The Utter Damnability Of Sin

"You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong..." (Hab. 1:13, ESV).
"... Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6, ESV).
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way..." (Isa. 53:6, ESV).
"[T]he only part of Christian theology that can really be proved [is original sin]."--G. K. Chesterton, Christian apologist
"What's wrong with the world?" "I am. Yours truly, G. K. Chesterton."  
"We have done those things we ought not to have done and we have left undone those things we ought to have done."--The Book of Common Prayer (Anglican). 

God doesn't just frown upon sin or disapprove of it, He cannot stand the sight of it and it has no place in His presence (much like matter versus antimatter)--He cannot even countenance evil per Hab. 1:13.  Sin isn't a bad enough word to describe our virus of rebellion; it's the ultimate killjoy word that many preachers refuse to mention even in passing since it has offensive power, even to the elect.  It's the job description of the Holy Spirit alone to convict of sin (cf. John 16:13), but we must resort to the power of the Word of God to do the work.  We only need to be exposed to the light to see our darkness:  "the law is given to convince us that we fail to keep it," according to D. James Kennedy.

Sin has been characterized many ways to bring the point home that it's our legacy and birthright that we cannot escape--in fact, we are not sinners because we sin, but we sin by virtue of already being in sin!  Yes, we go astray and lie even from the womb according to Psalm 58:3.  To illustrate the essence of sin, one should see it as man's ultimate Declaration of Independence from the authority and government or sovereignty of God over one's life--to be the "captain of your soul and master of your fate" like in the humanist poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley.  It could be called an act of autonomy or self-rule over God-rule.   In this sense, sin is rebellion and being volitionally defiant.  We all miss achieving the perfect standard or "missing the mark" (hamartia in Greek) which was set by Jesus' perfect sin-free life of righteous obedience to the Mosaic law.

Many people feel that they don't commit many sins, but they don't realize that what we fail to accomplish or do in the Lord's name as we ought are sins of omission. "I coulda, woulda, shoulda!"  The Westminster Catechism (ca. 1646) defines sin as "any want of conformity unto or transgression of, the Law of God."  It has also been precisely defined as "any thought, word, action, omission, or desire contrary to the law of God" by Charlie Riggs of the BGEA. Clearly, all wrongdoing is sin!  What is ironic is that the closer our walk with Christ, the more clearly we sense our sin and get convicted--Samuel Rutherford said to"pray for a lively sense of sin, the greater the sense, the less sin."

Jesus revolutionized the concept of sin, since the Pharisees had merely externalized it and portrayed it only as certain behavior that can be seen, but Jesus read their hearts and said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and evil proceeds in Mark 7. Proverbs 23:7 reiterates:  "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he."  Dr. Karl Menninger, MD, said that sin is the "refusal of the love of others" [namely, God's]" in his landmark book Whatever Became of Sin?  Even psychiatrists are putting it back into the equation as persons being responsible for their own choices and beginning to use the term again according to Billy Graham.  Sin is self-defeating and destructive as God warned Cain in Gen. 4:7 (NKJV):  "...And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.   And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it" ["sin wants to destroy you, but don't let it"].

There is no way to defeat sin apart from God's grace, we are slaves to it before salvation!  The paradox is that God really wants what's best for us, and even the rules concerning sexual immorality are only for our good and to watch over our soul and it's purity and health.  Sin is just not God's plan for man, but something He permits or allows, and will ultimately judge and do away with by sending it all to hell.  The point is that if we couldn't sin we would be robots and couldn't obey God of our own free will or choice.  We either choose for or against God with our behavior and thought life.  After salvation, we don't have the right to live in sin, but have the power to defeat it, the power to live in the Spirit.

