J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX here again.
Here are the stories behind the songs on our 18th single of 2025:
TITUS HIGHLIGHTS
Many Bible verses ascribe deity to Jesus, including Titus 2:13, which refers to "our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." Some cultists claim the terms "our great God" and "Savior, Jesus Christ" describe two separate beings. However, five more verses in Titus use the word "Savior." Three say "God our Savior" (1:3, 2:10, 3:4) and two others say "Christ Jesus Our Savior" (1:4) or "Jesus Christ our Savior" (3:6).
Paul put "God our Savior" and "Christ Jesus our Savior" in back-to-back verses in one place (1:3 and 1:4) and separated by just one verse in another (3:4, 3:6); that seems deliberate to me. Titus only has three chapters, and the remaining two verses I cited are in the middle chapter, including the aforementioned 2:13, which combines "God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Seven centuries earlier, God said, "I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior" (Isaiah 43:11), so do the math.
In my oldest parody journal, there's a blank page titled "The Tide Is High" sometime in 1992-93. Another page from December 5, 1993, has some notes and unfinished lyrics pertaining to those Titus verses, but it's to the tune of Van Halen's "Jump”!
I don't know when I finally decided to spoof "The Tide Is High" about those verses, but I started the Word document on June 17, 2014, and had the first part of the chorus. I didn't get the title "Titus Highlights" until August 13, 2025, though. The rest of the lyrics came a month later, all on the same day, September 15.
"Titus Highlights" features Janna Jackson on lead vocals, Heather Eckert on backing vocals, Tom Tincha on guitars, Rich Mannion on keyboards, Keith Haynie on bass, and Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner on drums and percussion.
YOU’D BETTER DO BETTER
Some folks think they'll get into the Heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments and adhering to the Sermon on the Mount. That sermon spans from Matthew 5-7, and I don't think any of us would even make it out of Matthew 5 unscathed.
The chapter starts encouragingly, with the Beatitudes (5:5-12) and metaphors about salt and light (5:13-16). Then Jesus makes these mind-blowing statements (5:17-20):
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
From there, He elaborates upon murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, "eye for an eye" retribution, loving your neighbor and your enemies, thereby showing that it all goes much deeper than superficial obedience (5:21-48). Only one Person ever obeyed the Law perfectly; we need His righteousness (Romans 3:22, 2 Corinthians 5:21). It's not what we do, it's Who we know (2 Timothy 1:12).
"You'd Better Do Better" features J. Jackson on lead vocals and backing vocals, Tom Tincha on guitars, Rich Mannion on keyboards, George Elliott on bass, and Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner on drums and percussion.
The cover photo for this week’s single is courtesy of Jeanne Marcello.
