Author: Faithful Stewardship

DiM | “My Victory” by Crowder

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ApprovedCCM Edition.

October 25, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “My Victory” by Crowder which currently sits at #16 on 20TheCountdownMagazine.

Today’s song lyric brings us Christ crucified for our sins. It’s a wonderful song, minus one squirrely line in the second verse. Let’s give it a listen and then discuss the theology we see in the lyric of this song.

Crowder VEVO (Lyric Video)

Lyrics (via K-Love)

You came for Criminals
And every Pharisee
You came for Hypocrites
Even one like me
You carried sin and shame
The guilt of every man
The weight of all I’ve done
Nailed into your hands

Oh your love
Bled for me
Oh your blood
In crimson streams
Oh your death
Is Hell’s defeat
A cross meant to kill is my victory

Oh your amazing grace
I’ve seen and tasted it
It’s running through my veins
I can’t escape its grip
In you my soul is safe
You cover everything

Behold the lamb of God
Who takes away our sin
The holy Lamb of God
Makes us alive again

Publishing: © 2016 SIXSTEPS MUSIC/WORSHIPTOGETHER COM SONGS/INOT MUSIC (ADMIN. AT CAPITOLCMGPUBLISHING.COM)/ALL ESSENTIAL MUSIC/BENTLEY STREET SONGS (ASCAP) (ADMIN. BY ESSENTIAL MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC)/ALLETROP MUSIC/DAYSPRING MUSIC, LLC (BMI)
Writer(s): David Crowder, Ed Cash, Hank Bentley and Darren Mulligan

Discussion

Bridge. Let’s start with the Bridge of the song, because this is a beautiful quote of John the Baptist’s bold proclamation of Jesus as the Lamb of God.

John 1:29 (ESV) The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Let’s look at how the Gospel According to John opens up, noting how the Apostle wrote concerning Jesus and concerning John the Baptist:

John 1:1-13 (ESV) | The Word Became Flesh

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 was not any thing made that was made.In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Amen. Now, let’s move to the first verse of the song.

Verse 1. Jesus came to save the world, to take away our sin. Not just those we like, but for those we don’t like. The Criminal and the Pharisee alike. This song does a great job of leveling out the playing field. Crowder hits the 2 hardest categories, then extends it to the Hypocrite and then places himself right there in the middle of the sinners.We are sinners. We sin because we are sinners. Christ died to atone for our sin, to pay a price we couldn’t pay for sin that wasn’t His, to grant us Grace we don’t deserve. This is a great start to the song. I love that Crowder used the word “guilt” here. Sure, it is possible to emotionalize the term to try to soften its objectivity, but our guilt is real, whether we “feel it” or not. It is the objective pronouncement of the Law upon us… we stand guilty, we are born guilty, dead in our sins and trespasses. It was for our guilt, that Christ was nailed to the cross.

Chorus. The chorus focuses on the redemptive power of the Blood of the Lamb. A wonderful Epistle to spend some time studying both before and after studying the Mosaic Covenant is the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 9:11-14 (ESV) | Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Hebrews 9:22 (ESV) Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

The cross meant to kill Jesus, to silence the threat to Pharisaical rule under Pilate… ends up being our Salvation, through the Redemption bought by His Blood. Indeed, the cross is our Victory in Jesus’ Name.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (ESV) | Proclaiming Christ Crucified

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Verse 2. Okay, now this verse I think gets a little bit squirrely. The reference to having seen and tasted the Grace of God is most likely pulling from Peter’s Epistle. For most doctrinally sound Christians, this is a purely spiritual turn of phrase pointing to the Word of God. As Lutherans, we see recognize this as the Word of God, and also in the Lord’s Supper as an objective seeing and tasting of the Word, the Body and Blood of Christ. However you interpret the “seeing and tasting”, it’s important to see what Peter is teaching here:

1 Peter 2:1-12 (ESV) | A Living Stone and a Holy People

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”

and

“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

 

Getting back to the second verse of this song, it’s the next line where I think the theology gets squirrelly and, frankly, I can’t find a nice way to correct it other than saying “no”. Christ’s blood isn’t running in our veins. We have been baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6), we have been washed by Christ (Eph 5), made alive in Christ (Eph 2, 1 Cor 15)… but Christ’s Blood doesn’t run in our veins. Our bodies are still sinful flesh. Notice how Peter wrote of us as sojourners and exiles, encouraging us to abstain from the passions of the flesh. Our flesh is still sinful. Our hearts are still sinful. But we are also a new creation in Christ. This is that paradox of the Christian life, being simultaneously justified in Christ and sinners in the flesh. So, while I like this song overall, I do not like this line about Christ’s blood in our veins. I think it is a misstep.

