Truth: The Essential Element Missing in Modern Christian Worship Music

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Imagine for a minute that you walk into your boss’s office for a performance review. Your boss ends up listing a number of things about your work performance, work ethic, and character but these things are all negative and untrue. She continues to list attributes about yourself that are false. How would you feel? Would you be upset, confused? You certainly wouldn’t be receptive to what she had to say. No one likes to hear things about themselves that are false. So how is it any different with God and when his people sing worship songs with lyrical content about him that is false?

 “For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.” Philippians 1:9-10

Have you ever considered how knowledge and discernment stem from love? Many times Christians misuse love in a way that would cover any criticism of an action or concern that someone is deviating from sound doctrine. Recently I was on my way to work and had a Hillsong song playing (GASP!) and one of the lines was, “Jesus, be all that I seek - Your presence is all that I need.” I thought how this line is totally untrue. We need God’s Word, truth, fellowship, exhortations from others, the body of Christ, the list goes on! Not to mention practical things are needed like air, clothes, water, and transportation. 

Some would say that I am being nitpicky but I believe there are two different ways to view Christian music and how one worships. Those who believe that the lyrical content does not matter because what is more important is the intention of that person’s heart. Then there are those who understand that Christians are called to worship God in spirit and in truth. What is missing today among many Christians is the understanding that truth is an essential element of worship. We are not called to just zone out while we listen to worship music or use it as a means to get in a good mood. If your focus is on yourself while you are praising and worship God then that focus is misplaced because it should be on God, his character, nature and works.

Do you think God cares about right and wrong? Of course, he does! What do you think you are doing when you are worshipping with music? You are proclaiming statements about God. Do you think God wants to hear things about himself that are false? Do you think he is receptive to that type of worship? Would you enjoy someone coming up to you and repeating things about yourself that are simply untrue? You certainly wouldn’t! So, why would it be any different with God when it comes to the songs we sing to him?

My challenge to Christians who believe the lyrical content of their worship music is not relevant is to be a consistent proclaimer of truth. Please keep in mind judging the lyrical content of a song is not the same thing as judging someone’s heart. This isn’t Pharisaical – the Pharisees added laws to God’s Word because they didn’t understand his nature. They also were hypocrites, twisted scripture, made converts by force, and were concerned with outward righteousness. My concern is that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ. I cannot be a consistent proclaimer of truth while singing songs about Christ that are untrue,

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