In the week before Jesus was crucified, Jesus committed the most physically violent act of His ministry: He cleansed the Temple. Many scholars believe He did this twice, once at the beginning of His ministry and the other at the end. Jesus created a whip, knocked over tables, tents, and money booths, let animals out, and made a huge ruckus. But there is no description of Jesus ever attacking a single person or releasing His anger toward any individual. Jesus had repeatedly expressed His disgust towards the teachings of the Pharisees and others, but Jesus never physically assaulted anyone in a violent rage.
The arguments for having these be separate events include John’s record of Jesus continuing to teach, eat, and feast during the Passover, something that would have been difficult while being crucified. The arguments against and that these two are actually the same event would have been the perception of Jesus throughout His ministry, especially when He would return to Jerusalem for the feasts and which would give the picture of Jesus being a violent man, totally contrasting how He actually lived. Which one is which? I’ll let you decide, but I am going to emphasize the finale here just a couple of days before Jesus would be executed.
Jesus is the Son of God, so imagine the situation of an adult son of a family who rented out their house to another and found them partying and trashing the place when the son returned home unexpectedly. That is what Jesus saw here. They took the place that was meant for worship and turned it into a circus, a zoo, and an excellent setup for extortion. Jesus was livid. He knew it was going on all this time. He was in Jerusalem for previous feasts, one of which would have included His visit to the Pool of Bethsaida to heal a lame man, not to mention that He was there as a 12-year-old teaching the teachers. But when He entered Jerusalem this time, He did so with grief, not just knowing He would die there within a week, but knowing that this city would and had already rejected Him.
I was very impressed with The Chosen’s depiction of this scene (well, most of it) and Jonathan Roumie (portraying Jesus) showcasing both the rage and sadness at the same time. But the setup was even better. Bringing in previous characters from earlier events, the disciples walked these people who hadn’t been to Jerusalem yet through the process, and their eyes showed what most of us would be thinking to: “What is the point of all this?” They were walked through the rituals, which involved going through the money exchangers to get temple money to get temple-raised animals to do a sacrifice. And for what point or purpose? We theologians know it, but for each person there, really, what was the point? It was all lost, and Jesus saw it.
Sure, there was singing going on with the choir. Sure, people were talking about God and came for a genuine desire for worship, but there was nothing real going on as a whole. I have said this multiple times, but I only found two people in the Old Testament who understood the whole point of the sacrificial system better than anyone: Abel and David. Everyone pretty much did it for worship and ritual, but Abel and David understood why the sacrifices were needed. And it was in this atmosphere that Jesus’s lid flipped, and He went into a fully controlled berserk mode.
I always wondered how this scene ended because anyone seeking order there would have arrested Jesus on the spot, but no one touched Him. The Chosen ends the scene with a face-off between Jesus and Caiaphas, and Jesus declaring that all the markets were to be shut down so worshipers could be allowed to worship as they were supposed to. However, in the show, they did ask how Jesus had the authority to do this, and the show fumbled that one. Jesus in the show did not answer how Jesus in the Bible answered, though in the next episode, Jesus is asked the question again, and it shows that “Jesus” answers correctly the second time.
I cannot imagine what Jesus would be thinking about the Church He sees in America today. But one thing God did make clear: judgment begins in the house of God. When God comes to clean up a place, the first place He is going to come to is His Church. Why? Because the Church is the Bride of Christ. She is going to be presented to Christ as a pure virgin, and right now, we are not that pure. When men who are overall solid preachers turn to idols, God is going to shake things up. We have had numerous Christian leaders take a hit lately, and I am not just talking about the crazy ones. There are some big names who have been exposed for sexual immorality, and they all gave red flag warnings that something was going on. But no one was willing to pay attention to them or say anything if they saw it, so God had to expose it. And in light of the passing of John MacArthur a few weeks ago, there is a pressing question of who is going to be that pillar and voice for truth within the church. Very few young voices are standing up. A comment has been made that God may be taking away the lampstands from America, and when this generation of preachers passes, there may be none with any platform to make a stand.
If we do not take seriously our responsibility and obligation to keep things cleaned ourselves, following God’s principles, then God is going to come and clean house Himself. He won’t care what you think about your precious things, such as your money, your platform, or your reputation. God would rather all that be tarnished and His name glorified than for you to bear His name and live a life that does not honor Him. There is discipline and restoration involved, but there is also permanent destruction. When a minister falls, there are few who could be truly restored because when the office is violated, it takes something significant to be worthy of having it again. That is why most true teachers who do fall into such sin, once they repent and are restored, if they start a new ministry, it will be on a different topic, or they begin teaching to help others not do what they did. Why? Because their name will always be associated with that immoral violation of the office. They need a new office or to be in active protection of said ministry.
Jesus cleaned house at the Temple, but He did so without any physical harm to any individual. The Temple was designed for worship, and it was turned into a thieves’ den. What has happened to our church? It’s run like a business, not a place for worship. What has happened to the Temple that is our body? Is it a place for worship or a place for human consumerism? Jesus would return to the Temple, where He would be tested one last time with many questions, and then unleash His most furious curses upon the false teachers.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Last week, we looked at how Jesus received true worship. However, just a day or two later, Jesus received false worship. As Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem, He sent His disciples to get a colt, a donkey, that had never been ridden yet. By the time Jesus approached the gates, the city was ablaze with chants and singing like a conquering king was arriving. The Jews were expecting a mighty king who could lead the people and finally free Judah from Rome’s grasp. Why would they think the Messiah would do that with no text of Him conquering any human foe? My guess is that is how Israel had been saved so many times before: a human leader to drive out the occupants. But they missed it all, and Jesus had something else in mind.
Jesus is not shown to enter the city with the joy of having won a great victory and soaking in the praises of His people. Rather, there is a great sadness in His eyes. He doesn’t refuse the worship and says even the rocks would cry out to worship Him. Jesus doesn’t refuse the worship, but He knew it was not genuine. He knew that in just a few more days, this same crowd would be chanting for His death.
