Go With Me: Singing Doctrine

I haven't posted in years! A lot has transpired since my last post, and I've changed a lot as a person. Still super imperfect and rough around the edges, but hopefully less so.

I've decided to jump back into this blogging hobby upon the inspiration of a friend telling me they were inspired to start a blog because of mine haha!

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I love the gospel.

I also love music.

The intersection of these two passions of my life are an absolute delight to me! Not only do I love church hymns (and am undecided on a favourite), I love Lex de Azevedo's two albums of classical variations on sacred themes (which dives into my love of classical music) and also remember going through a major phase of Brown Hymn Book songs listened to every day. I also had an EFY music phase.

Though today's post will focus on an original song by Eclipse 6, Go With Me.

Go With Me

This song appeals to me because 1. The harmonies are just... so... perfect, I love it! And 2. The references to church doctrine and relating it to us are deep, meaningful, and personal to me. Of particular note are the song's subtle references to sacred events in the temple ceremony.

As a nice introduction to the concept, the lyrics progress in their message through

1. Go with me to Cumorah.
2. Go with me to the angels.
3. Go with me past the angels.

The song is taking us on a journey.

To Cumorah

The first phase is of discovery: Go to Cumorah where the prophet Joseph Smith found the plates, and discover it with him. Discover The Book of Mormon for the truthfulness it holds, the testament it is to the existence and love of God, the validity of Joseph Smith's calling from God, the truthfulness of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the perpetuation of the family.

"I ask us all to honestly evaluate our performance in scripture study. It is a common thing to have a few passages of scripture at our disposal, floating in our minds, as it were, and thus to have the illusion that we know a great deal about the gospel. In this sense, having a little knowledge can be a problem indeed. I am convinced that each of us, at some time in our lives, must discover the scriptures for ourselves—and not just discover them once, but rediscover them again and again."

- Spencer W Kimball

To the Angels

The second phase is of forming connections---connections with God, with those around us, with the angels that Heavenly Father places in the paths of our lives who help us rise out of the darkness that can confuse us. This part of the journey involves going to the temple where we are endowed with gifts from God in the form of covenants.

"When we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent."

- Richard G. Scott

The song includes lyrics to this effect in singing about us going to the angels to "feel the hand of power," "hear the voice proclaim salvation," "go with me to living waters, drink and bow the knee, taste the love of Heaven," which are references to the temple, the sacrament, the scriptures, etc.

Past the Angels

The third phase is progression. It reflects an important lesson that we all need to learn that Brad Wilcox teaches much better than I can.

"Christian friends ask me if I have been saved by grace. I always answer, “Yes—absolutely.” Then I occasionally ask them if they have been changed by grace. We must never be so content to be saved by grace that we overlook the fact we must also be redeemed by grace.

"We don’t get into heaven on Jesus’ coattails. Rather, He changes us until we fit His coat. Christ justifies by exchanging His goodness for our sin. He sanctifies by exchanging our worldly natures for a celestial nature. Justification alters our standing. Sanctification alters our state. Justification frees us from sin’s penalty. Sanctification frees us from sin’s tyranny. While justification is represented by clean hands, sanctification is represented by a pure heart that has been given to God."

- Brad Wilcox, The Continuous Atonement

Though the song in question doesn't explore this concept, it's illustrates the difference between simply going to church and becoming a gospel-centric person in word, deed, emotions, perspective, and lifestyle.