INSPIRATION FOR THIS ARTICLE

Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve been a fan of the metal band, WITHIN TEMPTATION. When I first found them, I was a naive atheist, unwilling to see the world any differently than I was seeing it, particularly through the lens that a good God wouldn’t allow suffering. The band’s music was heavy both musically and lyrically, which is specifically what drew me to them since I was already in love with KORN, my all-time favorite band.

As I’ve grown older, WITHIN TEMPTATION‘s music has grown heavier, always keeping me interested. This year, in 2023, they released a song titled, “Don’t Pray For Me.” Being a God-fearing Christ-follower that I am, the title alone bothered me. But naturally, I listened to it eagerly to discover what the meaning behind the song was. I’ve also looked up what the band had to say about the song to get further understanding of the source inspiration for writing it. Upon learning their philosophical standpoint a bit better, I felt compelled as a Christian to write about their answers.

FREE WILL

“Don’t Pray For Me” was written as a message to their fans as a way of saying that no one should force their beliefs on others, to allow everyone the freedom to make their own choices, and to pursue their own destiny. You can find the interview here.

To a certain degree, I agree with the direction the band is coming from, while I don’t agree with the destination, due to my faith. What I agree with is that people need to make their own choices, and, quite frankly, everyone does have a choice. That’s what free will is. Every single person is given free will, so we all have a choice, and an obligation to make the best one once we understand the difference between choosing good and evil.

HARD TOPICS

What I don’t agree with, and this will be the first time on this blog I become so firm and blunt (also as a response to my faith), is that Christianity cannot be quiet when it comes to matters like abortion and evangelism. If you are a God-fearing person who believes in the divine stricture of the Bible, you know that abortion is wrong, because it is murder of the unborn child. In the absolute worst of scenarios, God can always bless a child via adoption once he or she is conceived. But abortion is undeniably wrong in God’s eyes, therefore it is wrong in my eyes.

Secondly, evangelism has to be part of any Christian’s life, because Jesus commands us to do it (Matthew 28:18-20). It’s not an option, it’s a command. We aren’t to hide from talking about our faith in Jesus to any unbeliever; whether atheist, agnostic, or any other faith. Evangelism is God’s gift to all His children to share the Good News that Jesus Christ has saved us from eternal damnation, that is—eternal separation from God’s presence, through His sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead. Without Jesus, we are absolutely without hope of any type of future with God. Jesus is the one and only one way to God, as Jesus Himself states in John 14:6. 

BOLDNESS OF BELIEF

As it is a command from Jesus Himself, it cannot be ignored that we are to share the Good News and remind people that He is coming back for His church, to be ready and to believe! We aren’t forcing any belief on anyone, but we are reminding people of, if not introducing them for the first time to—the Truth that Jesus is the only way to a future where there is a joy-filled life after life on Earth. WITHIN TEMPTATION’s message that belief should not be forced on anyone is to a degree, agreeable, but no belief CAN be forced on anyone. No one believes anything unless they choose to, since that is what makes the will of choosing something free. For example, a government can tell you how to live and what to believe, but it doesn’t mean you have to do it. What’s most important when it comes down to this issue at the end of the day is this question: What would you be willing to do for what you believe in?

Would you die for what you believe, or would you let others’ choices dictate your own? Evangelism isn’t anyone forcing anyone to do anything; it’s an invitation to accept Jesus as Lord, or to at least be aware of the grave consequences of not recognizing our sin, and therefore our need for Jesus. What a band could be singing about instead of “Don’t tell me what to believe,” could be, “Stand up for what you do believe, and be willing to do whatever is required in order to stand by those beliefs.”

NO ONE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN GOD

If the belief isn’t strong enough, it will be crumbled to the ground because its foundation is as if built on sand (Matthew 7:26). But a firm faith isn’t willing to change for anything, which is why it’s critical to understand the foundation of whatever faith we have, because at some point, we may be questioned to the point of our lives! If your faith is capable of being crushed due to pressure, perhaps it’s not as strong as you thought. In today’s world, just as in Christ’s generation, people are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. That’s how dangerous the Christian faith is: it threatens governments and those in power who believe their power is better or more superior than the God Almighty. And no one is more powerful nor more superior than God.

