What do you think of when you write a Christian song? What thoughts are you trying to convey with your music and lyrics? I’d like to share with you what I used to think about and what I think about now. I’ve been writing songs for 30 years, and Christian songs for 25. My first Christian songs were an effort to get people to be like me. After all, I repented of my sins, I went to church, I was on fire for the Lord, I had my ideas of the issues and concerns of the day, so I tried to convey a strong spirit of self-righteousness, while leaving out the one thing needful. I really couldn’t write anything else back then, because I didn’t have the Gospel in my heart. But now I write about the wonderful cross of Christ. I try to focus the attention of the listener on their need for the Savior and the simplicity by which they can be saved. Don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of subjects to write about, but I believe that we must approach these through the simplicity of the Gospel. And the Gospel is simply this: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, He was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead according to the scriptures. If a person simply believes this, God will take care of the rest.

(Grace and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.) Paul starts all his letters like this. The phrase “grace and peace” conveys the essence of Christianity. It conveys what so many are not preaching. It conveys just the opposite of what false religion conveys. False religion, or legalism, (for many of today’s religions are so often legalistic,) conveys uncertainty, doubts, and unfinished business. For the works-oriented person, salvation is an unfinished business. They admit that Jesus finished something on the cross, but to them salvation isn’t finished until they perform. What does this say about the work of Jesus? It says that it’s either supplemented or supplanted. To supplement is to add something to make up for a default. Let me tell you there is no default in the cross of Jesus. To supplant is to take the place of. Let me tell you that no one can take the place of Jesus. I’ve told you what “grace and peace” is not. Let me tell you what it is.

Grace is Jesus and him crucified. Grace is Jesus coming down from heaven to, first, do the will of God as the only person who ever fulfilled the law, and second, grace is this perfect person becoming a curse for us on the tree. The only person who did not merit the curse of God because he fulfilled the law, in grace became a curse for us anyway. This is what satisfies the Father. This is what brings peace to us and God. When we just believe this simple message, we are made right with God and given peace.

Christianity is the only faith of its kind. This is because Christianity is the only faith where God does the work of salvation, and man receives salvation as a gift. All other faiths try to get God to owe them salvation in one way or another. But God could never be indebted to anyone. When a religion turns legalistic in its theology, either partially or totally, that religion is trying to get God to owe them salvation, either partially or totally. Their mistake is in not realizing that salvation is entirely a gift. It isn’t that we are not required to believe, for we are told again and again in the New Testament that we must believe to be saved. But in order to receive the free gift, one must believe that there is a gift to receive. So receive the free gift of salvation by grace through faith, and know the grace and peace of God.