(Updated author’s note: If you feel strongly about this then let them know by leaving a comment at the Newsboys)
My wife and I have recently had discussion over her concern about the new Newsboys song God’s not Dead. She said they were saying “roaring like a lion” and we all know that there are only three such mentions in the Bible, the most familiar is “the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking who he can devour“, though all three give an evil deadly presence to the reference. (correction: Hosea 11:10 does mention God roaring like a lion, but not in this context. God roars to an unrepentant nation, who comes back humbly. For God to be continually roaring on the inside means an unrepentant heart, holding the form of religion and continuing in sin. That is what the emerging church of apostasy is, and maybe that is where the Newsboys are headed.)
Now we have this song:
Let love explode And bring the dead to life A love so bold To see a revolution somehow
Let love explode And bring the dead to life A love so bold To bring a revolution somehow
Now I’m lost in your freedom And this world I’ll overcome
My God’s not dead He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside Roaring like a lion
My God’s not dead He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside Roaring like a lion
He’s roaring He’s roaring He’s roaring like a lion Let hope arise And make the darkness hide My faith is dead I need a resurrection somehow
Now.. Now I’m lost in your freedom Now.. And this world I’ll overcome
My God’s not dead He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside Roaring like a lion
My God’s not dead He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside Roaring like a lion
He’s roaring He’s roaring He’s roaring like a lion
He’s roaring He’s roaring
Let Heaven roar And fire fall Come shake the ground With the sound of revival
Let Heaven roar And fire fall Come shake the ground With the sound of revival…
My God’s not dead He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside Roaring like a lion
My God’s not dead He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside Roaring like a lion…
He’s roaring He’s roaring He’s roaring like a lion…
Roaring like a lion
Read more: NEWSBOYS – GOD’S NOT DEAD LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/gods-not-dead-lyrics-newsboys.html#ixzz1sVafWb16
Copied from MetroLyrics.com
Sounds kind of cool except that a roaring of a lion is all hot air. The roar is meant to threaten, intimidate, or paralyze the intended prey. I’m pretty uncomfortable with the notion that there are kids and adults making this confession with their mouths. God doesn’t walk around like a roaring lion, or live on the inside roaring like a lion. He isn’t full of hot air. God is compassionate, yet just. He is loving yet firm. He is all wise yet speaks to us in the simplest of terms. Jesus is the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega and you ask Him to come into your life as your helper, healer, Redeemer and it’s His Holy Spirit that’s on the inside.
The song is written by Daniel Bashta who’s website homepage leaves me concerned, why is the guy with the lion’s head standing on a pile of skulls forming America? I’m not old fashioned, but imagery full of skulls while claiming to be worship music is a stretch. As a Christian musician and worship leader it is always a point of discernment when songs fail to acknowledge Jesus, and this song clearly does. Who is “my god”? He could be anyone or anything, in particular, the devil himself without you even knowing it. Many walk around deceived and become deceived through little doors until they no longer know where they are. The emerging church is very much that, dishing out eye candy while stripping the power of the Holy Spirit from their words. Do you find yourself saying things to agree with everybody, do you really know the word of God anymore, or did you ever? Plug yourself into His word, seek His truth and cast away lies and deceit. We haven’t time to play around anymore. Don’t allow yourself to be part of the deception.
As for this song, it has a good place on the shelf or maybe out the back door….
See modified lyrics for worship
Thank you for sharing this with me. It really makes you think…
By: James on April 19, 2012
at 2:06 pm
I felt the same way about that song. Jesus is the Lion of Judah, but it is not the vision of the song’s meaning to me. It is Satan who is “roaring like a lion” as written. And on the Inside? Hiding in the “darkness”? Deceptive to say the least!
By: ambience on June 30, 2012
at 2:37 pm
Actually, it was my wife who brought it up to me. I was working outside with the radio blaring and she asked, ” did they say roaring like a lion?”. I really did hear the words, so since I like Newsboys I made up some excuse, like she didn’t hear right (I’m the one with the hearing aids =O ). Then I looked up the lyrics. I was pretty unimpressed. When I wrote the Christian radio station, they made some excuse of creative license…
By: godsfingers on June 30, 2012
at 3:16 pm
The only places in scripture that it speaks of God roaring like a lion is in reference to his wrath on man. It is something to be feared. It is written that men cower when God roars like a lion. These song writers are using it in a disrespectful manner.
By: James on June 30, 2012
at 5:14 pm
Reblogged this on Montana Truth Seekers Ministry and commented:
Worth the read
By: James on April 19, 2012
at 2:06 pm
[...] Roaring on the Inside (godsfingers.wordpress.com) [...]
By: A Mighty Roar | Danroberson's Blog on April 20, 2012
at 12:11 am
I did some more research on this and I have to say that there are some examples of the bible referring to God roaring like a lion. Hosea 11:10. I should have researched it better before I jumped on this. I stand for the truth and do seek and share it openly. I just thought you might want to take a look at that as well.
By: James on April 20, 2012
at 12:19 am
Hi James,
Thanks for the update and calling me out on this, I don’t fear accountability. I did the simple search on “roaring like a Lion and came up with three texts when I wrote this, given as that’s the song. They were Prov 28:15, Ez 22:25, I Peter 5:8.
