Today is “Discernment in Music” (DiM) day here at Faithful Stewardship (2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (ESV)).

July 09, 2015. Today we’ll be taking a look at “That was then, This is Now” by Josh Wilson which currently sits at #13 at 20theCountdownMagazine.

We’ll continue using this top 20 song list until I find a better list. Your feedback in this would be greatly appreciated.

I am so happy to review this song today. It has been a while since I could happily recommend a song. There are a couple of points of discussion, but overall this song stands head and shoulders above the rest of what is on the top20 chart. I’ll have to keep my eyes out for Josh Wilson’s work. I hope you find this song to be a blessing.

VEVO Music Video

Lyrcs (via KLove)

That Was Then, This Is Now

We used to hide from the light
We made friends with the night
We were headed the wrong way on a one way track
Going nowhere fast

We got used to the dark
We thought this is who we are
And we figured that we were just too far gone
But we were wrong

‘Cause love came running like a river
And we got washed in the water
Then He said you’re forgiven
Your sins are gone

That was then, this is now
You’re bought by the blood, saved by the Son the saints all sing about
That was lost, this is found
And it’s time to say goodbye to the old you now

So go ahead, put the past in the past
Box it up like an old photograph
You don’t have to go back
‘Cause that was then and this is now

We’ve been remade by grace
We’ve all got new names
And nothing we do could ever change
What He did that day

When love came running like a river
We got washed in the water
Then He said you’re forgiven
And you belong

That was then, this is now
You’re bought by the blood, saved by the Son the saints all sing about
That was lost, this is found
And it’s time to say goodbye to the old you now

So go ahead, put the past in the past
Box it up like an old photograph
You don’t have to go back
‘Cause that was then

If we turn and confess every unrighteousness
He is faithful and just to forgive
Oh, so turn and confess every wrong and regret
And see what it means to live

That was then, this is now
You’re bought by the blood, saved by the Son the saints all sing about
That was lost, this is found
And it’s time to say goodbye to the old you now

So go ahead, put the past in the past
Box it up like an old photograph
You don’t have to go back
‘Cause that was then and this is now
‘Cause that was then and this is now

Publishing: © 2015 Meaux Jeaux Music / Rock And A Harding Place / 9T One Songs / Ariose Music (ASCAP) (Admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
Writer(s): Josh Wilson and Ben Glover

Discussion

There are a couple of points I’d like to discuss in this song’s lyrics that bear mentioning. The first point is the wording of the second stanza of the first verse:

We got used to the dark
We thought this is who we are
And we figured that we were just too far gone
But we were wrong

Since the chorus of this song is clearly one of being born-again / regenerate / saved, this verse is depicting our state before we’ve been granted redeeming faith. Before our ears are opened up to the Truth of God’s Word. We didn’t get used to the dark, we were born in it. We didn’t just think that was who we were, we were dead in our sins and trespasses. Let’s look at what Paul wrote to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV) | By Grace Through Faith
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Now, once we heard the Law of God faithfully preached, and the Holy Spirit opened our eyes and ears to the Truth of God’s Word, that we were sinners, condemned to death by a righteous, just, and Holy God… we might well have figured that we were too far gone. That is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Once the Law crucified our flesh (for the letter of the Law kills) compelling us to repent of our unrighteousness, our ears and eyes were opened (by the Holy Spirit) to the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who lived the perfect life, died in our place on that cross bearing the full wrath of sin upon Himself so that in Him we might be clothed in His righteousness by faith in the substitutionary atonement. We, having been regenerated by the working of the Holy Spirit, were granted faith so that by faith we might be born again in Christ Jesus, adopted as sons and daughters into the Kingdom of Heaven.

What makes this song so wonderful, is its inclusion of repentance.

If we turn and confess every unrighteousness
He is faithful and just to forgive
Oh, so turn and confess every wrong and regret
And see what it means to live

Praise the Lord! He is faithful and just to forgive those who repent and confess of sin. This is so refreshing, and what an important, life-giving, reminder of God’s faithfulness. This is something that should find its way into every song, hymn, and spiritual song we sing to one another for encouragement. There is forgiveness at the foot of the cross, for our sin, our daily sin, until at last when we are finally rid of this fleshly body in the Resurrection.

Whew… okay, now this next point is small by comparison, but please bear with me. Dear Christian… don’t make a keepsake of your sinful past. Don’t Box it up like an old photograph. Get rid of it. The focus shouldn’t be on the sin; rather, on the Grace of God who has forgiven you by faith in Jesus Christ. It is a small point, but our sinful, deceitful hearts find ways of reveling in the sinful desires of the past, or offering up to the enemy ammunition to heap on condemnation over your head. Confess, repent, and be forgiven in Jesus’ Name.

Conclusion

This song is a breath of fresh air. I hope to hear it more often on the radio. I hope you find it equally encouraging.

Romans 8:33-39 (ESV)
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge