"What I've Done " by Linkin Park
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Band
Finally! After almost four years, Linkin Park is prepared to release their fourth album, “Minutes to Midnight.” Fans have been eagerly anticipating the album since their last hit “Meteora” (2003). Since the boys debuted with “Hybrid Theory” in 2000, they have sung the anthems of a generation desperately searching for meaning and truth.
There have been rumors that the band is linked to Christianity, having toured with POD, among others. Although several band members have a Protestant background, they describe themselves as being “all over the place” religiously. Whatever the case, the hard edge of their musical style has its appeal, but essentially Linkin Park’s deeply emotional message resonates with a confused and angry culture.
The Album
“What I’ve Done” is the sneak preview of “Minutes to Midnight.” Some fans have expressed some disappointment that it doesn’t pack the punch of many of Linkin Park’s greatest hits. The full album will be available in North America May 15th.
The Song
In true Linkin Park style, “What I’ve Done” chronicles the emotional journey of confession, forgiveness, and redemption -- all deeply spiritual themes. But let’s not jump ahead of ourselves and assume these are necessarily biblically based. Many, many worldviews, such as Islam and Hinduism, offer similar themes. The real question is how you attain forgiveness and redemption.
First the confession, “Cause I’ve drawn regret/ From the truth/ Of a thousand lies” and later “What I’ve done/ I’ll face myself/ To cross out what I’ve become.” The singer acknowledges wrongdoing, is remorseful, and willing to own up to his crime.
Forgiveness and redemption are at the heart of the Christian walk with God. Unlike any other religion, they are free because Christ already paid for all our sins. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
While Linkin Park correctly follows confession with forgiveness and redemption, they also imply that we can do this without God. Lines like “[I] Erase myself/ And let go of what I’ve done,” “I clean this slate” and “I’m forgiving what I’ve done” point to the very popular notion that we can sanctify ourselves -- we don’t need God’s help. Instead of asking God to cleanse us of our sins, we can just forgive our own sins and move on.
The problem with that view is that we aren’t gods; we do need God. We don’t have the power to forgive sins because all sin is against God, therefore only He can forgive us. Is it your place to forgive your sister for something she said to your mom? You may have been offended, too, but ultimately it’s between your mom and your sister. In the same way, all of our sins are ultimately against God because He’s the one who laid out the guidelines for us to follow. Once we understand true mercy and forgiveness, there’s no need to wallow in guilt and self-pity.
David wrote in Psalm 53:4, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” Spend some time meditating on his example of confession and repentance and thanking the Lord for his forgiveness.
So What Do You Think?
1. Do you have a favorite Linkin Park song?
2. The title “Minutes to Midnight” is a reference to a clock that counts down the minutes until the destruction of the earth. What kind of songs would you expect to hear on an album named after that?
3. Why do you think our culture values “loving yourself” and “forgiving yourself” so much?
4. Are these values biblical? Is there anything good we can learn from them?