Christina Grimmie, Fame, and Jesus

Christina Grimmie Singing "In Christ Alone."

I'm a fan of Christina Grimmie. I was a fan of Grimmie before she was well known. And when she becomes a household name (which she undoubtedly will be) I'll remind everyone that I was talking about her before most people knew about her.

I like Christina because she likes Zelda first and foremost. A girl that digs Zelda, I dig. She is also a great singer, with a voice not unlike Christina Aguilera.  Most importantly, however, she claims to be a Christian, and for once I actually believe it. Many young female singers have come claiming a Christian faith, had Christian parents (can you say Katy Perry?), and started out innocent enough. But through the magic of Disney, they have all become corrupted.

Or maybe not. Maybe when the Bible says that no one is righteous and no one does good (Rom. 3), it really means it. Maybe when God says that the heart is deceitful above all things, what He says is true (Jer. 17:9). You see, Scripture teaches that mankind has fallen into sin, that we indeed are dead in our sins (Eph. 2:1). This means that what we love is not Christ, not our Lord and Savior and Maker, but rather ourselves. And the root of sin is love of self rather than love for Christ. Sometimes, that is expressed through loving our favorite things more than God and apart from God. For the child stars that claim to be saved by the blood of Christ, they have shown they are not saved by their sinful lifestyle. How can I know this? Because Romans 6 teaches that the one who has trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior has been set free from slavery to sin and has become a slave of righteousness, a slave of Christ. If we have been buried with Christ through faith in Him, we shall be raised into newness of life as He was raised from the dead. And this new life will be characterized by following Him and loving Him more than anything, more than self.

So then, we can tell that one who professes to be saved from their sins by the life and death of Jesus Christ isn't actually being truthful if they still live for sin. Why? Because the change that occurs if you are saved is supernatural, wrought by God, and not yourself. The Bible teaches that when we trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, The Holy Spirit enters us, and Christ's love is shed abroad within our hearts (Rom 5:5). In other words, God has supernaturally worked a change of heart within us, so that we are no longer dead in our trespasses and sins but raised to new life, united to Christ by faith (Eph. 2:1-10). And since this new life is in Christ, it is a life that will follow Christ and His righteousness. The true Christian who has been saved now has a new heart, a new will, that desires to be obedient to God. Though Christians still sin, they will be convicted by the Holy Spirit within them and in time repent.

Britney Spears hasn't received new life in Christ. She never truly had a repentant heart. She still is dead in her trespasses and sins. So is Katy Perry, quite likely Miley Cyrus, and countless other young women who are pop superstars. This is plain by their lifestyles. Scripture says we used to go around in drunkenness, in lewdness and sexual immorality, before we were saved. Yet these girls persist and glorify in these sinful things.

My hope and prayer for Christina Grimmie is that she indeed has been united to Christ by faith, that she has received a new heart in which the Holy Spirit of Christ has been shed abroad. Because if she is saved, the Spirit will not let her fall away. And I have some hope that she is. She is eighteen already, and still changes lines in songs that have bad language or would be inappropriate to something acceptable. I haven't seen her sing more gaudy and sensual songs, even though she is known for covering songs of other popular singers, and certainly by pop music standards, she dresses quite modestly. She openly claims to be a Christian, and for Easter sang "In Christ Alone," which is one of those rare Christian songs today that actually has substance and good doctrine. So my conviction is that she has actually heard the true gospel, and has placed her faith in it, which is Christ dying for her sins- taking the wrath of God that she deserved- and fulfilling all righteousness on her behalf in His sinless life, in order to save her from her sins so that she can be changed inwardly and live for Him, as we all were originally created to do.

Here's to hoping, because fame and money has it's way of exposing our secret lives, our sinful hearts. If she is not a believer, that will become plain soon enough. And if she is, I believe that will become plain soon enough too. I am praying for you Christina. Hold fast to your faith, to Christ who is your strength.