Some people argue that Jesus manufactured the fulfillment of this prophecy; however, you can’t easily manufacture the whole thing. All Jesus could do was get the donkey, and remember, the donkey had not been ridden before. Donkeys won’t take riders, especially strangers, on their first go very easily. Jesus is showing His mastery over animals here, too. And Jesus also could not control or contain the crowds. For one to claim He manipulated the crowds, understand that every time Jesus drew a crowd, He basically chased them all away. Jesus was not a crowd-pleaser and never was concerned about keeping His popularity up, so any accusation that Jesus was trying to force this prophecy in really does not have much of a leg to stand on. Even then, it’s one of the very few that could be considered, out of 300+.
Jesus had a weeping eye towards Jerusalem. It grieved Him to see the city, the capital, the city of David, the centerpiece for everything God had done to prepare for this moment, in a moment of glory and yet so shallow. Jesus knew the religion was weak and fake. He knew the Temple was being horribly abused. And He knew that just 40 years from then, the whole city would be completely razed to the ground. How Jesus was able to maintain a face of enjoying the worship while bearing the grief of knowing what was about to happen is quite amazing.
Jesus would enter Jerusalem as a hero, and He would leave Jerusalem five days later, considered a criminal due for capital punishment. Jesus entered as the cornerstone ready to be laid down for the new kingdom, and He was rejected from being that cornerstone because it wasn’t the kingdom they wanted. It was for the kingdom promised, but not the kingdom the people wanted. So they called for His death.
As I read these passages, I can’t help but think how easily any of us would be in that crowd. We tend to think of ourselves as the disciples, but in reality, most of us are like the crowd: followers of either the Pharisees or the “radical voice” just for being radical. Being academically wired, I wonder if I would have been a Pharisee who hated on Jesus or a Nicodemus who realized Jesus was indeed who He claimed to be by scouring the Scriptures. I can say based on my own flesh that if I did believe Jesus at that time, I would have run and hid as the disciples did when Jesus was arrested and not spoken up. They didn’t have the Holy Spirit at that time, and they didn’t see everything being revealed yet. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, they thought one thing was happening, but in reality, something else was taking place. Jesus was setting things up to make the rulers cry for His death because it was His death, to be executed as a representative of sinners, that He came to do so that men might be saved.
Jesus was praised as an entering king, only to be mocked and jeered and chased out of the city to be crucified just a few days later. He knew this was in their hearts. While Jesus did not refuse the worship, He knew it was not genuine as a whole. He knew the city would reject Him. The people were sincere. They truly believed they were singing and welcoming in their Savior, and they were. But they had a false image of what He would do, such a low-level image, too. What was Rome but just the latest power to rule over what has historically been one of the weakest people groups of all time? Why be impressed with getting rid of Rome? Jesus came to deal with sin itself, the greatest enemy of all. An enemy that, when defeated, will make physical enemies friends and allies.
But at the same time, Jesus is also the king of Judah, the rightful heir to the throne. Had the throne still been kept intact, Jesus would have been next in line. He was legally the king of the Jews, but He had a kingdom that was above and beyond just that tiny geographic plot of land. The kingdom Jesus ruled would be the very rock that would topple the iron kingdom of Rome and make it crumble. Do not set your sights so low with God and His purposes. They are way above anything we can imagine or think, and when we get to see God’s vision for our lives fulfilled, nothing could give us greater joy than just being in His presence.
Let us worship the Lord with true worship and not be fickle to one day sing His praises and the next call for His death. Jesus has come. He came, He conquered, and now He rules a kingdom that is so much greater than any political kingdom. We get the privilege to be officials in that kingdom to rule alongside Him to see His kingdom’s purposes fulfilled. What an honor! Next week, we’ll look at Jesus’ most physically violent action: the cleansing of the temple.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
Throughout the Bible’s history, whenever a messenger from God, namely an angel, came to give a message, there was a general response to bow and worship the angel. In every instance when this happened, the angel would refuse worship and give glory to God. Whenever any man was worshipped and treated like a god, God spoke out against it; in some cases, like with Herod, God killed him on the spot. Jesus, however, never once refused worship. And one of the clearest cases for this was after raising Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus’s sister, Mary, out of such gratitude that cannot be expressed in words, anointed Jesus’ feet with spikenard perfume, among the most expensive and rare perfumes that would take nearly a year’s wages to pay for. Jesus did not stop her, but instead stopped those who tried to stop her. What is the deal?
Jesus was supposed to be a humble man who never considered Himself to be of high reputation, status, or stature. He stooped down from heaven and took the form of a servant. Even taking the form of royalty would have been a significant step down for Him, but He took a position of the lowly, one of poverty, and even submitted Himself to the execution of a criminal. But Jesus never refused worship. He never told anyone not to worship Him. He never rebuked anyone for calling Him Lord or even “God.” That is a serious offense if you are not God, and the Pharisees were absolutely right to be completely offended by Jesus declaring Himself to be the “Son of Man” of Daniel, the prophesied Savior to come, if He was not that person. But if He was, and He is, that “Son of Man,” then He is the only one worthy of being worshiped.
Jesus wasn’t just a miracle-worker. While no true miracle worker had been seen since Elisha, Jesus did not act like Moses, Elijah, or Elisha, who did such miracles. They knew they were just men like us – weak, frail, and certainly anything but perfect righteousness. But Jesus wasn’t. He was a man just like us, but without sin. And to see a man take worship and be without sin was so strange to those in that time; it was unfathomable. I don’t believe any of us would actually have recognized it until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. We may have believed in Jesus and followed after Him, but not actually understood He was calling Himself God. The Pharisees did. And I believe that is why God hid that fact from the disciples, except for Peter, briefly, so they would be ready to proclaim Him as THE God, not just “a god” who rose from the dead.
