Footprints in Song
To achieve spiritual greatness and know the inward delights of the saints, we must correct our imperfect view of God and cultivate a deeper understanding through personal experience and hymns.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the need for a deeper, more personal relationship with Christ, contrasting the mechanical and utilitarian views of modern evangelicalism with the radiant Savior of the past. He argues that many Christians have a limited understanding of salvation, viewing it merely as a transaction rather than a transformative experience. To cultivate a richer spiritual life akin to that of biblical saints, Tozer suggests that engaging with hymns can be profoundly beneficial, as they encapsulate the heartfelt devotion of past believers. Singing and reading hymns allows worshippers to connect intimately with the expressions of love and devotion directed towards Christ. Ultimately, Tozer calls for a revival of genuine worship that transcends mere intellectual assent.
Text
One of the serious weaknesses of present-day evangelicalism is the mechanical quality of its thinking. A utilitarian Christ has taken the place of the radiant Savior of other and happier times. This Christ is able to save, it is true, but He is thought to do so in a practical across-the-counter manner, paying our debt and tearing off the receipt like a court clerk acknowledging a paid-up fine. A bank-teller psychology characterizes much of the religious thinking in our little gospel circle. The tragedy of it is that it is truth without being all the truth.
If modern Christians are to approach the spiritual greatness of Bible saints or know the inward delights of the saints of post-biblical times, they must correct this imperfect view and cultivate the beauties of the Lord our God in sweet, personal experience. In achieving such a happy state, a good hymnbook will help more than any other book in the world except the Bible itself.
A great hymn embodies the purest concentrated thoughts of some lofty saint who may have long ago gone from the earth and left little or nothing behind him except that hymn. To read or sing a true hymn is to join in the act of worship with a great and gifted soul in his moments of intimate devotion. It is to hear a lover of Christ explaining to his Savior why he loves Him; it is to listen in without embarrassment on the softest whisperings of undying love between the bride and the heavenly Bridegroom.
Sermon Outline
- The Weakness of Present-Day Evangelicalism
- The Tragedy of Truth Without Being All the Truth
- The Power of Hymns in Worship
- Hymns embody the thoughts of great saints
- Reading or singing hymns is an act of worship with a great soul
Key Quotes
“A utilitarian Christ has taken the place of the radiant Savior of other and happier times.” — A.W. Tozer
“To read or sing a true hymn is to join in the act of worship with a great and gifted soul in his moments of intimate devotion.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must cultivate a deeper understanding of God through personal experience and hymns.
- A good hymnbook can help us achieve a deeper understanding of God and join in the act of worship with great saints.
- We must correct our imperfect view of God and replace it with a more radiant and personal understanding.