The Wild Fundamentalists!

After reading much debate on the subject of a certain Christian rap artist, I have decided to make known my opinions on the matter. It is not my goal throughout this post to clarify my position or the position of those who agree with me, but rather to clarify our disposition.

I have to say first that I have enjoyed the titles of some of the posts that I have read. Most notably is the following, "The People Clapped, He Sat Down, And The Fundamentalists Went Wild." If you read the post, you will find that the title was taken from a line in another post found here, "This Rap Dung Is Gettin' Way Outta Hand."

I would like to say first that I am one of those who would be considered a fundamentalist. Not only so, but I am also very proud to be categorized as one. I have always believed that the word fundamentalist refers to someone who adheres to the fundamentals or the original teachings of a particular religion or teaching. For example, we call extreme Muslims "fundamentalists" in reality because they follow the original teachings of Muhammad. Shortly after Muhammad founded the religion of Islam, he gathered a group of soldiers together and rode back into Mecca killing anyone who would not convert. Today we call violent Muslims fundamentalists because that is the practice that they adhere to. The same is true in Christianity. Those who adhere to the old-fashioned fundamental truths of the Word of God, are often scoffed and called fundamentalists. I am very proud to wear that banner.

Other than a few rude comments that I have found at the Sharper Iron forum (there was some outright name calling), I believe that most of the debate has been over the ideas involved concerning appropriate music and has not been a debate on any personal level. It is my intention in this post to do the same. There is no particular person that I am against or that I look down upon in any way. I watched most of the video clip of the "Voice" as he performed the much debated song. I am convinced that in every regard he was sincerely trying to please God and elevate His goodness. For this reason I am thankful. Anyone who is trying to elevate the Word of God and God's glory I want to support. An excellent post on this subject can be found here "A Pauline Response To Voice."

However, I have also become convinced that no matter how sincere a person's heart may be does not always determine how pleasing their actions are to God. For example, the Bible teaches that men will cry unto God to let them into His kingdom because they sincerely tried to serve God with their lives. But God will not allow them to enter into Heaven unless they have accepted Christ into their lives to be their savior...regardless how sincere they were.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
~ Matthew 7:22-23

Again, this is an example of the truth that God does not always judge us solely on our sincerity, but that he rather has specific expectations of us. In this instance it was that accepting Christ is more important than a sincerity to religious activities.

"And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."
~ Acts 18:24-26

Here is the story of a man sincerely serving God, just as the Voice, and yet they went in to him and "Expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly."

It has been my experience, as I have spent time in Fundamental Baptist Churches over the past few years that those who preach against certain types of music, against certain fashions of clothing, against anything that we may consider to be a sin or worldly , are accused of "Going wild," "Looking down at people," "Being holier than thou," etc. In reality, it is simply our intention to preach unto people "the way of God more perfectly." Often we find ourselves being judged by those telling us not to judge. It would be like reprimanding a kid by slapping him in the face and telling him not to hit. It just wouldn't make a lot of sense.

As I have been reading through the Bible this year, I have been reading through the book of Jeremiah this week. Throughout the book of Jeremiah you will find that people hated him. They threw him in prison and despised him. They said that Jeremiah wanted them to be destroyed . They said that Jeremiah didn't care about them at all. The truth was that Jeremiah cared about them more than they could ever understand, and he was simply trying to preach the truth of God to them the best way he knew how. Because they did not want to hear the truths of God, they hated him and pretended that he was not a prophet of God.

In conclusion, I have not written to attack any person or group. I have only hoped to entertain the idea that fundamentalists are not wild, maniacs, but rather they are men hoping only to show others the "Way of God more perfectly." Our intentions are not to attack your sincerity or you relationship with God. It is only to try to clarify positions and to elevate truth.

In the beginning, I had planned on outlining my position against a certain style of music, but in the end I decided it was more important to clarify the disposition of our positions. If you are wanting to read more about the debate itself I will leave a list of links that discuss the issue in more detail. Thank You and God Bless You!

Here is a link to a video of the song:
Voice@Bethlehem

Here is a list of links opposing this particular style of worship:
Will The Real Pharisees Please Stand?

Here is a list of links supporting this particular style of worship:
Guest Blogger: Christian Hip-Hopper, Shai Linne
The Reformed Rapper Revisited