We cannot blame anyone else for our personal sins, and we certainly cannot judge Adam and Eve for the Fall and believe we would've done anything different--we all repeat their sin.  Their sin was the prototype of all sin and if we analyze it we can see as they:  spurned His grace; contradicted His truth; rejected His authority; disputed His wisdom; repudiated His justice; even resisted His grace (unknown source)!   In short, they didn't take God's Word at face value or take Him at His Word, but were, in effect, unbelievers--Eve first doubted God's Word, then questioned it, she believed Satan's rationalization, then disbelieved God's Word, then finally disobeyed it outright of her own volition in rebellion--and Adam didn't intervene or help her, but was cowardly and irresponsible--both sins.

We all have eaten of the Proverbial Apple and have duplicated Adam's sin, and become defiled by a sin nature and stand in solidarity with Adam before our salvation! Note that the first couple didn't choose evil, they chose self over God--they didn't know what evil was yet.  (Idolatry is always putting self or something in God's place or where it belongs in God's plan or order.)  Adam and Eve thought God was holding out on them, with the help of the serpent's guile and deception.  Note that many scientists blame man's problems on the environment and society, especially psychologists, but the first sin was completed in perfect surroundings--the garden of Eden. We are just like our first parents seeking our own good, delight, and wisdom--the essence of sin is selfishness.  We must look inward and blame ourselves for our shortcomings and failures, not play the blame game and point fingers--we must assume responsibility for our own sins--"the soul that sinneth shall die" (cf. Ezek. 18:4).

You could say that we are great sinners and totally depraved--not utterly depraved, since God restrains evil--though we are not as bad as we possibly could be, we are as bad off as possible.  Every element of our nature falls short and is tainted with sin, just like being a little pregnant, we cannot be a little sinful or depraved.  If sin were yellow, we'd be all yellow!  Our wills, hearts, bodies, and even intellect are stained by sin and only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us and make us clean enough to enter God's presence. It has been said by William Jay of Bath:  "I am a great sinner, but I have a great Savior." This is very humbling but also encouraging--no one is too far gone or too bad to be saved, but bad off enough to need salvation!

The catch-22 is, therefore, that we must see how bad we are to be good or repent, but we don't know how bad we are till we've tried to be good.  The terrible double whammy of sin is that it not only estranges and alienates us from God and others, but it enslaves and traps us and has power over us and the only freedom is to be set by Christ (cf. John 8:36).  Salvation is not only forgiveness of our sin but the power to overcome it and eventually deliverance from its presence.   We are not basically or inherently good, period, nor are we ever good enough to be saved; we are bad enough to need salvation!

There's just no escaping our birthright which is really a virus or disease that devours us and destroys us in the end apart from grace.  Sin becomes neutralized in effect for us when we make up pretty names for it and refuse to call a spade a spade--this is the mere escaping reality and not owning up to our sin as God sees it.   It is by grace that we get convicted of our sin, as Paul called himself the "chief of sinners" (cf. 1 Tim. 1:15) and John Bunyan wrote Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. This should be encouraging because this means there's hope for everyone and no one is beyond the reach of God's grace!

The real, cold reality of sin is that we don't break God's laws, they break us, but we break God's heart in our sinning.  Just like you cannot get away with violating the laws of nature without consequence, it's likewise with God's divine laws of morality defining sin.   We can praise God that Jesus is the Answer to the sin problem:  as our Prophet, He frees us of our ignorance of it; as our Priest, He is the offering and releases us from the guilt of it; and as our King, He frees us from the power of it.

In closing, let me mention that Christians are still sinners in that they sin (cf. Gal. 2:17), but we are called "saints" because in God's eyes Christians are justified, as God is both just and the justifier of the unjust by virtue of His grace and mercy.  In His mercy we don't get what we deserve; in His grace, we get what we don't deserve!  It is a sad commentary on mankind that he grows callous to his sins and has the tendency to justify them whatever way possible to silence the conscience.  Caveat:  we must refrain from making up our own rules or standards of right and wrong as if we judge God; He judges us and is the sole moral center of the universe!    Soli Deo Gloria!

