UPPERROOM (Feat. Abbie Gamboa) – Love Note

UPPERROOM is a church-based band, much with the same structure as Hillsong, Elevation Worship, and Bethel Music.  Their church of the same name is based in Dallas, Texas.

Their discography is too big to list.

Check out my other UPPERROOM reviews.

Lyrics can be found at https://genius.com/Upperroom-love-note-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?

Speaking for God is a very dangerous prospect that we ought to handle with care.  Unfortunately, UPPERROOM spectacularly drops the ball.

The Father loves us and only us.  He shows His affection by sending Jesus, complete with symbols of marriage, the bread and wine that is Christ’s sacrificed body, and return to Eden.  Except that He doesn’t only love us.  He also loves the angels and His Son Jesus.

Another thing that bothers me is the lack of call to action on our part.  Based solely on the song, God just does everything and we somehow receive His forgiveness.

Side Note: To those who are annoyed by massive repetiton, Verse 2 ends with the same line repeated 5 times in a row and Bridge is stuck in a 24-line feedback loop.

Score: 5/10

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

There is a mix of Scripturally sound lyrics and errors.

[Verse 1]

Lines 1 and 2: Jesus was sent out of love for us (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-8, and 1 John 4:9-10).

Line 3: Not true.  He also wants the angels to worship Him (Hebrews 1:6), for us to worship Him (Deuteronomy 6:13, Deuteronomy 10:20, 1 Chronicles 16:29, Psalm 29:1-2; , Jeremiah 32:39-40, Matthew 4:10, and Luke 4:8), for all to be saved (Psalm 86:15, Lamentations 3:22-23, Romans 2:4, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, and 2 Peter 3:9), and to love His son (Matthew 3:17).

Lines 4-6: That is, the Father sees us.

[Chorus]

Line 1: God’s love never ceases (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Line 2: Again not true.  He also desires the angels and His Son.  See commentary on Verse 1, line 3.

Line 3: See Verse 1, lines 1 and 2.

[Verse 2]

Lines 1-6: Several themes are presented here, including:

• Bread and wine, which represents the broken body and shed blood of Jesus (Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
• The marriage between God and His bride the church (Ephesians 5:22-32 and Revelation 19:7-9).
• A restored Eden for those who are His (Revelation 22:1-5).

Line 7: We are forgiven (Matthew 26:28, Act 2:38, Act 5:31, Act 10:43, Romans 4:7, Romans 5:6-8, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, Colossians 2:13-14, James 5:15, James 5:19-20, 1 John 2:1-2, and 1 John 2:12).

Line 8: We spend eternity with Him (Mark 10:29-30, John 3:15-16, John 3:36, John 4:14, John 5:24, John 5:39-40, John 6:27, John 6:40, John 10:28, John 17:3, John 20:31, Romans 5:21, Romans 6:22-23, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Galatians 6:8, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:11, Hebrews 5:9, 1 Peter 5:10, 1 John 2:23-27, 1 John 5:10-13, 1 John 5:20, Jude 1:20-21, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 7:16-17, and Revelation 21:3-4).

Lines 9-12: Repeats line 8.

[Interlude]

Lines 1-4: UPPERROOM asks if we are experiencing God’s Presence.

[Bridge]

Lines 1 and 2: This is true because God is omnipresent (1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 139:7-12, Proverbs 15:3, Jeremiah 23:23-24, Colossians 1:17, and Hebrews 4:13).

Lines 3-24: Repeats/essentially repeats lines 1 and 2.  Also…Baby?  God doesn’t speak this way in the Bible insofar as I can tell, as though He’s trying to impress us like a male is trying to impress a female to woo her.

Score: 5/10

3. How would an outsider interpret the song?

They will conclude that God loves them so much that He sent Jesus to die for them so that they could have eternal life, without any repentance or faith on their part.  He is head over heals, fallen, smitten in love with them.  Also, the word “sin” to them is closer to mere mistakes than lawbreaking.

Score: 3/10

4. What does this song glorify?

While it glorifies the Father that He sent Jesus to take away our sins, it does not bring Him glory that this song erroneously states that we are the only ones He loves, alongside no action on our part to receive Him.

Score: 5/10

Closing Comments

UPPERROOM’s Love Note is a facepalm.  While correct on Jesus’ role, that the Father offers forgiveness of sins, and that New Eden is our eternal destiny, this song is compromised.  The Father doesn’t love us only.  He wouldn’t call us “baby” like that.  This song lacks any call to action on our part.  Unbelievers are more likely to enter into false conversion if this song is the only Gospel message they receive.

I cannot recommend this song for corporate worship.

Final Score: 4.5/10

Artist Info

Track: Love Note (listen to the song)

Artist: UPPERROOM (Feat. Abbie Gamboa)

Album: Love Note

Genre: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM)

Release Year: 2021

Duration: 5:41

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

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The Belonging Co (Feat. Hope Darst) – Love Like This Brandon Lake & Phil Wickham – Love Of God Elevation Worship & Leeland (Feat. Chris Brown) – What A Miracle Bethel Music (Feat. David Funk) – Beauty Matt Redman (Feat. David Funk) – Lamb of God Elevation Worship (Feat. Tiffany Hudson) – Forever YHWH