Oprah sings I surrender all with raised hands and tears?!

[ReformedWretch]

along with Faith Hill on her show....

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S1C1uNLlR4]YouTube - Faith Hill - I Surrender All[/ame]

 

[SpokenFor]

Perhaps God should take them at their word?

 

[OPC'n]

Isn't that taking His name in vain? I don't know Faith Hill, but Oprah doesn't believe that Jesus is the only way. She believes that He is just one in many ways. So since she believes this way and yet sings this song, wouldn't that be taking His name in vain?

 

[toddpedlar]

Perhaps God should take them at their word?

Considering God knows their hearts, "taking them at their word" isn't relevant for Him.

We, too, needn't take these words at face value, since (in Oprah's case at least) we have overwhelming evidence of the rotten fruit of blasphemy and self-actualization. Perhaps Oprah has suddenly converted - but I'll continue to pray for her conversion until I see fruit consistent with conversion.

 

[Zeno333]

Isn't that taking His name in vain? I don't know Faith Hill, but Oprah doesn't believe that Jesus is the only way. She believes that He is just one in many ways. So since she believes this way and yet sings this song, wouldn't that be taking His name in vain?

She also believe in the wrong Jesus...

She is a Course in Miracles follower, and the Course is claimed to have be "written" by Jesus.

-----Added 1/13/2009 at 07:48:39 EST-----

Isn't that taking His name in vain? I don't know Faith Hill, but Oprah doesn't believe that Jesus is the only way. She believes that He is just one in many ways. So since she believes this way and yet sings this song, wouldn't that be taking His name in vain?

The only way that Oprah or anyone can believe that the different religions are all valid pathways, is to believe that God has a "schizoid" split nature and personality.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

The song appeals to the Gnostic in Oprah. If you read the lyrics, it's a love song more than a song about worship.

 

[Barnpreacher]

I think I heard recently where Oprah is losing some of her audience, so she's playing the politician card in going after the moral majority.

 

[tdowns]

Yeah

People tear up about everything, music is emotionally driven, sparks things in us, whatever...it's the same case that people make in the Hollywood Professional Musician driven "worship" here in California, the music, drives people to tears, so, the Holy Spirit must be there.

People literally feed off of it, go to churches where heresy--or at best weak preaching--is the norm, so they get their emotional tear fix...has nothing to do with true Christianity in my opinion.

Having said that, I cry like a baby sometimes, when thinking of God's Grace on me, so I'm not against emotions, and I DO PRAY, that, these are real tears of repentance and the Holy Spirit led reality, that unlike her statement on a previous show, WE DO NEED Jesus TO PAY FOR OUR SINS.

Pray for her, she's no farther gone than I was, the moment I first believed.

 

[Ivan]

Sickening

 

[AThornquist]

Is Oprah singing "I surrender all" to the universal law of attraction or something? She is so inconsistent. Then again, if "any way leads to heaven," I guess she can pick and choose what she wants to be emotional about.

But Faith Hill--wow. I would feel very awkward singing with Oprah since she isn't saved. I wonder how they felt

 

[Zenas]

People tear up about everything, music is emotionally driven, sparks things in us, whatever...it's the same case that people make in the Hollywood Professional Musician driven "worship" here in California, the music, drives people to tears, so, the Holy Spirit must be there.

People literally feed off of it, go to churches where heresy--or at best weak preaching--is the norm, so they get their emotional tear fix...has nothing to do with true Christianity in my opinion.

Having said that, I cry like a baby sometimes, when thinking of God's Grace on me, so I'm not against emotions, and I DO PRAY, that, these are real tears of repentance and the Holy Spirit led reality, that unlike her statement on a previous show, WE DO NEED Jesus TO PAY FOR OUR SINS.

Pray for her, she's no farther gone than I was, the moment I first believed.

I cried when I heard a Taylor Swift song. That doesn't mean I worship and obey Taylor Swift. Quite the contrary.

 

[AThornquist]

I cried when I heard a Taylor Swift song.

Are you one of those guys who sings along with the radio, "you'll be the prince and I'll be the princess"?

Just curious.

 

[Zenas]

My wife and I had a tough time with her parents.

 

[AThornquist]

 

[Wannabee]

The song appeals to the Gnostic in Oprah. If you read the lyrics, it's a love song more than a song about worship.

Really? I hope it doesn't derail the thread for me to disagree a bit.

Judson Van De Venter wrote this text after surrendering his many talents to his all-wise Savior:

For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life, I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing.​

After making his decision to devote his life to Christian service, Van De Venter ministered with much blessing in extensive evangelistic work both at home and abroad. Billy Graham is one of many who claim that Judson Van De Venter had greatly influenced their lives and ministry.

All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender, humbly at His feet I bow; worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender, make me, Savior, wholly Thine; let me feel the Holy Spirit—truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; fill me with Thy love and power; let Thy blessings fall on me.