Seeking God's Glory

 "... [W]ithout holiness no one will see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14, NIV).
"... We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son..." (John 1:14, NIV).
"No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in the closest relationship with the Father, has made him known" (John 1:17, NIV).
"Everything comes from God alone.  Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory" (Romans 11:36, TLB).
"The glory of God is a human being fully alive."--Irenaeus
"My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord..."

According to the divines who wrote The Westminster Shorter Catechism around 1646, "the chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever" (or, as John Piper says, "... by enjoying Him forever").  We were put on this good earth to glorify God (cf. Isa. 43:7), and we bring Him the most glory while enjoying Him and doing what we were created to do, not resisting our Maker's intention or calling (cf. Isa. 45:10); for He is the Potter and we are the clay, being fashioned into vessels of honor and dishonor, but nevertheless, whether we cooperate or not, to bring Him ultimate glory--namely, the manifestation of the Shekinah, the cloud of God's glory, seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Note that even the wrath of man brings glory to God (cf. Psalm 76:10).  Also note that God's glory is not a reflected one like the moon reflecting the sun's light, or like Moses' face reflecting God's, but is originating from itself, and a self-sufficient radiance, expressing itself.  It has to do with the transcendent majesty of God's presence. It was shown to the inner circle of disciples (John, James, and Peter) at the preview of his glory at the Transfiguration, and was hidden from the world while Christ was incarnate before His resurrection and would be restored (cf. John 17:5).

We have all fallen short of the glory of God (cf. Rom. 3:23), it's not a sin not to be as glorious as God, but not to bring Him glory as we ought, and becoming what would glorify God to the max.  We must learn to acknowledge the glory of God, as this is a pet peeve or complaint of God and shows our true nature.  The problem with man is that they've exchanged the glory of God for images or icons and idols!  We are meant, as believers united and in union with Christ, to share in God's glory, but the glory of His presence and salvation, will He give to no other to share (cf. Isa. 48:11).

We all fall short of the glory of God (cf. Rom. 3:23; 1:23) and after salvation, we regain glory step by step, as we are conformed to the image of Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18).  The goal of the Christian is the Beatificfic Vision or the manifested revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, seeing Him by faith in the here and now through the eyes of our spirit--in Glory, we shall see Him as He is and become like unto Him; as the disciples beseeched to see the Father and it would suffice, Jesus told them that seeing Him was the same experience--but we do see Jesus (cf. Heb. 2:9).

Meanwhile, it's our duty to do everything to the glory of God (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31).  Abraham likewise grew in faith, giving glory to God (cf. Rom. 4:20). In fact, we are predestined "to be to the praise of His glory" (cf. Eph. 1:12, NASB).  Jesus will share His glorious nature with us as we are fit for the inhabitation of resurrection bodies in His likeness.  This is when we are glorified in Glory or the third heaven upon entrance.  We either seek God's glory or are put to shame because of our sins in neglecting it as a dereliction of duty, there's no middle ground or limbo, that would be a neutral territory--one must decide for or against the glory of God manifested and put to full display at the cross and resurrection of Christ on our behalf--viz., the gospel message.  The sad commentary on man is that Satan has blinded the eyes of them that believe not to the glory of Christ, who is the express image of God (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4).

Remember:  "The Son is the radiance of God's glory [the fullness of the Godhead; cf. Col. 2:9] and the exact representation of his being [the icon]..." (Heb. 1:3, NIV).   And so: where is the glory of God?  Just open your eyes and look, it's everywhere (where isn't it?)--God's divine imprint is in all of creation, for the "heavens declare the glory of God," (cf. Psalms 19:1).  The glory of God is so awesome, that it will be the light of the New Jerusalem.  We are to live for and recognize God's glory as Jesus did:  "I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do" (John 17:4, NLT).

This means that we ought to do what we are wired to do and use our gifts: opportunities; relationships; energy; resources; learned skills; talents; abilities; spiritual gifts; and even passions for the purpose God gave them to us.  John Piper said that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him!  Don't just exist but live life to the full and live for your God-given purpose in life.  Glorify God by being all you can be and what you were designed for and called to do; for the happiest people are those who do God's will cheerfully and God will smile on them as He sees Himself in us.    Soli Deo Gloria!

