A Reason to Sing

"The goal of Theology, friends, is Doxology" -- J.I. Packer

Knowledge of who God is and what He's doing should always inspire heartfelt praise and adoration. Theology is not the end, but the means to a greater end. An end that we were created for: to worship and glorify the Creator (Isaiah: 43:7). Theology that doesn't stir our hearts to greater affections of Jesus Christ is worthless and ultimately sin. It puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1) and leads into a religion that's more based on our works, than the finished work of Jesus Christ (John 19:30).

Moving from Theology to Doxology

What's great about theology is that it's simply the study of God. It's not necessarily digging into deep scholarly works and spending months and months in the library. Theology is learning more about the nature and character of God. What's so wonderful about this is that when we study God for the sake of knowing Him, it will produce greater praise and worship in our lives. The closer we get to God, the more truths we learn about Him,  and the more reasons we will have to praise Him. The Bible gives us several examples of men, who probably weren't in the youth choir growing up, that are singing praises and songs to God because they had a very intimate relationship with a God they knew and loved.

Moses: Slow of Speech & Tongue

Moses, one of the great heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11: 23-29), really struggled when God first called out to Him because of his apparent speech impediments (Exodus 4:10). There are many wonderful things about the life of Moses, but one of my favorite parts of the Bible comes 11 chapters later, in Exodus 15. Moses who once described himself as inadequate and "slow in speech and tongue" breaks out into glorious song to the Lord (Exodus 15:1-21). He got a glimpse of who God is: the great I AM (Exodus 3:14), and what God was doing: liberating the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and triumphing over their enemies with the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14). The Theology of God turned into the Doxology of Moses in Exodus 15:

"Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, 'I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." -- Exodus 15:1-2

Paul: Praises of a Persecutor 

Paul is the most self-righteous, Pharisee of all time & also the most blatant sinner as well (Phil. 3:5-6). In fact, he says the very reason God saved him was to put on display that nobody is too sinful or too far gone for God's grace to cover them (1 Tim. 1:16). Paul, who persecuted and killed dozens and dozens of Christians, meets King Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19) and his eyes are opened to the glorious beauty of God through His son. Paul writes some deep and hard theological truths throughout the new testament and they usually conclude with a song. The deep truths of God revealed by the Holy Spirit in Paul's life led him into greater worship and praise that overwhelms him to the point of explicit song. Scholars call the last portion of Romans 11, Paul's Doxology. As Paul continues to know God more deeply, he can't help but break out into praise:

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord,or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." -- Romans 11:33-36 

This isn't just a one time thing for Paul. Doxology and praise marked his life. In his prayer to the church at Ephesus, he is praying that they might begin to understand the "breadth and length and height and depth of knowing the love of Christ" (Eph. 3:18-19) and in the midst of his prayer he breaks out into praise:

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." -- Ephesians 3:20-21

More Than Enough

If you woke up this morning and are reading this post right now, than you already have more than enough reasons to sing. Think about this for a second: The Lord of everything, who breathed all that your eyes can see into existence, not only allows us to live on his beautiful creation even though we sin against him over and over (Romans 3:23), but he also sent His son to be the perfect sacrifice (Romans 3:24-25) so that we could enjoy life abundantly (John 10:10) and forever with Him. We should ooze praise because He has saved us. His "grace is sufficient for us" (2 Cor. 12:9) and grace alone gives us reasons upon reasons to sing.

May we join Moses today and praise the One who is, and was, and is to come in triumphing over sin & death: "I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously" (Exodus 15:1).

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

        (Doxology / Thomas Ken, 1674)