When Mary worshiped Jesus by anointing His feet, Judas got offended. He wanted that perfume to be sold and the money given away, so that he could pocket some. One of the reasons Jesus allowed this worship was to show who truly did worship Him. One thing I have noticed is that worship will reveal the genuine from the counterfeit. Not merely in the act of worship, but in the manner of worship. When another sinful woman (some believe to be Mary Magdalene, not the Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus) anointed Jesus’ feet at Simon the Pharisee’s house, Simon never even gave Jesus the basic honor of a standard guest by having Jesus’ feet washed. Simon did not honor Jesus or even follow standard hospitality practices. Yet this woman worshiped with all she had. Jesus noted it, too, because she was forgiven much and recognized her sin. This Pharisee thought he was already good and didn’t need a Savior.
There is a way to worship God, and there is a way not to. I believe too many of us, and I say ‘us’ because I am including myself, take worship too lightly. We think worship is going to church and singing songs; however, worship actually means to present oneself prostrate, face to the ground, in full humility. That is why we “bow our heads” in prayer. It’s to take a lowly position, to “look down” as a servant looks down before the upper classes. Worship is to put something higher than you and to serve that which you worship. We say we worship God, but do we actually do that?
God gave us instructions on how to worship. In the Old Testament, there was a specific manner and location to worship. While God was everywhere and worship could be done anywhere when necessary, there were never instructions that allowed for mere convenience or manner to be done however we wanted. The Old Testament times were times of grotesque idolatry, and the people believed they could worship God at the high places and shrines of these idols. They did not worship the idols instead of God; they worshiped the idols alongside God. And we know when one tries to serve two masters, only one is going to actually get fed. Today, we don’t need to go to a temple or do any cleansing ritual, but the worship needs to be from the heart. Many people gladly proclaim that and then do whatever they want, and that’s not how things should go. I hate the statement “God knows my heart,” Because most use that as a self-righteous boast, having no clue that God really DOES know your heart and His verdict is not as nice as yours.
If there were two people I would cite as model worshipers, they would be Abel and David. Of all the Old Testament saints, there are none who showcased they understood their sin like they did and took the sacrifice of the animals very seriously. What they offered is worship that God accepts. In contrast to Abel, what Cain offered was worthless to God. In contrast to David, what Saul boasted to offer in sacrifice to excuse his disobedience was worthless compared to the obedience he should have shown. Worship is much more than lip service and singing. It is submission followed by trust and obedience. We worship that which we obey and serve. And most of the time, it will be either God or ourselves. Choose you this day whom you will serve.
Jesus calls for genuine worship. Mary showed genuine worship; however, next week, we’ll see false worship on display when Jesus enters Jerusalem to empty praises.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
- 1 Corinthians 14:13-19
The context of every passage of Scripture is important, both the immediate context and the broader context, but especially so when a passage starts with “For this reason” like this one. In the previous section, Paul’s point was that the use of any of the gifts of the Spirit, including speaking in tongues, must be used to build up and edify the body of Christ. If a gift is not helping the church, then it should not be used.
Specifically continuing to look at the gift of tongues, Paul explains that the building up of those gathered is why anyone who speaks in tongues should make sure that their language is understood by those around them (verse 13). What good is it if no one understands what the person is saying? The person speaking cannot even understand what they are saying since this gift comes from the Holy Spirit, so they should pray that they are able to interpret it for the edification of those around them.
This interpretation is also essential for the speaker to understand the message themselves (verse 14). Paul says that only his spirit (not the Holy Spirit, but his own spirit) is praying in the tongue, and his mind does not understand it. The word for mind there refers to a person’s conscious and meaningful ability to reason and understand. The interpretation of a tongue benefits both the hearers and the speakers, and a lack of that interpretation does not help anyone.
Instead, in verse 15, Paul shares that he prays both with his spirit and his understanding. He also sings both with his spirit and his understanding. His spirit and his mind need to be unified in what they are doing so he is functioning as a whole person in his worship of God, whether he is praying or singing.
If someone else hears you praying or singing in another tongue and does not understand it, they can’t say “amen” and agree to what you are praying or singing (verse 16). This verse specifically notes a person who is “in the position of an inquirer.” That Greek word refers to someone who is not initiated fully into a religion; in our modern day, perhaps we would call that person a seeker, someone who has not yet fully embraced the Christian faith.
If a person is praising God in a tongue, they are “giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified” (verse 17). That person may feel as though they are praising God through the use of their gift of tongues. However, it is important for everyone to understand what is being said in a corporate worship environment so that they, too, may participate in that worship.
In verses 18-19, Paul concludes this section by saying that he thanks God for his ability to speak in tongues. But it’s not about his abilities; it’s about how he can help connect people to God. He states that he would rather speak just a few words that truly instruct other people than ten thousand words in a tongue that aren’t helpful. Paul knows that his mission is to preach the gospel and teach the people, and he can’t fulfill that mission if they don’t understand him.
What does this mean for us in the modern church? Some people believe that the Spirit’s gift of tongues is still practiced today, while others believe that stopped after the time of the New Testament church. But that is not the point that Paul is making; Paul’s point is that the most important aspect is whether people can understand what is being proclaimed in a worship gathering, whether it is said, prayed, or sung.
While words that are unintelligible to us could still praise God, as God can understand everything, they do not help our fellow believers. Our purpose is to glorify God, and we are not glorifying Him well if those around us do not understand what we are saying. Part of glorifying God is fulfilling the purpose that He has given each of us. Whether you are specifically called to teach or preach or not, every person is still instructed to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), and disciples cannot be made if they cannot understand their teacher.
