Jesus Isn't Safe: Theology, The Power of Song, and a Few Examples

Here is Part 3 of Matt Papa's posts about Christian music. This one is about the importance of theology. It's a little longer, but worth the read.

JESUS ISN’T SAFE: THEOLOGY, THE POWER OF SONG, AND A FEW EXAMPLES

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PART THREE: SONGS

As a way of reminder, let me begin with some foundational premises:

I think theology is the most important thing in the world. Theology, in layman’s terms is simply the study of GOD. A.W. Tozer said “The most important thing about a person is what they think about when they think about God”. I wholeheartedly agree. Why? Because how you view God colors everything about you. If God is supremely loving but not Holy, you will abuse grace because grace will be trite. If God is supremely Holy but not loving, you will live in utter condemnation. If Jesus is safe, you will compartmentalize Him. If He is not sovereign, you will live in unrest. ETC. (I think you get the idea.) This means, if we want to love people, we must give them God. And not just God, but God as He is (according to the Scriptures).

One of the most influential things upon a people’s theology, equal if not greater than preaching (in my opinion), is music. Songs….”christian” songs….are sermons people remember. You forget a sermon in a couple weeks. You remember a song forever. Aristotle said, “give me a nation’s songs and I care not who makes it’s laws”. Music matters. Things with Jesus’ name tacked on them matter. Theology matters. And christian radio ishugely influencing the music people are aware of, and the songs that churches are singing.

Now to the issue at hand:

Mainstream christian radio is not giving people God, but a safe, condensed, and feminine version of God. The songs are trite. “Love” is celebrated more than the God of love and His demonstration of love (the cross). Listen for 20 minutes and you will see. But you might say:

Matt, stop freaking out. What’s wrong with happy, encouraging, positive music? Nothing at all. It’s FANTASTIC. Really. However…

It has been said that a false prophet is defined as a false prophet…..not primarily because of the things they say, but because of the things they don’t say. I think Joel Osteen is INCREDIBLY encouraging. I mean, really, I do. It’s amazing and I think encouragement is definitely his spiritual gift. Most of the time, when I listen to him, there is not ONE THING WRONG with what he is saying. But what is he NOT saying? A LOT, and he should not be a pastor if he is unwilling to say those things. Author? Go for it buddy. But PASTOR of the Church of Jesus Christ? I’m not so sure.

The same goes for christian radio. If we’re going to label it Christian, then let’s make it Christian. Let’s stop mis-representing the Lord on such a large scale through an imbalanced presentation of Him.

Let’s list a few examples of what I mean by an imbalanced, or inaccurate view of who God is. As a disclaimer, I would like to remind my readers of things I have said in previous posts; namely, that I don’t necessarily point the finger of blame at the artist here, but at the theological imbalance on mainstream radio as a whole. The following are lyrics of songs that have been extremely successful in recent years on christian radio, and are a fair (in my opinion) presentation of what is regularly played:

“Hold Me”

I love, I love, I love, I love the way you hold me

I love, I love, I love, I love the way you, the way you hold me

VERSE 1:

I’ve had a long day I just wanna relax

Don’t have time for my friends, no time to chit-chat

Problems at my job, wonderin’ what to do

I know I should be working but I’m thinking of You and

Just when I feel this crazy world is gonna bring me down

That’s when Your smile comes around

CHORUS:

Oh, I love the way You hold me, by my side You’ll always be

You take each and every day, make it special in some way

I love the way you hold me, in Your arms I’ll always be

You take each and every day, make it special in some way

I love You more than the words in my brain can express

I can’t imagine even loving You less

Lord, I love the way You hold me

Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh, oh whoa, I love the way You hold me

Whoa oh oh oh oh oh oh

-

I think this song is written to Jesus, but I’m not sure. “Lord” in the chorus could easily be an explicative and then sung to a boyfriend or girlfriend.

