Irreverence?

The other day I heard a familiar hymn about Jesus that was oh, so different. If I had not been paying attention to the words, I would not have recognized the song. Someone had taken the words to an old favorite of mine, and had set it to a different tune. The music made me think that the song belonged in a Night Club. It reminded me of people like Sinatra singing with a microphone in one hand and a cigarette and champagne glass in the other. And while the song was one of my favorites, I could not sing along. I felt very uncomfortable because the music seemed very irreverent to the words that were being sung.

After some reflection, I came to the conclusion that the artist probably did not mean to disrespect the LORD. The artist probably wanted to communicate “the message” and wanted to “speak” to a certain culture or audience. And whether this is true or not, I suspect that it is still okay. The reason why I’ve come to this conclusion is because of what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:15-18, which reads:

“It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice…”

Although I have reached this conclusion, I still feel very uncomfortable with this hymn being sung in this way. I will probably continue to struggle with this for a while, but I it is my prayer to align my mind, heart, and spirit with Paul’s words, “The important thing is…Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice! Yes, and I will continue to rejoice!”