Then there were the two sons of Aaron who offered strange fire before the Lord. They were killed. God has pretty precise ways he desires to be worshipped. Man has a need to "Modify" God's plan. That's why in Isaiah 58 God's pretty clear that he doesn't get much satisfaction from Fasting as a religious practice without proper followup.
And in Hebrews when the writer talks of the blood of Bulls and goats not fulfilling the law. When Jesus came the need for further sacrifice stopped.
God still has a pattern of worship that much of the Church world chooses to ignore because it's not their "Style". We Prefer to worship otherwise. Preferred style of worship will ultimately lead to apostasy and idol worship. It has in the modern church. We worship symbols, we worship tradition, we worship denominations, we worship comfort and preferences. Unfortunately even if lukewarm worship might comfort you, If I read my bible right, it doesn't do much for God. Does God have a preferred way he desires to be worshipped in the new covenant? YES and most of the church world misses it. Paul is so bold at to say his prescribed worship format is a command from the Lord himself?
There is an important chapter in 1 Corinthians 14. You can read starting at Verse 26 here. That's important because I am going to ask a few questions about the church services you attend or conduct. I will take these questions from this passage. In the church services you now attend:
- Does one sing, another teach and another tell some special revelation God has given?
- Does one will speak in tongues, and another interpret what is said?
- Does everything that is done strengthen all of you?
- Do two or three speak in tongues one at a time, and someone interpret what they say?
- Do People speak in tongues to God privately in the Service?
- Do two or three people prophesy, and others evaluate what is said?
- if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, will the one who is speaking stop? (That includes the Sermon)
- Do all who prophesy have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged?
- Are the people who prophesy in control of their spirit and can take turns? (For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people).
- If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself? (But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized as a prophet, apostle, teacher, pastor evangelist)
- Are People eager to prophesy?
- Does the Church you are in forbid (Public) speaking in tongues? (But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.)
If the church you attend doesn't follow God's order as defined by the Apostle Paul, Find a different Church. You are partaking in dead works. Show me your works, I'll show you your faith.
I Don't mean to be so direct but we must quit playing games in the body of Christ. It's time to grow up.
There is one part of the passage I skipped intentionally, the one on women speaking. There is much to understand about that part of the text. I will say this in agreement with the passage, a church made up of and controlled strictly by women is a dead church. That's why I have a passion for men's ministry. We must have men who are God-ordained spiritual heads to lead. Women are not disqualified but it's not God's perfect plan.
Now, my challenge to you next Sunday, Take that Checklist from above and see how many of them your Church engages. If it's less than 2 get out. There are still biblical churches in your town. GO THERE! For your own spiritual health.
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Jesus says in John 4:24, "God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." We must worship God in truth. Since His word is truth, we must worship Him according to His word. Here the Lord is telling us that everything we do in worship, we must have God's divine approval. Truth is not arbitrary. Truth for one person is the same as truth for the next. God has not spoken in unclear ways.
God has specified in the Bible the acceptable way He is to be worshipped. He is not to be worshipped according to the evil and vain imaginations and devices of men. Whatever that is not commanded in scripture in our worship to God is forbidden if we are to worship God in truth. God is not obligated to accept our worship just because we offer it to Him. We dare not substitute what we want for what God has commanded if we want to please Him and go to Heaven.
There are many who think it really doesn’t matter what we believe or do in religion, just as long as we are sincere and follow our conscience. But if it doesn’t really matter what you believe, then it doesn’t matter if you even believe at all. This is absurd. This philosophy exalts our conscience above the word of God. This makes our conscience our only guide and ignores what God says in the Bible. This philosophy originated with man and not with God. This is telling God we are going to worship Him the way we choose and we don’t really care what He has to say. Every man then becomes his own authority thereby eliminating the authority of God, the Bible. This attitude must greatly hurt the one who gave His life for us.
Many people want to do what they think best and what seems right to them. We are warned not to do this in Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." According to what God says we can loose our soul by doing what seems right in our own eyes. God’s word is no longer our guide, but it has been replaced with creed books, disciplines, manuals, confessions, etc. Men want to do things their way and as it seems right in their own eyes. Please consider the consequences of being deceived by error. What a pity it will be to stand before the Lord on Judgment Day having been fooled into accepting the unlawful religions of the denominational world. What a terrible fate to believe error to be truth only to be lost for all of eternity.
The philosophy of doing what seems right in our eyes has vastly altered the way people attempt to worship God. They rationalize that God will accept it. People can rationalize away just about anything they want if they work at it hard and long enough, and because of this people worship God in ignorance. Just as the apostle Paul told the Athenians in Acts 17:23 (KJV), "Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship."
The average person in religious matters takes many things for granted. He finds religious groups practicing something and he decides what the majority does must be right and acceptable to God. The Bible says the majority of people are going to be eternally lost. Jesus says in Matthew 7:l3-14, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." So we don’t want to depend on the majority to determine what is right for us and follow them. If we do we will also end up being lost in the eternal fires of Hell.
Many people never stop to ask, is it scriptural and is this what God wants? They believe that just any kind of worship they give will be acceptable to God. There are a lot of false teachings today that are being passed off as the truth. The main reason for all the religious division that we see in the world today is man will not accept God’s word as final authority. Man is going to do it his own way. The Bible contains our only instructions on how to please God so we can go to heaven.
God has always told man how He is to be worshipped. God is the only one who has the right to determine how He is to be worshipped. He will only accept that which is in harmony with His prescribed will. God instructs us how to worship Him acceptably through His word in the Bible. In Ephesians 5:17 we read, "Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." If we are the least bit concerned about where we will spend eternity, it is wise to know what the will of the Lord is so we can do it and be pleasing to Him. We are accountable for what we believe and practice. Our eternal destiny hangs in the balance of how we treat His truth.
In every age God has specified how He is to be worshipped. He says to us in 2 Peter 1:3, "As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us." God in the New Testament has given to us all things we need to know that pertain to life and godliness so we can worship Him acceptably, in spirit and in truth. God has always made it plain and emphatic that the only worship that is acceptable to Him is only that which is in accordance with His will.
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