Lakewood Church - In the Name of Love Lyrics
Lyrics
When the sun came up
On my darkest night
I was met by the love of a Savior
Who took on my fight
Still, it seemed all was lost
When death called Your name
Oh, but there's nothing in all of creation
That could end Your reign
Sing a song out to heaven
He's alive, oh, He's risen
Overcoming the grave
It was all in the name of love
When the Father's light
Shined upon my heart
I was changed by the love of a Savior
Through His precious scars
Though the debt was great
Still You paid it all
Now I'm living with all of creation in the wonderful
Sing a song out to heaven
He's alive, oh, He's risen
Overcoming the grave
It was all in the name of love
All in
All in the name of love All in
You gave it all
All in the name of love Yeah I'm giving it all
Cause Heaven is near
and Lord I can hear You call
Video
In the Name of Love
Meaning & Inspiration
Released on September 14, 2018, as part of their album *Live in the Wonderful*, Lakewood Church’s "In the Name of Love" delivers a powerful proclamation of redemption and divine affection. This worship anthem serves as a spiritual narrative, tracing the journey from personal despair to the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection. It’s a profound meditation on the unwavering love of God, manifesting through the life, death, and triumph of Jesus, inviting all to respond with their own surrendered lives.
The song immediately draws us into a personal encounter with divine intervention, describing a moment when, amidst one’s "darkest night," the "sun came up," signaling the arrival of a Savior. This evokes a powerful image of spiritual rescue, reminiscent of passages like Isaiah 9:2, where "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light." This Savior actively "took on my fight," a testament to Christ's substitutionary atonement, bearing our burdens and battles, as referenced in Hebrews 12:2, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross." The narrative then shifts to the seeming defeat of the cross, when "death called Your name," acknowledging the gravity of Calvary. Yet, this moment of perceived loss is immediately countered by an audacious declaration: "there's nothing in all of creation That could end Your reign." This echoes the victory over death and the enduring sovereignty of Christ found in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, proclaiming that "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
The core message of the song resonates deeply in its chorus, a joyous celebration of the resurrection. "He's alive, oh, He's risen, Overcoming the grave" is not merely a historical recounting but a vibrant, present-tense affirmation of faith. This pivotal event, the triumph over death, is explicitly attributed to a singular motivation: "It was all in the name of love." This love is the divine engine behind the entire redemptive plan, a concept deeply rooted in Scripture, particularly John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son," and Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." The resurrection isn't just an act of power; it's the ultimate demonstration of a love that conquers all, offering hope and eternal life.
Building upon this foundation, the second verse reiterates the transformative impact of this divine love. "When the Father's light Shined upon my heart," it highlights an internal, spiritual awakening, aligning with Ephesians 1:18, where Paul prays that "the eyes of your heart may be enlightened." This enlightenment leads to profound personal change, "I was changed by the love of a Savior Through His precious scars." The mention of "scars" serves as a poignant reminder of the cost of salvation, the physical suffering endured by Christ, by whose "wounds we are healed," as Isaiah 53:5 foretells and 1 Peter 2:24 affirms. The song then gratefully acknowledges that "Though the debt was great Still You paid it all," a direct reference to the complete atonement for sin achieved through Christ's sacrifice, blotting out the "record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands" (Colossians 2:14). Consequently, the redeemed individual is now "living with all of creation in the wonderful," experiencing a new reality of peace, purpose, and gratitude within God's restored creation.
The bridge and outro of "In the Name of Love" shift to a powerful call for reciprocation. The repeated refrain, "All in the name of love," serves as both an echo of Christ's total surrender and a challenge for the worshiper to respond in kind. "You gave it all... Yeah I'm giving it all" expresses a desire to mirror the selfless love displayed by the Savior, aligning with the greatest commandment to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). This commitment is fueled by the palpable nearness of the divine: "Cause Heaven is near and Lord I can hear You call." This sense of proximity to God's Kingdom and the ongoing invitation to follow Christ—the "call"—inspires a complete surrender. The song culminates in this beautiful exchange: God's all-encompassing love ignites a corresponding, all-consuming devotion in the heart of the believer, echoing Romans 12:1 to "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God." "In the Name of Love" ultimately stands as an inspiring anthem of faith, celebrating God's boundless love, Christ's victorious sacrifice, and the transforming power that invites a wholehearted response from all who encounter it.