Francesca Battistelli – If We’re Honest

Christian pop artist Francesca Battistelli has been active since 2002.  She released her debut independent album Just a Breath in 2004.  She also released five studio albums, including:

• My Paper Heart (2008)
• Hundred More Years (2011)
• Christmas (2012)
• If We’re Honest (2014)
• Own It (2018)

Battistelli has won six Dove awards, including Female Vocalist, Artist, Short Form Music Video, Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song, and Special Event Album of the year.  She also won one Grammy award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for her song Holy Spirit.

Check out my reviews of The Breakup Song and He Knows My Name.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Francesca-battistelli-if-were-honest-lyrics.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

It is a call to repentance from our sinful lifestyle.  We must come to terms with the truth that we’ve all broken God’s Laws and require a Savior to rescue us.  Though our lives were filled with barriers that prevented God from entering, the difficult task of coming to grips with our humanity is required for healing.  Those of us are faking our way through life must cease.  Our masks must come off.

We must cling to the foot of the cross and run hard to Jesus with our broken, dirty, sin-stained selves.  If we would repent and trust in Christ, it would transform us, setting free the chains of darkness that choke us and prevent us from living a Godly life.  But only If We’re Honest.

Score: 10/10

2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?

All lines agree with God’s inspired Word.

[Verse 1]

Line 1: This operates both on the delivery and receiving end.  It is often much easier to tell a lie than to speak a hard truth.  It is often easier to believe in a convenient falsehood than the inconvenient truth.  Just ask Peter!  He denied Jesus three times despite saying that he will never abandon Jesus (Matthew 26:34-35, Matthew 26:69-75, Luke 22:31-34, and Luke 22:54-62).

Lines 2 and 3: In a similar sentiment to line 1, familiar darkness seems safer than the unknown light of God.  Those who are living in darkness do not wish to come out, lest their evil deeds become exposed (John 3:20).

Line 4: All are guilty before God; a broken mess that requires repair and restoration (Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Job 15:14, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, and 1 John 1:8-10).

Line 5: See commentary in lines 2 and 3.

Line 6: A lead-in to Chorus.  To do what is says is indeed difficult.

[Chorus]

Lines 1 and 2: To where do we bring our brokenness?  Verse 2 answers this question.  We bring it to Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30).  It is the love of Christ that covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8).

Lines 3 and 4: Mercy requires repentance. Repentance requires an honest outlook on ourselves, accepting the truths Battistelli describes in Verse 1, lines 4-6.  It is a change of mind, that we must flee the darkness that binds us and run swiftly to Jesus!  We must no longer become dead in our sins, but become transformed and alive in Christ (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).  That is the mercy that He offers those who repent (Acts 3:19-21).

[Verse 2]

Lines 1 and 2: General advice that is on par with the writings in the book of Proverbs.  Telling convenient lies are covered in the opening of Verse 1.

Lines 3 and 4: That is, at Jesus’ feet, who paid the penalty for our lawbreaking (Isaiah 53:1-12, Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:16, John 19:30, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:30, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 1:3-4, Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 2:14, 1 Timothy 2:6, Titus 2:14, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 9:26, 1 Peter 1:17-21, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1 John 1:7, 1 John 2:1-2, and Revelation 5:9).  See commentary on Chorus, lines 3 and 4.

[Bridge]

Lines 1-3: …if only we would do it!  And yes…

[Outro]

Line 1-3: …we must be honest with ourselves and with God.  There’s no other way.  This repeats the end of Chorus as its own section, three times.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

This song is, in part, written to unbelievers and false converts, drawing them to all the things I wrote about in section 1.  In an attempt to avoid rehashing the same points a third time, I’ll add that Battistelli’s choice of words makes the Gospel message easy to comprehend for those outside the camp of Christ.  She uses language that a fourth grader could understand.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies Jesus though its basic Gospel presentation, that lawbreakers can find redemption through repentance and faith.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Francesca Battistelli’s If We’re Honest is, well, an honest outlook on humanity and its need for a Savior.  For Christians, it reminds us that we were once broken people who decided to follow Jesus and are experiencing the joys of knowing Him.  We must cease to live fake lives and continue to be honest with God and each other.  For unbelievers, it invites them to find the abundant joy and freedom that is a personal relationship with God.

This is certainly a song that more people need to hear; However, I find it difficult to recommend as worship.  It says more about us than about God.  It could be useful as a “special” that your audience hears and soaks in, as opposed to becoming a participant in corporate worship.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: If We’re Honest (listen to the song)

Artist: Francesca Battistelli

Album: If We’re Honest

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2014

Duration: 3:09

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Updates:

03/24/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.