Of Grace and Motley Crue

If someone asked you who is your all time favorite band was, and you could only pick one, who would it be? If I had to pick my favorite band I think it would have to be Motley Crue. I am a product of the 80's when glam metal was all the rage! Big hair, eye liner (on dudes) tight leather pants and loud music was where it was happening! I have been following the guys on Twitter for a while and not long ago they announced their summer 2011 tour dates.

There are a number of reasons why Motley Crue is my favorite band but first and foremost I think that they have experienced the grace of God like very few bands ever have. When I say that I do not mean they are saved saints who are living for the Lord. No they are far from that as I feel sure they would all admit. What I mean by this is that God has allowed them to live in spite of a lifestyle of debauchery that has spanned decades. In saying that I am not passing judgment I am simply paraphrasing what I think they have said over and over in interviews and books.

In 1984 Vince Neil was in his car with Hanoi Rocks drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley. They had been partying for hours and were headed out to a liquor store to buy more booze. Vince lost control of his car and Razzle was killed. Vince served 15 days in prison and was fined $2.5 million.

In 1987, after a long night of partying with Guns N Roses, Nikki Sixx overdosed on heroin and was pronounced clinically dead. Doctors were able to bring him back after two shots of adrenaline to his heart.

Guitarist Mick Mars describes the band as "demonic, that's what we are" (Heavy Metal Times, May 1983). Nikki Sixx referring to their "Shout at the Devil" stage show commented, "We have skulls, pentagrams, and all kinds of satanic symbols on stage .... I've always flirted with the devil" (Circus, Jan. 31, 1984).

The number of girls they slept with is staggering, the amount of alcohol and drugs they consumed is enormous and the lifestyle the live to this day is the antithesis of a godly, Biblical lifestyle and yet they are still around. They are still making music, they are still selling out concerts, they are still in the spotlight. Why? All I can attribute it to is what I mentioned earlier, the grace of God.

Take a look at a couple of verses:

Numbers 14: 18a - ‘The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion.

II Peter 3: 9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Wow, how many more chances will they get? How many more days will they be allowed to wake up before God finally says enough? Notice what follows these verses though.

Numbers 14: 18b - Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.

II Peter 3: 10 - But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Judgement is coming for everyone. We will all have to give an account for our lives to the perfect Judge. Is there any hope for us, is there any hope for the notorious members of Motley Crue and other not-so-famous people who are living a similar lifestyle?

Colossians 1: 19-22 - 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

Paul was speaking to the Believers in Colossae telling them that they had been reconciled to God through the death of Christ. The Believers were at one time separated from God because of their sin but God reached out and provided a way for us to have our sins forgiven. This is a theme that is repeated through Scripture.

I Corinthians 6: 9-11 - 9 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This is very good news. If you are a Believer this is good news that you and I should thank God for every day! If you are not a Believer, if you stumbled upon this site "by accident" maybe God is speaking to you. Maybe it is time to turn to Him for forgiveness and get things right with God before its too late.

As for my favorite band, Motley Crue, I still listen to their music, I still follow them on Twitter but not out of a desire to idol them or imitate them, I am too old for that, I listen and follow them with the hopes that one day I will hear that one, if not all of them surrendered their life to Christ. What a wonderful way to vividly display the grace of God! Rock on!   \m/    \m/

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