Listen. A Response to Critics of Lauren Daigle

To my dear Christian Sisters and Brothers,

Lauren Daigle’s music career is a journey of GRACE (God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense). And in the spirit of GRACE, I implore you, my Christian critics to remember our own rags to riches journey.

So, I ask you to listen. Listen to the lyrics of Lauren’s new song …

“Six feet under / I thought it was over / An answer to prayer / The voice of a Savior / Rise up / Rise up,”

These sweet words should resonate in your hearts, dear friends. Does this sound familiar? “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins …” Ephesians 2:1. Recognize that?

I ask you, “What can a dead person do? What can a corpse “six feet under” do?”

The answer (duh) is NOTHING. Dead things are dead. They are unable, on their own, to do anything. They are dead.

And news alert, this death sentence refers to all people. And news flash, that includes you, yes, even Christians.  Our death sentence is this, “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

And just one more thing. Please, I say these things with love, to bring to you the gift of repentance which restores, revives and brings new life.

As Lauren said in a radio interview, “I think the second we start drawing lines around which people are able to be approached and which aren’t, we’ve already completely missed the heart of God.”

Right on, Lauren.

The only mention of Biblical line-drawing I can recall is when Jesus bent down to draw something on the ground. And when he was drawing, he said, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7

In the words of the Psalmist, I pray that we all may fall to our knees and ask the Lord to “restore to me (and you) the joy of (our) salvation.” Psalm 51:12

It is my hope to remind you (and myself) of the Gospel, the good news, the GRACE, and the joy of our salvation … Jesus Christ, our savior, our redeemer, the one who raises up dead things and gives new life.  After all, God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:4.

And the truth is this … Jesus came to rescue all people from death. To breath new life into our corpse. How did he do that? More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus took every sin (before and behind) and nailed it to the cross. He became a corpse and in exchange, made us alive. The cross produced life. A quickening of breath. A sudden gasp of air filled our lungs. Faith began to pump our hearts. Our stone-cold heart became soft. It pumped and turned to flesh.

And do you remember, dear friends, how and when that happened for you? As you may recall, we didn’t ask Jesus to do this for us. We didn’t earn it or decide for it. We weren’t holier than others or more obedient. Remember … we were dead. And what can a corpse do?

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved – and raised us up with him …” “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:4-5,8-9.

I don’t want you to miss this! We are not saved by good works. We are not saved by holy living and obedience. We are saved by GRACE (Grace is a gift. Your salvation is an un-earned and undeserved gift from God) through Faith. And through Faith, we let Christ live in us. He is perfect. He is holy, and He is obedient for us and through us.

And here’s even better news … “Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17.

So, again, I say … listen. And let God’s word fill you with faith.  Let faith enter into your dead bones. Let God’s Word revive you.

Listen. “Let there be light, and there was light.” Listen. “She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” Mark 5:27-28

Listen. Faith comes by hearing. So even faith is a gift of God’s amazing GRACE.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10:4

Lauren, preach on, girlfriend!

I am sorry for all the critics. We are messed up. We sound like modern-day pharisees who laugh and mock Jesus for eating with sinners. We are my nature sinful and unclean. We have forgotten the joy of our salvation and the way of salvation. Only Jesus is the way, the truth and life (John 14:6)

But thanks be to God for his indescribable gifts. God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense (GRACE) has been poured out to us every day. His mercies are new every morning!

Again, I say listen. The Bible is not a book of rules or what you should or should not be doing. The Bible, God’s very Word, is about Jesus and what he has done.

And the faith you receive through listening will remind you to trust that the word will be accomplished. His word will produce faith. Rules lead to despair, but Grace leads to life.

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11

Sing on soul sister!

By His Grace,

Jody

The Great Flip

Jody is the Coach and Founder of The Great Flip, online self-defense and life skill for girls. The Great Flip offers online self-defense, nutrition and faith-based motivation for girls and their families.  The name “The Great Flip” comes from 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” This is the Great Flip!