With the great volume and variety of worship music available, none of us should have to settle for bad worship songs. We should be able to select hundreds or even thousands of top notch songs very easily.
What makes a song a worship song? Is it enough to contain words like God or holy? How about vaguely spiritual sounding phrases? Should Jesus be mentioned?
We think an excellent worship song should contain the following elements:
- A direct expression of adoration (God, you are...)
- A progression of ideas that culminates in a coherent story
- A focus on God, not us
- Lyrics that do not create uncertainty or cause confusion
- A certain amount of profundity
- A singable, interesting melody
- Allusions to Scripture
- Doctrinal soundness
- Not excessively metaphorical
- Not excessively repetitive
- Jesus is not your boyfriend
It's worth noting the most worship songs contain at least something good. That is, there might be a musical idea or a lyric that has merit. Such is the case with this song, Back to Life.
Video link.
Chorus 1
No longer I who live, but Christ in me
For I’ve been born again, my heart is free
The hope of heaven before me, the grave behind
Hallelujah, You've brought me back to life
Verse 1
I won’t forget the moment I heard You call my name
Out of the grip of darkness into the light of grace
Just like Lazarus oh You've brought me back to life
Verse 2
Where there was dead religion Now there is living faith
All of my hope and freedom are found in Jesus’ name
Just like Lazarus oh You've brought me back to life
Verse 3
When something says I am guilty I’ll point to the price You paid
When something says I’m not worthy I’ll point to that empty grave
Just like Lazarus oh You've brought me back to life
Verse 4
How can I begin to thank You For all that You’ve done for me
Jesus to fully praise You it will take all eternity
Just like Lazarus... Oh You've brought me back to life
Bridge
The enemy thought he had me
But Jesus said you are mine
A Short Correction
Our commentary will be somewhat brief regarding this song, because the song articulates many truths of the faith in a very singable and interesting way.
Except one thing.
Jesus did not bring us back to life. We were dead, not alive:
Ep. 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins...
Until the moment when we were saved:
Ep. 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.
And it wasn't just like Lazarus.
Lazarus experienced the resurrection power of Jesus when Jesus called him out of the grave, but at some later time he died like all men die. We, however, were called out of death and into eternal life by the death and resurrection of Jesus. This was not the case with Lazarus.
Our salvation is nothing like Lazarus' raising from the dead.
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