I’m not sure what’s going on in Christian music today, but on my journey to visit my Mom on Sunday, I heard two very different songs about thieves. As catchy as both the tunes are, both are poor theology. 

I’ve heard these songs for awhile now and every time I’d hear either one, something just didn’t seem to make sense in my brain. Usually I listen to Christian radio when I’m driving, so I’m not fully concentrating on the lyrics, as there are too many other drivers around me that I need to pay more attention. The first song, by Tauren Wells, is Take It All Back. The refrain sounds quite powerful, both in the music as well as the lyrics:

I’m calling the angels down
I’m storming the gates of hell
Tell the devil he don’t own my soul
I’m taking back what the enemy stole
I’m raising the battle cry
I’m holding the banner high
With the power of the Holy Ghost
I’m taking back what the enemy stole

The song evokes the age-old battle with Satan that is a result of our sin, which is often portrayed as chains or shackles that bind us. And in many spiritual ways that is true. But it’s also a choice. Can the opportunities to sin appear to be something good rather than evil? Absolutely! However, it is still a choice that we make and we are responsible for our words, actions, or the lack thereof. The lyrics of the song imply that the Devil has stolen the person’s soul, basically taking what did not belong to the Devil and certainly without the consent of the person. Sin separates us from God. It’s only when we turn back to Him, when we repent and lean on His mercy that we can receive the grace God wants to shower on us. The Devil cannot hold our souls unless we give him permission to do so. Satan will try and trick us and think that we can’t escape, but we can call on the Triune God for help — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We can call on our guardian angel or even St. Michael, the Archangel, in our battles with the tempter. I know the song wouldn’t pack the same punch if the lyrics were, “I’m taking back what I gave up.”

The other song is equally catchy, but has even worse theology! The song by Crowder is Grave Robber and the refrain for this one is: 

I got stolen by the grave robber
Picked me up from that rock bottom
Washed my soul in that Holy water
Brought me back to life 
One more stone rolled away
One more sinner been saved by grace
This dead man, he ain’t dead no longer
All because of that grave robber 

In the first song we had the Devil stealing a person’s soul. In this song, we have Jesus stealing a person from themself! What?! Jesus is not going to force you to choose Him, and He certainly will not take you against your free will. He wants a relationship with you. Jesus will give us life in abundance, and He rejoices when a hardened sinner repents and turns to Him. Jesus gave us the parable of the Prodigal Son, so that we can know that God is constantly seeking for us and at the first sign of our return, He is there to bless and celebrate us. This song, however, makes it seem like Jesus is just snatching up unsuspecting people and forcing them to believe in Him. While it’s true that we cannot save ourselves, our salvation does rely on our participation with God. If we turn away from God and want nothing to do with Him, He will continue to love us and seek a relationship at any small, micro possibility that can open us up to Him. A thief or robber takes what is not His and without permission. Since God created us, technically we are His. But God has also given us free will and will never force us to turn to Him. We may be required to make a choice for His will or our will (sin), but we always have a choice. 

Just because a song is on Christian radio does not make it a good song, no matter how much the tune sticks in your head. Neither the Devil nor Jesus is a thief. We have free will to choose. It’s up to us to choose a relationship with God and to do His will.