A Shame Unto A Man

"A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart"  (Prov. 21:2, NIV).
"... The LORD does not look at the things people look at.  People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7, NIV).

Paul seemed dogmatic that it is a shame for a man to have "long hair," (this begs the question as to why it's a shame for a woman not to have hair as a covering), but what does that mean to us in our enlightened age? Note that it's not a condemnation or sin!  Are ponytails evil per se because someone deems them to be long hair?  Does the converse hold true, that it's an honor to have short or no hair?  Hair should not be the issue! But still being bald for a man is also a shame or embarrassment, but it's not sinning.  Note that what's long hair is relative and subjective too!

Actually, standards of right and wrong don't evolve with time (but styles and conventions do!), but we must understand that what was wrong then is still wrong, and God never sanctions the right to do what is wrong--neither in our eyes nor the eyes of others, but awareness of right an wrong in society's standards and norms do change with the times as to what is accepted as "normal".  When I was young The Beatles transformed the image of where hairlines were appropriate, it was now okay to have hair over the ears, and bangs were "in."  This was considered to be "long hair" by some and the phrase and song went, "Long-haired, freaky people need not apply!'  Who claims the divine right to judge the actual length at which hair is too long for a believer?  And it should not be an issue at all for the infidel!  Actually, there was a time when having hair over your ears was too long for some critics.  They told The Beatles to get haircuts, and they said, they had just got one!

What we have is a difference of opinion and a disputable matter, and Christians are not to quarrel over questionable matters, per Romans 14:1, but leave room for a person's own conscience, to decide for himself what his convictions are, as his faith is between him and God--knowing he will be judged by God (this applies to areas where the Bible is silent and gray areas).  (Note that the Bible also says women should cover their heads in worship services, and no one enforces that convention today.)  So much of our dress code is according to custom and style of the age, which does change. It used to be shocking to see a woman in a pantsuit or wear jeans!  We have no right to look down on a brother who has what we consider to be long hair,  for he is God's servant and is accountable to Him, not us.  The Bible nowhere condemns boys or children from having long hair, and also bear in mind that men of the Nazarite vow never had a razor touch their head (e.g., Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist).

When we judge a man by appearance we are being like men who look on the outward appearance and not the heart--what really matters is where his heart is, not his looks.  Unbelievers who have long hair need Christ, not a haircut!  God doesn't hold their hair against them, but that they need to repent of sin (singular or in general), not sins (a certain one in particular) and receive Christ as Lord and Savior.  Legalists see sins, not sin.  Men are in a state of rebellion against God and long hair is only a symptom of their alienation.  Remember, we are not in Moses' seat and able to judge a man by his outward dress or looks, but leave room for God's justice.

If the Word is faithfully taught, the person in question will someday see the light and his eyes will be opened, and he will not dress or wear his hair to please the girls or the culture, but God.  In other words, the cure or panacea is to preach the Word and let it do its transforming work in all of us as works-in-progress.  As an application, whenever men act or appear effeminate in anything they are an abomination unto God and as men grow in the Lord they do become more manly and conformed to the image of Christ.  We need not get caught up in machismo or thinking that Christianity is all about how much a man we are, a true man is a gentleman for number one, and all men are manly in some way or manifestation--we have no right to compare ourselves in this manner and should be the man or woman God made us be.  The heart of the matter is that it's a matter of the heart!  What the Bible does adumbrate is that when we lose our godliness, we also lose our manliness, and a true man is a gentleman, not a strongman or bully.

In the final analysis, if a brother's only apparent or visible flaw lies in his hairline, I wouldn't press him on it, but give him the benefit of the doubt.  All in all, hair is not the measure of a man, though it's given as glory to a woman.  Caveat:  We have no business looking down on our brother; it's wrong to label our brethren, such as referring to one as being the long-haired one or in need of spiritual guidance by virtue of the fact.  In sum, let's not be like a Supreme Court jurist of Christianity over our brethren and merely utter superficially, when we get our eyes off Jesus:  "I may not be able to define long hair, but I sure know it when I see it!"     Soli Deo Gloria!