This could be taken one step further to help those present to understand what is happening in a worship service. Would someone not familiar with your congregation, or even church at all, understand everything that is done in the worship service you attend? Perhaps, as Paul wrote, “You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.” What you do may be great and edifying for those who regularly attend, but what about the seeker who doesn’t yet know Jesus?
No matter what you are doing in your worship of God and in your walk with Christ, when others are present, do your best to make sure they can understand what is going on so that they can worship God as well.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
When God came in and delivered Israel from slavery, the whole thing was to be a major picture of the ultimate salvation from sin. It was so significant in Israel’s history that the Passover and the deliverance from Egypt were forever marked in the history as how to identify God as Savior. Israel did not remember all the times that God saved them from the Philistines, from Moab, from Midian, from Assyria throughout the Judges and the Kings like they did the deliverance from Egypt.
While much can be said about how God delivered Israel regarding the plagues and the Red Sea crossing, I only want to touch on that before getting to the main point. God sent the plagues not merely to showcase His own glory and prove that He was the God over all gods but to showcase that Egypt only had power as long as God let them have power. He demolished the worship of their major gods by sending plagues that would directly attack such idolatrous worship. Then He crushed Egypt’s military by burying them in the Red Sea. Egypt was dead. As a nation, they were left powerless to retain Israel as slaves and powerless to try to kill them so no one else could have them either.
That is a picture of sin. Egypt represents sin, and Pharaoh, while an actual historical person, showcases the hardness of the heart of sin. Sin will utterly defy God until its death because that is what sin is – defiance against God. In Romans 7, Paul uses marriage to showcase the legal bonds here. We are born in sin. That generation of Israel was born in slavery to Egypt. There was no escape. No one had the leadership to bring about a rebellion (though we can be sure some tried) to get anyone out. And if they were to leave, where would they go? It was all desert all around them. It took the death of Egypt to finally get Israel freed, and it takes the death of sin to get us free from sin. And this leads us to the main point that most never pick up on and one I never caught until my pastor mentioned it as he has been going through his series on Exodus: Israel was not delivered from Egypt to be a free people but to be a people that would serve God.
Israel was not delivered so they could go do what they wanted. They were delivered so they could be the people that God would raise, through whom would come the Savior. They would be a people who would teach the world about Him and to serve Him. The common refrain through the Pentateuch is, “I will be their God and they will be My people.” The second half of Exodus, Leviticus, and much of Deuteronomy are about how God is to be worshiped, and He was quite specific. Why? Didn’t Jesus say that one day we would worship in spirit and truth? Be careful with that phrase because Jesus was not saying that the day would come when we would have a free for all in how we worship.
One of the biggest themes throughout the Kings is the handling of idolatry and high places. God did not save Israel so that they could worship in the way of the world, at the venues of the world, or alongside the world’s idols. He saved Israel to worship Him alone and to do it His way. Israel was to worship at the Tabernacle, which would then transfer to the Temple: at the holy place where sin would be removed and the people cleansed. We don’t worship at a physical temple today, but instead we worship at the cross which dealt with our sin and cleansed us.
Israel was saved to serve God. They were to transfer their servitude from a wicked master, Egypt, to the good master, God. They were still slaves, but now they were slaves to a good master. There are good slaves and bad slaves, and there are good masters and bad masters. In Israel, we see the combination of these categories.
Egypt was a bad master. They forced Israel into slavery and didn’t truly care about their well-being. They slaughtered their babies in fear of them (likely in fear of rumors of a deliverer as well) and made their labor brutal. Their purpose was to keep them subdued and under their control. Israel was actually a good slave under Egypt. They did what they were asked, submitted to the authority, and did not think about leaving, even though they cried to God for freedom. They were not rebellious to Egypt. They grew comfortable in Egypt and liked what Egypt let them have.
Then God rescued them. God is the good master. He fed them, gave them water, gave them shelter, never let their clothes wear out, and eventually brought them to the Promised Land. He gave them excessive amounts of mercy despite all their complaints. Israel became a bad slave of God. They constantly defied Him, whined against Him, wanted to go back to their old masters, turned to idols, committed grievous sins against God, and did not want to serve Him. Even after arriving at the Promised Land, they repeatedly sought to do things their own way however they wanted. They still prided themselves in being God’s people, but so few of them actually obeyed God as He commanded them. Israel was not a good slave before God; however, we see how good of a master God is by how He treated His slaves. Anyone less than Him would have destroyed Israel long ago, and there were times where God was about to do that too. God was patient with them and still kept His promises.
Israel is a picture, a type, and an example of Christianity. Israel was rescued from Egypt, but they never got Egypt out of them. They still held on to what Egypt had to offer. God had to make them let go of Egypt entirely, and the only way to do that was to wipe out the generation that grew up attached to Egypt so the children, who were teenagers and younger, would know and learn to depend upon their new master. Likewise, we are currently in the wilderness stage of our deliverance as God is working on getting sin out of us. It won’t be finished until we cross over out of this world, but it is in progress. That said, it is done one way: God’s way. As we go through Scripture, we will see that there is only one means of salvation. In all the times God rescued His people, there was one way and one way only to escape. We’ll examine that next week.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” -Hebrews 12:25-29
In this last section of chapter 12, the author again employs contrast to continue encouraging his readers to live Christlike lives. All people will be judged by God, and only those who worship God will be on the right side of that judgment.
The contrast in this passage starts out in verse 25, looking at how “they” responded to God speaking and how we today respond to God. The “they” referred to is the nation of Israel in the Old Testament times. God warned the people time and again through many prophets how He would bring judgment on them for their disobedience. But the people didn’t listen, and they did receive the necessary punishment multiple times, especially during the years of the Babylonian exile.
Israel did not escape the consequences of refusing to listen to God, and that has not changed even under the new covenant. Yes, we are recipients of God’s grace, but He still warns us to follow Him and obey what He commands us to do, and we will still receive the just consequences when we disobey. This is why discipline is so important among fellow believers, so we learn from each other how to obey God better.
