Convinced that Skillet is definitely NOT a spirit-filled Christian band

[BeyondET]

I am simply amazed at the level of sarcasm presented here. If you have a good reason to believe otherwise to whether or not Skillet is really standing for the truth, please share it with a sound, reasonable argument, with evidences and without a sarcastic remark. We are talking Truth here guys, truth of Christianity and about those who claim to follow him. In the last days many will "fall away" from the faith, and the "love of most will grow cold". Are we interested in the truth of the word of God or not here? Is this not forum not called "'Christian Chat'? This is not a laughing matter or a casual conversation. Read the article I wrote that includes Skillet, and other bands, and make a sound judgment. Take these things seriously, because the days in which we live are evil, and we absolutely must be discerning. http://thehardertruths.blogspot.com/2017/02/christian-music-theology-bad-to-worse.html

It's not a laughing matter only because I feel as if you don't like rock music, nothing in scripture mentions rock music as being rebellious, it's my view that this view about rock is but of a worldly view one shared by many people who don't like rock and try to justify some kind of a axe against it, it's rubbish to me and smells of wolves at the gates.

 

[thehardertruths]

I am not a fan or expert on the group, but I just read this article (One of America’s Most Successful Rock Bands Is an Under-the-Radar Christian Group With a Life-Changing Message – TheBlaze), and if it's true, their fruit is good.

Those lyrics are good because it can bring someone into the fold (as they did based on that article I cited) in a non-threatening, empathetic way.


It's always difficult to judge someone else's heart, nor should we. But, I see your point. Should we listen to their music? Should we recommend it to others? All I can say is pray and follow what the Holy Spirit places on your heart.

Thanks for this. I can also see your point of view, however, trying to reach people in a non-threatening or empathetic way often leads to a watered-down representation of the gospel. If we look at the disciples, and including John the Baptist, they insulted people by their rebuke and proclaiming Christ as the only Way. The gospel is offensive to people, and include many hard truths that most do not find attractive. Jesus told it like it was and was crucified, even as a non-sinner. Most of the apostles were murdered, including Paul, and also John the Baptist. To be non-threatening is to not present the gospel in its entirety, and this is not good fruit. Paul said he was "not ashamed of the gospel" in Roman 1:16. Jesus said, "Don't be surprised if the world hates you, because it hated me first" (1 John 3:13). Paul also said that he did not shrink back from his teachings as found in Acts 2:20. If we don't properly present the gospel, it is doing a huge disservice to Christ and the faith, and may be better to not do it at all. Satan uses partial truths as well.

 

[posthuman]

[video=youtube;Y7ZHzMfol-s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7ZHzMfol-s[/video]

 

[posthuman]

Thoughts on this? I'm just going by their lyrics:

I'm just a breath away
I'm just a step away
From losin' my faith today
Fallin' off the edge today
I need a hero to save my life

why don't you post the whole song, by the way?

 

[thehardertruths]

[video=youtube;Y7ZHzMfol-s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7ZHzMfol-s[/video]

He says a lot of great things, but then he is still singing that he's just a step away from losing faith today. Sorry, I'm still not convinced, I would rather him sing about how strong his faith is if he is walking that closely with the Lord. I don't get it.

 

[thehardertruths]

why don't you post the whole song, by the way?

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Also, if I quote the bible let's say - and we quote Scriptures - we don't quote all the passages or the bible. The words speak for themselves I would say. God bless you.

 

[Odelschwanck]

It's called context

 

[shineyourlight]

I used to a be a huge fan of Skillet back in high school. Somewhere in college, I started digging deeper into God and I realized when I listened to Skillet, I would either a) become super angry or b) become super depressed. The last album I owned and listened to was Awake. Awake was a pretty dangerous album to me, although there were some good songs on the album. However, I was working on forgiveness towards people and SOME (note the word "some") of the songs on the album were not about forgiving, but harboring unforgiveness.

However, who am I to say they aren't Christian? I know that they have decided to lean more into the mainstream, but still say that it's all about Jesus, which I really admire. Lecrae is the same. Although I'm not a huge fan of rap, I have friends who are and after research, Lecrae has a huge mainstream following, but every song he writes is Christ centered. Skillet doesn't write every song on Christ, but still identify themselves as Christians.