Authentic Worship

"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name: worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness"  (Psalm 29:2, NIV).
"Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD," (cf. Psalm 89:15, NIV). 
"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of thy Israel" (Psalm 22:3, KJV).

God desires those who worship to do so in spirit and in truth (cf. John 4:24), and this implicates our whole being and that we do it in the right spirit, or filled with the Spirit, and in truth or not hypocritical, phony, or mere lip service--but also consistent with sound doctrine--God is the God of Truth!   We are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and this means everything that we are--our whole being!  It doesn't mean you be something you're not, but to be what God made you and do what you were designed to do. 

There's no "one-size-fits-all" way to worship:  some are traditionalists, seeking liturgy and ritual; some are musical; some caregiving; some activists; some contemplative; and some are even intellectual.  We are not all hard-wired the same, but we are all meant, designed, and made for worship.  Dostoevsky said, "Man cannot live without worshiping something."  That is, if we don't worship God, we will worship something; i.e., we will worship!  We've been called Homo religiosus, or the religious man or being.  We all have a spark of the divine in us and have been called Homo divinus (penned by John Stott) to point that out.

Worship (meaning worth-ship or ascribing worth that's due) isn't always corporate or in the church assembly--though this is highly rewarding and encouraging.  We offer ourselves to God or consecrate ourselves in surrender.  The believer must learn to live his life as a sacrifice to God and as a service to Him in offering himself.  God doesn't want our achievements--He wants us!   We don't want to just go through the motions, or get into a rut, but seek meaning and purpose in our worship.  We don't just go to church to worship--we go to work!  For example, A man laying bricks was asked what he was doing and he responded that he was building a chapel!  The condition of our soul and spirit is what is our aim, not just where we are. 

We are to keep the channel open and the link connected to God as we continually practice the presence of God in our daily chores and activities. Martin Luther proclaimed manual labor as dignified and to the glory of God.   All that we do is to be to God's glory (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31).  Living our lives in God's will is our sacrifice to Him, and this is our yoke, not the Law, as in the old covenant--this is real spirituality.  God wants our obedience in life and this is more important than being religious or having religiosity:  "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22).

The reason we meet together for corporate worship though is that we all have different gifts and need mutual edification.  Like it says in 1 Cor. 14:26 (NIV) that when we meet together "everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation." The gifts are given for the benefit of the body as a whole, not just for our personal growth.  The point of corporate worship is that the singing of hymns and spiritual songs is not the only form of worship:  We worship in giving of our monetary blessings; we worship in the Lord's Supper as a memorial to Him that contemplate; we worship by heeding the preaching of the Word, and we worship by our fellowship with our brethren. 

By way of analogy, our entire lives are to be an act of giving or of worship and thanksgiving as we render to God His due and live according to His will and walk with Him in the Spirit.  Worship is sacrifice among other criteria:  There are two sacrifices that the Bible stresses, besides the ones given in the Mosaic Law:  The sacrifice of praise (cf. Heb. 13:15); and the sacrifice of thanksgiving (cf. Ps. 50:23).

In summation, Psalm 100:1, 3, 4 (KJV, boldface mine)  portrays the right mental attitude or formula for opening the door to the throne room of God into His dimension for spiritual worship as follows:  "MAKE a joyful noise ...  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with thanksgiving, know ye that the LORD he is God ... Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful  unto him and bless his name." [Note that we worship in making noise (i.e., audible attention-getting devices), serving (missions, ministry), coming (approaching in prayer--corporate and private, and fellowship--corporate and one-on-one) to Him, offering praise, being thankful (in everything), and in giving blessings (to God and others).]   Soli Deo Gloria!