In verse 26, the author brings up what happened on Mt Sinai in Exodus 19:18. This shaking of the earth shows how important of an event this was when Moses received God’s Law for the people. Simply God’s voice shook the earth and caused it to tremble violently! God promised that He would shake the earth and also the heavens again, as the author of Hebrews quotes from Haggai 2:6. This refers to a great cosmic event, possibly at the end of time. It may be looking toward the new heaven and the new earth that we see in Isaiah 66:22 and Revelation 21-22.
The fact that the author picks out and explains the words “once more” in verse 27 shows that this is a final moment that is coming. It is the decision time, the judgment day. We see that the world that God created can be shaken, but in contrast, the things that are truly of God cannot be shaken. God is beyond time, eternal, and permanent, even though this world that He created is fragile and passing away. Only the things that cannot be shaken will remain after God “once more” shakes not only the earth but also the heavens. We may not know exactly what that looks like, but this will be a final separation that occurs one day.
In verse 28, the author gives us the good news that we receive these things that cannot be shaken by way of God’s Kingdom. When we become believers in Jesus Christ, we enter into that kingdom. It’s not a place like we may think of a kingdom here on earth, but it’s a mindset and a way of life. We live as residents of the Kingdom of God while we’re here on this earth, and we will one day live fully in that kingdom!
Because we are a part of God’s Kingdom, we are called to “be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” Interestingly, the word used for “be thankful” in Greek is more commonly translated as grace rather than an idea of gratitude. A few English translations render it as “hold onto God’s grace” or similar language to bring out that idea, but most go with some form of thankfulness or gratitude.
The word translated here as “worship” also means to serve, which is a great picture for us to live out. We commonly think of worship as what we do on a Sunday morning when we gather with fellow believers, but worship really should encompass our entire lives in everything that we do. We worship God by obeying Him, which means loving and serving all those around us whom God has called us to. Anytime we’re serving a fellow human being and doing what God has called us to do, we’re worshiping Him.
Finally, this verse says to worship God “with reverence and awe.” These words are meant to show us our place as humble and lowly creatures in comparison to the majestic creator God of the universe. We are to be in awe of Him because we cannot fathom His greatness and majesty. We are to revere, treasure, cherish, and admire God simply because of who He is. He is the Almighty God of the universe, and we are simply His creation.
Verse 29 gives us another reason to worship God – that He “is a consuming fire.” This expression appears to be taken from Deuteronomy 4:24. We need to remember who God is, and the fact that He can literally consume us with fire at anytime should He choose to. We often get so caught up in God’s grace, love, mercy, and compassion that we forget that He cannot be in the presence of evil (which we are). God is love, but God also has wrath and anger against anything that goes against His pure holiness. This should also cause us to worship Him with reverence and awe!
This passage serves as a warning to us that we need to keep a proper perspective of who God is and what He has done in this world. We need to listen to Him, or else we will face the consequences of His judgement. He is worthy of all our thankfulness, worship, and praise, and we need to give Him the proper place of reverence and awe in our lives!
The end of chapter 12 is somewhat of an ending to this letter, as chapter 13 is almost like an appendix of extra thoughts tacked onto the end. We’ll dig into that final chapter starting next week.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Eric Hansen
There’s an interesting aspect of Christianity that I think we often overlook, and that’s the church. I don’t mean the representation of the body of Christ, but the buildings we go to every Sunday, Wednesday, or other day and sing songs of praise about our Lord.
Back in 2019 or so, God started putting it on my heart to really inspect the church – not just the one I was attending when I was youth pastor, but the overall landscape. In doing so, I started asking some really tough questions, most of which I still struggle with answering to this day. Is the church growing? If so, then how is it growing exactly? Who can I look to and see Christ working in their lives to extend grace, and not just answering prayers about self? How can I be like Christ if everyone lives their life without Christ outside of a few hours every Sunday?
Not long ago I caught an online sermon from a church my mentor was watching, and it was pretty good, focusing on Martin Luther King and his ministry for unity. During that broadcast, a man by the name of Daryl Davis came up. His fame is that as a black man he befriended someone in the KKK, and not just anyone but one with immense power within that group. You can watch one of his TEDx talks about the matter if you’re interested.
This man did what I’ve never seen a Christian do: he loved an enemy knowing very well that it may cost him his life. In return, his enemy loved him enough to have a conversation about the differences, and neither man killed the other. Whether either man is a professing Christian or not, I’m a firm believer in the sovereignty of God and see it as His working through each of them to demonstrate what unconditional love is. Neither man really gained anything by sitting down and talking, but also neither rejected the other due to some pretentious stigma.
I used to tell people that I’m a Reformist, and follow the TULIP principle to the fullest. Not long ago I even wrote an article here about what it is. I still believe in the whole acronym, but having seen that pastor talk about Daryl and really evaluating what Christ is doing around and in me, I’ve come to the realization that the church is spiritually dead. When a tree dies, it’s not just its limbs or its trunk that perishes, but every single element of it. Just like a tree, when the church dies, it causes those who keep in it to spiritually die as well, unless they are able to separate from it and replant elsewhere.
My sample size of churches is small, as I’m sure there are very healthy churches out there. The one I mentioned earlier who showcased Daryl’s story is one of those. They are inviting people of all colors, creeds, and locations into their studies and services. That is what Christ calls us to do, regardless of how we feel about it.
Going back to the tree metaphor, a tree does not mature by staying a seedling. It needs nourishment, attention, and care even if just by nature itself. These trees are the ones that grow mighty, tall, and prosperous, providing shelter and protection to all the little things like it once was. If a tree isn’t able to receive that love and care that it needs, then at best it never grows beyond a little bush. However, more often than not it dies, losing its lusciousness and ability to be anymore more than firewood.
