Champion: A Worship Song You Should Know About
There is some rich theology in the song Champion by Dante Brown that is practical and can help us engage a healthy identity rooted in Christ.
Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that because of God’s grace towards us, we have been ‘raised to life’ in Christ and are ‘seated in heavenly places’ with Him.
“4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
If I’m honest, I have to admit that I find those thoughts a bit difficult to wrap my mind around. I’m still not sure how to receive them fully, but singing them helps. The connection to the lyrics is obvious -- ‘I’m seated in heavenly places’ and ‘let all the striving cease’. The defeat of death connected to the literary theme of ‘champion’ presented in the song overall also reinforces Paul’s idea of being ‘raised to life’ in Christ.
“Sometimes singing scriptural truth or prayers that focus inward get a bad reputation in the church”
Sometimes singing scriptural truth or prayers that focus inward get a bad reputation in the church. That is unfortunate because singing words (prayers, poems, and lyrics) is a wonderful practice of faith that has the potential for healing and spiritual formation.
We understand that what we say and think about ourselves has an impact on our lives. What better words to sing than “you are my champion”. Those words are Christ-focused and Christ-centred… “giants fall where you stand”, again, Christ focussed and faith-building.
One challenge with the song is in the lyrics of the bridge:
“When I lift my voice and shout Every wall comes crashing down I have the authority Jesus has given me
When I open up my mouth Miracles start breaking out I have the authority Jesus has given me”
The trouble I have is with the word ‘every’. Every wall doesn’t necessarily come down in this life, but it will one day or on That Day (1 Thess. 5:2).
However, this is not a deal-breaker and is explained well by friends at the ‘Berean Test’. We must remember that God is sovereign to be sure, however, the lyric could arguably be speaking towards the eschatological destiny of the church. Either way, the words provide an opportunity to unpack a deeper understanding of the issue.
Two other brief notes:
First, my lack of confidence.
“You crown me with confidence” -- this is a bold statement that flies in the face of our self -confident and self-assured society. Hebrews 12 and Eph. 2:10 underscore the truth that God has called us to more than is capable in human strength; confidence that is rooted in our Christian identity in Christ flows from that realization. Said another way, it is difficult to put our confidence in God without realizing we cannot do ‘it’ on our own.
And finally, the free gift of salvation (Let all the striving cease, Saved by grace through faith; Eph 2:8)
Let all the striving cease. That is a reality that cuts cross-current to our western society and culture. We are striving for so much: driven to obtain wealth, status, education, material possessions, and influence to name a few. But the Kingdom of God doesn’t operate like that. Its most precious gift, salvation, is not obtained by our efforts. It was obtained by the Champion, Jesus Christ, who has paid for it with His life gives it to us as a gift. Champion reminds us, based on Eph 2, that we are saved by grace through faith; it is not of our own doing. What a fantastic reminder of that reality: no need for striving in God’s presence.
In conclusion,
I’m so thankful for imperfect people who create art that points us to a perfect (complete) God. Champion does that for me, so make some room in your personal playlist for this song and share it with those you journey in Christ with.