Not Holier Than Thou

"Consider everyone as equal, and don't think that you're better than anyone else.  Instead associate with people who have no status..."  (Romans 12:16, CEV). 
"We won't dare to place ourselves in the same league or to compare ourselves with some of those who are promoting themselves.  When they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding"  (2 Cor. 10:12, CEV).

We have no right to have a holier-than-thou attitude (cf. Isaiah 65:5) and think we've arrived (cf. Phil. 3:12), and don't need our fellow believer to encourage us or meet our needs--none of us is an island and only Christ is the Rock.  Some believers seem to become Lone Rangers or lone wolves and don't hold themselves accountable to anyone, walking with the Lord as if it were "Me and Jesus."  We are members one of another and no member of the body is self-sufficient and can stand alone.  We tend to privatize our faith especially when we are at our weakest and don't want anyone to know our faults; however, we are to accept the faults of one another and remember that we have them too. Romans 15:7 says we ought to "welcome one another" as Christ has welcomed us.   Our faith is a public matter and when stifled or muffled it cannot grow.

Remember:  We are all saints and all equally holy in God's eyes.  Martin Luther said that we are, at the same time, sinners and saints, as it says in Galatians 2:17 (ESV):  "But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin?  Certainly not!"  However, note that the Bible doesn't call us sinners, though we are, we are called saints now because we are justified in His sight, though we technically do still sin.   Even Paul didn't claim to have laid hold of it yet and become perfect, though this is the command in Matt. 5:48 stating:  "You, therefore, must be perfect, as You heavenly Father is perfect."  What does this mean but that direction is the test and perfection is the standard or goal?  We are held to a higher standard as believers than the world in our witness and testimony.

Pollyanna Christianity is erroneous and we are not to buy into the theory that, if you are walking with the Lord, everything is hunky-dory.  Christians have trials, tribulations, adversities, temptations, and many kinds of sufferings that unbelievers are unaware of and cannot relate to.  If we have certain sins that we cannot overcome, it is high time we get the body of Christ involved.  James 5:16 says that we may need to confess our faults one to another and this may be why we are sickly or ill.  The AA has a good thing going for it in that they learn the "buddy system" and realize that one-on-one help is a good system to find sympathy and survival techniques because they learn to help and encourage each other.  Every one should find someone they can relate to and be honest with because true fellowship is linked to two people being in the same boat, as it were.   What we need in the body is a little more realism; God isn't looking for the ideal person, but the real person!

Self-righteousness is one of the worst sins, and that made the Pharisees repugnant in Jesus' eyes and we must realize we can be guilty of it too when we think we are in line and are not willing to admit our faults.  Even Job found out in the end that he was guilty of it and was forced to repent!    In the story of Luke 18 about the Pharisee and the tax collector the people looked up to the Pharisees at the time as holy people and tax collectors as common sinners, but the tax collector humbled himself before the Lord and had the right mindset that he was a sinner and in need of a Savior.   To the Pharisee, his faith had degenerated into a religion of works and performance, whereby he was just trying to impress the people--his motives were wrong and that is what only God can see.

He thought that appearances were everything and that he could impress God!  Actually, the only way to impress God is to realize that you cannot impress Him and that you are at His mercy--your unworthiness is the only ticket.  In God's economy, the way up is down and we must humble ourselves in His sight to be exalted, as John the Baptist said, "He must increase, and I must decrease" (John 3:30, ESV).   The tax collector didn't actually say, "God me merciful to me a sinner," but "the sinner," because he felt so sinful in God's eyes.  The worst attitude is to look down on our brother and to judge him when we do the same thing--he wasn't comparing himself to anyone more sinful or even feeling worthy!

When we've been forgiven, we are merciful to others in their sin and don't feel so self-righteous that we are holier than everyone.  We forgive as the Lord forgave us (cf. Col. 3:13).  If we are not doing this, we have forgotten that we have been saved and that God was merciful to us.  Are our sins more easily forgiven than theirs?  That is the epitome of self-righteousness, to believe it's okay for us to be that way, but not anyone else.  The Pharisee was sure glad he wasn't like the so-called tax collectors and sinners, who were beyond redemption in his eyes.

