Some people likely wondered whether a cultural commentary piece on the gospel according to the Grammys was really necessary. "Surely evangelicals have enough discernment to perceive for themselves the weightier things that were alluded to in my previous blog post, right?"
Not so fast. It was not more than a day or two later when I came across an article by a pastor and "Christian" author who contradicted almost every biblical point that was made in my most recent article. A number of Christians commented on Facebook how much they appreciated this pastor's perspective on "God, grace, and Katy Perry." I encourage you to take ten minutes and compare and contrast both articles for yourself and then 'search the Scriptures to see if these things be so.'
Please keep in mind that Ms. Katy Perry's influence on society extends far and wide. Katy has over 75 million twitter followers and is especially popular with children and young adults. In fact, last night I noticed one of our first time Awana guests had her hair dyed just like one of her role models, Katy Perry. As many parents with teenage children know, Katy Perry fashion line sells lots of jewelry and make up at Claire's (a store for young girls). To suggest Katy Perry's music is only popular with young people however would be a mistake. The 2015 Super Bowl chose Katy Perry to be the Pepsi halftime entertainment (following the likes of Bruno Mars, Beyoncé, Madonna, etc).
The Super Bowl is hands down one of the most popular events of the year. In fact, the 2015 Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks set a new mark, averaging 114.4 million viewers per minute becoming the most watched event in American TV history. Now that I have your attention please read on.
God, Grace, and Katy Perry
Katy Perry. Even though my wife and I did not watch the S.B. halftime show I am familiar enough with Katy's music to offer up the following observations. If you are interested in Katy's "Christian upbringing" or if you want to hear Katy speak for herself you can watch her autobiographical movie, Part of Me on Netflix or on Amazon Prime. By Katy's own admission a hedonistic life of fortune and fame is not all that it is cracked up to be. One can only pray that Ms. Perry comes to understand the message of Ecclesiastes before she passes away. I pray that she comes to really know what the grace of God in Christ is (per Ephesians 2:1-10).
Ironically, at the 2015 Grammys Katy Perry tenderly sang about the "grace of God" rescuing her from suicide, but then in other songs, she quickly turns the amazing "grace of God into a "license for immorality" (eg. "Peacock;" "I Kissed a Girl and I Liked It"); as Miss Perry unapologetically "denies our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
Abusing God's grace is certainly not a novel idea. Jude 4, For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
It is interesting that the Libertines in the New Testament are likened to those in Sodom and Gomorrah. The Sodomites were known for their unbridled lust and homosexual desires (among many other things). In other words, many in the ancient world "kissed a girl and they liked it" too. Romans 1:18-32 not only describes Western civilization today it also highlights what was true of ancient civilization during the days of Noah (see Genesis 6-8). Truly their is nothing new under the sun.
Here is what Scripture says in Romans 6:1-2, What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Jude 7; just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
God and Grace. So where does God's grace come into this? Katy claims to have been raised in a 'Christian home' by her parents who are Pentecostal ministers. God's grace is also evident in the reality that sinners are given heartbeat and breath each day. In other words, without God's grace no person could blaspheme the name of the LORD or you fill in the blank. God's general grace is seen in that the rain falls on the redeemed and the ungodly alike. God's grace sets forth the Great Commission wherein the gospel is declared to all creation. The God of all grace and truth is in the business of saving sinners.
For the record, I do not expect Katy Perry or any other Hollywood star or Grammy winning singer to act like a saint. I am not shocked that a talented secular musician chooses to sing songs that are as foul as "Last Friday Night" or "Peacock." It is actually more surprising when secular artists write and sing songs like, "By the Grace of God," or "It Takes Two." Let's not forget that the lost world is often going to think, act, and speak like the lost world. This doesn't erase the ugliness of sin but it does help Christians make sense of what we see and hear around us when we place everything into a Romans 1:18-32 context. Romans 1:32, And although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.
My real beef. I personally get physically sick when I read articles by pastors and "Christian" authors who misrepresent God's holy Word in the name of the "Gospel/Jesus/Grace."
American evangelicals love to quote John 3:36a but often completely ignore/omit John 3:36b. The holiness, justice, and righteous wrath of God and Christ are often depicted as if they were attributes of Satan. We talk about God's grace to Noah (and we certainly should) w/o even mentioning the context of a GLOBAL flood. DIVINE Salvation and DIVINE judgment are often found in tandem (one cannot really appreciate Calvary w/o understanding "propitiation" and "atonement").
Messiah Jesus refers to unbelievers (religious or irreligious) as 'children of Satan' (our true father). Without saving grace, we'd all remain "dead in our trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1-10). As a professing unbeliever, Katy Perry is a "child of wrath, even as the rest (Eph. 2:3)." But for the amazing grace of God I would still be lost in my sins (1 Tim. 1:16-17). When talking about Amazing Grace, John Newton's testimony should not be forgotten. Grace saves and it transforms!
The "Christian" author of the article that I linked above writes as if Katy Perry were a "child of God" who has merely wandered from the fold. He also assumes a quasi Pentecostal understanding of experiential revelation. He also presents an imbalanced understanding of God's love. It was Dr. R.C. Sproul who correctly said, "When a preacher says 'God loves you unconditionally' I maintain that such a person should be defrocked for violating God's teaching. What pagan, when hearing that, will not think 'I have no need of repentance for my sins.'"
Final Word. Carlos is right to highlight the amazing grace of God which can "make the foulest clean" but he does not highlight the other side of the gospel message. John 3:36, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." Their is a reason why the Holy Spirit placed Romans 1-3 before Romans 4-6. Think about it.