Regardless, I think what it comes down to is: What makes a band Christian? Forget the members of the band and just focus on the elements of what makes a band Christian.

Although I personally no longer listen to Skillet, I can't say they are not Christians and aren't followers of Christ. That's not my place to say. I had the privilege of meeting John Cooper at an amusement park and after talking with him for a few minutes, I really liked him based on a few things he had said.

 

[shineyourlight]

He says a lot of great things, but then he is still singing that he's just a step away from losing faith today. Sorry, I'm still not convinced, I would rather him sing about how strong his faith is if he is walking that closely with the Lord. I don't get it.

Many people struggle in "losing their faith." We can go through trivial times and want to give up. We want to lose faith.

Regardless, this song is not about that. Here are the lyrics. You can't post one part of a song without the rest. It's about context. Same thing with the Bible. You can't base one single scripture and do a doctrine out of it without looking at the surrounding context and scriptures. That's basic hermeneutics (study of the Bible).

The song is about the need of someone saving him and knowing that Christ is that hero. He's falling and wanting to give up, but knows that GOd is the only one he needs.

I'm just a step away
I'm just a breath away
Losin' my faith today
(We're fallin' off the edge today)

I am just a man
Not superhuman
(I'm not superhuman)
Someone save me from the hate

It's just another war
Just another family torn
(We're falling from my faith today)
Just a step from the edge
Just another day in the world we live

[Chorus:]
I need a hero to save me now
I need a hero (save me now)
I need a hero to save my life
A hero'll save me (just in time)

I've gotta fight today
To live another day
Speakin' my mind today
(My voice will be heard today)

I've gotta make a stand
But I am just a man
(I'm not superhuman)
My voice will be heard today

It's just another war
Just another family torn
(My voice will be heard today)
It's just another kill
The countdown begins to destroy ourselves

[Chorus]

I need a hero to save my life
I need a hero just in time
Save me just in time
Save me just in time

Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive
We're in the fight of our lives
(And we're not ready to die)

Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I've got a hero (I've got a hero)
Livin' in me

I've gotta fight for what's right
Today I'm speaking my mind
And if it kills me tonight
(I will be ready to die)

A hero's not afraid to give his life
A hero's gonna save me just in time

[Chorus]

I need a hero
Who's gonna fight for what's right
Who's gonna help us survive

I need a hero
Who's gonna fight for the weak
Who's gonna make 'em believe
I need a hero
I need a hero

A hero's gonna save me just in time​

 

[posthuman]

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. Also, if I quote the bible let's say - and we quote Scriptures - we don't quote all the passages or the bible. The words speak for themselves I would say. God bless you.

have you ever heard anyone quote an isolated portion of the Bible, without any context, and draw very wrong conclusions from what they selectively present?

do you think maybe i could carefully quote just a few lines from a single Psalm, and totally misrepresent the scripture by leaving out the rest of it?


should i try and get you an example?

 

[posthuman]

It's called context

exactly that! ♥

in fact, when talking about a song, the whole set of lyrics isn't even the end of the context. there is also purpose & audience, for example. the song is a medium to communicate or express something, often in a poetic or narrative voice, which may be a complex and not fully explored amalgam of situations and ideas the sum of which convey meaning that may or may not be explicitly stated. not every voice in that narrative is necessarily reflective of the whole, and not every verse is necessarily representative of the author, certainly not of the author's ultimate intent, as narrative is progressive :


for example, i could selectively quote Psalm 42 -- i could very selectively quote:

Where is your God?
(Psalm 42:3)​

wow that looks bad! i better not quote any more, 'a little leaven.. ' you know. should we throw out the Bible now? lol.

i could even expand my quote, and still totally misrepresent the whole Psalm:

My tears have been my food day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
(Psalm 42:3)
​

wow! hopelessness! lack of faith! despair!
is this some serious leaven?
i should write an essay! i should get online and warn people!

but if you read the whole psalm - as i hope you all will - you will see that the sons of Korah have written a conversation between two voices, one losing faith ((wow! oh noes!)) and one encouraging and full of hope. there is a third group quoted within the song, mocking and taunting - who if you quote without context, would make it seem like it is a psalm about blasphemy!

why would a psalm like this be written?
who would its audience be?
what is the subject matter and why is it treated this way?

 

[thehardertruths]

Many people struggle in "losing their faith." We can go through trivial times and want to give up. We want to lose faith.

