As part of New Testament worship, Christians are commanded to sing (Ephesians 5:18). Colossians 3:16 further explains that the songs should teach and admonish. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul addressed the misuse of miraculous gifts in the worship service. He stressed that God provided those gifts for the spiritual benefit of Christians; however, no one would benefit if there was no understanding. Included in the discussion is the statement, “I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:15). Though Christians do not have miraculous gifts today, the principle remains applicable.
To ‘sing with understanding’ and to ‘teach and admonish one another’ in our worship services, Christians should recognize the meanings behind the words and the phrases in the songs they sing. Consider for a few moments some pertinent words and phrases from the song, “Wonderful Story of Love.”
Verse 1
“Wonderful story of love: Tell it to me again;
Wonderful story of love: Wake the immortal strain!
Angels with rapture announce it Shepherds with wonder receive it;
Sinner, O won’t you believe it? Wonderful story of love.”
The first verse of the song introduces the idea of a wonderful story of love that people should want to hear over and over again. It depicts the angels announcing the birth of Jesus to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-10). The phrase “wake the immortal strain” gives the idea of a never-ending flow of language. The word rapture means gladness or joy. The verse ends with a call for sinners to believe the wonderful news of Christ’s birth, part of the “wonderful story of love.”
Verse 2
“Wonderful story of love: Tho you are far away;
Wonderful story of love: Still He doth call today;
Calling from Calvary’s mountain Down from the crystal bright fountain,
E’en from the dawn of creation, Wonderful story of love.”
The second verse of the song describes God’s call for sinners to return to Him. Romans 3:23 states that all have sinned, and Isaiah 59:2 says sins separate individuals from God. The sinner, then, is ‘far away’ from God. Today, through the spreading of the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 10:14-15; 2 Timothy 2:2), God still calls men to repent. Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary or Golgotha (Luke 23:33; John 19:17-18) is another call from God for sinners to return to Him. The ‘crystal fountains’ are imagery of God’s throne room in Heaven (Revelation 4:6). According to 1 Peter 1:18-21, God had a plan from before the world was created to call sinful men back to Him. God’s call began even ‘from the dawn of creation’ and reaches from Heaven to Calvary.
Verse 3
“Wonderful story of love: Jesus provides a rest;
Wonderful story of love: For all the pure and blest;
Rest in those mansions above us, With those who’ve gone on before us,
Singing the rapturous chorus, Wonderful story of love.”
The third verse of the song portrays the result of God’s love for mankind. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus offered rest to all “who labor and are heavy laden.” Rest is for the “pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8), those who dwell on the true, the noble, the just, the pure, the lovely and the things of good report (Philippians 4:8) and those who “pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving them so He could prepare a mansion for them (John 14:1-3). Paul explained to Christians at Thessalonica that those who are living when Christ comes will be reunited with the faithful Christians who already died or have ‘gone before’ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). When this world is gone, all the faithful will sing a joyful song (‘rapturous chorus’) before God’s throne in Heaven (Revelation 15:3).
The Bible is indeed a “Wonderful Story of Love.” From the beginning of creation in Genesis 1 to the final words of Revelation 22, the Bible reveals God’s great love for man. God loves us so much that He does not want anyone to be separated from Him for all eternity (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9). May we ‘sing with understanding’ and spread this “Wonderful Story of Love.”
