I’ve written numerous times on the influx of modern charismatic music infiltrating Evangelical churches and the devastating effects it has on those churches. I’ve personally witnessed this as solid, God-glorifying worship is exchanged for man-centered feel-goodism that’s geared toward the temporal aspects of everyday life rather than the attributes of God.

In one article, I covered how this emotionally-driven music has a psychological factor to it with its repetitive chants and lyrics which have the effect of opening the mind to suggestion. The charismatic movement employs this technique to emotionally manipulate the audience prior to the preacher taking the stage to open their minds to be able to more easily receive whatever is being stated.

But that isn’t the only problem. In another article, I demonstrated how this fleshly-driven modern worship music takes the glory away from God and puts it on men. The commercialized Christian music industry not only enables this idolatry but promotes it to the degree that God’s glory is robbed from Him at many levels, including in churches. The vast majority of Christian contemporary music is produced by celebrity artists who’ve compromised on biblical truths in order to serve their own selfish desires.

One of Cody Carne’s latest and most popular songs, Firm Foundation, is demonstrative of just this. The lyrics of this new song, which is performed in conjunction with Maverick City Music, are a psycho-babble mess of man-centered theology sprinkled with a little bit of Jesus on it. And while the lyrics may not technically be false, the lyrics point primarily to the emotions of man. It is man’s emotions rather than God’s Word, His attributes, or His Glory that are driving these lyrics.

The song starts out with these lyrics:

Christ is my firm foundation
The Rock on which I stand
When everything around me is shaking
I’ve never been more glad
That I put my faith in Jesus
‘Cause He’s never let me down
He’s faithful through generations
So why would He fail now?
He won’t
He won’t

The first problem here is that, as you can see, the first verse is primarily focused on Cody Carnes and the emotional and mental ups and downs of his life. And while he points to Christ as the “firm foundation,” he ultimately credits himself with “putting his faith in Jesus.”

The next verse isn’t any better, as he continues to credit himself for the work of Christ:

I’ve still got joy in chaos
I’ve got peace that makes no sense
So I won’t be going under
I’m not held by my own strength
‘Cause I build my life on Jesus
He’s never let me down
He’s faithful in еvery season
So why would He fail now?

The song is focused on his own joy and peace now, and even though he says that he isn’t held by his own strength, he again credits himself for “building his life on Jesus.”

The song continues with lyrics not about the glory of God, not even about the cross of Christ, but about the emotional and mental peace he has when he is emotionally charged with Jesus. In fact, when music like this is done, it’s eerily similar to coming to worship to take a few sips of Jesus wine to get you through the day and then coming in for a re-fill the next time. That is not the point of worship.

This is mainstream contemporary Christian music. It feeds the flesh and weakens our mission (Galatians 5:16). Carnes is tied to Bethel Music and under the Bethel umbrella. As I’ve written numerous times, Bethel music, in its insatiable lust for more followers, is seeking to devour anyone who has itching ears (2 Tim 4:3). We are commanded in Scripture to avoid these false teachers, these workers of darkness who produce bad fruits, to have absolutely nothing to do with them, rather expose them (Eph 5:11). Christians need to turn from their fleshly desires of unholy worship and focus on that which is acceptable in the eyes of God, and what brings Him alone glory.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. –Romans 12:2