Letter to Radio Station RE: “Love Has Come” by Mark Schultz

Dave O Minnesota 17 Comments

Dave’s Letter to Praise FM Regarding the Song “Love Has Come” by Mark Schultz

Praise FM (95.3) “is a listener supported worship and prayer focused radio station serving the Twin Cities, Central Minnesota, Eastern South Dakota, South Eastern North Dakota and Africa through radio broadcasts, and serving the world through live internet broadcasts.” The following is a copy of a letter sent by Dave to Praise FM concerning the song, “Love Has Come,” by Mark Schultz.

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Dear Alex and David,

I really appreciate Praise FM. I’ve been listening for a little over a year and have found that your station really does usher me into God’s presence. I love to wake up to 95.3. Your ministry has been a blessing to me and a great encouragement to the Twin Cities and beyond.

Because your music and the commentary by the hosts is so Christ-centered, I felt like I wanted to send some feedback about a song that in my opinion does not line-up with the truth of the scriptures. The song is “Love Has Come” by Mark Schultz.

I’ve reprinted some of the lyrics below and want to suggest to you that they more closely resemble Universalism than they do the truth of the gospel. This repeated chorus, concerning the end of the age, is especially troubling:

Every heart set free, every one will see
God is love and love has come for us all

This statement leaves listeners with the impression that the end of the age will be a joyful and happy time for all people. Every heart will be set free when “love” comes for us all.

Jesus taught differently as I am sure you know. “Many” will enter the gate that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:14). Those who do not obey the Son shall not see life, but shall experience the wrath of God (John 3:36). Jesus will send some to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46). That every heart will be set free at the end of the age is, in my opinion, a dangerously false statement.

This verse also stood out to me:

For anybody who has ever lost a loved one
And you feel like you had to let go too soon
I know it hurts to say goodbye
But don’t you know it’s just a matter of time till the tears are gonna end
You’ll see them once again and in that moment . . .

Again, it suggests to the listener that all people will be saved and reunited with loved ones at the end of the age. In reality, it is true only of those who belong to Christ.

Finally, this repeated verse takes great liberties with Philippians 2:10:

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
That God is love and love has come for us all

The text says “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (ESV) To take the words of a familiar text and insert other words seems like a very wrong use of the Bible.

Thanks for considering my feedback. God bless you as you serve the Lord and encourage His people.

In Him,

Dave

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The lyrics to this song can be seen in full here.

17 thoughts on “Letter to Radio Station RE: “Love Has Come” by Mark Schultz”

  1. Here is the reply from Alex Whitworth at Praise FM:

    Dave-
    It’s great to have you listening in the morning, thanks for being a part of the family!

    We truly appreciate your concern and your high view of Scripture, and I can assure you we hold the same high view. While there may be some validity to your viewpoint when looking at “Love Has Come” through the lens of universalism, we tend to look at this as a song for believers and that’s encouraging other believers. I can assure you that our music director, Sherrie, goes to great lengths to ensure we’re airing theologically sound music. In addition to all of this, I know personally that Mark Schultz is a devoted Christ-follower who holds the same high view of scripture as all of us.

    Again, it’s wonderful to have you tuning in each morning, we appreciate your support and your feedback, it is invaluable to us as it’s listeners like you who keep us on the air!

    Alex Whitworth
    95.3 Praise FM

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  2. I heard this song a while back and again today while working and thought the same thoughts as you too. The song is not biblical. It doesn’t teach truth. I searched about the singer, Mark Shultz, and found that he comes from a liberal background, PCUSA, so no real shocker there. However, I agree with you that the song should not be played even though people seem to ignore the words and sing the song just because it sounds good. How sad that we no longer judge all things by the inerrant and infallible Word of God (1 John 4:1-2).

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    • Thanks for the comment. I was a little surprised at the response from the radio station. It is an excellent, God-centered, worshipful station. The response wasn’t very objective . . . “you might have a point but this is how we see the song”. You’re right, we should listen more carefully to lyrics and challenge Christian radio outlets when they play songs that depart from Biblical truth.

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  3. LOVE HAS COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR!!! EVERY KNEE SHALLL BOW, EVERY TOUGNE WILL CONFESS!!!

    AND ONLY THOSE IN CHRIST WILL BE SAVED. MAYBE THIS SONG WILL SPEAK TO SOMEONE AND THEY WILL SEE WHAT

    THEY HAVE TO DO TO BE ONE OF CHRIST’S CHOSEN, FOR JESUS TO BE THEIR SAVIOR. PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF

    FIINDING THAT TRUTH. AND MAYBE THIS SONG WILL GET THEM TO SEARCH, FIND AND DISCOVER JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY !

    IF FOLLOWED BY BIBLICAL TURTH. MUSIC SPEAKS TO SOME TO FIND AND HEAR, THE TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST!

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  5. I agree with Dave. My wife and I heard this song yesterday and were very concerned about the message of universalism that this song implies. I do not know Mark Schultz intentions for this song, but the song does not make clear that salvation is found only in Jesus. The response from the station is troubling because while they view it as song for believers, there is no indication in the songs that these promises are for believers. Someone who is not a Christian listening to the song would have no way of knowing that this song is for believers. Songs should be clear when making these claims.

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    • Thank you for your comment, Doug. Sounds like you and I had the same thoughts about this song. I’d encourage you to write to the radio station that played it. In any case, you’ll alert the radio station to the fact their audience pays attention to the theology in the music that they play. And they might pay more attention going forward to their playlist. If you decide to write, please let us know the response.

