Jesus Just Wants To Give You A Hug?
Over thirty years ago, the great philosopher Paul McCartney asked, “What’s wrong with silly love songs?” Having given this over three decades of serious consideration (OK, at least several months), I have Sir McCartney’s answer.It depends.If you want to fill the world with silly love songs, there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you want to fill the church with them, I say, “Stop it!”Tune into your “get you through your day” Christian music station and you will hear grown men, whining like love sick puppies, “Nothing else can take your place, or feel the warmth of your embrace.” Who are they singing to? The One who holds the universe together by the power of His word, or a chick?Take the QuizHere are six phrases from six contemporary songs. Can you pick which phrases belong to secular songs and which to the sacred?1. All I need to do is just be me, being in love with you.2. My world stops spinning round, without you.3. I never want to leave; I want to stay in your warm embrace.4. I’m lost in love.5. Now and forever, together and all that I feel, here's my love for you.6. You say you love me just as I am.The first three are from a popular Christian band called Big Daddy Weave, the second half are from Air Supply.More and more of our Christian music is sounding one note: Jesus loves you soooooo much. Do I doubt for a second that Jesus loves His children? Nope, but it depends on what your definition of “love” is.God “agape” loves His children. Agape love is not an emotions based, warm and fuzzy kind of love. Agape love is a self sacrificing, “I will help you despite how I feel” love.William Tyndale was the first translator to use the word “love” for agape. Prior to the 16th century, the word “charity” best described agape. Leaving that debate aside, since Tyndale’s time, the English definition for love has expanded. Our modern day use of love ranges from a love for an object to physical love/sex (eros love). I love that new car. I love that girl. I love that God. That God loves me.Not only do we use “love” in romantic ways to sing about God, we have added other romantic phrases to our Christian music repertoire: hold me, embrace me, feel you, need you. This criticism is not new, in fact, it has existed since Godly men began endeavoring to sing anything but the Psalms.John Wesley considered an “amatory phrase” to be language that was more feelings based love than self-sacrificing agape love. John deleted “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” from one of his brother Charles’ collections because it was too romantic sounding.Amatory PhrasingNot only are musicians guilty of writing amatory phrases, but they are singing with amatory phrasing. Christian men sing with such romantic longing and neediness it makes me want to scream, “Man up!”Christian women are singing with such throaty breathiness you would think they had just run from their home to the studio. To whom exactly are they singing? Brad Pitt or the Savior?There are two consequences to this “Jesus is my boyfriend/girlfriend” music. Needy, emotional women continue to need more counseling, self help books and conferences where they can spread their wings and soar. Men simply are not showing up for church. It is my belief they simply can’t stand the mood manipulating worship times designed to help them “feel the Lord’s embrace.”Musical MermaidsWithout theology in music, we are offering fluff that will not comfort when bridges collapse and test reports are negative. Songwriters could provide true hope if they would write about the sovereignty of God rather than crying about “how safe I feel when Jesus is holding me.”Charles Spurgeon had the same criticism of “Hymns for Heart and Voice” published in 1855. He condemned the hymns as being “little better than mermaids, nice to look at but dangerous because they cannot deliver what they promise.”Is there anything wrong with being reminded that our God is our help from ages past? Of course not, the Psalms are loaded with promises of God’s comfort. But unlike the Psalms (and theology based hymns), contemporary music is void of the reason why we should not worry. We do not worry because someone purrs that we shouldn’t fret, but because God is our shelter in the stormy blast and our eternal home. Our comfort comes from knowledge, not caterwauling.If you enjoy a silly love song now and then, knock yourself out. But leave them where they belong, in the world or in the bedroom, not in the church.
Posted by J & J Bible Ministry, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
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7 comments:
I think this is right in saying that christian songs should teach strong spiritual truths.
But I don't think that there is really anything wrong with talking about God's love in a 'romantic' way. I mean, He is our kinsman redeemer, He is our Bridegroom, He is the one who is an example to every husband of how to love and cherish a wife (Husbands are told to love their wives as Christ loves the Church)! Our God invented romance! He wants us to long for His love!
Now, if all we can focus on is a fuzzy feeling, that's bad, because we should focus on the God who made those feelings.
But fuzzy feelings themselves are not bad.
Feeling as though God is holding you tight and saving you from the storm is not bad- it's good, it's biblical, read the psalms and see if you agree. Focus on God, not on the feeling, though.
Remember God does lavish His love on His Bride, and His love is beautiful!
