Real Hard Cash

Johnny Cash fan and dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Russell Moore explores why Cash remained popular and relevant to even much younger fans up until the very end of his life.

Cash always seemed to connect.  When other Christian celebrities tried to down-play sin and condemnation in favor of upbeat messages about how much better life is with Jesus, Cash sang about the tyranny of guilt and the certainty of coming judgment.  An angst-ridden youth culture may not have fully comprehended guilt, but they understood pain.  And, somehow, they sensed Cash was for real.

To read all of Real Hard Cash, please click here.  Then, please join the discussion by clicking on the comments link below.

Comments

[GL]

"Walk the Line" was a great movie and Joaquin Phoenix is this year's obvious choice for best actor. He really gave you the sense of the "man in black" who sinned greatly and who, in the end, though he paid a terrible price, found redemption in the only place it can be found. Some have criticized the movie for not more overtly telling Cash's conversion story, but I believe that for those who have ears and eyes to hear and see, the movie said all that needed to be said. In its subtle, unassuming and unadorned manner, the message was conveyed in the same way that Cash conveyed his pain in his songs.

I guess my redneck country boy roots can never be escaped, but I still love seeing Johnny Cash sing at those old Billy Graham revival meetings (for that is what they were). Just the other night, while flipping through the channels, I stopped at TBN (which I otherwise never watch) when I saw that they were playing clips from Cash's performances at those Billy Graham meetings. Knowing more of his story made it even more meaningful to watch.

In my mind, he was a 20th century version of David: a man of humble beginnings, who was given great gifts, fell into terrible sin, for which he paid a terrible price for the remainder of his life, yet found redemption, and sang his Redeemer's praises.

Cash lived the words of Psalm 51:14-15:

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.

Living in Memphis and watching the movie in a Malco theatre (if you saw the movie, you will recognize the reference), made it more meaningful. I knew some of the extras and attend church with the family of one of the girls who played June Carter's daughters.

[J. Sweeney]

Sadly, the more I have learned about Johnny Cash, the less I think of him. He went after June Carter, another man's wife, and eventually abandoned his own wife and four children, for his new love.
Adultery, abandonment, the pain inflicted on the "other husband," and his first wife. Gee whiz, let's not grant him sainthood just yet.
J. Sweeney

[GL]

J.

Obviously, I have no way of knowing Johnny Cash's later life other than what is generally available via the media, but by all accounts he repented and confessed Christ as his Savior. If in fact that is true, he is as much a saint as any of the rest of us repented sinners. If *we* are to judge each other by the worst we have done in our lives, then we are all damned. Praise God, He does the judging and "[i]f we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

[Joey Thulcandra]

Moore's points are helpful, for the most part. Main point seems to be Cash's appeal to youth and how church should emulate. If I were to write the piece, this would be my thesis:

Johnny Cash was honest, and we should be honest too.

Cash was a believer in Christ Jesus. I don't agree with his disdain for theologians (see "Man Who Couldn't Cry"), his epistemology (see "When the Man Comes Around"), or the weight he placed on experience (his conversion vision, for example). To my knowledge, Cash was not a confessional or creed-reciting believer, preferring the more ambiguous language of "personal relationship with God."

But he bore the fruit of repentance, the fruit of the Spirit, and when he was at his best, Cash was an honest man. Musically, I count the high-collared, sequined, Elvis-impersonating 70's and 80's as a lapse in his public honesty. But once he realized the record execs had left him for dead he returned to musical simplicity, and that's when Generation X started paying attention (didn't hurt to have Rick Ruben in his corner).

Cash was honest. Honestly a moral failure, honestly a needy sinner, honestly following his Savior Jesus.

[Mirko]

dear Johnny Surabaya,Hi! What a surprise! I found you by accndeit. Your last name surprised me. Where did you get it from? FYI: Surabaya is a name of a city in our country. It's the capital city of East Java province. Do you know that?You are great anyway.See ya!

[Zimula]

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