Chance the Rapper took home three Grammys last Sunday night and had one of the most memorable acceptance speeches and performances in recent memory. At the end of his speech, he belted into the microphone, "Glory be to God, I claim the victory in the name of the Lord!" This has since reopened a debate which began when his newest album, "Coloring Book," was released: is Chance the Rapper a Christian? And furthermore, should his music be labeled as Christian Rap? As I was considering this quandary for myself, one key question kept popping into my mind: what makes a song "Christian"? Can a song have a religion? I think not.

A song can't have a religion any more than a painting or a movie can. These things either honor God by what they portray or don't. Not because of who they were made by, what they were made for, or how they were made, but because of what they are and what they stand for as individual works. One of the most famous "Christian" paintings of all time, "The Last Supper," was painted by a widely alleged atheist, Leonardo Da Vinci; yet it is still regarded as a beautiful representation of Christ and his followers. Why then, can a song not be judged on the same merit?

A song, like any artwork, should be judged in a vacuum on its platform alone. Just because a song is written by a non-Christian, possibly someone obscenely opposed to the values of Christianity, does not mean that song in itself cannot be a positive reflection of our Creator. On the other side of the coin, just because someone is a known Christian does not mean all their music should just be accepted and entertained. All music should be judged on its lyrics alone and the meaning behind it. For example, here is a sampling of a line from Chance's song "How Great": "Devil will win employee of the month by the dozen, til' one score and three years from the third when he doesn't." This line alludes to the fact that Satan has ruled the music industry since basically its conception; however, Chance hopes to end his rule in his twenty-third year — one score and three years — and on his third mixtape, "Coloring Book." Now, the dethroning of Satan from his entertainment empire is something I feel we can all get behind, if I may speak for all Christians in this instance. So, this line — and song as a whole — is a very God-honoring song, I believe. I encourage you to go and look at the lyrics for all of Chance's songs on "Coloring Book" and make a decision for yourself on which songs are spiritually healthy to listen to and which aren't.

So, just as we do not judge a painting, movie, or any other creative work on the artist's beliefs or lifestyle, let's not judge a song based solely on who sings it. Let's make it a point to dig deeper, and truly make educated decisions about why we don't agree with a song's message or portrayal.

Now, back to the main question, is Chance a Christian, and are his songs glorifying to God? The truth: I don't know. He does have many songs that say very positive things about the Christian faith, the Bible, and God in general; however, he does have many which portray a lifestyle directly in contrast to that which the Bible encourages us to lead.

So, on the topic of is he a Christian, I say who am I to judge someone's personal salvation? I have seen some "Christians" who do far worse than sing about drugs or sex. And I know I have done things that have offended the Lord just as much as that! But we are redeemed through Christ's saving blood. It is between him and God to get all that straightened out. I look forward to watching his lifestyle from this point forward, and I pray that he does stick to what he says and serves the Lord alone.

The final point: should his songs be classified as "Christian Rap"? I believe some should, yes. "Blessings, How Great, and All We Got" are just as glorifying to God, I believe, as anything we've heard from Lecrae, KB, Andy Mineo, NF, or any other Christian rapper. Some of his other songs, however, not so much.

So, in closing, I believe it is up to each of us as individuals to study the lyrics and meanings of songs and come to a conclusion about each song on whether we should listen to it or not, no matter who the artist is.