Iron Bell Music (Feat. Stephen McWhirter) – God That Saves

CCM band Iron Bell Music hails from Louisville, Kentucky.  With its humble beginnings in 2009, the Iron Bell Ministries worship movement morphed into something similar to Bethel and Hillsong, releasing their first album, God that Saves, and their EP Fierce, in 2017.  They also released Glory to Glory in 2018.

Note to new users: This is a different kind of review site!  Read About the Berean Test and Evaluation Criteria prior to reading this review.

1. What message does the song communicate?

Iron Bell Music was once broken, separated from God due to their sins,  but, God rescued them from their state of damnation.  It is by His grace that we attain salvation; the ballad of triumph bellowing in their ears.

Side Note: To those who are sensitive to massive repetition, Bridge repeats the same phrase six times.

Score: 10/10

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

All lines align with God’s inspired Word.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Verse 1]

This soul once torn and beaten
Left without reason to move on
Then You reached down and brought me
Up from the valley of dry bones

References Ezekiel 37:1-14 in the context of Iron Bell Music’s migration from death in sin to alive in God (Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:11, and 1 Peter 2:24).

[Chorus 1]

You are that God that saves
You are the One that rescues me
And You rescue me, ohh-oh
You are the God that saves
And You called me from the grave
You rescue me!

See commentary in Verse 1.  This section explicitly states that God is the One who rescues.

Line 3’s end is a call to Casper the friendly ghost.

[Verse 2]

Ransomed out of the wreckage
Pulled from the ashes of sin’s hold

A subtle nod to the payment for our sins that ransomed us from sin’s chokehold (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).

Hope is flowing through these veins

That is, our hope in God (Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 39:7, Psalm 62:5, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 8:24-39, Romans 15:13, 1 Corinthians 15:54-58, and 1 Peter 1:3-6).

Life born from grace, grace alone!

That is, grace apart from works (Luke 18:9-14, Acts 13:39, Romans 3:20-30, Romans 4:1-7, Romans 8:3, Romans 9:16, Romans 9:31-32, Romans 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:10-12, Galatians 3:21, Galatians 5:2-4, Ephesians 2:8-9, Philippians 3:3-9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 6:1-2, and James 2:10-11).

[Chorus 2]

You are that God that saves
You are the One that rescues me
And You rescue me, ohh-oh
You are the God that saves
And You called me from the grave
And You rescue me
You rescue me

Repeats Chorus 1.

You rescue me Lord

Repeats the last line of Chorus 1 with the word “Lord” added at the end.

He who saves

God is the God who rescues and saves.

[Bridge]

I hear the song, I hear the song
Of victory ring over me

Victory over our sins is certainly a cause for celebration (Psalm 118:15)!

I hear the song, I hear the song
Of victory ring over me

Repeats lines 1 and 2.

I hear the song, I hear the song
Of victory ring over me
I hear the song, I hear the song
Of victory ring over me

Repeats lines 1 and 2.

I hear the song, I hear the song
Of victory ring over me
I hear the song, I hear the song
Of victory ring over me, yay!
Yay!!!

Repeats lines 1 and 2 with two “yay’s” added for emphasis.

[Chorus 3]

You are that God that saves
You are the One that rescues me
And You rescue me, ohh-oh
You are that God that saves
You are the One that rescues me
And You rescue me, ohh-oh
You are the God that saves
And You called me from the grave
And You rescue me
Oh, You rescue me, Lord!
And You rescue me
And You called me from the grave
And You rescue me!

Repeats Chorus 1 in various ways.

[Outro]

Oh, You rescue me, Lord!

Repeats Chorus 2, line 8 with the word “oh” added.

I hear You sing
I hear You sing
I hear You sing
Sing over me
Sing over me…

See commentary in Bridge, lines 1 and 2.

Score: 10/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

Those outside the camp of Christ should walk away understanding that God saves us and rescues us from their sinful past based solely on God’s grace.  If they receive it, they too will hear this “song of victory” when they praise and worship God.  We cannot expect them to understand the depths of their lawbreaking and their need for a Savior; However, that is the Holy Spirit’s work and not Iron Bell Music.

Score: 10/10

4. What does this song glorify?

It glorifies God through its soft Gospel message.

Score: 10/10

Closing Comments

Iron Bell Music’s God That Saves offers the basic elements of worship: We were once lost, separated, damned due to sin, but God rescued us from our state of separation, bringing Him glory.  Unbelievers should have little trouble comprehending its basic message.

Consider it for corporate worship if you’re looking for something that checks all the boxes.  It’s not particularly deep, but perhaps milk is what your congregation requires.

Final Score: 10/10

Artist Info

Track: God That Saves (listen to the song)

Artist: Iron Bell Music (Feat. Stephen McWhirter)

Album: God That Saves

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2017

Duration: 4:49

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*Copyright © 2017 Iron Bell Music (BMI) Be Essential Songs (BMI) (admin at EssentialMusicPublishing.com). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/24/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.  I moved my commentary to a side note and increased section 1’s score.  This raised the overall score from 9.5/10 to 10/10.