If you are anything like me, you likely are unaware that the Grammys were even scheduled or that they took place yesterday until your news feed tried to click-bait you into stories from the event itself. Take, for example, the shocking news of Kanye West’s wife showing up entirely nude for the Red Carpet. First, let me respond to this absurdity: nothing should shock you when you bring together some of the world’s most spiritually impoverished people into one room. Second, I find it deeply hypocritical to have seen the headlines expressing reports of the “shocked” and “stunned” onlookers and reporters.
While I 100% disagree with such debauchery, where is the shock from those same onlookers and reporters at the onslaught of nudity that dominates Hollywood, the music industry, and the pornographic industry, which many of them have deep pockets in? Where is the shock and disgust over the countless music videos that simulate gross—nearly pornographic—sexual content that often parades the most egregious of immoral lifestyles? It isn’t there, but even the wicked have to virtue signal.
However, it wasn’t the reports of nudity and immorality that caught my attention; it was a little snippet from the Grammys regarding the winner of the best rap album, DOECHII. Having never heard of this person, I quickly searched to get an idea of the lyrics for this Grammy-winning nomination. Yeah, there’s no reason to look them up. The songs, as expected, are riddled with vulgar, expletive-driven bars. The music is filthy, as are the music videos accompanying the songs. For this reason, the following words from her acceptance speech caused so much dissonance.
DOECHII: “I dedicated myself to sobriety, and God told me I would be rewarded and that He would show me just how good it can get. And I have to thank God…”
These words are similar to Kendrick Lamar, who won Best Rap Performance for “Not Like Us,” another song riddled with vulgar and expletive-driven bars. His acceptance speech begins with the following:
KENDRICK LAMAR: “First and foremost, all praise to the Most High…”
God at the Grammys?
In the Old Testament, we are met with the engraved commandment of “Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain.” At the surface level, this is often interpreted to mean that one should not vocalize or use the name of God in a frivolous or vulgar manner. Yet, a deeper look into the text reveals that it isn’t so much the “speaking” of God’s name but the character and quality of those who share the honor of being a people of the Name. In other words, don’t make the name of the God you claim to serve empty and frivolous to the world around you. Yet that is precisely what celebrity culture is doing, and expanding the net further, what much of Christianity today is doing.
A hedonistic industry that is mired in gross immorality and perversion can easily stand up and vacuously drop God into their monologues and conversations. They can blatantly live a life that is 100% contrary to biblical mandates yet, with overwhelming nods by countless millions of others who claim to be themselves, followers of Christ, give God praise for opening doors for them in the music industry.
This made me think of Denzel Washington’s recent baptism and the awarding of his minister’s training license with the First Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ Eastern New York. Washington references an early experience with the Holy Ghost in the 1980s where he “blabbered and blabbered,” concluding that it was “too powerful…unbelievable…exhausting.” Yet, despite this conversation, baptism, and ordination, Washington has long presented himself in his career as a man of faith and a devout Christian. Perhaps he will now shift into a more dedicated life of faith. Still, there appears to be no contention with his movie career and the parts he has played over the years, including his recent Gladiator II filming that was plagued by reports of a nixed homosexual scene in which he and another actor were involved.
This watered-down, vacuous Christianity is endemic to the postmodern age we are living in, and it has sought to push against everything the Church should stand resolute against! But not everything can be laid at the feet of postmodernism. I would submit that “easy believism” has proven to be just as damning, if not more so, than the most ignoble of French intellects.
Where Christ Can Be Found
To know where Christ can be found, you must go to the Word of God. There, we see Christ is available to anyone who would repent and seek forgiveness. This means Christ can be found in the drug-infested streets or the prestigious White House. In fact, should someone be overcome with a spirit of sincere repentance at the Grammys, Christ could be found for that person even amongst the hedonism and perversion of the surroundings. That said, scripture does not leave Christ on the cross, which easy-believism and its cadre of sinful “Christians” seem to do today.
What I mean by this is simple. The WHOLE GOSPEL is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that WHOLE GOSPEL is realized in our lives when we also become active participants in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How does this happen?
Acts 2:37–39 (KJV) — 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Through repentance, we access the justification and reconciliation made possible by Christ’s death on the cross. Our repentance is then inaugurated through baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus. We, being dead in our sins, are baptized into Christ’s death so that we can be raised in the newness of life in the likeness of Christ’s resurrection by being filled with the Holy Ghost.
Romans 6:3–5 (KJV) — 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Colossians 2:12–15 (KJV) — 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
John 3:5–8 (KJV) — 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
This, however, is only the beginning! God forbid we become new creatures, yet we fail to put away old things. Scripture makes it extremely clear that we are to pursue righteousness in action, thought, and character. We are to be Holy as He is Holy. We are to cease living a life of sin, avoiding contact with worldliness and unrighteousness, and obey and submit to the Word of God.
1 Peter 1:13–16 (KJV) — 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Peter 3:11 (KJV) — 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness…
2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 (KJV) — 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. 1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
John 8:31–32 (KJV) — 31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
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