Dr. Michael Brown is applauding an insightful article from a surprising source – secular rapper Kendrick Lamar – which criticizes today’s churches for their sugar-coated approach to scripture. Lamar, apparently an infrequent visitor to church since his childhood, was unpleasantly surprised to find worship services still unfulfilling ~
… I’ve finally figured out why I left those services feeling spiritually unsatisfied as a child. I discovered more truth. But simple truth. Our God is a loving God. Yes. He’s a merciful God. Yes. But he’s even more so a God of DISCIPLE. OBEDIENCE. A JEALOUS God. …
For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of
those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love
ME and keep My commandments. ~ Exodus 20:5-6
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Perhaps in an attempt to fill their pews, these days far too many Christian churches neglect to mention the other side of God’s nature; omnipotent, infallible, righteous – and wrathful when necessary (see the Old Testament); He’s the Creator and ultimate judge of the entire universe. Maybe they’re afraid that the full story of the gospel might somehow be offensive. But by watering down the true message: we are all miserable, fallen sinners who justly deserve the sovereign wrath of God, we actually devalue the world-shaking significance of God’s awesome, redemptive love as manifested in His son Jesus Christ.
Lamar continues ~
“The wages of sin is Death” […]
As a community, we was taught to pray for our mishaps, and he’ll forgive you. Yes, this is true. But he will also reprimand us as well. As a child, I can’t recall hearing this in service. Maybe leaders of the church knew it will run off churchgoers? No one wants to hear about karma from the decisions they make. It’s a hard truth. We want to hear about hope, salvation, and redemption. Though his son died for our sins, our free will to make whatever choice we want, still allows him to judge us.
Rap theology? Who knew? The thing is, there’s more honest truth in what Kendrick Lamar says than you’ll hear in most churches today.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ~ Proverbs 9:10
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Jesus saves. But only those who realize they need saving. That’s Truth even a rapper can understand.
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Related:
Chart-Topping Rapper Kendrick Lamar Is Preaching More Spiritual Truth Than Most of the Dead Churches In America