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  6. Dave O,

    Thanks for posting this. I don’t recall having heard this song actually, but I applaud you for challenging Praise FM to review the lyrics more closely. Those lyrics do seem to have a universalist spin on them for sure. One should try and find a commentary by Mark Shultz on the lyrics and see what he has to say about them.

    Shalom!
    Rod O

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  7. Hey Rod,

    This song still seems to be very popular. Since I posted the letter on koposmasm, I have seen some others comment on the lyrics and raise the issue of the theology presented in the song. The reply by the radio station “we tend to look at this as a song for believers” seems to ignore the fact that non-believers will listen to it and could come to extremely dangerous conclusions.

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  8. Whether most evangelicals want to admit it or not, the historical fact is that the early church fathers held a universalist viewpoint and many sincere students of the bible still believe it teaches universalism. Eternal torture of the vast majority of mankind did not become the predominant Christian view until after the Latin (as opposed to Greek, the original language of the new testament) theologians such as Augustine gained prominence.

    One can actually follow Christ and be a universalist!

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  9. Why do we limit the power of the blood of Jesus, truly his sacrifice is sufficient for all, and in due time his plan will be revealed. Sure the wages of sin is real, yet but in no way eternal suffering. Jesus is a perfect judge and God is a perfect Father and his nature is not to torture 90% of humanity past and present and future! Do your homework and read the bible in a new perspective, that God is Love and everything else falls under this title. The big question is: Who do you say that Christ is? Is he the Savior of the world or is he the potential Savior of the world. Remember you will be asked this question again, but it will not be me asking it, it will be your Heavenly Father. Yes there is one way to heaven and most of men are not headed in that direction, (Christ Jesus) but through his blood (sacrifice) all men will be saved and sin and death will be no more. The fact is guys that God gives you the Faith to believe and it is not of your own yet any man brag . So I am not trying to convince you ………..God bless

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    • James, I appreciate the fact that you do not want humanity to suffer eternal punishment. That someone could be eternally separated from God is a difficult truth but it is the truth. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.” (John 3:36) I pray that you exchange the false and misplaced hope of universalism with a longing — expressed in prayer and in action — that people hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ leading to the salvation of their souls.

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  10. It amazes as to the authority at which some people speak that the Bible in no way teaches universalism. Universalism is in the bible folks, and I believe the “True Gospel” proclaims that all of humanity was redeemed in Christ on the cross and that one day all of humanity will be saved and confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord just like Philippians 2:10-11 states, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

    If every tongue will confess Christ as Lord than every person will be saved. Because Romans 10:13 states, “For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

    Universalism is a beautiful doctrine that rings so true not only in the Bible but in our hearts as well, that is unless you truely want people to burn in hell forever and ever and ever……………………………………..

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    • It isn’t what you or I want that matters. I do not want anyone to burn in hell forever. But God has revealed himself to us and He has revealed that there is punishment for sin. The wages is sin is death (Romans 6:23). The Bible refers to mankind as “children of wrath”. (Eph 2:3). But the gospel is the “power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16) — not every person on the planet. What an important distinction! I hope that you accept this truth and warn non-believers that judgment is coming and they can be saved through faith in Christ!

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  11. Too bad that universalism isn’t even available as an option today to evangelicals, even though it was the predominate belief of the early, pre-roman catholic church. Because it is rejected a priori in evangelical circles there is huge misunderstanding of it, as evidenced by Dave O’s comments. Evangelical universalists are a diverse group and so I can’t speak for all of them, but generally they don’t reject the biblical idea of judgement, they reject the traditional, very roman catholic/Augustinian view of the purpose and outcome of judgment. Judgment isn’t about punishment, it is about correction. It isn’t vindictive, it is instructive. There is still every motivation to warn people and try to bring them to salvation. However, it is done with the powerful, powerful recognition that God will never cut them off forever, that his purposes to eventually draw them to himself no one or thing can thwart, that they are his precious child that he loves and will pursue throughout eternity, that he will have the victory someday, somehow and that sin and death and Satan will not be the victor over even one, that indeed everything will be subject to him, even death, even sin. On a parallel note, universalists reject the old concept that justice is about an eye for an eye, tooth for tooth and instead believe it is about the restoration of all things, which is the only true, divine justice and which only God can accomplish. I would encourage anyone to study evangelical universalism which is firmly grounded in a careful study of the Bible and which reconciles God’s love AND his justice/judgment in a beautiful union that makes sense and gives God the glory he deserves, not as someone who is so holy as to torture most of his creatures forever but who is so holy AND always loving (because it is his very nature) as to restore them completely, no matter how long it takes.

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  12. Jesus took the the sins of the world unto humself and sufferered the punishment for the sins of the world (Isaiah 53:5-6). Sure we need to believe the Gospel to be saved, and one day all of humanity will believe the gospel and confess Christ as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11). But there is a sense in which all of humanity is currently saved (thier spirit is redeemed by the blood of Christ and they are righteous in the eyes of God), they just don’t know it (I Thimothy 4:10). Believers are not going to Heaven because of thier faith, they are going to Heaven because of the blood of Christ. The faith of believers on the other hand allows them to expereince God’s salvation on this earth. Most Christian teachers and preachers have turned faith into a work that we must do to assure our ticket to Heaven. These same teachers and preachers do not realize it (at least I think they don’t realize it) but they are limiting the power of the cross. When Jesus said it was finished, He meant it!

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  13. The song also ignores the clear teaching of Scripture that the Church, removed at the Rapture, actually comes back with Christ at His Second Coming!

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