Conclusion

I’ve given this song an overall Approval, though I take issue with that one line in the second verse. The song declares Jesus (“Behold the Lamb of God who takes away our sin”), our guilt under the Law and the Redemption by the Blood of Christ. Hell is defeated by Christ’s finished work on the Cross. There is a lot of good theological meat in the lyric of this song. I’m very pleased to be adding another song to our approved list.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) | Benediction

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Amen.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

Does John 14:12 teach that I am more powerful than Jesus?

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Wonderful article addressing Creflo’s bible twists and solid exegesis of John 14:12. Be sure to check out more of the Armchair Theologian’s blogs.

ACTheologian's avatarArmchair Theologian

creflo-dollar-600x338

Above is an image of Creflo Dollar, who I am singling out for this post on frequently twisted passages.  He like others I have also featured twists the Bible on the regular, and below I am going to analyze one of the verses that he does this to.

While Leaving Adventism one of the things that I studied was Pentacostal Theology.  Their teaching on this verse in John though is pervasive these days so I am going to address it plainly.  The way this is presented by the Pentacostals and Charismatics is that evidence of the Christian life is greater works.

By that they mean, if you are truly faithful and penitent, then you should be performing miracles.  Not just your garden variety miracles mind you, you must be outdoing Christ himself.  Not just you either, but the Church at large.  And if you don’t see that happening then you should be concerned…

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DiM | “Never Been a Moment” by Micah Tyler

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Presentation1CCM Edition.

October 20, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “Never Been a Moment” by Micah Tyler which currently sits at #20 on 20TheCountdownMagazine.

Today’s song is a subjective reflection on the goodness of God which might be sung honestly by a Christian applying solid theology to the lyrics of this song. It is not an evangelistic song, it doesn’t share the Gospel, and it really doesn’t do much in the way of encouraging other believers, it is purely subjective and introspective. Let’s give it a listen and then look through the lyrics.

Micah Tyler VEVO (Official Lyric Video)

Lyrics (via K-Love)

I’ve been sinner
I’ve been a saint
A little bit of both every single day
I’ve been lost
But somehow I’ve been found
There’s been some pain
Been some regret
Been some moments
I’ll never forget
But when I look back
From where I’m standing now

There’s never been a moment
I was not held inside Your arms
There’s never been a day when You were not who You say You are
Yours forever, it don’t matter
What I’m walking through
‘Cause no matter where I’m going
There’s never been a moment That I was not loved by You

You’ve been the rock
You’ve been the peace
Always showing Your good heart to me
My days are marked by grace I don’t deserve
You’ve been the price I could never pay
You’ve been the light that has led the way
No matter where I am, I am sure

So where could I go that I could wander from Your sight
Where could I run and never leave behind
Your all consuming
Heart pursuing
Grace extending
Never ending love
Your love
There’s never been a moment, no

Publishing: Fair Trade Global Songs (BMI) (admin. by Music Services, Inc.); Meaux Jeaux Music / Da Bears Da Bears Da Bears (SESAC) (admin by CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
Writer(s): Micah Tyler; Jeff Pardo

Discussion

Okay, so in this song the target audience is presumably God. The song as a whole is targeting the Christian who can relate to a similar “experience of God” as the singer. Experiences are not objective, so they are a horrible place from which to build theology. That which is not Biblical, is not theological. As I said in the intro, there is a specific context in which a person might honestly sing this song reflecting on the goodness of God in a way that affirms scripture. However, that context is narrow and not without its problems.

Verse 1. Scripture teaches us that as Christians saved by Grace, we are simultaneously sinner and saints, not merely alternating between the two. As long as we live in these corrupted bodies of flesh, we are sinners and we sin from our hearts. But, by the Grace of God through faith, we are also saints, forgiven of our sin because of what Christ has done for us in His death and resurrection.

Romans 7:22-25 (ESV) For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

There’s a way of limiting the meaning of the opening lines of this song to fit into this Scriptural doctrine, but the listener has to do it.

