After listening to Hopsin’s track Ill Mind Seven some may feel offended or get launched into deep thoughts. I fell into the latter category. I’ve shared similar thoughts and feelings as Hopsin both as a non-believer and as a believer. I can applaud his transparency and his honesty as most people would keep to themselves on matters of doubt. This is especially true of many Christians. But his openness is the only thing I can applaud. With careful consideration to him and to many others, I would like to analyze his thoughts and feelings that many of us often may think or feel. Some are good questions that I think we should seek to answer, keeping in mind that we are finite beings that will one day die.
“[They] call me a sellout/Because I hopped to christianity so strongly then i fell out…”
Hopsin reveals to his listeners at the beginning of his song that he converted to Christianity briefly. But, after his struggles he couldn’t endure. I, and maybe you do too, know plenty of people who have made seemingly sincere Christian confessions and actions, but it wasn’t long before they turned away. This should be no surprise as Jesus told us beforehand in the Parable of The Sower that some people would not last in following him nor the word that he spoke. Jesus told of four places that a sower threw his seed out (seed representing the words of God). One of those places was rocky ground “where it did not have much soil, and it immediately sprang up… And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away” (Mark 4:5-6).
What a vivid representation that we see right in front of us. Some people will gladly take what they want from God if it sounds good, but as soon as something doesn’t make sense to them, or things don’t work out they way they want it too, their faith will be scorched. So the first thing Hopsin shows us is that some of us are indeed sellouts who are willing to cash out. We will sellout for anything or anyone who will give us what we want, but then turnaround and cash out if our demands are not met.
“I’ve been told my sinful life is an addiction, but I can’t buy it…/I look at the sun and earth and can tell a genius man designed it… I can’t deny it.”
Every person who makes the statement that something is beautiful is testifying to the existence of God. We cannot even fully explain exhaustively the human mind, let alone the world or universe we live in, without having some type of Creator at the helm authoring it all.
John Piper strongly states that, “The universe exists to display the glory of God, and therefore, those who try to give an account of the universe in a non-God way are not only laughable, but they are blasphemous. This is God’s story!” (Don’t Waste Your Life) So if one can attest to the purely rationalistic notions from our human senses that there is a Creator of this universe, but we don’t want to honor nor worship Him as such, then we must also believe that our sin is in fact an addiction. The very essence of Hopsin’s statement is this: “God I know you are real, but I just cannot bring my self to serve you.” Do you see that? Addicts can’t bring themselves to stop a certain behavior even if they know what the outcome will be. Sin addicts are saying I can’t bring myself to serve a life-giving, joy-giving and beautiful Creator, because I want to do things my way (Romans 1:19).
“I’m not reading that [expletive] book because a human wrote it/…humans be lying it’s such an inaccurate source…/Humans are dumb.”
Here is a common argument I’ve heard against believing the Bible. The common train of thought is this: people are imperfect, people wrote the Bible, therefore, the Bible is imperfect and cannot be trusted. But such a simplistic view of a historical document is an irresponsible way of thinking. If we apply that way of thinking to our own American historical documents here are some of the conclusions someone can come to:
- We are actually still a group of colonies that are governed by the British government, because our Constitution was written by men who are no longer alive. Besides, what they wrote can’t be trusted because they are imperfect men.
- African Americans should still be owned by people because, imperfect people drafted an amendment that said it was illegal to own people. Furthermore, Abraham Lincoln being a president is up for debate. Why? Humans recorded his presidency! Humans are an inaccurate source so we should not trust them as sources.
- There’s no way George Washington was our first president because the only sources that prove that he was the first president are historical documents that imperfect people wrote and there’s no other way besides those documents to prove he even existed.
If that all sounds ridiculous, then it should. But, that’s the same logic we use to come to the conclusions we do about the Bible to attempt to prove it is wrong. The Bible is not just God’s word to men, but it is also a historical document and should be treated as such. To learn more about the Bible’s accuracy and historicity, I recommend watching Voddie Baucham’s “Why I Choose To Believe The Bible” lecture.
