(A Summary of an Eyewitness Account: the Gospel According to John)

 ~No doubt, Jesus Christ is world-famous.  Dating back two-thousand years, the vast majority of people in the history of the world to the present day have at least heard his name.  He once posed the question: “Who do men say that I am?”  The way men answer that question is the dividing line between Christianity and all other world religions.  Famous amongst even non-Christians, many non-Christians acknowledge him as a “great man” and “great teacher.”  At least one Jewish man described him as an itinerant rabbi (roaming Jewish scholar/teacher) who went astray.  Even Muslims recognize Jesus as a prophet and a messenger from God.  The logical questions to ask then are: if he was a great teacher, what did he teach?; if he was indeed a prophet, what did he say?; and if he was a messenger from God, what was his message?  The only credited accounts of his message are found in the Holy Bible.  Four direct accounts are given: The Gospel (“good news”) According to Matthew; According to Mark, According to Luke; and According to John.  All four of these historical accounts are consistent with one another.  The following is a summary of the eyewitness account given in the Gospel According to John (one of Christ’s disciples).  It will address the questions listed by providing a summary of the Message of Jesus Christ.  Condensed for your convenience, this summary will take you no more than about 20-25 minutes to read.  If interested in the full version with explanatory commentary, I refer you to the Bible itself.  Enjoy.

 John 3:1-3 

 1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

 John 3:12-21 [Jesus explained]

12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16″For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

John 3:33 [Jesus said of Himself]

33Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.

 John 3:36 [Jesus also said]

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.

 John 5:22-27 [Jesus said of Himself]

22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

 25″Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

 John 5:39 [Jesus also said]

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,

 John 5:46 [Jesus said]

46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

 John 6:27-29 [Jesus said]

27 Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

 John 6:35 

 35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

 John 6:37 [Jesus said]

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

 John 6:40 [Jesus said]

40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

 John 6:45 [Jesus continued]

45It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me—

 John 6:47 [and continued]

47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

 John 6:51 [further, Jesus said]

51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

 John 7:37-38 

 37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

 John 8:12 

 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

 John 8:23-24 

23[Jesus] said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

 John 8:31-32 

 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 John 8:34-36 

 34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

 John 8:42 

42Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.

 John 8:51-54 

[Jesus said] 51Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’”

 John 8:56-58 

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

 John 9:5 [Jesus said]

5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

 John 9:24-25 

 24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man [speaking of Jesus] is a sinner.” 25He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

 John 9:34-38 

34They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

 35Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

 John 10:9-11 [Jesus explained]

9I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

 John 10:17-18 [Jesus said]

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

 John 10:27-33 

[Jesus said] 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

 John 11:25-26 

25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 John 12:24-26 [Jesus said]

24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

 John 12:44-50 

 44And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”

 John 13:8 

8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

 John 13:13-17 [Jesus explained]

13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

 John 13:20 [Jesus said]

20Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

 John 14:1-9 

[Jesus said] 1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

 John 14:15-18 [Jesus said]

 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  18″I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

 John 14:21-23 [Jesus continued]

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

 John 14:25-27 [Jesus said]

 25″These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

 John 15:3-4 [Jesus said]

3Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

 John 15:9-15 [Jesus continued]

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.  12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

 John 15:17-18 [Jesus explained]

17These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

 18″If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

 John 15:26 [Jesus also said]

 26″But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

 John 16:26-28 [Jesus said]

26In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

 John 17:1-5 

 1When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

 John 18:36-38 

36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world— to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

    After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

 John 19:1-11 

 1Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

 John 19:16-18 

16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.  So they took Jesus, 17and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.

 John 19:28-30 

 28After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 John 19:36-37 

36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” 37And again another Scripture says, “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

 John 20:1 

 1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

 John 20:6-7 

6Then Simon Peter came, following [John (the eyewitness)], and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

 John 20:9-10 

9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples went back to their homes.

 John 20:19-20 

 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

 John 20:24-29 

 24Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

 26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

ANY QUESTIONS?

This film poses and addresses the question: “Why is the gospel of love dividing America?”  In my opinion, it falls far short of giving a truthful answer to the question.