The next couple of lines are playing coy with what should be an appeal to the Gospel and this frustrates me. I’ve been lost but somehow I’ve been found. This wouldn’t be a problem if the truth of the Gospel were more clearly proclaimed in the lyric of the song somewhere. Christ “finds” us, He draws us in, He saves us. He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 to rescue the one that is lost (John 10:11-18; Luke 15:1-7). We are all that one that is lost. He came to rescue us, to pick us up, throw us onto His shoulders and carry us home. We were born lost due to Adam’s sin.

The rest of the verse needs to be translated into “sin”. These lines invoke modern-day evangelical speak intended to pad the punch of the Law, to soften the conviction of sin. These days you rarely hear of Sin being our primary problem; rather, you’ll hear people go on and on about “mistakes”, “regrets”, and “poor choices”. A penitent believer will see through this rhetoric as talking around the depth of our sin and depravity if looking at it through the Law of God. However, the flesh clings to the softer tones of “oopsies” and ever seek to self-justify. This first verse is very self-centered. Considering that we had an opportunity to point to the Gospel, it didn’t happen.

Chorus. The first couple of lines are truish of the Believer, if the perspective being drawn is that of God (being outside of time and space) knew His sheep from before the creation of the world, and redeemed us from all eternity for all eternity (Hebrews 10; Revelation 13:1-8). This is heady stuff and can be expounded upon Biblically, but it also can be taken in weird directions without solid theology supporting the thoughts. Without invoking the mystery of God’s timelessness, we might be led to think of this in a way that down-plays or even overlooks the fact that we are born dead in sins and trespasses and hostile to God. For those who grew up in Christian teaching that affirms paedobaptism, this intro to the chorus might also ring true as a reminder of what God accomplished for them in the waters of Baptism. For those of you who reject sacramental Baptism, this corrective measure will not aid you.

The third line, There’s never been a day when You were not who You say You are, is objectively true.

Hebrews 13:7-9 (ESV) Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.

The chorus, though, comes right back to “me”. So the eternal quality of the Love of God ends up being invoked to say how special I am… which, at least for me, distracts from Praising God for Who He Is. Guard your hearts against this theology of glory.

John 3:16-18 (ESV) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

I bring this verse up to serve as a reminder of the Message of the Gospel. It isn’t merely that God loves you; it is that He loved you despite your total wretchedness, He died in your place taking the punishment you deserve, and rising again on the Third day to forgive you of your sin, in His Name. He paid the price you couldn’t pay, to give you a forgiveness you don’t deserve. That’s the message of the Gospel. Thankfully, the next verse of the song steers a little closer to this understanding of the Gospel.

Verse 2. Closer, but the message is being conveyed subjectively, as if the singer is having a special experience or revelation of God’s grace, peace, and love. I don’t think that’s the singer’s intent, but that’s how the song reads. It’s not a song that says, “hey, this is Truth from God’s Word”; rather, it is a song that says “hey, I now see that this is how God’s been to me”. That’s a stylistic choice that seeks to carve out a “personal relationship” of Christianity in a culture that tries so hard to make all “truths” subjective. Still there are gems in this verse that are worth acknowledging:
My days are marked by grace I don’t deserve
You’ve been the price I could never pay (though I’d rather it say “You paid”, because I’m not sure what going on theologically behind the “you’ve been the price”).
Adam and Eve deserved instant death for their sin in the Garden (Genesis 3). God extended His Grace to them and to all of us who were born to them.

Verse 3. This verse is a collection of descriptors of the Greatness of the Love of God. It’s not the Gospel, but it is good news and nothing that is said here is wrong.

1 John 4:8-11 (ESV) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Conclusion

This song doesn’t clearly present the Gospel, though it does proclaim the greatness of God’s Love. There is a narrow context where this song can be a helpful reminder of the Love of God for us, but it requires a lot of solid theology on the part of the listener/singer. With its best construction, it is still a bit self-centered rather than Christ centered. It’s not a song for the unbeliever, there is really no Law and the Gospel is implied and a bit muddled (which generally happens when you try to present Gospel without the Law). Now, for a Christian who is struggling with the gravity of their sin already, being crushed by the weight of condemnation from a different source, then this song might provide some comfort… but please share the clear Gospel of Jesus Christ to just such an individual. This song doesn’t go the full distance from despair to repentance and absolution.

