Marching Orders ...

Just this past weekend, the music at church included "Onward, Christian Soldiers," with vocals by the choir and the congregation, and music by First Prez' bluegrass group, "The Backsliders."

You might ask,"so, what's the big deal?" Well, actually, it WAS a big deal, at least for us.

You see, we're Presbyterian Church-USA ... and, that fine old song is no longer in our hymnal ...

Needless to say, the decision to delete "OCS" has not been a popular one outside the church ... www.biblebelievers.net, for example, lists our church under the category, Apostasy.

But, you know, it's not a universally-popular decision inside the church, either. I know I don't like it, and I was more than happy to stand up and make a joyful noise ... well ... at least, a noise, unto the Lord, singing "OCS." And I wasn't the only one in the sanctuary that did so, joyfully.

In my case - and I do not presume to speak for others, here - I've always thought that salvation comes with more than just an assurance of grace, it also comes with marching orders, of sorts ... and there are times when we must be Christian soldiers, recognizing the need, the obligation to act on what we believe, to practice what we preach ...

Ironically, following that service, during a Sunday School discussion of the 'enthronement' Psalms, we discussed the sometimes-militant imagery that occurs, time and time again, in the Word of God ...

Is it possible that some of us have allowed the more militant aspects of God to be shorn? There's more to being a Shepherd of the Flock, than just cuddling cute little lambs, for example ... one film buff in our class recalled a movie where a pastor, after allowing his congregation to hear a plea for recruits in the local militia, himself takes a gun and saddles his horse, saying, "a shepherd must tend his flock and, at times, fight off the wolves ..."

Granted, that was a bit of Hollywood fluff ... yet, in the real world, people of faith took up arms in defense of certain inalienable rights that could not be usurped by a crown ... and those people of faith included Presbyterians ... including, at least, twelve of those who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Onward, Christian soldiers ...