The Wonderful Cross

Refrain:
Oh the wonderful cross
Oh the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die
and find that I
may truly live
Oh the wonderful cross
Oh the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace
Draw near and bless Your name

Verse 1
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

Verse 2
See from His head His hands His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Verse 3
Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing so divine
Demands my soul my life my all

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A reader sent in these lyrics by email about a week ago and asked that I might review them. I know it is not Lent anymore, but I wanted some time to think them over and still accommodate his request. I am going to focus on the added refrain for this review.

Assuming "cross" in this song is poetic synonymn for the Gospel message.

"Oh the wonderful cross"

This reflects joy in the Gospel. My concern here is that this becomes the focal point of the entire song (it is repeated four times in the refrain, and the refrain is repeated several times); however, it does not contain any Gospel substance. You kind of get caught up in this little phrase rather than actually reflect on actual Gospel substance - as is contained the hymn text. Many CCM writers intentionalize building emotion in the music and intentionalize making it memorable: *apart from the Gospel* and make no qualms about doing - in fact, they believe that is what makes a good worship song. There is nothing wrong with emotion in music, but the emotion needs come from the Gospel message and not be artificially created by "moving" music. I think there are many worse examples of this happening, but is a concern here.

"Bids me come and die / and find that I / may truly live"

I think we can understand these lines in one of two ways:

1. The Gospel message compels us to come and make a choice to die where we then find true life in Christ.

2. The Gospel message calls us, we come by the Holy Spirit's guidance, we are born again in baptism, our sinful nature dies within us through daily sorrow and repentence, and we truly live in Christ.

I would hazard a guess that the songwriters sing it as #1, as that squares with their teaching and practice, and I believe Lutherans would sing it as #2. I'm not a big fan of songs that do this - allow room for a double meaning and then we sing it, meaning some of the words in a way different than originally intended. There is a hymn in Christian Worship that does this and makes me a little uncomfortable every time we sing it. Sure, you and I can put on my Lutheran eyes and understand it correctly -- but what about the visitor? Is it a clear confession of Christ to the visitor? What about the member that is weak in faith?

"All who gather here / by grace draw near / and bless Your name"

This is Biblical. Perhaps confusing for some in WELS but is fine.

Conclusion: One could understand this text in a way that is doctrinally correct or doctrinally incorrect. The refrain, repeated again and again, does not really add much understanding to the hymn text or further proclaim the Gospel; in fact, it seems to add a little bit of unclarity. Is it wrong for a congregation to use it? Not necessarily, but given the enormous number jewels available in Christian music, why not choose something else, or even the same hymn without the issues this new refrain introduces?