Kirk Franklin – Love Theory

Choir director, artist, and lyricist Kirk Franklin is well known for his Gospel choirs, including The Family, God’s Property, and One Nation Crew (1NC).  This stomp director also enjoyed a lavish solo career and numerous awards, including 13 Grammy’s, 21 Dove’s, 23 Stellar’s, and an American Music, Urban Music, and Soul Train Award.

He has released numerous albums under his choir names and himself, including Kirk Franklin & The Family (1993), God’s Property (1997), Kirk Franklin Presents 1NC (2000), and Long Live Love (2019).  This last album contains the subject of this review: Love Theory, which won a “Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year” Dove last year.

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1. What message does the song communicate?

I have mixed feelings about Franklin’s message. Though I think it has some great highlights, other portions are generic or (worse) bad advice.

My initial thought is that this would become another “Jesus as my boyfriend” song. Most of Franklin’s lyrics fit that description. I had briefly forgotten his introduction spoke to an audience of newly converted brethren, welcoming them into the fold and giving them a pep talk almost worthy of Joel Olsteen: you have had your best life now! This is confirmed at the beginning of Chorus.

Franklin goes on to rhetorically wonder how “You” could love me, even if I am unlovable. “Your” life is a gift, winning by losing one’s self to it. It’s all for my good.

Throughout the Chorus and Post-Chorus, Franklin describes a superhero of sorts, swooping in to save the day at the nick of time.  While inspirational, it is sorely lacking in Scripture (see section 2).  Still, let’s make our rescuer proud and show him that He is the object of our affection.

Franklin’s proclamation that he only loves God ignores Jesus’ commentary on the second greatest commandment, to love neighbor as self.

He goes on in Verse 2. This awesome person keeps all our secrets, even ones that, perhaps, should be reported to the authorities. How mysterious! Then, finally, Franklin reveals the identity of our swashbuckling champion. It is God Almighty! He then states that God’s patience is unwavering and asks God never to leave.

The Bridge repurposes the famous words of John the Baptist, that Christ increases as we decrease, resulting in the slow killing of self.

Finally (and I won’t penalize Franklin for this review), putting the word “theory” in the title makes it sound like God’s love is hypothetical but unproven.  That is not Franklin’s intent as most people don’t use the scientific definition when they think about theories.

Side Note: To those who are sensitive to massive repetition, the end of the song contains a doubly-repeated Chorus sandwiched in between two sets of sextuplets.

Score: 5/10

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

Most of it does; However, I take exception with the beginning of Chorus, all of Post-Chorus, the start of Verse 2, and Outro.

Lyrics posted with permission.*

[Intro]

Oh!
Uh, brothers and sisters
I wanna welcome you back to life

Franklin is welcoming those who have left Christianity back to Jesus much like the angels rejoice when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7 and Luke 15:10).

Back to the one
That can make your next chapter
Your best chapter

Subsequent lyrics lay out what your “next chapter” looks like.

Hallelujah

The word ‘Hallelujah” is a compound Hebrew phrase, with “hallelu” meaning “a joyous praise in song” and “jah” or “yah”, which refers to the Tetragrammaton YHWH. Put together, we are singing “we joyfully praise God in song” when we use this word.

[Verse 1]

How can it be
That You love the most unlovable part of me, of me?

He paid the penalty while we were sinners (Romans 5:6-8) because love is who God is (1 John 4:8).

How could You see
Your life was the only gift I’ll ever need to be free?

God can see because He knows all things (1 Kings 8:39, 1 Chronicles 28:9, Psalm 44:21, Psalm 139:4, Psalm 147:4-5, Isaiah 40:28, Matthew 10:30, John 16:30, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, and 1 John 3:20).  Christ knew there was no other way (Matthew 26:39-46 and Luke 22:42-46).

It’s amazing with You, I win even if I lose

Those who forfeit their own lives for the sake of Christ (lose) will find life (win; Matthew 10:39, Matthew 16:25, and Luke 17:33).

Everything’s working for my good for always (Come on)

God works all things for our good (Romans 8:28).

[Chorus]

He saves the day, He will come through

God will not always rescue us from every possible negative scenario.  Sometimes He causes or allows trials and tribulations to build our character (Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 12:4-11, James 1:2-4).

He won’t bow, that’s not what super heroes do (Hallelujah)

God bows to no one (Isaiah 40:13, Romans 11:34, and 1 Corinthians 2:16).

No greater love makes my heart beat

No greater love than the One who demonstrates it by dying for undeserving wretches (Romans 5:6-8).

All I wanna do is make You proud of me

Not a reference to the sin of pride.  Rather, Franklin wants to please God.  We cannot make God pleased with us without faith (Hebrews 11:6) so that we may hear “well done” (Matthew 25:21-23).

