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HERITAGE
“We’ll Crown Him King of All”
It has often been said that in the Church of God, our doctrines are in our music, and that is especially true of our early hymns. A prime example is D.O. Teasley’s “We’ll Crown Him Lord of All,” one of more than eighty songs he composed.
Teasley was born in 1876 and entered the ministry of the Church of God in 1896. In 1904 he and his wife Ora opened a missionary home in New York City in response to a definite leading of the Lord. Music was not his only talent. Teasley was a teacher, as well. He taught Bible classes and Bible Geography classes for Gospel Trumpet Family members as early as 1910. He also became involved in finance and administration of the Gospel Trumpet Company, serving in various capacities including managing company finances, author, Sunday School promoter and Production Manager. He pastored for five years in Alabama and then returned to the Gospel Trumpet Company to chair the Board of Directors and to become General Manager of all Departments. During his tenure, salaries were given to employees who, up to that time, had volunteered their labor, receiving only room and board and a small expense allowance for their work.
Teasley had a beautiful bass voice and was a student and teacher of harmony and composition.
Unfortunately, because of a time of discouragement which came out of his relationships with some of our executive group, he dropped out of the church for a while and made a living in commercial art. However, he eventually came back to the Lord. Multi-talented, prolific D. Otis Teasley went to be with the Lord in 1942, but he left the Church of God a legacy of beautiful hymns, many with deep meaning.
Let us analyze the doctrinal exposition of this song.
Verse 1: We’ll shout and sing our Redeemer’s praise, Contending for the truth and right; We’ll crown Him King in every heart, And conquer in Jehovah’s might.
The first thing to note here is idea that we must “contend,” or fight for the truth and right. The Bible says, “Thy Word is truth” (John 17:17). Teasley is communicating the importance of “rightly dividing” the Bible and its doctrines or teachings. At times we will have to contend for them—that is, prove to people why we believe what we believe. Only an intimate knowledge of God’s Word will serve when you are having to defend the truth.
Also in this verse we are told that we will crown Him King in every heart. This reveals the doctrine of sanctification when Christ comes to rule and reign in our hearts with His Holy Spirit. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” The word for “sanctified” is hagiazo in the Greek, meaning “holy.” This teaches that if Christ is crowned King in every heart, every person will let Him make them holy by the infilling of the Holy Spirit and it stresses the importance of that doctrine.
Verse 2: Tho’ the hosts of sin should about us camp, We’ll shout and sing the victor’s song; For Christ, our Savior, within us dwells To save and keep us from the wrong.
Several truths are portayed in this verse. First, we are fighting a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6:12 reads, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” But these things can be overcome by “shouting and singing the victor’s song”: our testimony. Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Our strength comes from the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.
Then Teasley reminds us that by our choice (because sin is a choice) we can live free from sin through the power of Jesus in our lives who can “save and keep us from” all wrong. 1 John 3:6, “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.”
Verse 3: To Christ all power on earth is given, See now His mighty scepter’s sway; While others dream of an age to come, He’s reigning in our hearts today.
This verse teaches three truths. First, Christ has all power in heaven and on earth. Jesus said with His Own lips, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” We need not fear the devil when Jesus has all power.
Second, He holds the ruler’s scepter. Rulers have absolute power over their subjects. Jesus has absolute power over us, including eventual judgment. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22).
Third, He is reigning in our hearts right now! His is a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly one, so there will be no mythical one-thousand-year reign of grace and glory. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Then where is the kingdom of God? Jesus answers that question in Luke 17:21, “The kingdom of God is within you.”
Verse 4: Soon Christ shall come with the trumpet sound To raise the dead from land and sea; Then we shall meet Him in the air And reign with Him eternally.
This verse dispels the idea of a “secret” rapture, in which the saints are taken up secretly to be with the Lord while the unsaved are left on the earth to endure a period of tribulation. It also disputes the idea of an earthly kingdom, but tells us that our reign with Christ shall be eternal in the heavens.
Paul describes what will happen on that day in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” It’s going to be a noisy return with shouts and trumpets and “every eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7). Judgment will take place where the saved and lost are separated (Matthew 25:31-46), the saved will go up to heaven, the lost to hell, and eternity will begin! What a glorious day!
Verse 5: Then in that heaven and earth anew Where love’s eternal blessings fall, We’ll sing His praise while the ages roll, And crown the Savior Lord of all.
Why will it be a new earth and heaven? Because the old ones will be gone! 2 Peter 3:10 tells us, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and all the works that are therein shall be burned up.” But, praise God, there will be a new heaven and earth, according to God’s Word. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away” (Revelation 21:1). What will we do there in heaven? “Sing His praise and crown Him Lord of All!”
Chorus: Crown Him, we’ll crown Him, Crown the blessed Savior Lord of all; We’ll crown Him, yes, crown Him, Crown the blessed Savior Lord of all.
If you would like to learn more of the great teachings in our hymns, send to Reformation Publishers and request the book from which this article was selected. It contains background information on the poets who wrote the words and the doctrines taught in the hymns.
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Pastor Bill Means First Church of God Lancaster, Ohio |