 Having watched the film in its entirety, I was quite disappointed and I’ll explain why.  But first, let me address what I love about this film.  The film attempts to focus on the love of Jesus Christ, and what are presented as the general failures of the church as a whole (Christ’s followers) to display that love.  Point noted.  Christians in general should be very mindful to show the world the love of Christ, and to make every effort to absolutely always operate in love for God and love for other people.  So, what I love about this film is the call to do better in displaying the love of Christ, and to being more compassionate in general.  Amen.  Truth without love is heartless; and heartlessness is certainly not Christlike.

 The film goes so far as to depict Dan Merchant at a homosexual festival of some sort welcoming non-Christians into a confession booth, wherein he makes confession and apologizes to them on behalf of the church.  When all is said and done, they accept his apology, everybody’s happy, everybody gets along, nobody’s life is changed, and nobody comes to a saving knowledge of  Jesus Christ.  Love without truth is pointless; and pointlessness is certainly not Christlike.  Dan Merchant’s approach appeared to be very disarming, but at no point does the film depict Dan Merchant or anyone else giving anyone the Gospel of our salvation, i.e., the “word of truth” which is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. (Eph. 1:13; Romans 1:16).  Romans 10:14 poses the following questions: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”  This film would leave one with the impression that it is hateful or hurtful to tell someone the Gospel truth.  It suggests doing so is not loving, and that it is not Christlike.  In love, I beg to differ.

Consider two questions: (1) What was Jesus’ reason for coming as our Messiah? (2) What was his purpose in coming.  Both questions can be answered biblically and concisely.  Jesus’ reason for coming was love.  John 3:16-18 explains: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”  This points us immediately to the answer to our second question: Jesus’ purpose in coming was to bear witness to the truth so that men might believe and be saved.  Consider the Messiah’s own words: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”  John 18:37.

The purpose of the church is no different.  We are called to bear witness to the truth, motivated by love.  We are not called to speak truth without love.  Yet we are called to do more than make a mere showing of love without bearing witness to the truth (even non-Christians do that).  “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ[.]”  Eph. 4:15.  Thus the mature Christian is called to properly balance both truth and love, speaking truth in love.  The church is indeed guilty of not being perfect in this regard.  But let’s not lose sight of our ultimate goal: “that the world might be saved through him.”

Revisiting the premise of the film – “Why is the gospel of love dividing America?” –  perhaps the more properly phrased question would be: why is “the word of truth” dividing America (or anyplace else)?  Again the bible provides clear and concise answers.  Jesus said:

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”  Matthew 10:34-35.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”  John 15:18-19.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  Matthew 5:11-12.

“Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”  Luke 6:26-28.

Clearly and without question, God intended for the Gospel to be divisive.  It may not sound loving, but it is the truth.  You won’t hear these passages in this film, but they are still truth.  And in truth, the divisive nature of the Gospel is loving, because God’s aim is to divide sinners from the sin that condemns them to hell.  It is a rescue mission; and “the word of truth” is both the life-line, and the dividing line.

I do recommend this film for all Christians for all the things that I love about it.  But I caution that it must be processed in light of the truth of God’s word.

Todd Barnes for EternalLifeMusic.com

 If you’re looking for Free Christian Hip Hop / Free Christian Rap, you’ve come to the right place.  This post is to: 1) tell you where to get our music for free; and 2) share some info on other sites (Holy Culture, Rapzilla, Lampmode and more) where you can get Free Christian Hip Hop from other artists as well.

First, we have two “Christian Hip Hop” albums right here on this site, which you can download for free.  Just click on the link above that says “ALBUMS”  or go to www.EternalLifeMusic.com/Albums.  Now you might ask, “what’s the catch?”  Really there is none.  We recognize that there’s nothing we have that has not been given to us, and we take Jesus serious when he says “Freely you have received, freely give.”   (Matthew 10:8).   We believe God’s given us something to give to the world in His name, and as we pour out, He’ll pour in even more.  Now, we’ll gladly take donations to further the ministry, but with or without, we’re happy to we do what we can.

 There are certainly other Christian Hip Hop artists who share a similar vision and who have been giving Christian Hip Hop albums and mixtapes away for a long time.  In addition, many artists who are looking to sell their music (to cover expenses, or whatever) often “leak” singles to promote their albums and such.  The upside for you is more free Christian Hip Hop, if you know where to look.  So, below is some info on where to look for free Christian Hip Hop from other artists.  We cannot vouch for the content of much of what you will find as we obviously haven’t listened to everything that’s out there.  So please give us your feedback, good or bad, and let us know if you have any info that we should add to this list.

