# Shabbat shalom christians and jewish songs



## bobtheman (Nov 3, 2015)

http://www.hebrewsongs.com/song-shabbatshalom.htm

I saw both Christians and Jews singing this song ... I don't guess there is anything 'wrong' with that ? And the lyrics .. they aren't singing anything i suppose that severely contradicts a Christians beliefs? What are your thoughts on this?


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## MW (Nov 3, 2015)

bobtheman said:


> And the lyrics .. they aren't singing anything i suppose that severely contradicts a Christians beliefs? What are your thoughts on this?



I think the lyrics contradict Christian beliefs. Sabbath observance is dead works without faith in the Lord of the Sabbath. For unbelieving observers, the day itself is holy; whereas for Christians the day is changed by the Lord of the Sabbath, and observed in honour of the new creation He has wrought. Christ is our rest and our peace. We look to the light of His resurrection countenance to deliver us from the darkness of sin, misery, and death. Unbelieving observers are still in darkness, though they light a million candles.


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## Contra_Mundum (Nov 3, 2015)

There's nothing especially "Christian" about the song. Nothing especially anti-Christian either, except that it seems suffused with sentimentality in spiritual dress. And as an unsentimental puritan, I don't like encouraging that sort of thing.

It strikes me as a cultural artifact. "Sabbath candles" are religious invention, assuming they have something to do with a religiously motivated Sabbath-keeping. Like "advent candles" and "candle-lighting ceremonies" on ChristmasEve and such, here is an instance of will-worship. The argument comes back: "This is not in worship, but at home." OK, then it's cultural? But then there's prayer associated, and the notion of lights burning forever. So, it's spiritual sentiment then.

To me, it seems a bit faddish for Christians not-of-Jewish extraction to join in. The idea that there's a "more authentic" Jewish-flavored Christianity, and a reason to promote Messianic-Judaism with unique markers as a parallel "option" to Gentile-Christianity on the Christian religious buffet--this thinking seems to be gaining in popularity these days; but in general its still a microscopic movement.

Niche-brands, such as our Reformational Christianity has been reduced to in the past century, we tend to see other niche-brands that pop up from time to time as bigger deals than they typically are. We're half-expecting one of them will "take off" while we're still waiting for a true Spirit-led revival to recur.

That's my  Leave it be. {edit} I'm with Rev.Winzer, basically.


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