Monday, October 15

The doctrine in Hymns – “A Mighty Fortress is our God” (verse 1)

Verse 1, #1: A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

God is a mighty fortress. This is a fortress that is totally secure from all hazards and dangers. The word mighty just scratches the surface of the security and certainty that the fortress of God provides to those he has redeemed. His bulwark provides the ultimate spiritual security in that it never fails.

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Verse 1, #2: Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:

He is our helper and though our worldly problems may be many, we need not fear for evil doers can not harm us spiritually and apart from his will they cannot harm us physically either. His grace will be with us as we pass through death to the peace and joy of eternal life.

Hebrews 13:6So we can confidently say,“The Lord is my helper;I will not fear;what can man do to me?”

Verse 1, #3: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;

Satan, is working to full time to deceive, manipulate, disrupt, and promote greed, malice, lying, cheating, stealing, murder and all kinds of chaos on the human race. His lies are just as effective and luring as ever as many in our secular culture are eagerly willingly duped by his temptations. Even Christians should be watchful and discerning when it comes to the schemes of the prince of darkness.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Verse 1, #4: His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal.

Evil doers are backed by the power of satan and armed with hate they are a force to be reckoned with in our fallen world.

Eph. 6:11-12 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

8 comments:

jazzycat said...

I much prefer the old hymns that are packed full of gospel truth. Some of what passes for Christian music today sounds like rock music where you can barely hear the word Jesus ever minute or so. IMO, it is nothing but bringing the culture into the church.

donsands said...

I love Luther's magnificent hymn. It edifies the soul.

Thanks.

Susan said...

I am glad he is my fortress and my strength and my EVERYTHING!!!! I am glad He will never leave me, nor forsake me. I am glad I know He hears my prayers. I could go on and on and on. I AM GLAD!!!!!

Thanks for your sweet comment on my blog the other day, Jazzy. It Jazzed me :o)
Susan

mark pierson said...

Martin Luther knew a thing or two about experiencing God as his fotress.

jazzycat said...

Don, Susan, and Mark,
Thanks for the thoughts. I went over to First Presbyterian in Jackson Sunday to hear Dr. R.C. Sproul preach the dedication service at their new facility and this was one of the hymns that was sung.

Anyway, I was moved to go through this great hymn and take a close look at the rich theology in it.

Rose~ said...

I also appreciate the old hymns better. Choruses put me to sleep.
We sing so many choruses at our church lately.

Believe it or not, as a young Catholic school girl, we sang this song of Luther's all the time!

I never knew the irony of that until I was about 22 and had learned what all the fuss of the "reformation" was about - on my own I learned it .... certainly not from the Catholics. They liked to keep you ignorant.

donsands said...

Hearing Dr. Sproul preach must have been a blessing. I suppose the Lord delights in sending His proven and seasoned preachers out within His Body to edify and encourage.

I heard RC say that though he travels and teaches at many places, he longs to preach at St. Andrews, his home church more than anything.

jazzycat said...

Rose & Donsands,
Interesting that Catholics sing this hymn.

R.C. said they were about to finish a new facility at his St. Andrews Church. It is a blessing to hear him.