Chorus: I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.​

Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, Includes Indexes. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990), 261.

I realize that the words are not all doctrinally sound. But it is clearly worshipful and displays a dependence on Jesus Christ as Lord. The very words, "I surrender all" are very biblical.

Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38, 39)​

 

[No Longer A Libertine]

I cried when I heard a Taylor Swift song.

Are you one of those guys who sings along with the radio, "you'll be the prince and I'll be the princess"?

Just curious.

How about Taylor [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARCnDVc-y_U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARCnDVc-y_U[/ame]Swift with Def Leppard?

 

[AThornquist]

I know atheists who love the song Amazing Grace. I also know that Oprah recognizes Jesus as a spiritual figure but He is not the savior of humanity in her view. She is a very confused individual.

 

[No Longer A Libertine]

I know atheists who love the song Amazing Grace. I also know that Oprah recognizes Jesus as a spiritual figure but He is not the savior of humanity in her view. She is a very confused individual.

At least if they were singing "How Great Thou Art" we'd know she was reveling in herself.

Perhaps the surrender mode she is in is for his majesty the president-elect, hope incarnate according to his disciples..er, constituents.

 

[OPC'n]

Wannabee,
thanks for the words of the song...I didn't know the verses. I could only understand her sing the chorus. Where do you feel the song isn't doctrinally sound? Is it in the fact that it states "I" in places? "I will do such and such?" The Psalms does that too. David states the he will sing His praises forever or that he loves His law or that he will meditate on His law day and night, etc. I believe we can say that we will do such and such because we can trust in His promises. Phil 1:6. What do you think?

 

[Rocketeer]

Am I the only one that could only view the first three or four seconds of that song? Really, the way Faith Hill sings it is extremely disrespectful; it sounds blasphemous to me; I stopped the vid at the first occurrence of God's name.

This may seem , and I do not mind a moderator taking my post down, but people, really, is this allowable at a Chrisitan board? Am I just being obnoxious, or is that using the Lord's name in vain? And if it is, why is this posted at a PuritanBoard? I could be overscrupulous, and I do not wish to rain on someone else's party, but I do not think it is a good thing to do to put this video on this board.

 

[ReformedWretch]

???

How is it taking God's name in vain? Faith Hill (the white woman whos name I mentioned in the original post) claims to be a Christian (though we could debate that) and the "way" she sings the song is wrong in what way exactly?

Also for others in case you were wondering, I did not post this to claim that I think Oprah is a Christian just the opposite actually (notice the smiley I used) meaning I was shocked she seemed so in to it.

 

[Rocketeer]

I saw the smiley, yeah, and I understood your intent.

The whole intent of the song seems to be, to me, mockery, or something of that kind. Maybe it is just me, and I should just shut up and leave this thread, but that really is the impression I get from the singer and the way the song is sung.

I'm not trying to step on your toes, Adam, I really think it is inappropriate.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

The song appeals to the Gnostic in Oprah. If you read the lyrics, it's a love song more than a song about worship.

Really? I hope it doesn't derail the thread for me to disagree a bit.

Judson Van De Venter wrote this text after surrendering his many talents to his all-wise Savior:

For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life, I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing.​

After making his decision to devote his life to Christian service, Van De Venter ministered with much blessing in extensive evangelistic work both at home and abroad. Billy Graham is one of many who claim that Judson Van De Venter had greatly influenced their lives and ministry.

All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender, humbly at His feet I bow; worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender, make me, Savior, wholly Thine; let me feel the Holy Spirit—truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; fill me with Thy love and power; let Thy blessings fall on me.

Chorus: I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.​

Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, Includes Indexes. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990), 261.

I realize that the words are not all doctrinally sound. But it is clearly worshipful and displays a dependence on Jesus Christ as Lord. The very words, "I surrender all" are very biblical.

Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38, 39)​

Joe,

So beside the doctrinal errors in the song it's OK? It has gnostic elements within and the vibe of the song, while repeating Biblical elements in a questionable construct where decision precedes the action of God (I surrender now make me thine and let me feel your Holy Spirit).

I could pick nits about other points you make above that I have a problem with but, in the main, the song's design is of the nature of all Revival invitation songs. They are intended to evoke an emotional response and decision from the hearer and that was my point - it has gnostic elements and it appeals to the "inner life" of Oprah - it might touch her but the singing of songs is not what converts us. It is the Gospel.

As somebody pointed out above, Amazing Grace is very popular even outside Christian circles. I once heard a show in SoCal with two homosexuals where they sang the song along with a guest and noted it was their favorite song.

As a point of comparison, Amazing Grace sings praises of grace that precedes faith and the wretchedness of condition and yet it evokes something in its musical structure even to those that still hate God. I Surrender All has none of this structure - Decision precedes God's activity. The commonality in "moving" people is the music and the phrasing.