THE RISKIEST RELIGION IN THE WORLD

It sounds like what WITHIN TEMPTATION is trying to say is that they believe everyone should be free to choose what they choose of their own accord. The thing is, everyone IS free to make their own choices, they’re just not always without danger of their choices. In some countries, people are killed for their faith in Christ. They had a choice, and they adhered to their choice. Jesus not only warned that we would face persecution and be hated for His name’s sake (Matthew 5:11-12), but also stated that he who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). Christianity is the most loving religion (God died for us in Christ while we were still sinners ((Romans 5:8)), and yet it is the most risky religion in today’s world, and that is due to all the demonic oppression around the name of Jesus Christ. That should tell all of us the enormity of power behind such faith as Christianity, because no other name is so threatening to evil as Jesus Christ!

ONLY ONE WAY TO THE FATHER

How many religions teach about a relationship with God that is so powerful that it threatens every arrogant government whose belief in their own power outweighs their humbleness of mortality? There are religions that teach about letting go of attachment, or being enlightened into seeing that we are all God in our own way, but no religion teaches that we are sinners in need of redemption through Jesus Christ, and that through faith, we are heirs of Christ—other than Christianity! The only reason anyone would want to say no to Jesus Christ is if they are in a stone-cold denial of their sin, and they don’t want to face the consequences for that sinful freedom. Anyone else who can be humbled to admit their sin and their desperate need for a Savior in Christ, knows that there is only one way to God the Father, and it’s through faith in the Messiah in the Scriptures.

A BETTER ANSWER TO A HARD SITUATION

I understand the protest against abortion, and the desirable freedom behind having the ability to choose what we want, the way we want it. But we don’t live in a perfect world, we live in a corrupt one. A fallen world. The prince of darkness is hard at work, killing as many children as possible through abortion via any mother who doesn’t view abortion as the killing of children (and therefore a sin), and those mothers are falling for the influence of demonic pressure to rid themselves of responsibility, saying no to God’s glory and omniscience. How many babies that were born from a sexual act not within the confines of a God-focused relationship (marriage) have become blessings? For one example, have you ever heard of Greg Laurie? Look him up, he’s living proof that God can work in any situation. Further, have you ever heard of Pastor John Hagee’s “Sanctuary of Hope?” It’s particularly for situations where women don’t feel they have any other choice but to abort. Look it up here. Abortion is not the answer.

ONLY ONE REALITY

Also, I understand that there are countries living in much darker oppression than the United States. That is why martyrdom takes place. The truth is, there is no such thing as the type of “freedom” that WITHIN TEMPTATION is talking about. That is imaginary, a world where we all believe whatever we want and live a wonderful life no matter what. It’s a fantasy, not a reality. There is only one reality: sin exists because free will exists; God exists and therefore goodness exists (in Jesus), and there is only hope for sinners who place faith in Jesus as Lord, accepting His sacrifice (atonement) for our sins, and living a new life of gratitude for His free gift of salvation.

Under this same truth, no one has to believe that. No one. You can turn it down like a bad offer. But you would be naive to, considering all the other counterfeit invitations in the world today. There is no other way to communicate about Christ than through evangelism, and there is no other future to hope for without Jesus. The Bible says so, and it is so.

CHOOSE WISELY

WITHIN TEMPTATION is an incredibly talented metal band that I’m pretty sure I will always love and listen to, but this one song in particular points to a message that just doesn’t stand. You have a choice, so make it the best choice you could ever make. Remember, no one is forcing your beliefs into you, you choose it for yourself. But your choices have consequences, and those are where we stumble on what being free really means. Are we really free if we’re slaves to sin? Would you rather be alive in Christ?

I pray the Holy Spirit would overcome you, that the Holy Spirit would fill you with perfect wisdom, in the powerful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.