DOUGLAS BOND 

Hymn to Synergism

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I’ve long thought that one of the significant problems with synergistic theology is that it doesn’t sing very well. “Jesus paid it all,” would have to sound something like, “Jesus paid most of it; most of it to him I owe,” which of course is far worse than just bad poetry.

What I’ve observed is that whatever their declared theology, when hymn writers set their quill to paper to write a hymn of praise to God they feel constrained to extol the free mercy of God in Christ. But I have long wondered what a hymn would sound like written by someone who believes that God and man are in a responsible partnership in salvation. So I attempted to project myself into the theology of synergism (which is actually so much easier than any of us really wants to admit) and out came this:


I praise and worship Father thee
Since I have chosen free
To bow before your majesty
By my own liberty.
O God of fairness, with my voice,
I praise you for my choice!

The Father leaves us, every man,
To choose him if we can;
My will he never violates
But passive sits and waits.
O God of fairness, with my voice,
I praise you for my choice!

The Son who did his best for all
Leaves me alone to call;
Along with all the human race,
I’m left to choose my place.
O God of fairness, with my voice,
I praise you for my choice!

The Spirit draws—but not too much;
My will he’ll never touch,
But leaves me free to choose my faith,
The captain of my fate.
O God of fairness, with my voice,
I praise you for my choice!

It would not make a bit of sense
To earn my recompense,
If I don’t have ability,
My free will and my liberty.
O God of fairness, with my voice,
I praise you for my choice!

With apologies, by Douglas Bond, January 29, 2012