[Post-Chorus]

(That’s why) I don’t wanna love nobody but You
I don’t wanna love nobody but You
I don’t wanna love nobody, love nobody but You (Let’s go)

This is the “next chapter” that Franklin espouses in Verse 1, lines 4-6.  It is a life of worship, adoration, and obedience to God’s commandments.  It is fixing our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

Unfortunately (and perhaps unintentionally), this states that God’s love is the only love that is important, ignoring love for others (Proverbs 17:17, Proverbs 20:6-7, Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:29-31, Luke 6:35, Romans 13:8-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 1 Corinthians 13:13, 1 Corinthians 16:14, Ephesians 4:2-3, Colossians 3:14, 1 Peter 4:8, 1 John 3:16-18, 1 John 4:7-11, and 1 John 4:21).

[Verse 2]

How can it be
Every one of my secrets that You keep (You cover me)
You cover me? (I appreciate it)

That’s not always true.  David once had a secret, adulterous, murderous sin that God told Nathan to confront (2 Samuel 12:1-15).

A mystery (It’s amazing how)
Your patience with me, God, will never leave

God is love (1 John 4:8) and love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4).  Therefore, God is patient (Exodus 34:6).  This verse sets the context for most (if not all) personal pronouns as God.

(You don’t give up on me)
Don’t ever leave

God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5, quoting from Deuteronomy 31:6).

[Pre-Chorus 2]

(Help me) Help me to see like You (Like You)

A request for God to help Franklin’s worldview to align with God’s, conforming to His image (Ezekiel 11:19-20, Ezekiel 36:26, Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 2:10, and Revelation 21:5).

No matter what I go through (Hey)
Everything’s working for my good for always

Essentially repeats Verse 1, line 6.

[Bridge]

(And the church sang, come on)
Loving You will be (Jesus, loving You)
Will be the death of me (It sounds crazy, don’t it? Ayy)
That’s how it’s supposed to be (Let me tell you what it means)
More of You, less of me

Aligns with the words of John the Baptist, who said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).  This requires us to love God more than ourselves and our families (Luke 14:26-33).

[Outro]

I don’t wanna love nobody but You
I don’t wanna love nobody but You (You)
I don’t wanna love nobody, love nobody but You
(You’re the Savior)
I don’t wanna love nobody but You
I don’t wanna love nobody but You (Yes)
I don’t wanna love nobody, love nobody but You

Essentially repeats Post-Chorus.

Score: 5/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

This song is filled with passages comprehensible to unbelievers as uniquely Christian: “You love the most unlovable part of me”, “I win even if I lose”, and “More of You, less of me” are easily identifiable Christian constructs.  Other portions such as “I wanna welcome you back to life” and “Loving You will be the death of me” will likely sail over their heads.

(Chorus, line 1) – Most unbelieving westerners I’ve interacted with cite “He saves the day, He will come through” as one of their top reasons they left Christianity: the false idea that God always rescues.  Nothing can be further from the truth!  We must cease to teach this to others.

I am uncertain if they will pick up on “I don’t wanna love nobody but You” as contrary to Christ’s second commandment, but I would imagine some might think Franklin is so heavenly minded that he does no earthly good.

The Intro makes it clear that followers of Jesus are Franklin’s audience.  It was probably not written with non-Christians in mind.

Score: 4/10

4. What does this song glorify?

While it glorifies God through describing God’s great love for us, the errors and flaws described in earlier sections prevent it from fully shining through.

Score: 4/10

Closing Comments

Kirk Franklin’s Love Theory is a disappointment. There are moments when his lyrics are Scripturally sound, with his message of God’s great love for us that glorifies Him and discernable by unbelievers. However, other instances give a false impression that God will always rescue us. He doesn’t. This does a disservice to both Christians and non-Christians.  It also prioritizes God’s love to the point of ignoring love for others.

Finally, the title Love Theory is unfortunate. God’s love for us is not theoretical in the colloquial usage of the word. It is proven through His sacrifice on the cross (Romans 5:6-8).

I cannot recommend this song.

Final Score: 4.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Love Theory (listen to the song)

Artist: Kirk Franklin

Album: Long Live Love

Genre: Gospel

Release Year: 2019

Duration: 4:11

Agree?  Disagree?  Don’t be shy or have a cow!  Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.

*Copyright © 2019 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Updates:

03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.  I moved my commentary to a side note and increased section 1’s score.  This did not affect the overall rating.

07/22/2020 – Kelly has a point about “I don’t wanna love nobody but You”, that it ignores loving others.  I updated my commentary, lowering this score from 6.5/10 to 4.5/10.  I also accidentally erased the title “Closing Comments” and score for section 4 when I initially created this review.  I added it back.