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Notes
Many faiths , Eastern and Western alike, are heavily liturgical and steeped in ancient tradition. This is all well and good, so long as tradition does not come to violate the word of God. Jesus warned his contemporaries, "why do you, by your traditions, invalidate the word of God?"
We must, therefore, be very careful to ensure we're not relying on tradition or a religious organization to save us. Only faith in Christ alone can do that, and He is not bound by tradition.
Lyrics
[Intro]
[Instrumental]
[Verse 1]
The candle burns without light
Sweet incense rises, with empty prayers
The tongue recites, the heart denies
Steeped in tradition, lost in lies
Devoid of life, and without faith
You bow, you kneel, you cross your heart
But never give yourself to Christ
[Verse 2]
Trust the structure, trust the priest
Sing ancient hymns you do not mean
Kiss the icons, wear the signs
But truth has never pierced your mind
A kingdom built of muscle memory
A faith reduced to choreography
[Bridge]
Stand before the Holy Fire
But feel no warmth-
No conviction - no desire
No transformation - no salvation
Only fear
[CHORUS]
Prisoner of liturgy
Bound by sacred habit
Chained to tradition that cannot save
A rotting corpse that smiles and says “Amen”
Prisoner of liturgy
Keeper of the tomb
You guard the door to Paradise
While falling to your doom
[Interlude]
[Greek]
Κύριε ἐλέησον
χωρὶς καρδίαν
χωρὶς μετάνοιαν
[Latin (answered softly)]
Domine, miserere
sed cor non convertitur
[Verse 3]
Wield tradition like a shield
(Forma sine vita)
Against the Christ who speaks
(Lex sine amore)
The altar hears your footsteps
(Forma sine vita)
But Heaven hears no cry
(Lex sine amore)
Fear the loss of your tradition
(Forma sine vita)
More than the judgment in His eyes
(Lex sine amore)
[Verse 4]
Rites were never meant to save
Law was never meant to heal
They point toward the living God
Not incense, nor chant, nor time
Nor vestments sewn in gold
Will raise the dead to life
Or save your hell-bound soul
[Bridge]
Break the chains, tear the veil
Let ancient faith prevail
The rite is true, the faith is real
Ancient truth is now revealed
[Outro]
Prisoner of liturgy - no more!
Set free by faith alone
Not by ritual
Nor sacrament
But by the blood of Christ alone.
Arise, your light has come!
Arise, your light has come!!
[end]