Alicia Keys and God's Truth

Not too long ago I was rebuked by a workmate for an Alicia Keys' song.

The context: Every week I post a Spiritual quote of the week in our "Plan of the Week" (aka. e-bulletin).  In the past I've called this "Chaplain's Corner."  My wife and I were watching "The VOICE" on YouTube - the battle between Anthony Evans and Jesse Campbell singing "If I Ain't Got You."  If you haven't seen the battle, it's a must!

The lyrics kept running through my mind:

Some people think that the physical things Define what's within And I've been there before But that life's a bore So full of the superficial...

So, I put the quote in our weekly bulletin as the Spiritual quote of the week.  When I walked by my workmates desk, I was hit with a harsh, "Why would you quote Alicia Keys?  Don't you know she worships the devil!?  Aren't you supposed to be our Chaplain!?"

My immediate response was shock and the words came out, "...because all truth is God's truth, regardless of who is saying it.  Alicia Keys didn't make that up.  God did."  I also had fleshly thoughts the followed, but did not outwardly manifest.  Thank God for his forgiveness for my evil thoughts.

Back to truth... What I did; specifically, quoting someone who spoke truth is what the Apostle Paul did throughout his ministry.  Paul would affirm and claim truth whenever and from whoever would speak it knowing that the content of a statement ultimately points back to the God who created that truth.

Example in Titus 1:

12One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”13This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, 14not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. 15To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

Paul quotes a prophet from Crete.  Who even know Crete had prophets??  How did this extra biblical Cretan prophet make it into Holy Scripture?  Because he or she spoke truth, which belongs to God.  Thus, Paul includes it in his letter.

Example in Acts 17: 

22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

He goes on to say...

27God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill.

Don't miss this.  Paul is in Athens talking to IDOLATROUS/religious people who, by their own admission, don't know God.  ...And Paul quotes their poets!  Paul doesn't care who is speaking - so long as they are speaking God's truth, he will capitalize on that bit of truth, affirm it and include it in Holy Scripture to be read by the entire world.

Whether from an unknown prophet from Crete to a Poet from Athens, Paul doesn't care to include their sayings in scripture, because all truth is God's truth.  Can an enemy of Christ communicate truth that I can, in turn, quote in order to encourage others to look to God and see the Gospel?  Paul did.  Just saying...

Lastly, I must clear up the claim that Alicia Keys is a Devil worshipper...because she is not.

I still don't know what she believes about Jesus Christ, but she's definitely not a Devil worshipper...

A Charge to all Believers: Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Lastly, Alicia Keys, so good to know you acknowledge that God is behind your ridiculous talent!  ...Because He is.  And I join God in encouraging you to utilize your God-given talents to promote the Gospel :)