Why do we use songs by writers who did not believe the truth?
Question:
The part I am not really understanding is why we choose to use songs by Fanny Crosby or Isaac Watts etc. They didn't even believe the truth. Using the words of false teachers in praise to our heavenly Father? There are other choices. I will be continuing to pray and study this subject. I only want to do what is right. If we only had our Bibles to start with what would we do? Basic principles are being lost in all we do today.
Answer:
Truth is truth no matter who says it. You say that Fanny Crosby and Isaac Watts, etc., didn't even believe the truth. I understand that they did believe some things that are false doctrine (i.e., yes, they apparently did not believe all the truth), but they believed that there is one God, that the Bible is God's inspired Word, that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, that mankind must be saved through faith in Christ, etc., so they did believe some things that are true as well. Even the apostle Paul quoted from pagan poets on occasion when what those pagan poets said corresponded with truth from God. Thus, if what we sing is truth, it really matters very little whether the specific wording was provided by a member of the Lord's church (and how could we make sure that he or she didn't believe something that is perhaps not in harmony with God's word) or someone else. Again, the final deciding factor is whether what we sing is in accordance with truth or not.
Wayne S. Walker
