believed.



    Through many dangers, toils and snares...
    we have already come.
    T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
    and Grace will lead us home.



    The Lord has promised good to me...
    His word my hope secures.
    He will my shield and portion be...
    as long as life endures.



    When we've been here ten thousand years...
    bright shining as the sun.
    We've no less days to sing God's praise...
    then when we've first begun.



    Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
    That saved a wretch like me....
    I once was lost but now am found,
    Was blind, but now, I see."

     
  6. TomMann

    TomMann New Member

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    I hear the Savior say,
    “Thy strength indeed is small;
    Child of weakness, watch and pray,
    Find in Me thine all in all.”

    Refrain
    Jesus paid it all,
    All to Him I owe;
    Sin had left a crimson stain,
    He washed it white as snow.

    For nothing good have I
    Whereby Thy grace to claim,
    I’ll wash my garments white
    In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

    Refrain

    And now complete in Him
    My robe His righteousness,
    Close sheltered ’neath His side,
    I am divinely blest.

    Refrain

    Lord, now indeed I find
    Thy power and Thine alone,
    Can change the leper’s spots
    And melt the heart of stone.

    Refrain

    When from my dying bed
    My ransomed soul shall rise,
    “Jesus died my soul to save,”
    Shall rend the vaulted skies.

    Refrain

    And when before the throne
    I stand in Him complete,
    I’ll lay my trophies down
    All down at Jesus’ feet.

    Refrain

    I wonder if the new evangelical version would be something like.....

    Jesus secured my loan.....
    I just keep up the payments....
     
  7. 2BHizown

    2BHizown New Member

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    The additional included verses here are great:
    1. Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
    That saved a wretch like me.
    I once was lost but now am found,
    Was blind but now I see.

    2. 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
    And grace my fears relieved,
    How precious did that grace appear,
    The hour I first believed.

    3. Through many dangers, toils and snares
    I have already come.
    'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
    And grace will lead me home.

    4. The Lord has promised good to me,
    His Word my hope secures;
    He will my shield and portion be
    As long as life endures.

    5. Yea, when this heart and flesh shall fail,
    And mortal life shall cease,
    I shall possess within the vail,
    A life of joy and peace.

    6. The world shall soon dissolve like snow,
    The sun refuse to shine;
    But God, who called me here below,
    Shall be forever mine.

    When we've been there ten thousand years,
    Bright shining as the sun,
    We've no less days to sing God's praise
    Than when we'd first begun.

    As we now lay our garments down
    Upon our beds to rest,
    So Death ere long disrobes us all
    Of what we now possess.

    How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
    In a believer's ear
    It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds
    And drives away his fear.

    Must Jesus bear the cross alone
    And all the world go free
    No, there's a cross for everyone
    And there's a cross for me.

    Shall I be carried to the skies
    On flow'ry beds of ease,
    While others fight to win the prize
    And sail through bloody seas?

    Amazing grace has set me free,
    To touch, to taste, to feel;
    The wonders of accepting love,
    Have made me whole and real.
     
  8. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    By Daniel Whittle (I don't know what his theology was, but the song is perfectly calvinistic, in fact, I don't see how an arminian can honestly sing this song)

    I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED

    I know not why God's wondrous grace
    to me he hath made known,
    nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
    redeemed me for his own.

    Refrain:
    But I know whom I have believed,
    and am persuaded that he is able
    to keep that which I've committed
    unto him against that day.

    I know not how this saving faith
    to me he did impart,
    nor how believing in his word
    wrought peace within my heart.
    (Refrain)

    I know not how the Spirit moves,
    convincing us of sin,
    revealing Jesus through the word,
    creating faith in him.
    (Refrain)

    I know not when my Lord may come,
    at night or noonday fair,
    nor if I walk the vale with him,
    or meet him in the air.
    (Refrain)
     
  9. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    Straight from my PB Hymnbook

    Written by Josiah Conder, 1789-1855
    3rd verse added by Elder Roland Green (1994), 1924-
    Arr. Elder Roland Green (1994), 1924-

    MY LORD I DID NOT CHOOSE YOU

    My Lord, I did not choose You, For that could never be,
    My heart would still refuse You, Had you not chosen me.
    You took the sin that stained me, You cleansed me, made me new;
    Of old You have ordained me, That I should live in You.