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“Can’t get over You”

verse 1:

I love the way You love like no otherIt’s got nothing to do with anything that I doTime and time again You forgive meSo this time I choose to stay here with Youchorus:Hold me Pull me just a little bit closer I don’t want to lose this moment You’re love has covered me And now I can’t get over You I can’t get over You I can’t get over You I just can’t get over You

-

In this artists defense, they do say the word “Father” in the second verse, and “oh Lord” in the bridge, but this song also could be easily sung to a human being.

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“What Faith Can Do”

verse 1:
Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you’re stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

chorus:
I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

verse 2:
It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

-

This song doesn’t mention God or Jesus. At all.

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“Free to be me”

verse 1

At twenty years of age

I’m still looking for a dream

A war is already waged for my destiny

But You’ve already won the battle

And You’ve got great plans for me

Though I can’t always see, ’cause…

chorus:

I got a couple dents in my fender

Got a couple rips in my jeans

Try to fit the pieces together

But perfection is my enemy

And on my own I’m so clumsy

But on Your shoulders I can see

I’m free to be me

verse 2

When I was just a girl

I thought I had it figured out

See my life will turn out right

And I’ll make it here somehow

But things don’t always come that easy

And sometimes I would doubt, ’cause…

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“Me And Jesus”

When there’s nowhere else to turn

All your bridges have been burned

Feels like you’ve hit rock bottom

Don’t give up it’s not the end

Open up your heart again

When you feel like no one

Understands where you are

[chorus]

Someone loves you even when you don’t think so

don’t you know

you got Me and Jesus

by your side through the fight

you will never be alone on your own

you got me and Jesus

-

Good news everyone. We’ve got this guy. Oh yeah, and Jesus.

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“This Is The Stuff”

verse 1:

I lost my keys in the great unknown

And call me please ‘Cuz I can’t find my phone

chorus:

This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff that’s getting to me lately

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I’m blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I gotta trust You know exactly what You’re doing

It might not be what I would choose

But this is the stuff You use

verse 2:

45 in a 35

Sirens and fines while I’m running behind

Whoa

chorus:

This is the stuff that drives me crazy

This is the stuff that’s getting to me lately

In the middle of my little mess

I forget how big I’m blessed

This is the stuff that gets under my skin

But I gotta trust You know exactly what You’re doing

It might not be what I would choose

But this is the stuff You use

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“You Are More”

verse:

There’s a girl in the corner

With tear stains on her eyes

From the places she’s wandered

And the shame she can’t hide

She says, “How did I get here?

I’m not who I once was.

And I’m crippled by the fear

That I’ve fallen too far to love”

But don’t you know who you are,

What’s been done for you?

Yeah don’t you know who you are?

chorus:

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,

You are more than the problems you create,

You’ve been remade.

-

This song tends to point to universalism….without faith in Christ as a precursor to being remade.

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“Someone worth dying for”

You might be the wife,

Waiting up at night

You might be the man,

Struggling to provide

Feeling like it’s hopeless

Maybe you’re the son,

Who chose a broken road

Maybe you’re the girl,

Thinking you’ll end up alone

Praying God can you hear me?

Oh God are you listening?

(Chorus)

Am I more than flesh and bone?

Am I really something beautiful?

Yeah, I wanna believe, I wanna believe that

I’m not just some wandering soul

That you don’t see and you don’t know

Yeah I wanna believe, Jesus help me believe that I

Am someone worth dying for

-

This song clearly emphasizes our worth, and not God’s grace.

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I realize that these are NOT the ONLY songs played on christian radio, and honestly, these songs by themselves are probably just fine and dandy. However, and in holistic sense, the gospel and the glory of God seem to be lacking altogether on what is labeled christian radio, which is a very, very, very sad thing.

Please hear my heart: I love the DJ’s who do christian radio and I love people who listen to christian radio. That’s why I’m writing these posts. I realize the Lord does not need me to defend Him. He’s doing just fine. But I do want to do my part…and pass the gospel on to the next generation. I also realize that the explicit gospel of Christ may never be “popular”….but I’m forever hoping and fighting that it would be.

Writing that Christ might be treasured above all-

Matt