"At Calvary" reinterprets the text of the hymn of the same name and offers a fresh perspective on its profound message. It was specifically written and arranged for choirs with limited resources. The verses are sung in unison, while the chorus features a straightforward 4-part harmony. The instrumental demo can serve as an accompaniment track for groups with limited keyboard skills.
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/at-calvary-23016942.html
We want to be “right,” after all, who wants to be “wrong?” For those whose faith is placed in Christ as Lord and Savior, we would say that God’s Word is our standard, our authority; God is “right;” Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. An issue arises when what one person believes is “right” seems to be in opposition to another’s understanding. Here are some thoughts that I hope can help us through the quandary:
1. Truth is not relative: 2 + 2 = 4, regardless of how I feel, regardless of my “personal truth”, period. There is an absolute truth, and that truth is Jesus and His Word.
2. Because we are limited and not “all-knowing,” we can often see truth from different perspectives, not unlike a group of people on two sides of the street observing a traffic accident. They can accurately relate what they saw, and there might be a difference in the accounts. The Word of God is like a multi-faceted diamond and we are not able to see all sides at once. We tend to see that which holds our focus. What one sees may not be the same as what another sees. Regardless of the differences, since Scripture does not contradict itself, Scripture is still truth. When we find statements that seem in conflict, we need to pull back and understand the context for the original readers.
3. This third option, to be “rigid,” seems to be ok, but does have some issues. We can be “rigid,” or hold on to the unchanging truth that God is in control, God loves us, God desires that all come to know and have a personal relationship with Him, that He has a plan for our lives, and that His Word is truth. However, sometimes we are holding on to a limited understanding of the truth based on misunderstandings or a lack of knowledge. This kind of rigidity is often based on pride. To admit change or another option means we might be “wrong,” and lose face. This kind of rigidity is like the parent trying to show the child a better way to do something, and the child stubbornly refusing only wanting to do it “his way.” Only with time and maturity does this change.
The disciple of the Lord must have a teachable spirit, or they will never mature. Our faith and trust is in Christ. As someone has said, our faith is only as strong as the object of our faith, not how hard we may believe something. As we grow in our faith, we become more teachable and less rigid about our understanding of Scripture. When we hear a teaching that seems to contradict what we understand, we need to be like the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures to see if what Paul taught was right. We must evaluate what is presented with the whole of God’s Word and see if it is a consistently taught truth.
My prayer is that we continue to grow in the “knowledge and fullness of Christ” and be obedient disciples of the Lord’s commands. [A great resource is Dr. Rhyne Putman’s When Doctrines Divide the People of God.]
