I don't make it out to sports events all that often - not near as much as I used to - so it was a pleasure to go to a Saints game (minor league baseball) yesterday. To say the least, Saints games are lots of fun, and even more so when you're there with a close friend. The announcer's always intent on bringing a smile to your face with the things they say, entertainment between innings, and, of course, baseball itself. Sadly, "my" team didn't win this time, but fun nonetheless.
Throughout the game, clips of familiar tunes were played over the loudspeaker. At one point in the game, they played another song, one that especially caught my attention. From the introductory, I could tell exactly what the song would be. And as the song played, I followed along in my mind. The words to the song are: “Oh when the saints go marching in! Oh when the saints go marching in! [Oh, Lord] I want to be in that number - when the saints go marching in!” The words enclosed in brackets were intentionally left out of course; however, I thought of them anyway because, for me, the song has a greater, deeper meaning. When the song concluded, one question lingered in my mind. "How many people here know the true meaning of the song?" (Hopefully, more than I think, yet still probably not many.)
So what is the true meaning of the song and the depth it has for me? It is a song of celebration of the salvation¹ we have through believing in Christ Jesus.² Anyone who will humble³ himself to trust in Christ alone4 to save them from their sins becomes a saint.5 And I know, because of the promises written in God's Word, without a doubt6 I will be in that number when the saints go marching in.
¹ Romans 3:24 - “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
² John 6:47 - “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
³ John 6:37 - “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”
4 Acts 4:12 - “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
5 Ephesians 2:19 - “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”
6 I John 5:11-13 - “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