Regardless, this song is not about that. Here are the lyrics. You can't post one part of a song without the rest. It's about context. Same thing with the Bible. You can't base one single scripture and do a doctrine out of it without looking at the surrounding context and scriptures. That's basic hermeneutics (study of the Bible).

The song is about the need of someone saving him and knowing that Christ is that hero. He's falling and wanting to give up, but knows that GOd is the only one he needs.

​

Very well articulated. I understand and agree about context, and I am careful in observing that. You are reading into the lyrics, however. The name "Christ" or "Jesus" or even "God" are not found anywhere in these lyrics. It is implied (from a Christian viewpoint) but it is not there. I could perceivably read other deities into these lyrics if I were looking at it from another angle. It is also important also to see this song in context and in accordance with every other thing the band does and says. When you put them all together, it is only proper to question, and it is very biblical as well (test the spirits). When you consider that they have a very large influence on culture and are representing Christianity to a lost world, it is very important to convey a proper biblical message, that which they fail to do. You must be born again and repent (do they say this often?) and be separate from the world, not look like the world and do what the world does. Anyone who wants to represent Christ must do it properly, otherwise they will be leading people astray, and that is a very serious thing and not to be taken lightly.

 

[thehardertruths]

exactly that! ♥

in fact, when talking about a song, the whole set of lyrics isn't even the end of the context. there is also purpose & audience, for example. the song is a medium to communicate or express something, often in a poetic or narrative voice, which may be a complex and not fully explored amalgam of situations and ideas the sum of which convey meaning that may or may not be explicitly stated. not every voice in that narrative is necessarily reflective of the whole, and not every verse is necessarily representative of the author, certainly not of the author's ultimate intent, as narrative is progressive :


for example, i could selectively quote Psalm 42 -- i could very selectively quote:

Where is your God?
(Psalm 42:3)​

wow that looks bad! i better not quote any more, 'a little leaven.. ' you know. should we throw out the Bible now? lol.

i could even expand my quote, and still totally misrepresent the whole Psalm:

My tears have been my food day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
(Psalm 42:3)
​

wow! hopelessness! lack of faith! despair!
is this some serious leaven?
i should write an essay! i should get online and warn people!

but if you read the whole psalm - as i hope you all will - you will see that the sons of Korah have written a conversation between two voices, one losing faith ((wow! oh noes!)) and one encouraging and full of hope. there is a third group quoted within the song, mocking and taunting - who if you quote without context, would make it seem like it is a psalm about blasphemy!

why would a psalm like this be written?
who would its audience be?
what is the subject matter and why is it treated this way?

You are overcomplicating this. Either lyrics are biblical or unbiblical, simple as that. We can't leave room for interpretation.

 

[shineyourlight]

I could perceivably read other deities into these lyrics if I were looking at it from another angle. It is also important also to see this song in context and in accordance with every other thing the band does and says.

Well, I wouldn't look at it in another angle because they claim that they are Christian. So I know that they are singing about Christ. There are words that are not in the Bible, but the concept of the words are in there. Example: The Trinity. Even if you don't believe in the Trinity, I do. The word, though, isn't in the Bible but the concept is there. God is not in the lyrics, but the concept of God is in the lyrics.

When you put them all together, it is only proper to question, and it is very biblical as well (test the spirits).

I agree, we definitely have to test the spirits. Absolutely. That's biblical. What you're saying has good points.

You must be born again and repent (do they say this often?) and be separate from the world, not look like the world and do what the world does. Anyone who wants to represent Christ must do it properly, otherwise they will be leading people astray, and that is a very serious thing and not to be taken lightly.

Absolutely! But, when do you usually hear Christians songs saying "Be born again and repent"? Does that make me question their faith because they aren't talking about that? Absolutely not.

 

[posthuman]

You are overcomplicating this. Either lyrics are biblical or unbiblical, simple as that. We can't leave room for interpretation.

either single lines of lyrics - or scripture - can be taken out of context, without any consideration of the whole, of the purpose, of the setting and audience, and so be misrepresented, or it cannot.

obviously without context, but with plenty of bias, you can selectively limit how much of any block of text you quote, and mischaracterize a book, a psalm, a poem, a speech, or anything else, especially if you already have a predisposition toward it.

