March 11th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

You are a beautiful creation of God. He made you a certain way, with a certain personality and preferences. He intends for your life to be a certain way. We praise Him for you and every way that He has blessed you with your uniqueness.

However, along with your unique personality and preferences, you have a sin nature that will come out in its creative ways. Will you be rebellious like your mom, pushing the boundaries because you need structure? Will you be a "popular" kid who manipulates her peers and is very insincere? I don't know where your sin will first show itself, but I am certain it is there.

A certain pop singer says that no matter what you were born like, you were "born this way" and there is nothing wrong with it. Nor, she says, is there "any other way" for you to have been. This includes, for her, the group you identify your carnal passions with. [Which I won't name here specifically because I'd like my daughter to hear about these things from me directly, not read them on a blog - even if it is intended for her. But I think my adult readers know what I am referring to.]

I've read Christians and non-Christians debating these lyrics. Some say her message is godly, because she encourages people to accept how they are as God's creation, different as that may be from the "normal" types they see on television and in the media at large. That's a good thing, right? I loathe the day in the future when you come to me with a magazine picture and say, "Is that what I'm supposed to look like?" I'll likely respond in a similar way as this pop star sings, "You're beautiful in your way." As in, God's way. Women really are beautiful only when they allow themselves to be molded by God. Until then, it's just vapid, worldly prettiness they harness.

But others lament these lyrics as being in abstinence to God's sovereignty, since they are also encouraging people to embrace their sin natures (i.e. within the context of sexuality). Throughout the rest of the song the singer also brings a message of universal love ("just love yourself and you're set") while claiming that God made everyone "perfect."

Did God create perfection? Yes! In Eden. But then something happened: the fall from grace. Adam and Eve, it could be said, decided to "love themselves" more than God when they chose to live how they wanted to, not how God commanded them to. And ever since that Fall mankind has been created with that sin nature present. You might interpret the introduction monologue to the song as touching on this truth; the singer ponders how a truly good (righteous) race of people could exist without the simultaneous existence of evil. The answer, obvious to a Christian, is that it doesn't.

The singer got the message wrong in the most important way. She says that there is "no other way" than to live as you were born. To us, that means you'd have no choice but to live as a sinner. Thankfully, this is not true! There IS another Way, and that Way is Jesus Christ. He gave Himself as our sacrifice to satisfy the wrath of God against sin. We were not born perfect but, through Christ, we are imputed His righteousness and perfection.

We did not start out perfect. Not even close. But through Christ, we can be reborn this way!

Love,
Mom