 Free Christian Hip Hop List:

 1 – E-Pistle “I Got It For Free” Mixtape (Rhyme Counsel)

(wma format) (this one we do vouch for – it’s a classic) http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=42748058&blogId=318629043

 2 – Mp3fuel.com –(links to free music from shai linne, Lampmode, justWORD, Believin Stephen, Dwayne Tryumf and more).  http://mp3fuel.com/

 3 – Lampmode – Free Christian Hip Hop album / mixtape downloads such as the free Grassroots mixtapes, Volumes 1 & 2 (featuring J. Johnson (fka J-Silas), Timothy Brindle, Hazakim, Stephen the Levite, Json, shai linne, Evangel, Jas Knight and Lecrae).

http://www.lampmode.com/resources/free-music/

 4 – Rapzilla – Leaks from various artists including Thi’sl, Humble T.I.P and Mark Arthur

http://www.rapzilla.com/rz/content/blogcategory/24/66/

 5 – Holy Culture – Leaks and mixtapes from far too many artists to name them all.  Including: Mark Arthur, DJ Sean Blu & Rob Hodge, Believin Stephen,  Lost and Found, Jaz, Omega Sparx and V.O.Y.C.E of T.W.A.

http://www.holyculture.net/category/free-music/

 6 – Sacred Apparel Mixtapes – http://www.sacredapparelmixtapes.com/artist_mixtapes.php

 Again, as you sort though what’s out there, come back and let us know what you think, and whether you found anything that especially blessed you.

Thanks and God bless!

Eternal Life Music

You may be familiar with the teachings, ministry or dvd series by brother  Lewis wherein he basically states that rap is the devil’s music, and that there can be no such thing as “holy hip hop” because “hip hop” was founded as a false religion by Afrika Bambaataa and KRS One back in the 1970′s.  A brother Anthony of Christian rap group Hazakim wrote an excellent article refuting Mr. Lewis’ teaching on many fronts, and in particular on the origin’s of secular hip hop, crediting DJ Cool Herc as the real founder of “hip hop.”  I am certainly no hip hop historian so as to that issue I simply refer you to brother Anthony’s well written article which is available at http://www.clarkyboy.com/hazakim.htm.  The purpose of this blog is to provide  the reader with yet further evidence that Mr. Lewis is wrong about Christian rap.**

To most people, Holy Hip Hop, Christian Hip Hop, His Hop, and Christian Rap are synonymous terms that simply indicate a style of Christ centered music.  What ultimately distinguishes rap from all other forms of music is the fact that the vocalist on a given “song” is not actually singing.  It sounds more like he’s talking, so we call it “rapping.”  It’s pretty much poetry set to fit a certain tempo.  The fact of the matter is that Christian rap as an art-form in America goes all the way back to 1943 at the latest, way before Bambaataa or Cool Herc.

As the Lord would have it, I came across this info a couple years ago and recently ran a search for it in light of Mr. Lewis’ claims that rap belongs to the devil.  I found a song called “Stalin Wasn’t Stallin’” (click to play) written by Willie Johnson and performed by his group, “The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet” in 1943.  The song can be found on a compilation album entitled “The Gospel Sound” released by the Legacy/Columbia Record Label in 1994, and is available on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvFRuio-3fI.  When I first heard this song, my mind was blown.  Who would have thought that Christians were rapping in the early 1940′s?  Well they were.  Listen for yourself and look it up on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin_Wasn’t_Stallin’.  The Wikipedia article notes:

“‘Stalin Wasn’t Stallin” was written during World War II, and praises the efforts of Joseph Stalin in his stand against Adolf Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union. . . .  The Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet spoke (or sermonized) the lyrics of the song against a rhythm of back-up vocals. It was a moderate hit in 1943. It has since appeared on several compilation records, including Gospel Greats: 60 Legendary Performances (The Soho Collection, 2005).”  (Emphasis added).

