Our God, Our Song

Translated by Zhang Jun

As differing opinions within and outside the church continue to grow, how can we, as Christians, remain united in love and service to one another? The Arctos team of KRC wrote this article together, hoping that God will use it to inspire us to produce love and good deeds in Christ.

(The original article was published in the English section of KRC Magazine, Issue 77.)

A. W. Tozer once said:

Let me ask you this: Do you know that when one hundred pianos are tuned to the same tuning fork, they automatically harmonize with each other? Their sounds are all in tune with one standard, not trying to harmonize with each other. Under the same tuning, each piano must individually align with it. Similarly, when one hundred believers gather together and all focus on Christ, their spiritual unity will naturally be closer, even if they are intentionally pursuing unity, rather than turning their eyes away from God.

Isn't it the same for you and me in the church, often focusing on harmonizing with one another: How do we maintain sound doctrine? How should we act to do things right? But is the purpose of playing music just to achieve harmony in pitch? While it is crucial, even necessary, to be in harmony with God, if we continue with the music analogy, simply being in tune is not enough to create beautiful music.

Before Jesus was crucified, He prayed: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21) As Jesus prayed, God not only calls us to be in Him, but also calls us to be united with one another, so that the world may believe that the Father sent Christ.

In this increasingly polarized society, how can the church display Christ to the world? How should followers of Christ view differing perspectives? Ultimately, how can we, through loving and serving one another, allow the world to see Christ through us?

If the body of Christ were like an orchestra playing together, how can we make music not only harmonious but also beautiful with brothers and sisters who have different understandings of music, and even the world itself?

The Lies We Believe

In the Garden of Eden, the serpent tempted Eve: "You will not surely die; for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4b-5) As Andy Crouch mentions in his book "Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power", the temptation Adam and Eve faced was to be like God (to gain power) and to achieve eternal life by their own efforts.

This temptation still exists today. We desire to become great, to do as we please without consequence; our mindset often resembles that of a soloist. We are called to play in harmony according to God's creation and His will, yet we often play in our own way, for our own benefit, as if performing a solo.

It’s easy to focus only on your own part in a piece of music without putting in the effort to understand the composer’s intent or listening to others’ performances. Seeking applause and recognition from the audience is a natural desire. Similarly, the pursuit of eternal life and power is a lie that many people choose to believe, and the desire to become a soloist is much like chasing immortality.

Just as Jesus demonstrated through His life, death, and resurrection, abundant life comes through suffering. Walking the path of Jesus means enduring hardship. Life, like a tender shoot emerging from the ground, begins with the death of a seed.

For Adam and Eve, the idea of obtaining something without following God's prescribed way was very appealing. It was easy to listen to the serpent, yet it led them away from life. Adam and Eve chose to listen to the serpent, unwilling to put in the effort to discern the truth and understand what God truly said. This illustrates humanity's natural tendency to choose the easier, quicker path.

Isn't it the same for you and me? We want to live according to our own desires, deciding the purpose of our lives for ourselves, ignoring the consequences of our actions. We view this life as the only opportunity, giving our all to earn wealth for ourselves. We long to shine in the eyes of others because we believe we are the main character. Imagine, if each member of an orchestra only wanted to showcase themselves, neglecting to listen to others or the composer's intent—what kind of music would they create?

The meaning of life

Before death arrives, how will you choose to tell the story of your life? Will it be the life story seen through the eyes of the world, or the story of life in Christ?

If death is the end of life, and I truly am the main character of my own life, then it makes sense to want to highlight myself. But the truth is not that simple. So, how should we live?

Jesus is God; He already has the authority to rule over everything. But His rule is different from what we might expect. Jesus could have called upon the angels to save Him from death, but He did not. Instead, He chose to obey God and accept His calling. Jesus had the right to be the main character of this story, but He did not take that role; He obeyed the Father and allowed the story to unfold according to God's will. To use music as an analogy, Jesus not only played the right notes, but He also sacrificed Himself to play a music that glorified the Father.

This is certainly contrary to mainstream culture. Through services from companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Uber, we can instantly get whatever we want. Want something? A quick tap, and it'll be at your door the next day (if you order early enough, it may even arrive the same day). Want to go somewhere? Just input an address, and a car will take you there. Don’t like the content you see on X (formerly Twitter)? Just mark it as uninterested or block certain people. Don’t like a certain channel? There are plenty of others for you to choose from. We can choose what to watch, how to watch it, and when to watch it. We decide which messages and viewpoints we want to accept, placing ourselves in an environment where only one opinion is present. Christians may even choose to only consume Christian media, hoping to align themselves with God’s tune.

The world tells us that we are the theme of the music; we are the main characters, the soloists. This way of living seems to promise greater comfort. But... is comfort truly the essence of life?