If you’re in a church that goes out into the community for the purpose of Christ more than itself, then it's a body of believers knowing Christ will guide them.
Matthew 28:19-20 gives us the command that Christ asks each believer to follow: glorify God. How can we glorify God when we’re condemning sinners or making God out to be a vending machine, giving us what we want when we want it? Neither end of the spectrum does anything but boost our own ego. How did Christ treat the Pharisees versus the Samaritan woman at the well? He condemned those who are boasting of righteousness, while He gave grace to those who lost hope.
This isn’t to say we shouldn’t address someone’s sin, but we need to be able to read the room as well. If a person is yelling and screaming at their kid, then we should do what we can to help defuse the situation. If someone is saying, “I’m going to heaven because I donated all my money to charity,” then we should tell them that they’re only going to heaven by having faith in Jesus Christ. We are not called to condemn, because then we play God. Instead, we are to share the gospel – the truth about Jesus Christ – and let the Spirit convict the person. While we are to live a Christ-like life, we can also take to heart what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1-3: “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,”
Hebrews 10:25 says to not forsake fellowship or gathering. There’s a plethora of reasons why this is so, and Jesus made it clear as well by sending people out in pairs and depending on others. Sunday services should be our primary way of fellowship, and not for the little bit before and after service, but it should be the service – gathering together, talking about how God has worked in our lives, where we need more grace, supporting one another through trials, and lifting up. When the only time we can do this is during Bible studies, and Bible studies are an afterthought for so many, then fellowship seems to be an afterthought as well.
Are you living a life glorifying God? Are you living to glorify Jesus as your Lord and Savior? In what ways are you contributing to the health (or death) of the body of Christ?
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
One of the great tragedies of our modern American Christian culture is we have totally lost the sight of God in regard to worship. We no longer do things the way God wants them to be done but rather how we’d prefer to have them. In a way, we have turned our Sunday services into something little different than the pagan rituals of the Ancient Near East, where we seek to “appease a god” with our works, our singing, and our words (messages). We seek church congregations that offer what we are looking for and for what will satisfy our wishes and desires. Then if the church no longer provides that, we leave and move on.
I was raised in a home that taught loyalty. When you went to a church or a job or a ministry, you stuck with it until it was clear you were to move on. I have been part of 4 churches in my life now and don’t even know the beginning of how to go about church hunting. I’ve been at my current church for about a year now, and I love it. We are called “The Old Paths Christian Church.” This church, after seeing all the modernized attempts to be “seeker-friendly,” decided to go back to the old ways of doing things and get back to being what God wants us to do.
Now, God is not so specific that you have to do absolutely everything the exact same way in a legalistic manner no matter the time, culture, or language, but at the same time He does have guidelines on what genuine faith, genuine worship, and genuine religion are to look like. When Jesus spoke with the woman at the well, she complained that everyone had to go to Jerusalem to worship whereas she, as a Samaritan, had been raised that you could worship God on the mountains (the high places where the golden calves of Jeroboam were placed). Jesus said the day would come where both Jew and Samaritan could worship in spirit and truth. The problem today is that we have taken the first part of this teaching (worshiping in spirit) but we often ignore the truth part.
When I was on the mission field, we had a team from Houston, TX that was from a very legalistic church. Every boy wore a tie, and every girl wore a dress, regardless of the circumstance. As a staff, we debated if we would do the same just so we would not offend them. They were offended by the training videos we used because they had a guitar for background music. They wanted only organs for music. We actually thought they would not come, but they did. When they came out of that week, they learned that it was possible to worship God in a different way than they were used to and even if it wasn’t their preference, that it was okay to not do things exactly that way. It turned out, many from that team soon left that church.
Legalism is definitely not the way to go regarding living the Christian life, but neither is its equal and opposite twin: antinomianism. While legalism would say, “You have to absolutely everything exactly my way,” antinomianism would say, “You can do whatever you want to do.” Both extremes are very dangerous. When a man began doing ministry using Jesus’ name, the disciples wanted him to stop because he wasn’t “one of them.” Jesus said, “This guy is acting in faith and believes Me. Don’t stop him. He’s on our side.” The disciples were an example of legalism. We often think of the Pharisees for their legalistic approach, however Jesus rarely chided them for legalism. Rather, He chided them for hypocrisy. In their attempt to over-control things so people would not sin, they themselves frequently did not do the very things they preached.
But the Bible lists the problems with antinomianism even more than it does legalism. We have to worship God the way God wants to be worshiped, and we cannot do things our own way and think God will approve of them. The first time man sought to do his own thing was in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve made their own clothes, covering themselves with fig leaves. Not long after, after God showed them the correct way for a sinful person to worship, their sons made their first sacrifices. Abel brough the best of his flock, a blood sacrifice, and Cain brought fruit of his own labor. It wasn’t merely the heart attitude that made God reject Cain but also the type of sacrifice. It wasn’t what God wanted and how God wanted it. God wasn’t being picky; He was making a point. You can’t worship God just however you want.
Nadab and Abihu, the eldest sons of Moses’ brother Aaron, had been commissioned as priests. As the first born, Nadab was in line to take Aaron’s place as High Priest. They did not follow God’s instructions and offered strange fire before the Lord. God burned them to death and did not allow Aaron to even mourn for them.
King Saul saw the worship of God just as the pagans around him did – a means of appeasing the gods, which is why he felt he could justify offering the sacrifice when Samuel tarried. This cost him his throne. David, the man who sought after the things of God and the heart of God, knew God’s heart regarding sacrifice and refused to offer that which cost him nothing. However, when bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, in his excitement, David did not obey the Lord in how the Ark was to be carried. He put it on a cart rather than on the shoulders of Levites, and when the oxen stumbled and the cart was about to tip over, Uzzah, in his zeal to protect the Ark, touched it and God smote him on the spot.