 

[posthuman]

You are overcomplicating this. Either lyrics are biblical or unbiblical, simple as that. We can't leave room for interpretation.

if i'm "overcomplicating this" by wanting to look at the entire song as a whole, then you are justifying me "simplifying" my reading of scripture to pick out a line here, a line there, disregard all context, and proclaim scripture evil.

is that the kind of "simplification" you think is right?

do you need another example of how stupid it is to ignore context?

here:

Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!
(Exodus 14:12)​

i just "proved" that God is evil, malicious and capricious, and that the exodus was a terrible idea from the start.
because i ripped one line out and provided no context whatsoever, not disclosing who the speaker is, why the speaker is saying what they say, what the response is, the setting, or how what is expressed is treated.

that's exactly the same way you are going about your judgement. is it not?
"simplified"

 

[Socreta93]

What I believe

The world around me is lost in misery
The only good I've got in my life is you
No meaning, no other reason
When everything feels wrong I feel right with you
So madly, desperate, deeply obsessed
Your love is better than life to me
Can I have this moment forever?

Take me to the beginning

You are what I believe
I'll live and die for you
This is all that I need
When nothing is real you are my truth
In the darkness you shine
Can you keep me safe tonight?
When I'm down on my knees
You are what I believe

When we started whole-hearted
I never needed anything or anyone else
I was broken – you made me whole again
The only one I trusted more than myself
So madly, desperate, deeply
I will live for you completely
Can I have this moment forever?

Take me to the beginning

You are what I believe
I'll live and die for you
This is all that I need
When nothing is real you are my truth
In the darkness you shine
Can you keep me safe tonight?
When I'm down on my knees
You are what I believe

Believe in your love, believe in your life
Believe that you can put me back together on the inside
Chase all the fear away
Every time I speak your name
Take me – you are what I believe

You are what I believe
I'll live and die for you
This is all that I need
When nothing is real you are my truth
In the darkness you shine
Can you keep me safe tonight?
When I'm down on my knees
You are what I believe
The world around me is lost in misery
The only good I've got in my life is you
No meaning, no other reason
When everything feels wrong I feel right with you
So madly, desperate, deeply obsessed
Your love is better than life to me
Can I have this moment forever?

Take me to the beginning

You are what I believe
I'll live and die for you
This is all that I need
When nothing is real you are my truth
In the darkness you shine
Can you keep me safe tonight?
When I'm down on my knees
You are what I believe

When we started whole-hearted
I never needed anything or anyone else
I was broken – you made me whole again
The only one I trusted more than myself
So madly, desperate, deeply
I will live for you completely
Can I have this moment forever?

Take me to the beginning

You are what I believe
I'll live and die for you
This is all that I need
When nothing is real you are my truth
In the darkness you shine
Can you keep me safe tonight?
When I'm down on my knees
You are what I believe

Believe in your love, believe in your life
Believe that you can put me back together on the inside
Chase all the fear away
Every time I speak your name
Take me – you are what I believe

You are what I believe
I'll live and die for you
This is all that I need
When nothing is real you are my truth
In the darkness you shine
Can you keep me safe tonight?
When I'm down on my knees
You are what I believe​

 

[Socreta93]

In other words, I have no problem with them

 

[Tommy379]

Seems like to me, someone doesn't like a band because the members didn't come out the same christian cookie cutter.

 

[ForthAngel]

I met Skillet as a teenager when they first released their "Hey you, I love your soul" album. They played a pivotal role in building my faith for later on in my life. It was just a garage concert so everyone there got to meet them personally. They did some praise and worship songs as well and not just songs from their album.

However, as they got more mainstream, I felt like their music started to stray away from biblically based lyrics and started becoming very ambiguous. That kinda bothered me. They still preach some at their concerts though and do praise and worship music as far as I know. I think they are saved but as the lyrics from "Hero" suggests, they are only human. I can relate to that quite well. My faith will be shaken at times, even still, so I can understand where they are coming from.

That's why we see the verse in the bible that says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling and are given a mandate to be diligent and make every effort to confirm our calling and election. And in Mark 9 we get an example of a father who makes a bizarre statement, "I believe, help my unbelief". Seems paradoxical huh? Anyway, here is an oldie but goodie from them:

[video=youtube;Z-KrIK0s1AQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-KrIK0s1AQ[/video]