Through the body of Christ, Jesus sees the continuation of His life; He cares for the church, not just what His own hands can accomplish. We often care about what we can accomplish on our own, but is it possible to view ourselves as part of the larger family of God’s kingdom, working together to listen to God and fulfill His commission? Are we called to be the main character of the song—the soloist? Or, while playing our part well, are we also striving to understand the composer’s intent and express the music in a way that aligns with the composer’s heart?

Are you the soloist?

I hope the image on the right helps us see our place more clearly.

The three circles of influence—**the circle of control, the circle of influence, and the circle of concern**—help us determine what part we are called to play, rather than trying to perform a solo.

People often believe they can control everything around them and feel the need to act when they see a need. The Apostle John said, "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" (1 John 3:17). How can we take care of all needs and show a heart of compassion?

Isn't it true that the Gospel of John says that God sent His only Son out of love for the world, not just for the Jews? So why did Jesus preach primarily among the Jews, help very few Gentiles, and clearly state that He was sent to seek the lost sheep of Israel? Jesus focused His ministry among the Jews because He was obedient to God and did what God had called Him to do.

Jesus knew every event in the world and every kind of need. But as the Son of Man, He stayed true to His calling, even choosing to limit His abilities to ensure He followed God's plan and mission. When He was not welcomed in His hometown, He did not think, "Egypt is not far, I lived there before; maybe I can go there to preach." When Peter tried to persuade Jesus not to die, He rebuked him. For Jesus, the true purpose of living was not to choose the easy or safe path, but to be obedient to God.

The following questions guide our reflection on the three circles of control, influence, and concern:

1. Do we live according to our own calling, or are we trying to find another way? What has God called us to do? How can we sense God's calling in our lives? What signs of the Holy Spirit can we see?
2. What are the things we can control? For example, our interactions with others, the thoughts in our minds, and how we live our lives.
3. What can we influence? For example, those who hear our words, and those who see our way of living.
4. What are the things we care about but cannot control or influence? For example, major events and issues in the world.

How did Jesus approach this? He had a specific mission, and He took actions to handle matters and people outside of His mission without deviating from His purpose. How does this affect us? If we treat others with love, how does that reflect in the three circles of control, influence, and concern?

A weak or strong conscience

As Adam and Eve chose to disobey God, sin entered the world, and we became affected by sin, including in our minds. The so-called "noetic effect of sin" refers to the impact on our thoughts (including our conscience). According to authors Andrew Naselli and J. D. Crowley, it is "the awareness of what you perceive as right and wrong."

Continuing with the earlier music analogy, conscience may relate to how we define what "good" music is. Classical musicians may be very focused on the composer's intent, while jazz musicians might place more emphasis on the flow of music in the moment. Therefore, different styles, training, and experiences can influence how people perceive music and how they perform it.

Similarly, conscience is influenced by a person's upbringing, culture, experiences, and understanding of biblical knowledge. So, how can we play this music well and bring glory to Christ?

Let’s begin by properly calibrating our conscience. Do we have a healthy balance between the things we value and our relationships with others?

In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul mentions that those with a weak conscience believe eating food sacrificed to idols is wrong. However, "there is only one God, and there is no other god," so food sacrificed to idols can be eaten because idols are not true gods.

In music, "swing rhythm" is a way of counting syncopated beats, where the irregular rhythm makes the pulse come alive. In notation, it shows two eighth notes, but when played with swing rhythm, the first note is slightly longer than the second. However, in classical music, each eighth note is given equal time. Is the beat of swing music wrong? No. But a person with a "weak conscience" might say that all eighth notes should be the same length.

In contrast, a strong conscience, shaped by correct theological understanding, knows what is right and wrong. They understand that swing music is simply another way of playing, so if it's time to play swing music, they will do so without feeling uneasy. In this passage, Paul is telling those with a strong conscience not to cause their weaker brothers and sisters to stumble. Even though those who understand that playing with swing rhythm is acceptable know it’s an effective way to perform music, they should not force their brothers and sisters to play with swing rhythm if it causes them discomfort.

As Naselli and Crowley describe, a strong conscience may lead to arrogance, causing one to look down on those who set unnecessary rules for themselves. On the other hand, a weak conscience may lead to criticism and judgment of those who exercise freedom in Christ.

In both of these situations, Paul calls us to love. We are not to judge those who act according to their conscience; rather, we are to adapt to them with love. Naselli and Crowley point out that Paul could have commanded those with a weak conscience to do things that were theoretically not problematic. However, he calls those with a strong conscience not to look down on the weak, nor to tempt them to violate their conscience. He also tells those with a weak conscience that the kingdom of God is about righteousness, peace, and joy, not about eating and drinking. In other words, we are not to focus on judging others, but rather to pursue joy, righteousness, and peace. (See Romans 14:17) The purpose of the kingdom is to play God's music to glorify Him, not simply to play in tune or in a particular style.