 

[Zeno333]

I know atheists who love the song Amazing Grace. I also know that Oprah recognizes Jesus as a spiritual figure but He is not the savior of humanity in her view. She is a very confused individual.

There is an altered version of the lyrics that many "non-Christian" churches use...they say "saved a soul like me", instead of "saved a wretch like me". The non-Christian "Unity School of Christianity" church is an example. I would imagine there are also many true Christian traditional churches that also use the altered version of the lyrics.

 

[LawrenceU]

She's probably just having an ol' fashioned flashback to the days of her Baptist church going as a child. Memory lane stuff.

 

[SpokenFor]

Perhaps God should take them at their word?

Considering God knows their hearts, "taking them at their word" isn't relevant for Him.

Just for clarification- I was joking. If *I* were god (and Praise Him that I am NOT) I would say to Oprah "oh, you surrender ALL, huh? OK..I'm gonna take it all away, then!"

Then we would see how much she would cry with her hand in the air.

 

[Wannabee]

I know Rich. Focus on "a bit" in my comment. I guess I just like that song a bit because I must have sang it 20,000 times when I was a youth. And we all could stand to do a little more dying.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

I know Rich. Focus on "a bit" in my comment. I guess I just like that song a bit because I must have sang it 20,000 times when I was a youth. And we all could stand to do a little more dying.

I've viewed it both ways Joe. I used to be a worship leader in a Church hoping that the invitation would convict others. I used to sing it with abandon, hoping that that singing of it would cause me to "break through" to another level of "letting go" so that I would have victory over sin. I sang it when I was "re-dedicating" myself to God because I once had a fire for him and had walked in too much sin.

I look back with relief today that I'm not caught in an endless cycle like that because I finally had somebody give me a true presentation of the Gospel.

And so, when I saw weary and heavy laden souls in recent years at a Church still caught up with a dead Gospel, this song began to represent for me what is so anemic about the theology behind it. I remember the sadness in my heart to watch certain people regularly "go forward" with tears because they needed to "re-dedicate" after hearing yet another topical sermon that told people how sold out they needed to be but never presented Christ and Him crucified.

The tears songs like this produce make me angry because they're tears of guilt and not of redemption.

 

[Pergamum]

What are the words anyhow?

 

[OPC'n]

The song appeals to the Gnostic in Oprah. If you read the lyrics, it's a love song more than a song about worship.

Really? I hope it doesn't derail the thread for me to disagree a bit.

Judson Van De Venter wrote this text after surrendering his many talents to his all-wise Savior:

For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life, I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing.​

After making his decision to devote his life to Christian service, Van De Venter ministered with much blessing in extensive evangelistic work both at home and abroad. Billy Graham is one of many who claim that Judson Van De Venter had greatly influenced their lives and ministry.

All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.
All to Jesus I surrender, humbly at His feet I bow; worldly pleasures all forsaken, take me, Jesus, take me now.
All to Jesus I surrender, make me, Savior, wholly Thine; let me feel the Holy Spirit—truly know that Thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to Thee; fill me with Thy love and power; let Thy blessings fall on me.

Chorus: I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.​

Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions, Includes Indexes. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 1990), 261.

I realize that the words are not all doctrinally sound. But it is clearly worshipful and displays a dependence on Jesus Christ as Lord. The very words, "I surrender all" are very biblical.

Anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:38, 39)​

Joe,

So beside the doctrinal errors in the song it's OK? It has gnostic elements within and the vibe of the song, while repeating Biblical elements in a questionable construct where decision precedes the action of God (I surrender now make me thine and let me feel your Holy Spirit).

I could pick nits about other points you make above that I have a problem with but, in the main, the song's design is of the nature of all Revival invitation songs. They are intended to evoke an emotional response and decision from the hearer and that was my point - it has gnostic elements and it appeals to the "inner life" of Oprah - it might touch her but the singing of songs is not what converts us. It is the Gospel.

As somebody pointed out above, Amazing Grace is very popular even outside Christian circles. I once heard a show in SoCal with two homosexuals where they sang the song along with a guest and noted it was their favorite song.

As a point of comparison, Amazing Grace sings praises of grace that precedes faith and the wretchedness of condition and yet it evokes something in its musical structure even to those that still hate God. I Surrender All has none of this structure - Decision precedes God's activity. The commonality in "moving" people is the music and the phrasing.

Sorry, I know you're talking to Wannabee, but I'm curious...where do you see Gnosticism? Also, I don't know the song or the author, but I thought he wrote that song as a believer and so he was just giving up things in his life that clutter it up. For example, I gave up movies and tv after being a Christian for some years. That sort of thing. Did he write to show conversion? I'll read it a few more times.