Rev 10:3 also speaks “and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.” and the Hosea reference could possibly speak of a revival as it does a return, but my concern is the growing apostasy and subtle manipulations of the emerging church, to be careful, and I guess that would be my watchman’s cry.
By: godsfingers on April 20, 2012
at 5:18 am
I do not believe the Hosea reference is speaking of a rival. I do believe it is speaking of God’s cry to repentance and how when God is calling us to repentance with the signs and his messages we should fear God and leave behind our wicked ways. I am not totally sure though if the song is referencing it in a way that would be a fearful worship. I do not think they are using it correctly and there is something up with the song. I know if I posted something that I was mistaken about I would want someone to point it out to me. There are references to God roaring like a lion to call people to repentance. It is something to be feared and worshipped not in a non-fearful worship.
By: James on April 20, 2012
at 10:45 am
I know I struggled with the Hosea text first saying compassion, then roaring that causes trembling, but I’m not a judge of God’s manner. In my reply I was just trying to give the guys some credit for a textual reference, but like I said, it would really be a stretch. I’m not sure the song writer even consulted any text, just wrote something that sounded cool with the music, and that is the part that concerns, whether the group is starting the slow slide. The biography on his website is totally confusing.
Look at all the incredulous stuff happening with “well established” ministries. Zondervon was bought by a liberal media outlet, Wheaton college takes on the liberal lean, Wycliff takes the Father, Son and Spirit out of the Muslim translations, even the name Campus Crusade for Christ is Christ-less. It’s a slow shift toward powerless general-ism.
An ever more important time of vigilance and prayer as we anticipate the Christs soon return.
By: godsfingers on April 20, 2012
at 11:25 am
I totally agree with you. I do not think the song writers consulted scripture at all because it does not make since. Christian rockers are all about the show and their glory, not God’s glory. That is why Michael W Smith went from Christian rock to all gospel. I know of many ministries that have been on a slippery slope for quite a while now and it is sad. Any real famous preacher or ministries has serious problems. Fame and money have corrupted many ministries.
I understand where you are coming from. I would like to research this topic more and write a blog about it. I took the reblog down because I did not want to tell people there was no mention of God roaring like a lion. I do not feel the song used it in an appropriate context and I do feel that this issue needs to be mentioned and discussed by true believers so we can find and expose the truth.
By: James on April 20, 2012
at 11:38 am
I put up a correction referencing Hosea 11:10
Good call
Dan
By: godsfingers on April 20, 2012
at 12:12 pm
Thank you so much for your kind words, your firm standing for the truth really impresses me and earns respect.
By: James on April 20, 2012
at 1:55 pm
Hi Godsfingers,
I wanted to show my appreciation for what your writing does for me, so I nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award:
http://dreamsofdunamis.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/the-versatile-blogger-award/
Blessings,
C. Dunamis
By: Dreams Of Dunamis on April 24, 2012
at 6:49 pm
Greetings. I brought this exact concern to my husband’s attention and he directed me to your site. Your words of wisdom reassured me that I am not being oversensitive. We just never know how the evil one may try to sneak in to try to steal us away.
By: Denise Lieb on August 6, 2012
at 2:52 am
For those who have serious misgivings about this song I’ve added a link to the Newsboys page “explaining” the song. Take the time to comment there also and let them know.
By: godsfingers on August 6, 2012
at 11:28 am
Hi my name is Joshua Allred I am a Christian who lives in Augusta Georgia I am broken. I fail at everything I do not worship God as I should I got kicked out of church because of my faults I have been gone for almost a year from the church. I am addicted to masturbating and I commit idolatry alot I am broken. I am unsure when God speaks to me. I am broken and I am not fixed I am pardoned (forgiven). I pray alot and sometimes I feel like the Holy Spirit is speaking to me but I ignore it because I feel crazy. I dont know much about the Bible but I do know one thing I am broken but I am forgiven through Jesus Christ who died on the cross. I have broken every commandment because I am broken and I know who I belong to and that is God i am his son and he is my Father if you want you can convict me instead of Christian Rock artist
By: Joshua Allred on November 3, 2012
at 7:28 pm
I think you pretty much spammed the comment but I allowed this to show to what end some will go to defend a sound instead of defending the faith, as they should. As musicians AND “spokesman for Christ” they are responsible for what they put out. Clearly The Newsboys chose cash oven content on this one.
By: godsfingers on November 5, 2012
at 8:18 am
Ok well how do you know how the are using the lion comparison? Just because that’s how you interpret it doesn’t mean that is how they meant it in the song, in Proverbs 30:30 it clearly says “the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any.” Thus they could just as easily be saying that God is the mightiest among anyone, and that he will not turn back and can conquer all. Just saying…
By: Zach Buchholz on March 24, 2013
at 4:23 pm
Because after this article they posted an “explanation” incorporating Isaiah 11:10
By: godsfingers on March 24, 2013
at 9:03 pm
Isaiah 34:1
By: Tracy on May 29, 2013
at 3:38 pm