This will be my third NEEDTOBREATHE review. While Multiplied was awesome, Testify did not do well. Perhaps Able will be better?
They have a new album that recently came out: Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions).
Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Needtobreathe-able-lyrics.
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?
The singer is distraught about their own pain and suffering in their life. They express an attitude of arrogance, that they can protect their loved ones through force, regardless of how right or wrong they are. They show remorse for their actions.
I get the sense that NEEDTOBREATHE is not glorifying this sordid contempt towards other people. I believe they were attempting to show the error in this sort of thinking. However, they did not describe to whom or what the singer will turn to for help. This hurts its overall message, blunting its impact.
Score: 4/10
2. How much of the lyrics line up with Scripture?
As mentioned in section 1, without a clear explanation of the refrain, it is difficult to evaluate if the singer describes remorse or repentance. Repetnance is what God requires of us. Remorse does nothing for salvation. I lean towards remorse in this evaluation.
It also fails to provide a solution to their source for help.
I give NEEDTOBREATHE credit for condemning prideful behavior.
[Verse 1]
Lines 1-4: Describes the full range of suffering we experience on earth.
Line 5: An expressed feeling of prideful thinking, which leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18).
[Refrain]
Lines 1-3: An admission that the singer cannot handle their pain through mere effort. Admission of guilt is shows remorse, but is not repentance. Judas regretted his betrayal and showed remorse (Matthew 27:3), but did not repent. Instead, he hung himself (Matthew 27:3-8). This lyric does not make it clear if the singer has mere remorse or repentance. It is also not clarified in other sections.
[Verse 2]
Lines 1-4: Repeats the same ideas described in Verse 1 in different wording.
[Bridge]
Lines 1-9: Though with selfish motives, this describes an individual who will do anything to protect a loved one, even if it requires them to kill someone else. I do not get the sense that the singer’s misguided attitude is glorified. It is merely put on display.
Score: 4/10
3. How would an outsider interpret the song?
The unbeliever will see condemnation of selfish ambition, but will not receive the Gospel from this song.
Score: 4/10
4. What does this song glorify?
It glorifies remorse, but not repentance towards God.
Score: 5/10
Closing Comments
NEEDTOBREATHE’s Able rightly condemns bad behavior through remorse, but does not show Biblical repentance nor a dependance on God for correction. I understand that some have found healing and comfort from these lyrics and praise God for that, but adding at least a rudimentery connection to God for repentance would significantly improve this score.
It’s difficult to recommend this for any worship set without it.
Final Score: 4.5/10
Artist Info
Track: Able (listen to the song)
Artist: NEEDTOBREATHE
Album: The Reckoning
Genre: Pop
Release Year: 2011
Duration: 4:21
Agree? Disagree? Don’t be shy or have a cow! Calmly and politely state your case in a comment, below.
Updates:
03/25/2021 – Updated per repetition announcement.
Comments
Eden
Those are both good evaluations, however I do very much admire this Song as I do many of Needtobreathes songs..
They have definitely helped me as I can definitely relate to what they are trying to say. God loves them just as much as he loves you and I. Let God work through these songs. Just because you feel negatively about their lack of accountability for scripture, that does not mean God is not present in their music. Only God is perfect and to me Able is about knowing I need him in everything I do.
I don’t critique these men. I thank the Lord for Them. Don’t be so judgmental. Keep your eyes open is another song that has very much encouraged me to let the Lord guide and give direction to what is right and wrong, not self-righteousness!
Vince Wright
Eden,
Thank you for your comments!
My critique is for this specific song, not the artist. This allows their songs to stand or fall on their merits. Thus, I am judging the song, not the artist in question.
As for “Don’t be so judgmental”, it says in John 7:24 to judge with righteous judgment. Also, it’s really difficult, if not impossible, to correct or rebuke people (2 Timothy 4:2) without having a process to form an opinion or evaluation by discernment and comparing to some objective standard, that is, Scripture (see Merriam-Webster definition 1 for judgment).
Finally, Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:1 are not saying that we shouldn’t judge. Rather, if you examine the context, He is saying to not judge hypocritically. He calls for those who judge to examine themselves to see if they are doing the same thing. One must ask if stating “Don’t be so judgmental” is itself judgmental.
-Vince Wright
Amber
I used to think the mystery of NEEDTOBREATHE’s lyrics is what made them beautiful. But now I think of the psalms. David, and others, are clear as to who they are praising and who is their salvation. NEEDTOBREATHE, not so much. And this is coming from a previously big fan. The Lord has been working a lot in my life and music has been the latest thing I’ve been evaluating. Just learned about your site and it has been a welcome sight. Thank you.
Vince Wright
Amber,
Thank you for your testimony and compliment. I appreciate that!
-Vince Wright