Matthew 7:3-5
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how [a]can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Before I begin, allow me to remove the log from my own eye. I am a selfish and prideful person. I have been for as long as I know. The more the Lord reveals what it means to be humble and meek, the more I see how horrible my sin is. I would say that my pride and selfishness has been more manifest than it is in most people I know as well. From my teenage years on into my twenties, there was nothing I did that was not 100% formulated to profit me. I knew what I was doing and did it because I wanted something. I can’t even recall small items that I reacted to that were without some thought and twisted to benefit myself. I justified it to myself by benefitting others, but never did I act out of humility or concern for someone else’s interests instead of my own.
I struggle with this today as well. I am a very competitive person. I am always weighing things. I weigh outcomes. I weigh righteousness. I weigh the law and its effects. I look and decide whether others are persevering. I pray for a lot of people to be saved that say they have known Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, yet I believe live in a way that does not state that. I have opinions on everything. By that, I mean to say that if you ask me a question or are stating your thoughts, I will immediately agree or disagree without researching and will most likely share it with you whether you cared to hear it or not.
I also joke in a way that would not reflect Christian maturity. There are things that my heart delights in that are not scripturally sound and show my ever present need for the grace in the gospel. I am a sinner just as in need of grace and mercy today as I was the day I was born again.
With that said, there is something I feel convicted to address. Christian music or music made by Christians and the self centeredness of the content as of late. I would like to more specifically address the genre of rap.
I am a rapper. I have been for almost 13 years. The first recorded song I made was in late 2000 and picked up pace in early 2001. I understand the culture-from the spiritual aspect to the elements. I have studied it as an art form and lived it as a lifestyle. I say that purposely. I have also made music reflective of the life I lived after living it, rap, as a lifestyle. I have felt comfort inside of it and also felt like a stranger. Today, I feel like a younger brother reaching out to an older brother who seems to have lost direction and is heading down a very dark path. The worst part is that it is in the realm of Christians making rap that I feel most disconnected.
So what is my problem? My problem is that there seems to be a lack of focus on God. Rap is a very personal and aggressive genre. In its past, it has been used as a viable form of empowerment and spread of knowledge. It affected society from the ears down to the heart. It is still that form in the genre of Christian rap/hip hop/etc. People use it as a tool to teach and to deal with very hard questions. They also use it as a sounding board for their own frustrations and opinions. I am one of them. You can’t listen to LAYERS without catching my back story. My opinions on what issues exist and my interpretation of what should be said about it is all over the album. I then continued to mold songs to put my opinions out and deal with issues I felt Chrsitians and non believers should deal with.
In and of itself, dealing with issues affecting the body is not a problem. I don’t want to go too pharisaical, but my worry is that I am seeing an open division as we put opinions that are not supported with Scripture out in the public realm. I’ve seen Christians attacking each other on wax. I’ve heard lots of bragging of personal skills in comparison. I’ve heard “opinions” of a lot of things presented as the truth on records. What I have not heard a lot of-especially from the non major label groups-is praise and worship to God.
So isn't this all just opinion? Isn't this whole blog a lot of what you just said is the problem with music. Am I just stating opinion and my personal observations and trying to change what I don't like?
Possibly. I can see that. It's in my nature to do that. This is exactly why I shared my issues and I have put myself before you to be accountable. I prayerfully ask you to consider what will be said against scripture and if it not be His will and word, that you go by what He says and not me.
So with that being said.....
We have purposes to use music. Look at Colossians 3:16-17 for example. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. We should sing unto the Lord (Exodus 15:21; Psalms 33:3; 81:1; 149:1; Ephesians 5:18, 19). It is a precious form of worship to our Lord in the old testament (Psalms 66:2, 4; 68:4, 25, 32) and the new (Acts 2:46, 47; 16:25, 26).
Looking back and listening to the songs I wrote I see a whole lot of me. I wish I saw a lot more of God. I can’t do anything about the past, but I can do something about the future, Lord willing. I can change the focus of the songs from a “me centeredness”-from approaching what concerns me and what I don’t like or who I think is doing wrong and focus more on God Himself! I can praise the judgments of God as opposed to assuming who should be judged. I am not saying steer clear of addressing sin, but the scripture tells us how to do that. Sometimes we think we have a great way to do it and a platform and that it is God given to do so. If it doesn’t match up with the Word, conviction should let you know. Instead of thinking my gift has to convince and change people, how about pointing everyone to the God who changes hearts and natures by way of praise! Make Jesus the center of our song! Make God the Father the center of our song! Make the Holy Spirit the center of our song! Make God the center of our song! He is enough to enjoy and savor and praise! Our talent is nothing on its own and He is everything on His own!
What a gift is that of making music. This includes hip hop. I cannot convince all of you who read this to change your perception of what God has called you to say or what kind of music to make. I would like to ask as a brother that you consider whether the opinions you make and broadcast through music are to edify the church and/or to praise God or if they are something else altogether. Ephesians 4:29 says Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. What a convicting statement to me. Oh how I have sinned in my music and I will have to give account. Also consider Matthew 12:36 “I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” You can actually go down the list here: http://www.openbible.info/topics/power_of_words
There is much written on our words. There is also much written on music. Our God created. I pray that each of you who read this consider using it to worship God and that the focus of at least one song, be solely on God Himself and not on our selfish desires and concerns. May He be glorified through the use of the gift as it is used to point others to our holy and righteous God who is worthy of ALL praise!