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The unnamed author levels the same accusations over and over against Ms. Luna, as if by sheer repetition they become true. He insists she's narcissistic and overlooks key doctrines, and she's narcissistic and doesn't sing about key doctrines. Singing about one's experiences is narcissistic, and she violates the doctrine of salvation. She doesn't sing about salvation by grace through faith, and, narcissism and grace and sanctification and, and...
[Verse 1]
Who says "I'm with you there in the dark
It won't always be this hard
I'm holding your broken heart"?
And who says "I'm not scared of your fears
All your doubts, bring 'em here
I'm wiping all of your tears"?
He does, He does
[Chorus]
It's just like Jesus
To give me strength when I need it
Hope when I cannot see it
When I'm falling to pieces
It's just like Jesus
To put me back on my feet when
I was out past the deep end
You wanted me when nobody wanted me
Now I just wanna be
Just like Jesus
[Verse 2]
Who is a friend to all of the friendless
Fighting for the defenseless
Merciful in the messes?
And who can make a sinner feel worthy
Lift the head of the hurting
Walk with those who are searching?
Just like Jesus
Lastly, we should say that we are not here to defend Ms. Luna. Personally, we don't think the song is particularly interesting. We are here to examine the unnamed author of this article.
Let us now examine part of the chorus of “Just Like Jesus:”
The unnamed author levels the same accusations over and over against Ms. Luna, as if by sheer repetition they become true. He insists she's narcissistic and overlooks key doctrines, and she's narcissistic and doesn't sing about key doctrines. Singing about one's experiences is narcissistic, and she violates the doctrine of salvation. She doesn't sing about salvation by grace through faith, and, narcissism and grace and sanctification and, and...
Did we mention narcissism?
But we have read the lyrics. And we consider ourselves to possess a rudimentary level of comprehension. But we are unable to ascertain what the author is talking about. He makes a big stink about some egregious heresy, but never identifies it.
We have reproduced all the lyrics, since the author only quotes part in an effort to bias the situation. But the full lyrics actually counter some of the author's objections.
[Verse 1]
Who says "I'm with you there in the dark
It won't always be this hard
I'm holding your broken heart"?
And who says "I'm not scared of your fears
All your doubts, bring 'em here
I'm wiping all of your tears"?
He does, He does
[Chorus]
It's just like Jesus
To give me strength when I need it
Hope when I cannot see it
When I'm falling to pieces
It's just like Jesus
To put me back on my feet when
I was out past the deep end
You wanted me when nobody wanted me
Now I just wanna be
Just like Jesus
[Verse 2]
Who is a friend to all of the friendless
Fighting for the defenseless
Merciful in the messes?
And who can make a sinner feel worthy
Lift the head of the hurting
Walk with those who are searching?
[Bridge]
His hands, His feet His arms reaching
He wanted me when nobody wanted me
Now I just wanna be, Now I just wanna be
His hands, His feet
His arms reaching, He wanted me when nobody wanted me
Now I just wanna be Just like Jesus, oh
His hands, His feet His arms reaching
He wanted me when nobody wanted me
Now I just wanna be, Now I just wanna be
His hands, His feet
His arms reaching, He wanted me when nobody wanted me
Now I just wanna be Just like Jesus, oh
Just like Jesus
Lastly, we should say that we are not here to defend Ms. Luna. Personally, we don't think the song is particularly interesting. We are here to examine the unnamed author of this article.
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Iveth Luna is a singer/songwriter from Mesquite, Texas, who grew up in a family involved in ministry. She began singing in church at the age of 16 and claims she later had a “spiritual encounter” that confirmed her calling to music. She writes pop-style music that includes Latin elements and she sings in both English and Spanish. The Ward Brothers introduced her to Red Street Records, and she signed a record deal with them. Luna’s music is influenced by her experience as a worship leader, and her goal is to encourage and edify people through her music. Her music is, as with most rising and unvetted Christian music pop stars, increasingly growing in popularity in mainstream Evangelical circles.
As Bible-believing Christians who have been called by God into His grace, we are called to worship the one and only Holy, righteous, and infinite triune God, who has redeemed us and called us to a life of holiness. It is imperative that we ensure that our beliefs and practices are grounded in the unerring authority of Scripture. Unfortunately, certain forms of Contemporary Christian music have been known to promote ideas that are antithetical to sound biblical doctrine. (Let's see if the unnamed author will demonstrate this from the Bible. Hint: He won't.)
We have expounded on many of these deviations in the past, exposing how the entire contemporary worship industry is centered around self-idolatry, rather than the worship of God. One such example is the recently released song “Just Like Jesus” by Iveth Luna, which promotes a synergistic form of narcissism that suggests human effort and God’s grace work together in the process of salvation and sanctification. However, this view contradicts the biblical understanding of salvation by grace alone. The Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift of God’s grace, which cannot be earned or achieved through human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9). While Christians are called to live holy and obedient lives, this is not the basis for our salvation or our standing before God (Titus 3:5-7). (The author makes an assertion about what the song "suggests." He doubles down with a comment about the song's "synergistic form of narcissism," [we have no idea what this means] and adds a statement about grace and salvation, then moves on to sanctification and holiness. That is, the author infers something, expands the inference, and from that declares the song to be heretical.
Iveth Luna is a singer/songwriter from Mesquite, Texas, who grew up in a family involved in ministry. She began singing in church at the age of 16 and claims she later had a “spiritual encounter” that confirmed her calling to music. She writes pop-style music that includes Latin elements and she sings in both English and Spanish. The Ward Brothers introduced her to Red Street Records, and she signed a record deal with them. Luna’s music is influenced by her experience as a worship leader, and her goal is to encourage and edify people through her music. Her music is, as with most rising and unvetted Christian music pop stars, increasingly growing in popularity in mainstream Evangelical circles.
