Hymns Attacked: “The old hymns are too deep and the words too big for the average person today.” 

Hymns Defended: I Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 

I am personally surprised this argument has deceived so many believers concerning music. The music we choose to listen to and use in our ministry has been criticized along this same thought process as well. Have Christians so soon forgotten that nothing in the Christian life makes sense to natural man?! The preaching of the cross is foolishness to the lost. The things of the Spirit of God are foolishness to the natural man. They are too deep for the flesh. He cannot know them. They are spiritually discerned requiring the leading, teaching, conviction, and comfort of the Holy Spirit. The things of the Spirit of God include any music that is genuinely spiritual. Most CCM and Southern Gospel music today is specifically written to appease the flesh and our senses. The old hymns, and the music our family specifically chooses to sing, reach the heart “for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness…” (Rom. 10:10). The old hymns are “too deep” because the average believer is fleshly/carnal/babyish (I Cor. 3). If the hymns of old are too deep, then God’s inspired Word is really too deep! This exact, wicked argument is used for the rejection of the KJV Bible. It is criticized as “too deep” and the words “too big” for the average person today. This is the excuse given for why we have so many new, copyrighted Bibles that various companies are making money on. This same thought process has led to the newer hymnbooks also changing specific words in the older hymns (and without letting the reader know they changed them!). What we need is not the removal of the old landmarks/hymns, what we need is revival! Then Spirit-filled Christians will understand and enjoy the depth and richness of the old hymns!