Lady, have you ever read, "Desiring God" by John Piper? I know you've talked about Piper before...
It's a book that really changed my outlook on life, love, and God, I recommend it if you haven't...
Also, another book I would LOVE to recommend to everyone is "The Slumber of Christianity"
"silly love songs"? I don't know that singing about the love of our heavenly Bridegroom exactly fits that... I love God and want to love Him more, without Him in my life I would be nothing, He is the Light of my Life, these are the kinds of things this article seems to say we find in 'silly love songs'.
What would the authors of this article say to Psalm 42? I haven't time to type it, but this song is a cry of heartsick longing for God.
The authors of this article have it right, I think, that sound doctrine should be in songs, and I agree that if all you ever sing about Jesus is that he wants to hug you, that's not good. But, Jesus really does want to give you a hug, I think ;D is singing songs about that regularly wrong?
Oh, How I love Jesus, because he first loved me!
and I love you too, lady... Hope it doesn't bother you horribly that I don't agree with this article's implications...
While I agree with some of the points in this article, I also disagree with some, and agree with Lana... I don't think there's anything wrong with singing about God's love in a "romantic" way. I think that songs like that can be good sometimes... sometimes people need to know that God is the One Who's love we need, instead of searching and longing for love from someone else. He does love us very, very much, and sometimes His love is the only thing that gets us through trials. But, of course, He is a loving God, but He is also a just God, so I understand about not just focusing on His love, and therefore sending the message that you can do whatever you want and He will not have to punish you for it.
That's all for now, but thanks for posting this, it is an interesting discussion. :D
see ya tonight! I am *SOO* excited about it being in the KOH!!!!!! :D
luv u,
~Emy
Where to begin?
I started Desiring God. I don't know where you are going with that though. I don't really see where it fits into the discussion.
"Focus on God, not on the feeling, though." That is the key. Do these songs glorify God or do they point us to emotions? I agree with the point you have made about Him being our bridegroom. Your right. Singing to God in a romantic way isn't necessarily bad as long as it doesn become abiguous. The issue that (I thought) I saw addressed was that many of the Christians songs don't necessarily point to God. You said that you think sound doctrine important. I must say that many of our "romantic" Jesus songs aren't theologically sound. That is just it. They're hedonistic, in the original use of the word.
Lana, by what you said I think you agree with what the man has written. I didn't realize when I read it that he discouraged all use of such romantic language. I just understood it to be that our songs should be sound and not "feel goody". Now mind you maybe I read it wrong and/or I am reading my own oppinion into what is actually written.
Ok I read it again and I can more see ya'll's issue but still I would have to agree with him. Like I said above I think it has much more to do with the fact that good theology is missing in such songs. Even some songs in the hymbook at church have some off theology. If you can sing in a romantic way to God b/c you know of His character that is great but these songs don't tell you of it.
Another thing to point out is that these kind of songs have taken over and it seems that the frustration of the author is ,in part, do to the fact that very few sings of the flip side of this love coin.
Did I explain myself adequately? I don't usually. *_* This makes me study and use my mind. Ugg. T hose things require work!lol
Well I'm with Lana there. As usual, we don't agree! How are we friends?????:) But a lot of your letters were with mine. But “I will help you despite how I feel” sounds like, "Golee, I don't care 2cents about you, but oh well. Isaiah said I'd do this, so I guess I have to."
Wow, this is getting deep! :) I agree and disagree with a lot too, so rather than repeat a lot that has already been said, I think I'll voice another opinion in that I think the importance is in the heart of the person singing the song. Where I am disappointed in a lot of Christian music today is when you can't really figure out who or what the person is talking about. If their heart was in the right place, then that's great! But, if it isn't specific (eg. "Who is this song being sung to???") I don't consider that capable of leading others in worship and that's where I think it is a problem. I would also add a lot of the songs these days sound like they were written to be able to be sung to whomever a person would like, and even more specifically to maybe be released in both mainstream and Christian genres, and I'm not much of a fan of crossovers. Anyways, I think I have strayed from the original topic, but those were my thoughts as I read the article and the comments.
Blessings,
HannahElizabeth
No Hannah that was my point. Or at least what I was trying to get at. That is the thing with Good theology. If you are sound doctrinaly then there will be no ambiguity as to whom the song is directed.
Meg I didn't understand a word of what you posted past "being friends".
I will help you despite how I feel was how you described Gof's love and I was saying I as usual don't agree:) And no, Drallen and I play online. We play tomorrow. I win tomorrow.
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