So, given that Christians were rapping in the 1940′s, if Mr. Lewis is right in that secular rap didn’t start until it came into play as part of a false religion in the 1970′s, then the implication is that rap music never did rightfully belong to the devil.  He stole it.  Now he wants to say it belongs to him, but Jesus said: “[w]hen he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”  John 8:44.  Jesus further said: “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Christian rap artists simply use this art form in the Spirit of 1st Corinthians 9:22 to draw others to Jesus so that they may have life and have it more abundantly.  And that’s exactly why the devil hates Christian rap.  The fact that Christian rap is effective is exactly why the devil is trying to turn the church against Christian rap.  Because rap music is so powerful, the devil wants to be the only one using it to influence society.  These days many church folk like to talk about “taking back what the devil stole.”  Why not apply that principle to rap music?  “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”  Psalm 24:1.

Therefore Christians, in spite of what G. Craige Lewis or anybody else has to say on the matter, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  Colossians 3:16.

Psalm 150

Let All Things Praise the LORD

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

**UPDATE:  This article was written based on the first and second dvd in the Truth Behind Hip Hop series which dates back to 2004.  In, or around, 2009 Mr. Lewis released a 5th dvd documentary available on the same topic (you can purchace any of them for the low low price of $14.95 + $5.00 shipping and handling), and in this 5th dvd, “What Every Church Needs to Know About Hip Hop” for $14.95 + $5.00 s&h, he finally conceded that there’s nothing wrong with Christians rapping over a beat.  He said his ministry is not so shallow as to be against a particular style of music per se, but is against bringing “Hip Hop” as he understands it into the church, whereas he says: “Rap is the music; Hip Hop is the life.”  Well, I’m glad he finally cleared things up as far as the style of music is concerned (actually that’s an answer to my prayers for him).   As far as what Hip Hop is or is not, honestly I don’t really care.  Sin is sin regardless of label, genre or culture, and no, the church should not embrace sin (if you even needed me to say that).  For the record in case anybody asks or wants to know, here at Eternal Life Music, we represent Jesus Christ and not Hip Hop, Rap or whatever you call it.  We do what we do because we are called and gifted of God to bless the Lord and His people this way.  Before the music starts and after it stops, we live for Christ because He is worthy.  And the music, well of course that speaks for itself.

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Lyrics to “Stalin Wasn’t Stallin’”:

Stalin wasn’t stallin’
When he told the beast of Berlin
That they’d never rest contented
’til they had driven him from the land
So he called the yanks and English
And proceeded to extinguish
The Fuhrer and his vermin
This is how it all began

Now, the devil, he was reading
In the Good Book one day
How the Lord created Adam
To walk the righteous way
And it made the devil jealous
He turned green up to his horns
And he swore by things unholy
That he’d make one of his own

So he packed two suitcases
Full of grief and misery
And he caught the midnight special
Going down to Germany
Then he mixed his lies and hatred
With fire and brimstone
Then the devil sat upon it
That’s how Adolf was born

Now Adolf got the notion
That he was the master race
And he swore he’d bring new order
And put mankind in its place
So he set his scheme in motion
And was winning everywhere
Until he up and got the notion
For to kick that Russian bear

Stalin wasn’t stallin’
When she told the beast of Berlin
That they’d never rest contented
’til they had driven him from the land
So he called the yanks and English
And proceeded to extinguish
The Fuhrer and his vermin
This is how it all began

Yep he kicked that noble Russian
But it wasn’t very long
Before Adolf got suspicious
That he had done something wrong
’cause that bear grabbed the Fuhrer
And gave him an awful fight
Seventeen months he scrapped the Fuhrer
Tooth and claws, day and night

Then that bear smacked the Fuhrer
With a mighty armored paw
And Adolf broke all records
Running backwards to Krakow
Then Goebbels sent a message
To the people everywhere
That if they couldn’t help the Fuhrer
“God, don’t help that Russian bear”

Stalin wasn’t stallin’
When he told the beast of Berlin
That they’d never rest contented
’til they had driven him from the land
So he called the yanks and English
And proceeded to extinguish
The Fuhrer and his vermin
This is how it all began

Then this bear called on his buddy
The noble fighting yank
And they sent the Fuhrer running
With their ships and planes and tanks
Now the Fuhrer’s having nightmares
Cause the Fuhrer knows darn well
That the devil’s done wrote “welcome”
On his residence in hell

Stalin wasn’t stallin’
When he told the beast of Berlin
That they’d never rest contented
’til they had driven him from the land
So he called the yanks and English
And proceeded to extinguish
The Fuhrer and his vermin
This is how it all began