O Come, All Ye FaithFul

Introduction: Yesterday, I got up early to continue to study for this coming Sunday when an email popped into my inbox at around 6:30 am with the subject line being, "Can you preach tomorrow night?" I immediately knew what the email was about and began to look over some material to prepare for tonight as we consider the next song on our Christmas Playlist, "O Come, All Yea Faithful."

However, when looking into the history of this particular song, I came across this statement, "We have the hymn we know today. What we don't have is any real idea about who wrote it, where it came from, or how it got here. The pot bubbles with theories." Now that presents some robust teaching material!

So, it looks like we won't be going too deep into the history behind this particular song, but I will give a brief historical introduction. Then we will spend most of our time considering the theology within the text of "O Come, All Ye Faithful."

"O Come, All Ye Faithful" was likely initially written by John Francis Wade. Wade was a Roman Catholic forced to flee England during the Jacobite Rebellion, which was a rebellion aimed at thwarting the Protestant William of Orange's rule and reestablishing the reign of Catholic James VII. Being Catholic, Protestant England was not a very welcoming place for Wade to call home, and so he fled to France, where he became a music teacher.

While in France, historians believe that he wrote the original text to "O Come, All Ye Faithful" in Latin by the title, "Adeste, Fideles." Modern historians claim that the original lyrics were an invitation to faithful English Catholics to come and support the Stuart House's insurrection against William of Orange, but his message was too subtle, and nobody noticed. It probably didn't help that it was also written in Latin.

Then, about a hundred years later, English Protestants got a hold of the text, translated it into English, and imbued it with rich Protestant doctrine focusing on the events that surrounded the advent of Jesus.

Today, we sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful" as a Christmas Carol calling all worshipers to come and meditate on what it means for Jesus to be truly God and truly man.

Behold, the Promised Messiah (verse 1)

O come all ye faithful joyful and triumphant

Oh come ye, come ye to Bethlehem

Come and behold him born the King of angels

O come let us adore him Christ the Lord

First, verse 1 calls worshipers to behold the One who fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah's birth.

Micah 5:2 NKJV

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Second, verse 1 calls worshipers to behold the One who brings peace to the earth.

Luke 2:14 NKJV

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Behold, God Incarnate (Verse 2)

God of God light of light

Lo he abhors not the virgin's womb

Very God begotten not created

O come let us adore him Christ the Lord.

Verse 2 is a direct quote and affirmation of the Nicene Creed, which states that Jesus is "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father . . . He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man."

Behold, the Triumphant Savior (verse 3)

Sing choirs of angels sing in exultation

Sing all ye citizens of heaven above

Glory to God in the highest

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord

Verse 3 calls all worshipers to rejoice in the triumph we have in Christ.

Luke 2:10–12 NKJV

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

Behold, God in Flesh (verse 4)

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning

Jesus, to thee be glory given

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing

O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord

While verse 2 affirms the Nicene Creed, verse 4 affirms the same truth but is a direct allusion to Scripture.

John 1:1–4 NKJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Conclusion: Regardless of where "O Come, All Ye Faithful" originally came from, it has become a theologically rich hymn text that guides us through the nativity, ending with what is traditionally sang in celebration on Christmas Day, "Yea, Lord, we greet thee."

And although this song calls believers to come and behold the Promised Messiah who is truly God Incarnate, the triumphant Savior, and the God who wrapped himself in the flesh to dwell among us. I cannot help but also think of Sovereign Grace's text to "O Come, All Ye Unfaithful.”

O come, all you unfaithful Come, weak and unstable Come, know you are not alone

O come, barren and waiting ones Weary of praying, come See what your God has done

Christ is born, Christ is born Christ is born for you

O come, bitter and broken Come with fears unspoken Come, taste of His perfect love

O come, guilty and hiding ones There is no need to run See what your God has done

He’s the Lamb who was given Slain for our pardon His promise is peace For those who believe

So come, though you have nothing Come, He is the offering Come, see what your God has done

And the reason I can’t help but think of that text is because that is what Jesus came to do. He came to take the faithless and give them the power to be faithful.

John 1:9–13 NKJV

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

So, when we sing "O Come, All Ye Faithful," we invite all who are ready to worship to come. Faithful, come and worship the One who made peace between you and God, and faithless come, and receive the grace that can make you alive in Christ.