Day 265

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“…and since the fall, not without a Mediator,…”

Scripture Lookup

John 14:6

Reflection

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)

 

“God is my co-pilot.”

“God is my best friend.”

Many people in today’s culture treat God as if He were their #1 fan. According to them, He’s always there to tell you how awesome you’re doing, how pretty you look, and how blessed you are. You and He are best buds, and you can ring Him up whenever you need to. Repentance? Awe? Not needed with God, so goes the popular thinking. He can be worshiped face-to-face. Such a view distorts God and ignores His holiness.

In order for God to be worshiped rightly, such worship must be done through a mediator. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve had unfettered access to God. They could commune with Him because they had not sinned. However, when they chose to transgress God’s command, they plummeted all of humanity into a life of sin and misery. The corruption that each one of us born by ordinary means is a chain that keeps us from freely communing with God. In order to hold an audience with the holy God, we must go through a mediator, someone who intercedes on our behalf.

Knowing that true worship must be through a mediator reminds us of our sinful condition. Humbly do we remember that we are not worthy of approaching Him, and gratefully acknowledge the work of the mediator on our behalf. As Christians, we can run boldly to the throne of grace. But only because of the High Priest who intercedes on our behalf.

…we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,… – Hebrews 4:14 (NASB)

Questions to Consider

• Have you ever considered that true worship necessitates a mediator?

 

Day 264

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“…not to Angels, Saints, or any other Creatures;…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 1:25

Colossians 2:18

Revelation 19:10

Reflection

Angel statues, angel art prints, “Angels in the Outfield”, “Touched By An Angel”…angels are quite popular.  Are they worshiped? You don’t see many church buildings devoted to bowing down before angels. Yes, people might pray to angels and seek their help, but is that actually worship? Look at this prayer I remember reciting from my Roman Catholic childhood:

“Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this might, be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide.”

This prayer calls upon the angel to rule and guide the supplicant. Isn’t that the work of God alone? This prayer is an act of worship.

Spiritual beings are being feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served by many who deny they are worshiping them. Yet they are giving angels the the glory that is due God alone. The same goes for saints. Stories of miraculous men and women who forsook all for the sake of piety, who supposedly have the ability to help us from heaven. Once again, they are called upon, trusted in, and given the glory that is God’s alone. Such worship of angels, saints, or any other creature is repugnant to Him. “My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11, NASB)

God alone is to be worshiped. He makes that very clear in Scripture: “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:5, NASB) Worship is not to be given to angels, saints, or any other creature. As followers of the true and living God, we should guard God’s honor and not let it be given to another. To God alone be the glory!

Questions to Consider

• Is “venerating” a creature the same as worshiping them? How would you respond to someone who says they don’t worship a creature because they don’t bow down to it?

 

Day 263

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“Religious Worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone;…”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 4:9,10

John 5:23

Matthew 28:19

Reflection

God alone is to be worshiped. Pretty simple, right? Why would anyone disagree about that?

A popular view of God is that He loves everybody and is super forgiving, bending over backwards to affirm you and be there for you. With such a view of God, it becomes easy to move to the logical next step, which is allowing other things to be worshiped. Since God is loving and forgiving, why would He be upset with other things getting praise and adoration? Aren’t we supposed to build up, not tear down?

Such a view distorts the true God, the God who has revealed Himself through creation and Scripture. God is love, that is correct, and He is most gracious and merciful. But He is also good and holy. Allowing glory to be given to another when it is due Him alone is not right. God cannot do wrong, so He naturally demands that He only be worshiped. “I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8, NASB)

Not only is God to be the sole object of worship, all three persons of the Godhead are to be worshiped. This is why Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other trinity-denying groups are not considered Christians. Decry the divinity of Christ or the Spirit, deny that the Father continually exists with the Son and Spirit, and you are worshiping a completely different god than the One who has breathed out the Scriptures.

Do we as believers worship all three persons of the Trinity? In theory we do, but how does that play out practically? Do we acknowledge all three in their respective roles regarding salvation? Do we place greater emphasis on one over another in our prayers? If we are to fear, love, praise, call upon, trust in, and serve the Triune God, let us make sure that we do so, not neglecting any member of the Trinity.

