Do you think about what you sing?

Visiting with my parents this weekend we were having a conversation about theology as it is taught through song and how often there are errors in the songs that we sing that we do not even think about.  Or perhaps "errors" is the wrong word.  I don't know that I can tell if an author has written the theology purposefully, or if they have erred by simply not putting thought into what is being taught. 

In this discussion I am looking past things like "We Three Kings" that is based on tradition instead of biblical data.  I am instead concerned with songs that teach at best incomplete theology. 

Please understand that in drawing attention to this theme, I am not in any way intending disrespect to those that authored these songs, or those that might hold them dear.  I am simply asking if we really have thought about what we are singing.

For example - a song like "Softly and Tenderly" encourages us to remember that Jesus is standing at the portal and watching for poor sinners to come home.  This song downplays sin and makes Jesus completely dependent upon our action.  God does not view sinners as poor souls - he views them as dead in their trespasses and sin.  And apart from His quickening of their Spirit, they will remain dead.  A similar theme is found in "Jesus is Calling".  The truth is that Jesus does not wait for us.  God acts upon our hearts and when He does, we respond.

And then there is a whole other category of missed theology when we sing words that have great theology, but we don't really think about them at all and go on living life as though we are in charge.  "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" has a line that states that we will cease from sin and self.  And then we sing it and complain that the worship was not what it should be.  Or that the church is not meeting my needs.  Or that someone ignored me at church.  And we forget that we sang we would cease from self. 

In all of these things I simply point out that we sing without thinking about the truth that we are saying to music.  We need to stop and think about what we say, and about what we sing.  And in so doing we will find our hearts drawn into God and His Word!