If you think this is just for Old Testament times, read the book of Acts. Ananias and Sapphira thought they could worship God by joining in the giving to the pot by selling their own property. But they kept some of it and declared they gave everything. They lied to God and to the church, and God smote them for it. Simon the sorcerer saw what God was doing and asked for the Holy Spirit’s baptism so he could have this power, too. Peter pronounced a curse on him, too, but Simon at least somewhat repented of that.
Today, worship is often no longer worship as God defined it. The singing is more of a concert than it is actual worship. The sermon is not about proclaiming God’s word but rather about giving a motivational speech. And the church is seeking to draw people in instead of seeking the worship of God. If we believe Christ is the head of the church, then He should operate as the head of the church, meaning Jesus should dictate what our worship should look like. It’s not about appeasing what each of us wants; our opinions have no weight here whatsoever. But when was the last time that your church actually sought the will and mind of Christ in how the congregation is to worship God? Or did they rather seek what the congregation wanted or what church leaders wanted?
Church is to be done God’s way and not based on our preferences. My church does its singing differently than what I am used to and even different from my general preferences in terms of style. If I had my way, I’d prefer the modern contemporary style, but fit with better doctrine. But my former church and current church don’t do that. And guess what? That’s fine. Because they aren’t worshiping me in either case.
But where is God in our worship? What role does He play? How have we consulted Him in what He wants? Few churches are asking these questions. My current church has, and they are going after what they believe should be the best for their congregation. Is it perfect? Of course not. But at least we are pointing the right direction. Worship is to be done God’s way. He has told us how He prefers to be worshipped, and we need to be obedient to those principles.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
“Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings —external regulations applying until the time of the new order.” -Hebrews 9:1-10
In the previous passage, the author of Hebrews explained the differences between the old covenant and the new covenant. Before that, he had spent quite a while talking about the office of the high priest and how Jesus is our great high priest – better than any regular human priest. Here, he ties these concepts together into the place of worship.
The first interesting thing to note is that when the nation of Israel was first becoming a nation and wandering in the wilderness, they had a tabernacle where they would worship and where God’s presence would dwell. This was a more temporary, portable place of worship until they were settled and the first permanent temple was built in Jerusalem. Here, the author of Hebrews refers to the tabernacle rather than the temple. This may seem odd considering the temple was much more recent for the nation of Israel. But, only the people who lived in Jerusalem and the immediate area had experienced the temple. Just as we have local congregations, the Jews had synagogues where they would have priests and hear the reading of the Scriptures. The entire nation would have knowledge of the tabernacle through the Scriptures and the stories of their ancestors.
In addition, the original covenant was established with the people in Exodus 24. In the next few chapters, we read about the details of the tabernacle, its fixtures, the priests, their garments, etc. So the author of Hebrews discussing the covenant followed by the tabernacle would have been a logical flow of thought for the Israelites, as they would have been familiar with this flow in Exodus.
But, in case his readers were not familiar with all of those details of the tabernacle, the author gives the highlights in Hebrews 9:1-5. The layout of the tabernacle and the items in it were clearly significant to the author, as they would have been to all devout Jews. It appears that he would have been able to write on them at length, but that’s not the point of this passage. He gives enough information to set up the tabernacle and show its importance to his readers, then he must move on from describing the physical space to the rituals performed in it.
In verses 6-7, the author explains the tradition of the Day of Atonement. This had already been referred to previously when explaining the role of the high priest, but because it involves the worship space, it’s appropriate for the author to include it again here. This description specifically points to how this was observed in the tabernacle rather than the temple. The high priest was the only person to enter the inner room (the Most Holy Place), and that only happened once a year because of its level of danger. Any earthly high priest was also a sinner, so to come into the presence of God, who is completely holy, was dangerous as God cannot tolerate sin in His presence. The high priest first had to atone for his own sins before he could atone for the sins of others.
In verse 8, the author gives us the connection between the old way of the tabernacle and the way of the new covenant: the Holy Spirit. In the old method, ordinary people had no direct access to God, but now, all people have access to God because of the completed work of Jesus Christ – His sacrificial death and resurrection that completed atonement for all sins for all time.
Verses 9-10 show us another key difference between the old and new ways. The sacrificial offerings and adornments of the tabernacle and temple were all external. Everything to do with the old covenant was about external actions. The new covenant brought about through Jesus, however, is primarily internal. Today, the external actions are less significant; the emphasis is placed on our faith in Jesus and our relationship with Him. The new covenant of Jesus Christ has replaced all of those old rituals; they’re no longer necessary.
Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying here; the things we do are still significant, but they are not what saves us from our sins. Jesus accomplished that on the cross once and for all. But because of what Jesus did for us and how He took on the penalty of our sins, we should desire to give Him all honor and glory! We don’t need to do certain actions or perform certain rituals in certain places to be saved, but we do still gather together in various ways to join together to give God glory and praise His name.
Our worship celebrations often look very different, and that’s ok! We no longer have a prescribed way to worship God as the Israelites of old did. We have the freedom to worship God in different styles of buildings, with different styles of music, with different aspects in our worship times, etc. All of those are preferences, not mandates from God. The most important thing is the attitude of our hearts in worshipping God! We are there to give Him all glory and honor, not to take any of that glory for ourselves or to glorify another person.
No matter what your worship looks like, make sure you are keeping the main thing the main thing – Jesus and the work He has completed so that we are saved from our sins and that we may have the freedom to worship Him in a way we prefer.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
I hear this quite often, which I guess is a good thing: “Worship was great today” or something to that effect. And I greatly value any feedback! Yet every single time I hear someone’s approval of our worship service, I just can’t help but wonder what factors made the person feel that way.
I’m glad that they felt something, really I am. And I know what they mean when they say it. But infinitely more important than our assessment is what did the Lord think about it?
Full disclosure: I am a worship leader. So, over the next few minutes you’ll be reading about worship from a worship leader’s perspective.