    Unless Your grace had called me, And taught my opening mind,
    The world would have enthralled me, To heav'nly glories blind.
    My heart knows none above You, For Your rich grace I thirst,
    I know that if I love You, You must have loved me first.

    Your love has been forever, From all eternity,
    Its drawing power never Shall be withdrawn from me.
    I feel that I am kept by The strength of love divine,
    And when I wake in Heaven, All glory shall be Thine.
     
    #9 pinoybaptist, Aug 1, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 1, 2006
  10. J.D.

    J.D. Active Member
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    Charles Wesley was not a calvinist but this verse of the great hymn is in agreement with calvinism:

    Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
    fast bound in sin and nature's night;
    Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
    I woke, the dungeon flame with light;
    my chains fell off, my heart was free;
    I rose, went forth, and followed thee.
     
  11. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
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    One more from John Newton

    Poor, Weak, and Worthless
    by John Newton, 1725-1807

    Poor, weak, and worthless though I am, I have a rich Almighty Friend;
    Jesus the Savior is His Name, He freely loves and without end.

    He ransomed me from hell with blood, And by His pow'r my foes controlled,
    He found me wand'ring far from God, And bro't me to His chosen fold.

    He cheers my heart, my want supplies, And says that I shall shortly be,
    Enthroned with Him above the skies, O what a Friend is Christ to me.
     
  12. Brother Bob

    Brother Bob New Member

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    Those mostly are our songs too so I guess Calvinist don't have a lock on Grace, it belongs to God after all.
     
  13. Jarthur001

    Jarthur001 Active Member

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    He sought me and bought me
    With His redeeming blood;
    He loved me ere I knew Him

    No one seeks after God. God seeks after them.
    We are bought with a price and are now owned by Him.
    He loved us..before we loved Him
     
  14. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Great hymn.

    I had a college professor who called it "The Agnostic's Hymn" because the writer started every verse with, "I know not..." :D

    I believe it is a great and encouraging hymn for the church, because we often get caught up in the Gnostic belief that systematic knowledge about God is more important than personally knowing God.
     
  15. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    I don't think there is any Christian (Calvinist, Arminian, Open Theist, "biblicist", etc.) who does not believe that God seeks us or that He has first loved us, since those elements are such consistent and explicit themes in scripture.
     
  16. Jarthur001

    Jarthur001 Active Member

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    Then we all can sing it. :)

    I sing it in light of my faith..and so do you.

    BTW...there are some on this very board that says it is mans duty to find God, with the grace given him...be it small or great. But I didn't want to start a debate as much as I wanted others to share songs of deep doctrine. Many songs/Hymns we all sing and hold dear. This seems to be missing in many songs today.

    I asked mainly for songs with Doctrines of Grace in them. I sang this the other night after looking at the atonement...and to ME it was clear in proclaiming the doctrines of grace.
     
    #16 Jarthur001, Aug 1, 2006
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 1, 2006
  17. Blammo

    Blammo New Member

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    I love this hymn, though not the word of God, it is sound doctrine. To say it is calvinistic seems funny to me. In the first verse: Who repented and won the victory in Jesus?

    And the second verse: "then I cried dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit". Didn't you tell me the spirit is healed before the sinner can cry out to Jesus?
     
  18. Brother Bob

    Brother Bob New Member

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    I don't know who those people are for it was I that was "lost" God never was, amen
     
  19. Blammo

    Blammo New Member

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    Amen, praise God for the old hymns!!!
     
  20. Blammo

    Blammo New Member

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    Praise the Lord!!!:praying:
     
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