Songs With Issues
"I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED"
What could possibly be wrong with a song like this?
After all, the refrain is a direct quote from the Bible! - 2 Timothy 1:12. That verse is SO great because it is not about WHAT I believe in, but rather WHOM I believe in, and that is fantastic.
However, the individual stanzas are NOT direct quotes from the Bible, but rather express the theology of the song writer, much of which we agree with whole-heartedly. However, there is one line in verse 2 that begs an alternate theological understanding - "I know not how this saving faith to me He did impart". This is reinforced in verse 3 with the teaching that the action of the Holy Spirit is "creating faith in Him".
The question here is whether or not saving faith is itself a gift from God, as opposed to the idea that a person exercises faith in response to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. A key to understanding the issue and the proper understanding of the answer is found at our explanation of Ephesians 2:8-9.
"I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED"
What could possibly be wrong with a song like this?
After all, the refrain is a direct quote from the Bible! - 2 Timothy 1:12. That verse is SO great because it is not about WHAT I believe in, but rather WHOM I believe in, and that is fantastic.
However, the individual stanzas are NOT direct quotes from the Bible, but rather express the theology of the song writer, much of which we agree with whole-heartedly. However, there is one line in verse 2 that begs an alternate theological understanding - "I know not how this saving faith to me He did impart". This is reinforced in verse 3 with the teaching that the action of the Holy Spirit is "creating faith in Him".
The question here is whether or not saving faith is itself a gift from God, as opposed to the idea that a person exercises faith in response to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. A key to understanding the issue and the proper understanding of the answer is found at our explanation of Ephesians 2:8-9.