Songs With Doctrinal Errors

[Ben1445]

I was reading on a different thread and this statement was made.

Some old hymns contain doctrinal error or encourage false images like Mansion Over The Hilltop making people think we are going to get a building like Tara.

1) What songs and hymns do we sing that are written in such a way as to be doctrinally incorrect? Or, in what way is the imagery forced upon the listener to understand it incorrectly?

2) What Scripture do you think shows the error in the song or hymn?

I think it helpful to understand how a commonly sung hymn or song is inaccurate and depending on the error or perception of error, explain, edit, or erase the song in or from use.
Any time songs and references to Scripture in them seem to be unclear, I like to explain them and make them relevant to the singer.

 

[Ben1445]

Some old hymns contain doctrinal error or encourage false images like Mansion Over The Hilltop making people think we are going to get a building like Tara.

Without looking up the history of the song, I would guess that Scripture that helped to frame the words of the song include these:

John 14:1-3
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Hebrews 11:13-16
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Rev. 21:10
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
21:27
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

In light of these references, I would ask,

1) What about the words of the song are not scriptural or push false imagery? (I never imagined Tara) (over the hilltop is just a reference to being heaven bound and not a plantation on the other side of the hill. It seems to be permissible under poetic license and should be explained to children who seem to create new meanings to words by their limited understanding)

 

[JonC]

I was reading on a different thread and this statement was made.



1) What songs and hymns do we sing that are written in such a way as to be doctrinally incorrect? Or, in what way is the imagery forced upon the listener to understand it incorrectly?

2) What Scripture do you think shows the error in the song or hymn?

I think it helpful to understand how a commonly sung hymn or song is inaccurate and depending on the error or perception of error, explain, edit, or erase the song in or from use.
Any time songs and references to Scripture in them seem to be unclear, I like to explain them and make them relevant to the singer.

I think we need to remember that many of these songs use imagery and symbolism.

Do we really cling to "an old rugged cross"? No, the actual wood was insignificant. Do we "exchange" this old piece of wood for a crown? No. We do not even exchange what Jesus did for a crown.


I do not know the hymn @OLD SARGE was doeaking of, but what you posted of it is not unbiblical.

Eden is referred to as God's holy mount. God's "abode" is referred to repeatedly as His mountain and a couple of times as a mansion (by Jesus in His parables and explaining we have a place there).

People often read hymns and songs as they read Scripture, missing the message entirely.

Think of the song Miles wrote in 1912 about Mary's encounter with Jesus in John 20 (In the Garden). How many have criticized that song as completely unbiblical, never actually grasping the message.