Lastly, for anyone to conclude that humans are dumb we must include ourselves in that statement. Not to do so is to sit yourself on a pedestal and effectually say “I know all, I see all, I am all-powerful.” There is a very small percentage of mankind that is ready to make such a statement. The majority agree that no one is perfect, including themselves. Are you ready to claim you are perfect by declaring everyone else as dumb?
“Show yourself! And the boom (?) is done/Every rumor’s gone and I no longer doubt the [expletive] you’re the one/I’ll admit my sinful ways was stupid fun…”
Hopsin, once again, is not alone in his sentiments here. He wants proof that God is in fact real. To find people who’ve felt a similar way, let’s go back in time to people who actually saw and conversed with Jesus. We look to the Gospel of John, the sixth chapter:
After Jesus miraculously fed five-thousand families from a couple of fish and some extra loaves of bread, the crowd of people were ready to crown him king. Jesus, however, found no interest in their sudden enthusiasm for him so he withdrew to a mountain by himself. After miraculously walking on water to catch up to the boat with his disciples who traveled overnight to the other side of the sea, it wasn’t long after when the crowd also sailed to the other side to find him. But who or what were they really searching for? Jesus told them they weren’t coming to him because of the miracles he performed nor the truth that he spoke. They came to him because he could meet a physical need. He was very clear that seeking him only for what they physically desired was less important than what he could do for what their souls needed, which was to believe in him (John 6:26-29).
What Jesus offered them was a simple exchange. To do the work of God required belief in him, that was it. Their response to what he had to offer is rather interesting. Jesus’ answer wasn’t simple enough for them, though. They wanted more signs. “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?” (6:30)
It’s clear to see how things haven’t changed much from the time Jesus walked the earth to the time Hopsin and many of us scream our frustrations to God in a desert demanding answers. The multitudes actually saw Jesus perform miracles, but seeing simply was not enough for them. Amazingly, seeing isn’t enough now either for anyone who does not want to believe in a God they must answer to. Our greatest problem is not our inability to see God. The issue of not seeing God is a sinful heart that desires evil. Besides, even if we were to catch a glimpse of God, no man would live to tell about it. That’s just how beautifully glorious he is and how sinfully dark we are (Exodus 33:18, 20).
“If you really care for me prove that I need to live carefully…”
All that some people want is proof, but, like explained above, proof to anyone who has no interest in believing does nothing but demand more proof. But here is the cold-hard proof. Jesus, who did live on this earth, and who did die on a cross, and who did resurrect and ascend to heaven and who is still alive served and serves a purpose (Hebrews 8:1). That purpose isn’t wholly for us, but to glorify his father by displaying his father’s love for us. He lived on earth with all the temptations we have (plus more) to show us the life we should now live but cannot (Hebrews 4:15). He lived reflecting the image of God like we should be doing, but we don’t. Since we don’t do what we were created for (mirroring the image of God) we deserve God’s wrath. We were created to make much of God. Jesus did that. We don’t do that. Since we rebel against our Creator, what is justifiable is His punishment. Jesus sacrificed and died as our substitute to save us from the wrath of God we deserve. Now that we have been given an example in Jesus–the exact imprint of God’s nature–we can see how we are to live “carefully” (Hebrews 1:3). When we fail, we get back up trusting in Jesus to be our forgiveness and continue copying his pattern (Hebrews 4:16).
But make no mistake, the life we are called to live is not a “careful” life to live. It is risky. We are called to give up our lives at the expense of gaining it in a whole new glorious way. It isn’t easy. It’s a hard life. But if we entrust God with the affections of our heart and tell him to take it all, we receive peace in the middle of all our doubts, fears, questions and hardships. Jesus adamantly warns that we do not take the step towards him unless we are ready to lose our lives. Proceed with caution (Matthew 10:22; Luke 9:23-24).
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