Many folks wonder why I give pause to popular Christian radio stations and rarely ever listen to them.  From “theologian” Amy Grant declaring that there is something that is “Better Than A Hallelujah” (by the way which is the one word you can give God the most praise with) to other man-centered “it’s-all-about-me-and-what God-can-do-for-me” songs, to anyone with a Berean-like ear, they bring tears of sadness.

The latest offering comes from the group Mike’s Chair.  The title alone gives it away, “Someone Worth Dying For”.  Now call me skeptical, but I’m not sure of idea that Jesus came and died because of our worth.  So rather than take my word for it, let’s see what the Bible has to say…

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,” – Romans 3:23-24

But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.‘ – John 15:25

In Romans 3:24 the Apostle Paul appears to be double-speaking when he says, “by his grace, as a gift”.  I mean grace is free, a gift is free.  What does he mean? However if we look at the Greek behind the translation, we start to see what he was ultimately saying.  The word ‘gift’ comes from the Greek word dōrean.  It is also the same Greek word we get the phrase “without a cause” in John 15:25.

Now let’s look at the lyrics from the chorus. “Yeah I wanna believe / Jesus help me believe that I /Am someone worth dying for…”  According to Mike’s Chair, we are asking Jesus to help confirm our self-worth.  Now, go back to Scripture and it all comes together.  The same Greek word used by Jesus telling that He was hated “without a cause” is the same word we get “gift”.  Just as Jesus was hated “without a cause”, so a loving God saved us “without a cause”!  That should make us rejoice and tremble at the same time.

Perhaps artists will take a closer look at their music before releasing it to the unsuspecting masses.  I pray for the day when songs are looked after to be Biblically sound (like this one) rather than popular but dumbed-down.

JS