Christian (w)Rap … Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

“Don't let yourselves get taken in by religious smooth talk. God gets furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but want nothing to do with Him. Don't even hang around people like that.” (Eph 5:5-7, Mess.)

I sometimes hear “oh, I hate rap” and usually the person is referring to R&B or Hip Hop rap music. I also despise rap, however, I don’t mean the bass pounding rhymes of poetic recording artists. No, what I am referring to is religious sales talk. I have found it in at least two “varieties”…

“Rap” …
I have encountered people who have heard or read some great “Christian Rap.” Words that hit their heart or sound super spiritual to them and then they begin sharing it with others. Appropriating the thoughts or teaching of others as if this is their own experience or understanding from God. Painting “color by number word pictures” of how to be a Christian… unfortunately, and often, the picture is not an accurate reflection of God’s word, but rather the word of some other “well-meaning” Christian, that may or may not have it right. In the end just a regurgitation of a filtered message that turns into a conversation of bumper sticker slogans. “For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” (2Peter 2:18-19, NIV.)

Often this “rap” leaves the person who heard it with the feeling or sense of shame or failure. That somehow their experience or feelings are inferior compared to other “more spiritual” Christians, or maybe they are just not trying “hard enough.” Radically different from spiritual conviction, which brings about sorrowful repentance, instead this rap only discourages, confuses, and alienates people.

Lyrics from a Minneapolis Rap Quartet, Junkyard Prophet cuts right to it, describing it like this “Playin’ the game … Blasphemin’ His name … For the gain and fame … Your claim is vain … Your walk is lame.”

God’s words through Paul describe it like this “For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They've got to be shut up. They're disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for the sake of a fast buck.” (Titus 1:10, Mess.) Paul strongly says in Romans 2 “I have a special word of caution for you who are sure that you have it all together yourselves and, because you know God's revealed Word inside and out, feel qualified to guide others through their blind alleys and dark nights and confused emotions to God. While you are guiding others, who is going to guide you? I'm quite serious. While preaching, "Don't steal!" are you going to rob people blind? Who would suspect you? The same with adultery. The same with idolatry. You can get by with almost anything if you front it with eloquent talk about God and His law.” (Rom 2:21-23, Mess.)

Each of us who attempts to teach or encourage with words or with deed, may we remember sincerely the strong admonishments in Proverbs 30 …”Every word of God is tested… Do not add to His words, or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” (Prov 30:5a-6, NASB) If we are truly interested in encouraging or teaching others, consider Paul’s way “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Rom12:15, NASB) When I enter into the experiences of others and stand with them, with Christ there is powerful encouragement, however “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1Cor13:1, NASB) “Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that.” (Eph 5:1-4, Mess.)

Then there is “Wrap” …
Wrapping one’s actions with poignant justifications using god-marketing slogans, often in an attempt to control others into desired behaviors or to cover up their own sin. In my experience this “pretty talk” all comes back to the same places … pride and coveting. Yet, in the delivery it sounds so “holy.”

Jesus revealed it this way, “They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer. Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help.” (Mat 23:3-4, Mess.)

Obviously God’s tolerance of this matter is infinitively greater than mine. Whew, what a relief since I along with all of mankind struggle with a form of hypocrisy, and double-mindedness so the word clearly teaches in Romans 7:14-25 and my life experience, sad to say, definitely demonstrates. “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7:24&25a, NASB)

So I encourage you “my dear friends, don't believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God….” (1John 4:1, Mess.)

Jesus doesn’t need marketing…
Instead of killing time with religious sales talk, I encourage us to fill up our lives connecting one to one with Jesus. “ I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3:16-19,NIV)

May we both be so full of the intimate personal knowledge of Jesus that we are actually bursting at the seams with overwhelming love so that out of our mouths flows the refreshing poetic awe of our adventures with our loving Father! (Now that is the kind of rap, I definitely want to hear, how about you?)