God vs. Gospel Rap

Can You Pass the Test?

By: Jim Griffith

Many people stand in limbo attempting to justify and/or condemn gospel rap.  This is an article dedicated to underlying the truth behind the situation.  It is important to remember that when analyzing a situation that we keep an open mind whether we are for the topic or against the topic.  The truth of the matter is that our minds, because they are carnal, or more apt to believing lies than they are to believing the truth (Romans 8:7).  This should make us careful not to prejudge a topic or a person’s point of view just because we do not share their views.  If we are truly men and women of God, we desire what God desires, we want to please God in the way that He wants to be pleased.  With that being said, let’s move into the area of understanding the following: 1 What Gospel Rap is, 2 Does it pass God’s test for bringing him glory? 3 Does it escape the taint of the Devil? 4 Does it escape the corruption of the world? 5 Is it rooted in flesh?

The Bible declares that all sin is rooted in three things…the lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life (I John 2:15).  This is reemphasized through the life of Eve, who was deceived by three temptations.  She desired to eat the food that God did forbid (flesh); and she desired to be wiser than God (pride) (Genesis 3:6).  Jesus Christ was also tempted with the same form of temptation by Satan in the wilderness.   He was tempted to turn the stones into bread (flesh); he was tempted to jump off of a building to show his power (pride); and he was tempted to seek the kingdoms of the world (desire for the world) (Matthew 4).  As we can see, all of Satan’s tricks and schemes generate from these most influential powers (flesh, world, and devil); therefore, whenever we are attempting to determine if the source of what we do is of God, we need to ensure that they pass the test of God’s approval and escape the taint of the flesh, world, and devil. 

This article is based upon Gospel Rap.  We would like to find out its root and determine if God will accept the sacrifice of this form of worship and/or entertainment based upon scriptural principles.  Traditional church tend to reject it based upon tradition; the world tends to accept it because it is upbeat gives a somewhat clear conscience; however, we would like to discreetly point on what God’s standpoint on the issue is. 

God Test

In order for something to be acceptable to God it must first pass the test!  As we look throughout the scriptures we find many examples of holy worship and idolatrous worship.  From what we foreknow through scripture we understand that Satan never changes his tactics; he only changes the form.  By knowing this simple truth, it is evident that Satan wants to bring idolatrous worship into the house of God.  We need to be sure that our worship is pure and holy, not blended with any other thing than that which God accepts.  Let’s look at the forms of worship that God accepts.

Sacrificial Worship

The first prerequisite of God’s acceptable worship is that it must be truly sacrificial.  The scripture declares in Exodus 34:25, “thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left unto the morning.”  Again he says, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice.”  God is very particular in sacrificial worship.  He tells us through these scriptures that you shall not sacrifice with any form of leaven. 

According to Biblical literature, leaven represents uncleanness; God will not accept your worship if you have any mark of uncleanness associated with it.  The next verse gives insight to the origin of worship.  It teaches us that the Israelites learned from the practices of pagans; God commanded that they would never bring their (pagan) form of worship in his presence.  By these two scriptures we see clearly that God will not accept worship that is unclean or that His Spirit did not originate.  If our worship has any mark of the world stamped upon it or if it comes from unclean sources, God will not accept it.

All throughout the book of Numbers, God gives clear direction on bringing him pure lambs for offerings.  He declares you shall bring them without spot.  Numbers 19:2 testifies, “this is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke.”  Powerful point in the scripture because God is teaching us that our offering must be clean and without spot; James 1:27 bears witness to this when he declares, pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”  If your worship has any form of spot or blemish from the world, or the world can see, it is not pure religion, nor pure worship.  He also emphasized that your sacrifice must have never had a yoke upon it.  If it were ever in bondage, God will not accept it.  If your worship has ever been linked to the yoke of bondage of the world, it will not be accepted.

Our worship and sacrifice must have no record of the world’s taint if it will be accepted by God.  It cannot have its origins in the world, it cannot glorify the spirit of the world, it cannot have the spot or sign of the world written on it.  The apostle Paul makes it plain when he declared, “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Ephesians 5:27).”  The church is likened unto a lamb, without the world’s spots and blemishes.  If someone can look at you and identify what you do with what the world is doing, then you are declared spotted and blemish; this is not the church Christ is calling for.

The apostle Peter exhorts us, “wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”  The mission of the church is to be found in peace and be found blameless, not be sidetracked by the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches.  Jude declares, “these are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots (Jude 1:12).”   He gives the clear portrait that there will be some that will bring in spots and blemishes to holy meetings.  We must be careful not to allow spots of unholy sacrifices to enter into our worship; else God will not accept it. 

If your worship is not pure, God does not accept it.  Unacceptable worship is idolatrous worship.  There are many forms of idolatrous worship in the Bible, to include music.  As an example, Solomon taught Israel to worship God and other strange gods.  Jeroboam led people to believe they could worship God, and other false Gods.  Satan led Eve to believe she could worship God and herself.  On and on, throughout the scriptures, people are taught to be idolatrous, and it ultimately leads to their ruin.  If your worship has any mark of the world or comes out of the world it is not acceptable, and is proven to be idolatrous.  From this we have learned that in order for you to pass God’s test of acceptable worship, your worship cannot be found fleshly, worldly, or proud.  Let’s look further at these topics and find out if gospel rap, rock and roll, hip hop, or other things escape the taint of these elements. 