2 Corinthians 13:11-14 (ESV) Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

DiM | “One True God” by Steven Curtis Chapman

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ApprovedCCM Edition.

October 04, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “One True God” by Steven Curtis Chapman which currently sits at #9 on the K-Love top 10 Songs.

It is such a pleasure to find a song on a top 10 CCM chart that we can place in the “Approved” category. This song does a great job of filling a void in current popular CCM radio, that being the clear declaration of the Deity of Jesus, God the Son. I wish the lyric addressed repentance and the forgiveness of sin, but I’m so grateful for the clear proclamation of Jesus as God that I just didn’t feel right leaving it in the “middle ground”. Let’s listen to the song and then work through its lyrics.

Official Lyric Video

 

Lyrics (via K-Love)

One voice in the dark
A song that lights up the stars
One breath that gives life

One sovereign in power
Who speaks with thunder and fire
One Lord, one King

There is no other that can compare to You

You are
The One alone in greatness
The One who never changes
Jesus, You are
The One who rose in power
The One who reigns forever
Jesus, the One true God

One man on a cross
One light of the world
One Name, one Word

One Way to be saved
One Lamb that was slain
One Love above all

There is no other that can compare to You

You are
The One alone in greatness
The One who never changes
Jesus, You are
The One who rose in power
The One who reigns forever
Jesus, You’re the One true God
You’re the One true God

We have seen the glory of
The One and only Son of God
Yes, we have seen the glory
The One and only Son of God

You’re the One true God
You are the One true God

Publishing: © 2015 Who You Say Music (BMI)/Be Essential Songs (BMI) (both admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC) / WorshipTogether.com Songs (ASCAP) sixsteps Music (ASCAP) Said And Done Music (ASCAP) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) / Thankyou Music (PRS) (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com, excluding the UK which is adm. by Integrity Music, part of the David C. Cook family. Songs@integritymusic.com). / Worship Together Music (BMI) sixsteps Songs (BMI) S.D.G. Publishing (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)
Writer(s): Steven Curtis Chapman, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin

Discussion

It’s so wonderful to have a CCM song so clearly proclaim the Deity of Jesus.

John 1:1-18 (ESV) | The Word Became Flesh

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 was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as awitness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.(John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. Forthe law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

John 14:8-9 (ESV)

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

This song is a great example of Praising the Name of Jesus. It does it so wonderfully and without a single instance of the phrase “sing Your praises”. So, without singing about singing His praises, the song simply sings His praises. I love that.

Now, normally what I’m looking for in the lyrics of these songs in determining its disposition (approved, disapproved, middle-ground) is a clear articulation of the Gospel. This one doesn’t quite reach that directly, though it does indirectly in the lines One Way to be saved, One Lamb that was slain. The missing element in this song is the call to repentance and the forgiveness of sin. The writers of this song all tend to push a revivalist (also known as Finneyism) version of the Gospel, one that relies on an act of human will to “invite Jesus into their hearts” or “make a decision for Jesus” or “dedicate your life to Jesus”… none of which is taught in Scripture. The particularly frustrating thing here is that given the synergism in their theology, since they treat repentance as an act of their will one might think it would be readily included in CCM. It isn’t. Sin is a dirty word in CCM. But if you aren’t willing to address sin, you cannot share the comfort of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross for you.

Hebrews 10:19-25 (ESV) | The Full Assurance of Faith

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The song does rightly proclaim Jesus as LORD and Savior. When we understand that He is the Word made flesh, we know that to see Him we look to His Word, not our own emotions or acts of the will. It is Christ who saves us, He draws us, He grants us saving Faith according to His Word. He who promised is faithful, indeed. Alleluia!

Conclusion

This is probably the best song on either of the CCM Top charts right now. I pray we see more songs clearly proclaiming Christ and Him crucified for our sin… the Gospel of forgiveness, mercy, and Grace. Preach the Word, call all men to repent and be forgiven in Jesus’ Name.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV)The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Amen.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

Friday Sermon |The Gospel… by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt

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frisermonToday I thought I’d re-post a link to a powerful lecture given by Dr. Rod Rosenbladt at Faith Lutheran Church in Capistrano Beach, CA on November 7, 2010 entitled, “The Gospel for Those Broken by the Church“.

Video available on Vimeo

Audio Only version on Youtube

 

Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will,working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge