Doug Powell once asked what John Lennon. Jean-Paul Sartre. Woody Allen. Bertrand Russell. Stephen Spielberg. Peter Singer. Snoop Dog. Aristotle. Garth Brooks. Ayn Rand. Madonna has in common? In responding to his own question he answered, “They are all philosophers. They all try to make sense of reality, the world, of who we are and why we’re here. Only some are formally trained in philosophy, but all of them put forward a philosophy in their work” (How movies, music, and art always contain the truth of Christianity).
Let’s consider two examples from popular music.
From their landmark single, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for,” front man Bono began:
I have climbed highest mountain
I have run through the fields
Only to be with youI have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with youBut I still haven’t found what I’m looking for
This element of seeking for something beyond ourselves is reiterated by Cold Play in “Cemeteries of London,” a track from their latest installment Viva La Vida.
At night they would go walking till the breaking of the day
The morning is for sleeping
Through the dark streets they go searching to see God in their own way
God is in the houses and God is in my head
And all the cemeteries in London
I see God come in my garden but I don’t know what He said
For my heart it wasn’t open, not open
Although the meaning of this song is not explicitly clear, some have contended that it’s about someone searching for something, a truth or meaning, “to see god in their own way’ it describes their journey” (HoliHallow), while others believe that this song is “expressing some desire to connect with what’s ‘out there’ a sort of spiritual vibe going on, its mystical and explores a new dimension. When we die we shed our pride we go off to the grave and we are all equal, I think it’s about embracing the next phase and feeling whole again. Kind of envying the dead, but at the same time loving life too” (ItsAbout).
These songs relate the artists search for something beyond themselves, yet not finding what that “something” is. They speak of their search for god in their own way, seeing him, yet not knowing what he said. These songs serve not only as a recollection of the artists search for god; these songs are also shared and embraced by many devoted fans around the world as the story to their lives as well.
So what is it about these songs that allow for so many people to resonate with them? Why are people from diverse backgrounds capable of sharing their story in search for meaning? People from all walks of life are able to resonate with such songs because they reflect an element of Truth in our search for meaning. There are true stories, and then there is a True Story
J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Lord of the Rings, believed that myths – stories that attempt to explain our existence or aspect of human behavior – were true in so far as they reflected Jesus Christ, who is the embodiment of Truth (see Powell). C.S. Lewis – who was heavily influenced by Tolkien – argued that, “The story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference that it really happened.” He went on to say, “Christianity is God expressing Himself through what we call ‘real things’ namely, the actual incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection” (see C.S. Lewis’s letter to Arthur Greeves, October 18, 1931)
Man’s search for God is at the very core of our being. Human beings are naturally spiritual creatures who are incurably religious (James Emery White, A Search for the Spiritual: Exploring Real Christianity, pg. 12). Writing in the 4th century, a North African Bishop by the name of Augustine’s said of God, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are rest-less till they find their rest in you” (Confessions, 1.1.1)
One of the foundational tenets of Christianity is the creation of mankind in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1.26-27; 9.6). This not only means that humanity derives its self-from God, this also means that everyone has been created with a religious zeal. From the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes, we read that God “has put eternity into man’s heart” (Ecclesiastes 3.11). Being created with such innate desires readily explains the existence of religious pluralism. In that throughout all of time and every geographic location we will discover people who worship “god” in their own way (Art Lindsey, Argument from Desire: Do our desires point to something or nothing?).
In the New Testament the Apostle Paul said, “And he [referring to God] made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us” (Acts 17.26-27).
Since we as human beings have these innate desires, we are able to identify with such songs, as well as movies, books, and poetry that relate a similar message.
Who exactly are you looking for?
The passage directly above – Acts 17.26-27 - insinuates that God not only created us, but also determined when and where we would live with the intent that we would seek out after Him. Although we have been created with this disposition, we come away from these verses that mankind is feeling their way along in the dark, seeking out after the One, True, and Living God without knowing the way, even though He is not far from all of us (Doesn’t this sound similar to “Cemeteries of London?”).
Christianity teaches that mankind is born with a “sinful nature.” The presence of sin permeates the root of our being. It distorts our every thought, attitude, motivation, and action to the point that we can no longer seek the One True God of the universe (Romans 3.10-11; Ephesians 2.1-4), or please Him in the things we think, say or do. This facet of Christianity is typically called “total depravity” or “radical corruption.” In other words, not everyone is “worshipping” or “seeking” the same god.
The Pre-em-i-nence of Christ in the True Story
For a minute, I want to talk to those of you that don’t consider yourself to be a Christian and are skeptical to what I’m saying.
What I’m not saying is that people who worship other “gods” or don’t consider themselves to be Christians don’t do any “good work” in this world. In fact, there are many non-Christians who are morally superior to Christians. Listen to these words by Tim Keller in his book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism,
Christians believe that all human beings are made in the image of God, capable of goodness and wisdom…Christianity also leads [us] to expect that many will live lives morally superior to [our] own. Most people in our culture believe that, if there is a God, we can relate to him and go to heaven through leading a good life…Christianity teachers the very opposite…Jesus does not tell us how to live so we can merit salvation. Rather, he comes to forgive and save us through his life and death in our place. God’s grace does not come to people who morally outperform others, but to those who admit their failure to perform and who acknowledge their need for a Savior. Christians, then, should expect to find nonbelievers who are much nicer, kinder, wiser, and better than they are. Why? Christian believers are not accepted by God because of their moral performance, wisdom, or virtue, but because of Christ’s work on their behalf (pg. 18-19)
So, what I am saying is this, that God not only evaluates our actions – such as refraining from stealing, giving to charity, and treating people nice – He also considers our motives for doing these actions. It has been said before that “the supreme motive required of everything we do is the love of God.” Therefore, an action that proceeds from a sinful nature that is alienated from God and a desire to love Him is not deemed good by God in the ultimate sense (R.C. Sproul, What is Reformed Theology, pg. 120).
What’s amazing about the message of Christianity is that God did not leave us to our own devices and passions. He has not left us to search out for Him in the dark without a light. He has explicitly revealed Himself to us in His Son, Jesus Christ, who we can know (John 17.3) and understand. He does not call us to earn His love, attention, and respect with our good deeds (Ephesians 2.8-10). He calls us to believe in the One that He sent to live, suffer, die, and rise again, Jesus Christ!
If there was one response that I desired for everyone to come away with, it would be similar to what Paul himself said, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7.24-25; Acts 17.30-31).
The Story of Christianity finds its focal point in Jesus Christ. The message of redemption and hope in His life, death, burial, resurrection, and return.
If you consider yourself a person who has climbed great heights or ran great lengths to find God, then I ask that you consider the story of Christ in completing this journey and blazing the paths of a new one. If you have been searching for God in your own way, then I ask you to consider reading what Christianity considers to be the self-revelation of God, the Bible. It is within this ancient text that we discover the wisdom that leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3.15).
I will be the first to admit that I don’t have all of the answers to life’s questions! But I invite you to join me in searching out the True Story of God, as revealed in Jesus Christ.
Besides, “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself” (Blaise Pascal, Pensees, pg. 45).
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