Flesh & World Test

The first step in finding out if something is acceptable is to see if it exalts the flesh.  First, let us analyze what regular rap artist’s do; then we will discuss what gospel rapper’s do.  Rappers:

Meditate on evil things to rap about

Advocate for Drugs

Dances & has others dance in obscene ways

Gangster-like hand gestures

Have body piercings

Have Tattoos

Wear Sagging Pants/clothes

Here are a few things they do, just to name a few.  These are marks of self glorification (flesh), and God declares that the church is called to be different in every fashion from the world.  As it is written, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:17).”  If after the comparison between the regular rapper and the gospel rapper the test is passed, you have passed the first step of having acceptable worship.  Now, let’s take a look at the gospel rapper and identify seven signs he displays.

                Orchestrates lyrics about God

                Speaks of being positive – in some instances

                Dances & has others dance in obscene ways

                Gangster-like hand gestures

                Some have body piercings displayed

                Many have tattoos

                Sagging Pants/Clothes

                In most cases there is no visible difference between the way a rapper displays himself and the way a gospel rapper displays himself.  It glorifies flesh in every regard.  Although the words are different, they are identical, why? Gospel rap originates from those who wanted to be rap stars but couldn’t make it in the rap world; therefore, they traded sides and tried to bring it into the church.  This is why they dress the same, look the same, and act the same; it is all for the glorification of self, displaying hardness and worldliness.  Here are a few questions in regards to gospel rap that will help you recognize the aim of gospel rap.

Question: How do you dance to gospel rap?

Answer: 99% of people will dance to gospel rap in the same way they would dance in a club.  This is because it has its origins from the world, and will forever be rooted and ground in the world. 

Someone would say well, why is it wrong?  The reason this is unacceptable is because worship is sanctified and set apart for Christ.  You cannot worship Christ as if you were in a club.  This expressly reveals that gospel rap is unacceptable. Psalm 149:3 says, “Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.”  Dancing is supposed to be for the glorification of God, not the flesh, the world, or the devil.

Question: Where does gospel rap get its origin from?

Answer: Fall hip hop artists and rap artists.  These rappers couldn’t make it in the secular world so they moved into the church and brought their music.  However, God teaches us in Leviticus 10:10, “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean.”  What is of the world will always remain of the world.

Question: What feelings are associated with gospel rap?

Answer: Pride and lust.  Pride is vividly seen through rappers, especially through their hand gestures and attire.  There is a certain spirit that is attached to the music because it has its origins in the world.  Lust is also a driving force because of the music behind the lyrics.  It gives the feelings of rage and sex.  This is why gospel rappers struggle with pornography and a spirit of cursing.  Although they use good lyrics, the music is impure producing secret thoughts in the spirit of the mind (Philippians 4:8).

Question:  What gospel rapper ever actually has a call to repentance, salvation, and holy living.

Answer: None.  The reason is found in the fact that they don’t want you to repent or receive true salvation.  If they wanted you to repent and receive salvation they would call a holy prayer meeting, for the building up of the body of Christ.  Instead they desire you to look up to them and purchase their music.  John 7:18, says that whoever speaks of himself seeks his own glory.

Question: How do gospel rappers dress?

Answer: Gospel rappers dress like the world because they are of the world.  They advocate for the world’s system and use Jesus’ name in order to find a way into the church.  The Bible teaches us that we are to dress in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or expensive clothing (I Timothy 2:9).”

Question:  What is the difference from being with a group of gospel rappers for a week and a group of true God seekers for a week?

Answer:  After being with the gospel rappers you will begin to struggle with pornography, lust, pride, lies, and all manner of cursing.  The spirit of rap and the root of gospel rap are founded on these elements and this company will always produce the manifest works.  The word of God declares you will take on the spirit of your company.

Question: What do Gospel Rapper CD covers display?

Answer: Gospel rapper’s CD covers display the same thing the world’s rappers display; lust, pride, and worldliness.  The apostle John teaches us in I John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

Question:  What is the origin of gospel rap?

Answer:  The world is the origin of gospel rap.  The Bible declares that the root of a tree causes it to bring for the fruit of the tree.  If the root of gospel rap is rap itself then it is impossible for it to bring forth good fruit.  The Bible declares that it is to be cut down and cast into the fire (Matthew 7:17-18).

                In essence, God is calling for a lamb without blemishes.  Gospel rap is certainly produced by those that desire to be lambs, but there are blemishes.  As God did when Saul brought him a lamb, he watched, and after the sacrifice was offered, God was angry with his choice.  God watches now to see if we will try to offer up lambs of spots and blemishes or bring to him true and unspotted worship.  Saul’s judgment was the loss of his kingdom, I pray that we will be wise so that we do not have to lose anything for offering up ungodly sacrifices.  When Christ saves you, he makes you a new creature.  The old man is put to death, with the body of sin (Romans 6).  Christians’ should not resurrect old things that have been put to death; gospel rap is a perfect display of the old man in action.  Let him go!