Vol. 826:”I’ll Be SomewhereListening”

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1. "If my Savior calls, I will answer; If he calls for me, I will hear; If my Savior calls, I will answer; I’ll be somewhere list'ning for my name. (Chor) 
2. "If my heart is right when He calls me, If my heart is right I will hear, If my heart is right when He calls me, I’ll be somewhere list'ning for my name. (Chor)
3. "If my robe is white when He calls me, If my robe is white I will hear, If my robe is white when he calls me, I’ll be somewhere list'ning for my name.(Chor)

Chor) "I’ll be somewhere list'ning, I’ll be somewhere list'ning, I’ll be somewhere list'ning for my name; I’ll be somewhere list'ning, I’ll be somewhere list'ning, I’ll be somewhere list'ning for my name."

(Written by V.O. Stamps & J.B. Coates; Copyright 1937 The Stamps-Baxter Music Co.)

This is, of course, a classic hymn, has been sung for several decades. Unfortunately, length of time in singing does not make for scriptural nature…and this song does suffer.

First of all, if we go by our Prime Directive "checkoff list", an argument can be made (however weak) that this is a spiritual song in that it is intended to cultivate feelings of spiritual devotion, and might even admonish us to duty to do what we can to have our hearts right, our robes white, etc., so that our names are called.

 Although the premise seems simple (if my Savior calls, if my heart is right, if my robe is white, then I will answer/hear), it does seem to have too much exclusivity about it.  The second and third verses seem to clinch it: if my heart is right (equal to “if my robe is white”) then I will hear.  This smacks of the false doctrine of Calvinism and hints very heavily upon the concept of limited atonement as well as irresistible grace.

You see, according to the Calvinist, Jesus did not die for everybody; he only died for those who were specifically “elected” by God from the beginning.  And once the elect have been called by God’s grace, “resistance is futile” (more on this can be found at the article “The Five Points of Calvinism”).

Granted, some may be able to sing this song in good conscience with the idea that the song could be referring to when the Savior calls us either at the end of life or the end of time (Judgment Day).  As I have brought up before, one must be careful singing while having this mindset in case it is not understood by someone else who interprets it differently and more in the Calvinistic sense.

Again, I welcome your thoughts…

--updated 6/8/2015

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Vol. 389:”Let Him Have His Way with Thee”

(Introductory Volume/Table of Contents link)

1. “Would you live for Jesus and be always pure and good?/ Would you walk with Him within the narrow road?/ Would you have Him bear your burden, carry all your load? Let Him have His way with Thee.
2. “Would you have Him make you free and follow at His call?/ Would you know the peace that comes by giving all?/ Would you have Him save you so that you need never fall?/ Let Him have His way with Thee.
3. “Would you in His kingdom find a place of constant rest?/ Would you prove Him true each providential test?/ Would you in His service labor always at your best?/ Let Him have His way with Thee.

Chorus– “His power can make you what you aught to be./  His blood can cleanse your heart and make you free./  His love can fill your soul and you will see/ ‘Twas best for Him to have His way with thee.”

[words and music by Cyrus S. Nusbaum]

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately [Acts 18:24-26, NKJV].

I was wrong.

Fortunately, someone took me aside and explained the way more accurately.

Let me begin again with a comparison of this song to the Prime Directive:

If we go by our "checklist" from our Prime Directive , one could classify this as a psalm, a hymn, and a spiritual song.  It extols the power of God ("His power can make you what you aught to be"), it teaches our dependence on God as well as His willingness to bless, and it seems to intend "to bring the spirit of man into harmony with, and under the control of, the Spirit of God," as per the definition of spiritual song.  It also keeps with the Colossian "singing verse" as it teaches our dependence on Him as mentioned earlier and admonishes us to "Let Him Have His Way" with us.

I had problems with the second verse when the lyric asks, “Would you have Him save you so that you need never fall?”  I have grown up rejecting the notion that it is impossible to “fall from grace”, a tenet of the false doctrine of Calvinism, and my ears tend to perk up when I hear something that even resembles the concept. 

I came across Jude 24 that speaks about the Lord being able to present you faultless before the presence of His glory.  This gave me the opportunity, I thought, to revise the song so as not to say, "Would you have Him save you so that you need never fall", and instead would say, "Would you have Him save you to present you without fault?"

The problem with doing this is the fact that earlier in that same verse, it also reads, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling (falling)...."  I was disingenuous and skipped over that part entirely.  On top of that Peter in his second letter even mentions how to keep from falling.  In 2 Peter 1:10, he tells us to "be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things [earlier in the chapter, he tells us to add virtue to our faith, and more things are added, each one to the previous: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love] you will never stumble.

Even then, the question is answered in the final line of each verse: if we would "let Him have His way with [us]," then He would "save you so that you need never fall".  It is not teaching the impossibility of apostasy as I incorrectly thought.  The song instead teaches that in Christ one does not need to fall!  The Christian can avoid falling by adding the principles of Christian character to his or her life [again those principles build on each other: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love]. Thus, as the song says, "[we] need never fall".

This was the very reason why I started this commentary series.  There are things I have noticed over the years in some of the hymns that we sing that sometimes may not "pass the smell test" [#826- "I'll Be List'ning" is a good example of that about which I have written].  Besides having a chance to point out songs that really do have problems, showcasing the songs in this manner gives me a chance to hear from others in case my sniffer isn't working like it should.  My thanks go to the one who pointed out my error with this song and has given me cause to sing the second verse again.

As always, I welcome any more thoughts….

--updated (with corrections) 6/9/2015

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