1. We have been created to give God glory (Eph. 2:10; Matt. 5:16).
One of my new favorite quotes is from St. Augustine: "You have made us for Yourself, O LORD, and our heart is restless until it rests in You." God's glory, foremost His glory in the cross, is the root of our joy. If we are made to give God glory - to know Him and to make Him known - nothing else will satisfy.
2. Sin is defined as falling short of God's glory (Rom. 3:23).
The Greek word for sin, ἁμαρτάνω, taken literally means missing the mark. God has a standard, and we have missed it. He is something that we are not (see Ps. 50:21). Our sin is choosing anything other than Him and thus falling short of His glory.
3. Our missing of God's glory leads to the exchange of God's glory (Rom. 1:18-23).
Sin leads to exchanging the incorruptible God for corruptible images. What do you see that is anything less than God? What is corruptible? Money, makeup, face, sex, video games, TV, music, jewelry, clothing - valuing any one of these as greater than or equal to God is the exchange of His glory.
And here we find ourselves, attempting to take the place of God, ultimately worshiping our pleasure rather than pursuing it in God. I'm not just talking about the unregenerate; this is the root of all sin. And from this heinous selfishness we come up with a man-centered - not a Christ-centered - Christianity, a Christianity that says,
"You are more than flesh and bone;
Don't you see you're something beautiful?
Yeah, you gotta believe, He wants you to see:
You're not just some wandering soul
That can't be seen and can't be known.
Oh you gotta believe, you gotta believe
That you are someone worth dying for."
~Mikeschair, "Someone Worthy Dying For"
(I wonder if Satan could have written a more terrible thing).
"I can feel your mystery moving in my hands and feet Leading me through disbelief, finding strength when I feel weak. You make the most of me. You make the most of me."~Marie Miller, "Make the Most of Me"
I could go on and on. Sadly this train of thought is prevalent in Christian music. We make up a religion that's about us and not about God. We view God as our slave rather than ourselves as God's slaves. God's work is primarily to make the most of us, not to make the most of Himself.
But there is something else in need of saying: "Christian" music is not the problem - I am.* If stones be thrown, they should be thrown at me first because I have this attitude in my own sinful heart every day. I fight, but it is always there.
O God, be glorified in our lives for Your sake. Cause us to squelch this pride which is the root of all our sin. Remove us from the ultimate picture and be praised among the nations.
"Take all my cravings for vain recognition Fleshly indulgence and worldly ambition I want so much Lord to make You the focus To serve You in secret and never be noticed"~Sovereign Grace Music, "Surrender All"
It's evident You run the show, so let me back down.You take the leading role, and I'll play the background.I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines;I'm sticking to Your script, and I'm reading all Your signs.I don't need my name in lights. I don't need a starring role.And why gain the whole wide world, if I'm just gon' loose my soul.And my ways ain't purified - I'll live according to Your Word.I can't endure this life without Your wisdom being heard.So word to every dancer for a pop star,Cause we all play the background, but mine's a Rock Star.Yeah. So if you need me I'll be stage right.Prayin' the whole world will start embracing stage fright.So let me fall back and stop giving my suggestions,Cause when I follow my obsessions I end up confessing.That I'm not that impressive, matter of fact I'm who I are:A trail of star dust leading to the Superstar.~Lecrae, "Background"
* When a newspaper editor once asked "What is the problem with the world?" G.K. Chesterton wrote back responding, "I am."
No comments:
Post a Comment