Sunday, May 18, 2008

Faulty Theology in Songs

I was listening to the radio today, maybe that was my first mistake, and heard some words to a song by Kutless called Run. I had to listen hard as I could not believe the words I heard. Here are some of the words from the song that was playing:

Why do you run why do you hide oh don't you know I
just, just want to be with you


Looking down from above as you watch TV
Wondering why, why you're ignoring me

Do you remember, remember when I came to you and you loved me

And I'm waiting for you, And I'm waiting for you


Why do you run why do you hide oh don't you know I

just, just wanna be with you, to be with you
Hey, why do you run why do you hide oh don't you know

I just, just wanna be with you, to be with you...


Whatever happened to the love, the love you had for me

When you first came to me

Don't you know that I died, I died so I could be with you, forever

And I’m waiting for you, And I'm waiting for you


As I heard this song I wondered what Jesus it was speaking about as it reflects a needy Savior who is helpless and in need of a friend. Christ did not die so He could be with us forever but died so sinners could come before the Father. So a disobedient obstinate people could come and worship the God of all creation. A basic reading of Hebrews, let alone the rest of scripture, revels a Savor quite different from the Jesus of this song.

What is disconcerting about songs such as this is that some will get their theology from words such as these. They will get their understanding of Jesus from words that speak nothing of what scripture says about the savior rather than taking the necessary time to read the true source of truth.

This also speaks to the necessity of the church taking preaching and teaching seriously. It is only when we instill a firm theological base that songs such as this will be seen for what they are. Songs such as this are the result of a church that delivers milk instead of meat.

This is also a lesson for parents to make sure they listen to what their children are hearing. Just because a song sounds good and Jesus or God is mentioned is not enough as the theology of the music, and all music has a theology, will influence ones children if they are not firmly grounded in the truth. My prayer is that the church will raise up families that raise up children that will discern the error of songs such as these themselves.

3 comments:

Brandon Schoenberger said...

Unfortunately misguiding lyrics such as these are all too common in the (very broad) "Christian & Gospel" genre. Really makes you listen to and think about the lyrics more closely. I'm sure their intentions are in the right place, but it does make a good point for (Christian) song writers to check their lyrics against the Bible (especially when speaking as Jesus, which is pretty sketch all on its own).

Bluegrass Endurance said...

Good point about "speaking as Jesus." I did not even touch on the differnce between talking, or in this case singing, about Jesus and talking as Jesus.

I just wish people would put as much effort into the lyrics with regard to content as seems to go into everything else.

I realize it is a whole differnt genre but the words that Sovereign Grace Music and Indelible Grace Music put out are so rich and full of theological conent yet they are also are well produced so one can have both.

Bluegrass Endurance said...

Oh yea, I should have added that my intention was not so much about the group as the song since I really no nothing about them.