“Along Came A Spider” is another concept album, this time dealing with the life of a sociopath. A serial killer. Much like the characters in “Silence of the Lambs” and “Red Dragon”, this character believes he’s the manifestation of something wicked, foul, grotesque. In this case, he’s the ‘spider’. The album goes on to explain the inner workings of his mind. Tracks like “Vengeance is Mine”, “Catch Me If You Can”, and “Wrapped in Silk” show the torment of his sickness and the pain he endured from his past – reeking havoc on those in his present. The album takes a pleasant but very unexpected turn at the end.

“Salvation” is the last track on the album. It brings the character (later revealed as Steven – a common pawn in Cooper’s stories) to an unanticipated place. I believe the song was meant to be a dialogue between him and God. In some ways, it reminds me of the conversation between the thief and Christ as they both hung on their crosses. In Luke 23:40-43, all the thief had to do was accept the fact that Christ was who he said he was. Asking for Christ to remember him, Jesus replies, “Truly I telly you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Absolutely incredible that this man, a criminal, simply asks and Jesus without hesitation is like, “Sure, you’re in!”

Scripture Reference:
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)

A similar story leads us to arguably, the greatest missionary in the Bible. In Acts 7:54-60, we find Stephen, one of seven leaders in the early church, in a pretty tough situation. He’s basically just called out everyone in the temple blaming them for the death of Christ and rejecting the Holy Spirit. This didn’t go over very well. In return, he’s dragged out of the city and stoned to death. The verses do not name any of the parties involved except Saul. While he did not participate in the murder of Stephen, he witnessed and supported it. In fact, Saul launched a full scale assault on Christians after the death of Stephen. He literally vowed to destroy Christianity through the persecution of Christians and, if need be, their deaths.

In Acts 9, Saul has gone to the high priest seeking permission to travel abroad, capturing men and women who profess to follow Christ, and imprisoning them as he traveled. With their permission, he set out for Damascus – ready to end Christianity once and for all. However on the road, he encounters Christ in full radiance.

Blinded by this encounter Saul follows the instructions Christ gives him and is later healed. As a result of his encounter, Saul is saved. Jesus met him on the road to destruction and brought him full circle to the road of recovery. The deeds he had done and was doing were not enough to keep Christ from calling, using, and freeing Saul from his sins. His conversion serves as a sign to all walks of life (both Jew and Gentile) that Christ’s blood covers any that follow his commands to place Him as Lord of their life.

Saul’s conversion turned the Book of Acts and the history of the church in a completely new direction. Saul’s transformation not only proved that an enemy to the faith can become a leader – but also a newfound purpose to bring Christ to all who walk on the earth (Jew and Gentile alike). It’s truly amazing what the redemptive power of our Lord looks like.

Another story, one that better fits Alice’s concept album, is the story of Jeffrey Dahmer. We all know the heinous crimes this man committed while on this earth, yet many may not know that he accepted the invitation of salvation through Christ and died as a brethren of the faith. Roy Ratcliff, the pastor that performed Dahmer’s baptism and met with him weekly, openly discussed his experiences with Dahmer and brought about thought provoking insight to the power of salvation and the Blood of Christ.

His book entitled, “Dark Journey Deep Grace: Jeffrey Dahmer’s Story of Faith” discusses the nature of his discussions with the serial killer along with the questions and push back he’s received about the sincerity of Dahmer. Questions like, “Was and could Jeff really be saved? Were his sins taken away? Is he a Christian believer? Did he repent of his sins?” Ratcliff’s response to these questions is jaw dropping to say the least. He replies by asking, did these Christians really believe “the blood of Christ shed on the cross was somehow too weak, too thin, too anemic to cover” the sins of Jeffrey Dahmer? Do we place similar restrictions on Christ’s blood with regard to some folks in our own lives? People that have not committed anywhere near the same deeds as Dahmer, yet we deem them outside the scope of salvation and/or the power of His precious blood.

In conclusion, these stories are full of hope and purpose, yet they are also a bit unsettling. I must admit as a red-blooded Conservative American, I struggle with wanting to forgive and forget the actions of a man like Dahmer or even a modern-day Saul/Paul. There’s a part of me that believes a .45 to his temple would be legit and warranted. But as I continue to walk this journey with my Lord, I pray He continues to chip away at the man that sees a man like Dahmer as an irreconcilable soul and replaces that man with one that sees Dahmer as a damaged soul with the very same need for “Salvation” from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) yet “by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

Other verses about Salvation: Hebrews 7:25, Philippians 3:4-11