As Bible-believing Christians who have been called by God into His grace, we are called to worship the one and only Holy, righteous, and infinite triune God, who has redeemed us and called us to a life of holiness. It is imperative that we ensure that our beliefs and practices are grounded in the unerring authority of Scripture. Unfortunately, certain forms of Contemporary Christian music have been known to promote ideas that are antithetical to sound biblical doctrine. (Let's see if the unnamed author will demonstrate this from the Bible. Hint: He won't.)
We have expounded on many of these deviations in the past, exposing how the entire contemporary worship industry is centered around self-idolatry, rather than the worship of God. One such example is the recently released song “Just Like Jesus” by Iveth Luna, which promotes a synergistic form of narcissism that suggests human effort and God’s grace work together in the process of salvation and sanctification. However, this view contradicts the biblical understanding of salvation by grace alone. The Bible teaches that salvation is a free gift of God’s grace, which cannot be earned or achieved through human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9). While Christians are called to live holy and obedient lives, this is not the basis for our salvation or our standing before God (Titus 3:5-7). (The author makes an assertion about what the song "suggests." He doubles down with a comment about the song's "synergistic form of narcissism," [we have no idea what this means] and adds a statement about grace and salvation, then moves on to sanctification and holiness. That is, the author infers something, expands the inference, and from that declares the song to be heretical.
But the song is not about the process of salvation. It's not about sanctification. Apparently the author wanted Ms. Luna to write a song on a different topic. The song is clearly about Jesus' faithfulness to rescue her [and us] out of difficult situations, including sin. It isn't a song about deep theological explorations, it's about a personal expression about a personal situation, when Jesus came through as He always does. She then offers her experience as the solution to the listener's own struggles and weaknesses.
It is impossible to testify about what God has done for one's self without talking about one's self. Personal expression of personal experiences is not narcissism. If it were, then many hymns get disqualified:
I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see...
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness...
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me...
I need thee, oh, I need thee; Ev'ry hour I need thee. Oh, bless me now, my Savior; I come to thee.
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder...
If Ms. Luna's song is bad because it speaks of personal experiences, then a lot of hymns must be discarded.)
Let us now examine part of the chorus of “Just Like Jesus:”
It’s just like JesusTo give me strength when I need itHope when I cannot see itWhen I’m falling to pieces (When I’m falling to pieces)It’s just like JesusTo put me back on my feet whenI was out past the deep endYou wanted me when nobody wanted meNow I just wanna be
These lyrics suggest that personal, self-inspired transformation and self-improvement are necessary for growth and development in the Christian life and that Jesus is merely a helper when needed, rather than the complete foundation of our trust and reliance. (No, the lyrics suggest nothing of the kind. We can read for ourselves. It is crystal clear that the lyrics convey being in desperate situations for which Jesus is the only answer.)
The chorus asserts that “It’s just like Jesus to give me strength when I need it, hope when I cannot see it, when I’m falling to pieces, to put me back on my feet when I was out past the deep end.” This emphasis on personal effort and improvement is inconsistent with the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace alone. (Is the author reading different lyrics? There is no hint of personal effort! And Ms. Luna is not singing about how to get saved, she's singing about difficult experiences where Jesus has been faithful to her.
This is a truly puzzling critique.)
Moreover, the focus on the worshipper rather than on God is narcissistic and detracts from the attributes of God. (The author repeats his errant accusation.)
Moreover, the focus on the worshipper rather than on God is narcissistic and detracts from the attributes of God. (The author repeats his errant accusation.)
The lyrics of “Just Like Jesus” repeatedly mention the worshipper’s brokenness, doubts, fears, and tears, and suggest that Jesus is there to help them through these struggles. Although it is true that God cares for His people and is intimately involved in their lives, (Hmmm. The author suddenly concedes...)
the focus of worship should always be on God’s character and attributes, rather than on our own struggles and weaknesses. (Sez who? What Bible verse tells us that worship does not involve our struggles? When one reads the Psalms, one arrives at exactly the opposite conclusion:
Ps. 3:1 O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!
Ps. 5:2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.
Ps. 13:1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me for ever? How long will you hide your face from me?
Ps. 25:17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.
Ps. 55:4 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me.
And by the way, who has said that Ms. Luna wrote a worship song? It sounds to us like a song of encouragement. In our opinsion, the song does not lend itself to being a part of a worship set.)
The Bible continually emphasizes God’s sovereignty, holiness, justice, and love, and calls us to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). We are called to give God the glory and honor that He deserves, and to submit ourselves to His will and purposes (1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12:1-2). Worship that centers on the worshipper instead of God is a form of idolatry, in which we elevate ourselves and our experiences above the greatness and majesty of God. (Having previously conceded, the author returns to repeating his errant assertions.)
While some of this music may be well-intentioned, much of it is not and has been exposed for the faux-piousness and self-worship that it promotes. Even the most seemingly innocuous songs often promote a synergism that focuses on the personal and societal ills of the singer, which is narcissistic and takes the spotlight away from the attributes of God. (Apparently simply repeating himself constitutes an argument.)
While some of this music may be well-intentioned, much of it is not and has been exposed for the faux-piousness and self-worship that it promotes. Even the most seemingly innocuous songs often promote a synergism that focuses on the personal and societal ills of the singer, which is narcissistic and takes the spotlight away from the attributes of God. (Apparently simply repeating himself constitutes an argument.)
As Christians, it is our responsibility to ensure that our beliefs and practices are rooted in Scripture and that our worship is centered on God’s greatness and goodness, (Fine. But what has that got to do with Ms. Luna's song?)
rather than on our own experiences and struggles. (The Psalmist would disagree.)
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