We do not want to cause others to stumble by making them act in ways that go against their conscience, especially regarding truth and what is right or wrong. At the same time, we must not impose our own conscience’s standards on others.

Paul wrote to two groups in Rome: Gentile believers and Jewish believers. Jewish believers, having grown up in a strict law-based environment, would naturally hold on to certain specific holidays and rules regarding food. Gentile believers, on the other hand, were inclined toward different holidays and rules (or even had no rules at all). Paul urged them to love one another and be patient with each other.

Conscience? Or God's will?

So, in which areas can we be flexible, and in which areas can we not? What pertains to conscience, and what pertains to God's will? How can we know if the beliefs, principles, and opinions we hold are wrongly classified?

Our conscience may overlap with others' consciences, but it may also not. Similarly, we may have blind spots when it comes to God's calling. Naselli and Crowley explain this point using the following diagram:

1 → God's will that the conscience has not yet perceived.
2 → God's will that the conscience perceives, but others do not yet perceive.
3 → God's will that is perceived by both our conscience and others' consciences.
4 → God's will that others' consciences perceive, but we do not perceive.
5 → Our conscience, in theory, does not go against God's will (Naselli and Crowley refer to this as "scruples").
6 → Scruples that both we and others have, which in theory do not go against God's will.
7 → The conscience of others, which in theory does not go against God's will.

Which column do you think each of the following items fits into?

• Scripture is the Word of God
• Which version of the Bible to use?
• Which church governance model to choose?
• Is it permissible to hold Communion outside of the church?
• What time does the church service start?
• Which political party do you belong to?
• How to use money?
• Jesus had to die for our sins
• Should we eat meat?
• Should we recycle?
• Is speaking in tongues appropriate today?

This chart helps us see how to interact with cultures that are different from our own. If we see someone doing something in the range of Zone 4 or Zone 7, how does God want us to respond? If others have a different perspective in Zone 5 or Zone 6, how should we respond?

Taking the Israel/Palestine Hamas conflict that began in 2023 as an example, if someone believes that God has called His people to raise funds to provide food and show mercy to the Palestinians, which area of the chart would that fall into? If someone believes that the nation of Israel has a unique calling and enjoys a privileged position before God, which area would that fall into? If someone believes that what God has called us to do belongs in Zone 2, but others think it belongs in Zone 5, or if someone believes something belongs in Zone 7 while others think it belongs in Zone 4, how should we respond?

How can we discern what is God's will and what is individual conscience? Naselli and Crowley present two key principles about conscience in their work:

1. God is the sole sovereign of the conscience.
2. Obey your conscience

What is your opinion on this?

Play beautiful sounds so that the world may believe.

Jesus paid the price to save us, destroying the works of the enemy. He fulfilled salvation through love, showing what love truly is. Through His death and resurrection, we have a new hope: communion with God (in harmony); connection with one another (playing music together); and the calling of faith (co-creating new music).

We are called to move forward in love; not to prove ourselves or achieve what we think is best, but out of gratitude and joy. We live for God, not for ourselves; not to satisfy our own desires and glory, but to seek His will and His glory.

Let us reflect: Do we live only for ourselves, with obedience to God merely for our own benefit or self-promotion? Or do we endure the difficulties that come with obeying God in order to love others and sacrifice for them? Even without a solo part, do we still pursue being faithful to our role in the music, or do we seek to play in our own way?

Do we believe that our understanding and interpretation of the music is the best, and force others to play in the same way? Do we think that only our way of following God is correct? Or do we join others with love, playing together with them, while faithfully living our lives according to the way God has called us? Perhaps in doing so, we unlock more creativity and beauty in the music.

Do we focus too much on pitch, to the point where we fail to truly play music together?

Each note's sequence, texture, length, and intensity all contribute to creating a piece of music. May we not only learn to harmonize with God, adjusting the playing of each individual "note," but may the Holy Spirit empower us to learn how to connect and interact with the body of Christ. Just as many notes, in sequence, texture, length, and intensity, combine to form a movement, may we unite to display Christ to the world.

Here is our prayer:

May God help us remember that life in Christ means service and suffering. If we persevere, we will see His glory, both in this life and in eternity. May we humbly and patiently obey God, resisting the temptation to seek our own benefit or praise, and play His music well. May we dwell in His word that illuminates hearts and live in harmony with Him. May He teach us what we should strive for, what we should pray for, how to pray, and what to entrust to Him. May He teach us how to love one another sincerely, not merely performing outward actions under the pressure of external rules. May we hold fast to goodness, and love others just as Christ loved us. May the music we create together be not only in harmony but also beautiful and moving, so that the world may believe the Father sent Jesus to save us, making us new people, and glorifying Him.

Extended reading: "Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ" by Andrew David Naselli and J.D. Crowley.