Questions to Consider

• Do you tend to acknowledge one person of the Trinity over another?

 

Day 262

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 1.

“… and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be Worshipped according to the imaginations, and devices of Men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.”

Scripture Lookup

Exodus 20:4-6

Reflection

How are we to worship the true and living God?

I cannot choose my own method of worshiping Him. Setting the terms of how He is to be worshiped is akin to insubordination: “Oh, yes, God, You’ve said how to worship You in Your Word, but I think this will work better so…”  If He is truly to be feared, loved, obeyed and praised, than the right to determine how these acts are to be performed rests solely with Him.

Humanity – even redeemed humanity – cannot be the final authority on how to worship God. Such ideas originate with men, not God. How can such services, then, be forced onto believers? Christians are free from following the doctrine and commandments of men, and churches should take heed they do not bind a believer’s conscience. When churches have “Children’s Sunday” with lots of cute kids but no sermon; when a “message” includes playing clips from popular movies; when time is set aside during the service to light candles, all these are not methods of worship given by God. Such sights, smells, and sounds not prescribed by Him tend instead to draw focus away from the very God they are supposed to glorify!

God sets the terms of how He is to be worshiped. Through Scripture alone the elements of true worship are revealed. When we follow God’s instructions regarding worship, we know with certainty that our worship is acceptable to Him.

Questions to Consider

• Can you think of some elements of worship in churches today that are not what God has prescribed?

 

Day 261

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 1.

“….But the acceptable way of Worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself;…”

Scripture Lookup

Deuteronomy 12:32

Reflection

All humanity knows from the general revelation of nature that God is to be worshiped. What does such worship look like? Because of the Fall, the knowledge of how to worship God has been corrupted. The world does not enjoy communion with God, so how can it begin to properly worship Him? Numerous religions have arisen throughout history, with different methods of worship. Are such methods acceptable to God?

A popular notion today is that there are many paths to God. You worship Him your way, and He will be pleased; I worship Him my way, and He will accept that as well. Such worship of God is extremely convenient, as the individual’s preference ultimately determines the design of worship. However, there are ways of worshiping God that are not pleasing to Him. In fact, all ways but one are unacceptable to Him! Only one practice of worship is pleasing in His sight, and that is the one that He Himself has instituted.

It is not enough to think, “I want to worship God”, and then dream up a way of worship that suits myself. God alone has revealed how He is to be worshiped. He has told what type of worship is acceptable to Him. As believers who have been regenerated by His Spirit, enabled to obey His commands, we should earnestly desire to obey and please God. If we learn how He is to be worshiped, yet decide we will worship Him our own way, how can we think that is even remotely acceptable to Him?

God, through nature, reveals He is to be worshiped. God, through the Scriptures, reveals how He is to be worshiped. May we be careful to worship Him in the way He has prescribed.

Questions to Consider

• Does God value good intentions over what He has prescribed for worship? Does it matter how we worship Him, as long as “our hearts are in the right place”?

Day 260

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 1.

“The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and does good to all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might….”

Scripture Lookup

Jeremiah 10:7

Mark 12:33

Reflection

Creation and providence tell the world quite a bit about God. Although not enough to know Him is a saving way, the light of nature nevertheless reveals numerous truths about God. Such truths call us to properly respond.

Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge. -Psalm 19:2 (NASB)

The light of nature shows there is a God. The intricate beauty and design of creation proclaims the existence of its Designer. The laws of nature and the course of providence demonstrate the lordship and sovereignty of this God. There is an order to this universe that keeps the earth spinning, continues to drop apples on the ground each Autumn, and brings rain and sunshine. Observing all this, we see that the world is governed by this God. Through history, learning how seemingly small events affect great change, we understand that this God has authority over all things. His justice and goodness are displayed in His care and keeping of creation.

For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall give praise to God.” -Romans 14:11 (NASB)

We know that the unbeliever has no desire to do good. Due to the corruption of sin, humanity does not have any interest in God. That does not mean the unbeliever is let off the hook for her behavior. All men and women, everywhere, are shown there is a God they are to love, praise, and serve.  In other words, all humanity knows God is to be worshiped.

Questions to Consider

• Do you treat unbelievers as though they have an excuse when it comes to worshiping God?