Let’s begin with an affirmative statement. I thoroughly believe that worship services can be “great.” When we gather together in unity as a body of believers, singing as one, in all sincerity to the Lord, it will be very powerful. The atmosphere will be sweet, the Lord will be glorified, and His presence will be among us. Worship like this is engaging and transformative. The Lord will move prophetically during such worship, touching lives right then and there as we seek only to honor and reverence Him.
Having said that, let’s go a bit deeper into it. And if I may, I’ll challenge us on the matter.
Are we qualified to accurately judge how worship went? Seriously. If I’m completely transparent, I wonder if we have ever stopped long enough to give real thought to our worship. Do we lack the language, tools, and intimacy necessary to be the true worshippers that the Lord requires us to be?
Why do I pose this question? Well, ask most Christians what makes for great worship, and you’ll probably hear something like this:
The MUSIC! Yeah, that’s it. This is just my style. I like the singer. I love the guitar player’s parts. The drums are killing it on this one. Those keys are heavenly. This song moves me and I feel something!
The LYRICS! Now there’s some truth! This song speaks to my current situation, and I’ll repeat that bridge 10x no problem. Here’s some fighting words, I will sing with attitude. This hymn is ancient, and these old words make me feel super grounded. Finally, a song with theology that I 100% agree with!
The PARTICIPATION! The energy is high in this place today! The whole crowd is singing along so I feel part of something bigger. Most of us are super excited right now and that makes me feel excited, too. The people are lifting their hands and responding to the music so surely the Spirit is here!
So if… and follow me here… IF our worship service manages to hit all three of these things, I’ll call them the three “worship drivers” of music, lyrics, and participation, then will we feel that we have achieved “great worship”? This, my friends, is the sad truth of how we judge the quality of our worship.
Let’s have a good look at the problem. Those three things are mostly feelings-oriented, subjective, external, and they may be applied to any sort of live music setting, even a secular concert. And worst of all, these three worship drivers are exclusive of the Spirit. Being moved to good feelings is wonderful, yet that is not the goal nor the proof of a good worship service. God have mercy, worship is not even about us. We do not worship our feelings, we worship the Lord.
Quite frankly I don’t care if someone thinks the worship was great or not. Oh, I care if we did our job as a worship team; it matters that we put in the proper preparation, expression, sincerity, motivation, prayer, and the right content. All of these things will make for a good ministry, so to speak.
Yet let me be abundantly clear: we did not and will not worship the people, nor do we plan to be worshipping someone’s current idea of what they think worship should look like. We worship Him; therefore, we are responsible to create a space and provide songs for the body to worship through. The rest is up to you. What you do with that either creates or negates the worship. I can’t do it for you.
What I do care about is the condition, attitude, and willingness of your heart towards God DURING worship. Your praise and worship are a gift, response, and sacrifice to the Lord. If you continue to just stand there waiting to be moved by the three worship drivers I outlined above, then you are sadly and gravely mistaken. It’s not up to the external motivators, it’s what YOU bring that matters!
Do you know what makes for great worship, Child of God?
This one and only thing right here…
The expressive heart of the worshipper towards a Holy God.
Burn the stage, shut off the power, trash the fancy décor, smash the expensive instruments, remove all of our wildly talented singers and musicians, and tell me if we still have “great worship.”
Give me a room full of genuine worshippers and we will always have great worship.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
“I’m leaving the church!”
Hmmm… I’ve heard that one before. As a leader in the church, as a concerned fellow believer, and sometimes just as a nosey human being, my first question is always, “Why?”
There are many reasons why someone may leave a church. In my humble yet firm opinion, there are only three truly valid reasons for leaving your current church. Here they are: 1) Error in the church, 2) the Lord moving you to another specific region or church (for a specific reason), or 3) you’ve died. Seriously! The transient nature of church hopping has got to stop. Put down roots, dig in, serve fervently, get over yourself, and love people through decades! Yet I digress; that is a different topic.
For today, let’s have a look at one of the primary reasons why people leave a church body. Fasten your seatbelt, this is a crazy one: “I don’t like the music.”
Say WHAT?! Yep. Does that sound unbelievable? Yet it’s true.
Think about this for a minute. Have you ever left a church over the music? Maybe you know someone who has. Maybe you’ve become overly critical of the music within your own church.
Consider the music in your church. If you don’t have a current church, think about the music at your last church. Take the test, see if any of this resonates with you:
- I don’t like the style of music.
- I don’t like the song choices.
- The band are a bunch of show offs (or the band isn’t talented enough).
- The music is too big of a production (or it’s not big enough).
- The singers and musicians seem insincere (or they seem too fanatical).
- The music is too modern (or too old school).
- The music is too structured (or too free flowing).
Well, how did you do? Did any of those describe your feelings? Let me say this: it’s perfectly normal to critique something. There should be no shame in having an opinion about your church’s music! However, there is a problem if you let it affect you so deeply that it causes issues. For example, there is a problem if you refuse to worship the Lord because you are too busy being critical. Worse yet is when you share your offense with others and spread the poison. Worse than both of those is when you actually leave the church over it.
I say this because I personally know many people who have left a church because of the music. I also know many folks who have become toxic over sniffing the worship cork, so to speak.
Quite frankly, I think that being overly critical of worship music reveals a lot about the condition of one’s heart, although it’s not always because we have a bad heart. Some of those who have struggled with it seem to possess a most sincere and mature relationship with Christ! Yet it’s often the unrealized motivations that are the deadliest to our spiritual health.
How important is it for God’s people to worship and praise Him with song? Check out Isaiah 43:21 and Psalm 96. Yeah, it is extremely important to say the least!
A good look into our attitudes towards worship music is absolutely necessary.
We will get into the many worship disasters in future blog posts. Please keep an eye out for them and share them with your friends. God bless!
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
