Mission Accomplished

The following video is from Christian rapper Shai Linne. (There's much that can be complained about concerning whether Christian rap is legitimate. All I have to say for now is: the man is preaching better than scores of pulpits throughout America, let alone the world, and he can do it to music and make it rhyme.)

The song is called Mission Accomplished, off of his album The Atonement. That's exactly what he's talking about in the song. The atonement has been accomplished. I could offer more commentary, but he does it really well. The lyrics are written below. Don't miss his own commentary in between verses.

Here's the video. [Please excuse the images of Christ (Ex 20:4). I couldn't find a video in which there aren't any, and I don't know how to post the audio only.]

Lord knows He tried...

Here's a controversial subject that tends to divide,
For years it's had Christians lining up on both sides.
By God's grace I'll address this without pride.
The question concerns those for whom Christ died.
Was He trying to save everybody worldwide?
Was He trying to make the entire world His bride?
Does man's unbelief keep the Savior's hands tied?
Biblically, each of these must be denied.
It’s true, Jesus gave up His life for His Bride,
But His Bride is the elect, to whom His death is applied.
If on judgment day, you see that you can’t hide,
And because of your sin, God’s wrath on you abides,
And hell is the place you eternally reside,
That means your wrath from God hasn’t been satisfied.
But we believe His mission was accomplished when He died.
But how the cross relates to those in hell?
Well, they be saying...

"Lord knows He tried."

That's what they be saying. Cats be saying that He tried. But I'm sayin... did He try? And fail? Or did He succeed? Is there going to be one drop of the Savior's blood in vain? Nah, perish the thought. The Lamb will receive the reward for His sufferings.

Father, Son and Spirit: three and yet one,
Working as a unit to get things done.
Our salvation began in eternity past,
God certainly has to bring all His purpose to pass.
A triune, eternal bond no one could ever sever,
When it comes to the church, peep how they work together:
The Father foreknew first, the Son came to earth
To die -- the Holy Spirit gives the new birth.
The Father elects them, the Son pays their debt and protects them,
The Spirit is the One who resurrects them.
The Father chooses them, the Son gets bruised for them,
The Spirit renews them and produces fruit in them.
Everybody’s not elect, the Father decides,
And it’s only the elect in whom the Spirit resides.
The Father and the Spirit: completely unified.
But when it comes to Christ and those in hell?
Well, they be saying:

"Lord knows He tried."

So if we can agree that the election of the Father is not universal and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit is not universal, why would the atonement of the Son be universal? That would put the Persons of the Trinity completely at odds with one another. But the Triune God is completely unified.

My third and final verse, here’s the situation,
Just a couple more things for your consideration.
If saving everybody was why Christ came in history,
With so many in hell, we’d have to say He failed miserably.
So many think He only came to make it possible,
Let’s follow this solution to a conclusion that’s logical.
What about those who were already in the grave?
The Old Testament wicked, condemned as depraved?
Did He die for them? C’mon, behave.
But worst of all, you’re saying the cross by itself doesn’t save.
That we must do something to give the cross its power.
That means, at the end of the day, the glory’s ours.
That man-centered thinking is not recommended.
The cross will save all for whom it was intended,
Because for the elect, God’s wrath was satisfied,
But still, when it comes to those in hell,
Well, they be saying:

"Lord knows He tried."

Look. At the end of the day, this is about giving God the maximum amount of glory. We proclaim a Cross that actually saves. Not "makes salvation possible," but actually saves. Matthew 1:21: His name shall be called Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. Not "might save them," not "try to save," but, no, He will actually save them. It's a definite atonement. This ain't controversy for the sake of controversy or theological nitpicking.

Salvation is of the Lord. To Him belongs all the glory.