Bad Religion -- "Honest Goodbye"


Honest Goodbye Lyrics:

Now get up and give in

I'll crack your knuckles again
Supplicate and survive this transubstantiation
And get so mean... I want to know what it means!

(Did you laugh?) You know I did
(Did you cry?) I couldn't get it right
(Did you live?) Always on the edge
(Did you lie?) Causing such a fright
(Did you love?) Oh to be forgiven
(Did you try?) But it wouldn't be right

God it feels like an honest goodbye.

That sick brass boy day dreamin'
Cry baby convict demon
Hands so clean... a sympathetic cold blooded killing machine
How did you get so mean? I want to know what it means!

(Did you laugh?) You know I did
(Did you cry?) I couldn't get it right
(Did you live?) Always on the edge
(Did you lie?) Causing such a fright
(Did you love?) Oh to be forgiven
(Did you try?) But it wouldn't be right

God it feels like an honest goodbye.

***

All of us have, at some point, pictured ourselves standing before God answering for earthly lives... Is this really what happens when we die?

Answer: Whether or not this is exactly what our immediate afterlife looks like, our best bet is to dwell in God's kingdom right now. Christ teaches His followers what this looks like; He shows His people how to live with an eternal mindset.

How to get started? Christ says, "keep asking and it will be given to you; keep seeking and you will find; keep knocking and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7)

***

A lot of manmade religions teach that relating to the Divine, or knowing one's eternal fate, is a guessing game. The truth is that God will bear His mind to anyone who takes the time to ask.

There are at least two really good ways to know what's on God's mind: (1) Ask Him, and then (2) Obey Him if He tells you to do anything in response to your asking.

***

Bad Religion's "Honest Goodbye" poses a few questions (Did you live? Did you love? Did you lie?). The surest way to have a good answer to these questions is to live in complete trust and obedience to Jesus Christ.

"Honest Goodbye" alludes to the foolishness of manmade religion, which teaches that godly obedience boils down to following a few rigid rules. The first part of this song expresses the theology of mainstream religion, which is "Survive these rules, if you can, then maybe God will approve of you."

***

Many have tried to know God or secure their eternal wellbeing by following a few rules, but the deciding factor in these things is the state of a people's hearts. Martin Luther, for example, devoted himself to following the letter of Catholic law and, because of his sincerity, God showed him something far better than religious rules and regulations. I mention this because Bad Religion wrote this song with a Catholic worldview in mind ("Supplicate and survive this transubstantiation").

This relates to the genius of Christ's teaching, which is that the kingdom of God is here and now, accessible to all people by His grace. We don't have to wait until we master a particular set of religious rules... we don't even have to wait until we die to dwell in God's kingdom.

***

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak..."

-- Jesus, in reference to the Pharisees (Matthew 12)


3 comments:

Amy said...

Hi Patrick-

I wonder how does one know for sure God's mind? In what ways does he reveal it? Additionally, how does one experience intimacy with the creator and know that it is him beyond a shadow of a doubt? How does it work?

Pat R said...

hey Mimi,

was it that quote, "keep asking and it will be given to you; keep seeking and you will find; keep knocking and the door will be opened to you" (Matthew 7:7), that got you thinking?

I've found that faith works a lot the same way as other things; if you really want something you'll keep seeking after it until you get it; you'll find a way to get there, right? you'll ask who you need to ask, being as persistent as needs be...

Jesus speaks favorably of people who are persistent, almost as if we should "keep pestering" God

people who love doing evil are innovative in their evil; people who love giving of themselves and blessing others are innovative in these things as well...

all this to say, a basic first step is to ask God to alter your desires. Ask God to make a fundamental change in your mind and heart so you genuinely desire Him above all things.

Annette said...

I love the site and especially your points here about our day before God.

May God look at me on that day and see Christ standing before me. . .otherwise. .I am sunk.

Annette