We are all bad and as bad off as we can possibly be, but not too bad to be saved if we plead with God for mercy and realize our status as utterly sinful.  "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God," (Rom. 8:7, ESV):  Even our righteousness is as filthy rags in God's eyes (cf. Isaiah 64:6) and there is nothing we can do in our natural self to prepare for salvation or to make ourselves worthy; God must do a work of grace in our heart and make believers out of us (cf. Acts 18:27).  Apart from the Holy Spirit's wooing none of us would believe and without the Father's granting of it none of us would come to Him (cf. John 6:44, 65).

The biggest obstacle to overcoming sin is to admit it freely and to come clean; this is called repentance whereby we make a U-turn, or about-face and turn from it to believe in Christ.  We simultaneously turn from our sins toward God in faith:  "and they must change their hearts and lives as they turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus"  (Acts 20:21, CEV); and Acts 26:20 (ESV) says clearly "that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance."  Peter says in Acts 3:19 (ESV):  "Repent, therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out."  No one can convince us we are sinners and need repentance but the Holy Spirit, whose domain is the conviction, not our domain to convict.  We should never think that our sins are unforgivable because God can forgive any confessed sin.

But it is worse when we think other people are unredeemable and they have gone too far and are beyond salvation or grace.  We're all in the same boat as far as God is concerned, just like we all drowned, some of us in six feet of water and some in six hundred feet, but the fact is that we all drowned in sin.  If sin were yellow, we'd all be all yellow with no exceptions.  We must realize this before we can have the right mindset to repent.  We shouldn't be ashamed of our sins, because we are all sinners and have different areas of weakness, but the point is that we are all sinners, some just more refined or cultivated than others.

Personal faith becomes merely "religion" when it isn't authentic and only performance or degenerated into keeping the rules or even a philosophy instead of a relationship.  Christianity isn't a catalog of rules or a list of dos and don'ts!  Religion can never save anyone and is, in effect, an attempt to reach up to God, while Christianity is God reaching down to man in grace.  Religion is merely a do-it-yourself proposition or trying to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps, while Christianity is when God changes your heart from the inside out and gives you a new life and spirit.  We don't turn over a new leaf, make a New Year's resolution, or make an AA-like pledge, but we give our hearts to Jesus and start over with Him in charge of our new life.   Faith can degenerate into religion when one is merely worried about appearances and isn't accountable to anyone so that it becomes highly subjective.

In summation:  We are not to play the "let's compare" game and think we are better than others or thank God we are not like others:  As George Whitefield said, "There, but for the grace of God, go I," when he saw a man going to the gallows!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Staying Alive

There is no such thing as a worldly Christian, or some term it carnal Christian, as a class of believer. Christians can become carnal or worldly, but it doesn't last due, to divine pruning by God.  If we are without discipline we are not sons.  Christians who get soiled by this life are brought to repentance and do not enjoy being in a backslidden state.  Newsflash:  But God heals us of our backsliding (cf. Hos. 14:4).

Even Christians can have "spiritual dryness" which is temporary.  Any believer can experience Bible fatigue or writer's block.  We all can feel dispirited, uninspired, or unmotivated, but it doesn't last and we bounce out of it or rebound into the full privilege of fellowship.  We all must have trials or crises to determine what we are made of, and to give us the opportunity to become overcomers.  The Christian life is not about keeping up appearances, nor about being ideal, but being real--we all have vulnerabilities and we all fall short--no perfect people need apply to the church.  Our faith is more valuable than silver or gold and must be tested, because in the judgment, faith, not feelings, please God.

Christians are to walk worthy of the Lord and to practice holiness--for we are to share in the divine nature and to produce fruit--no fruit equals no faith!  We all worthy in Christ and there is no such thing as one Christian being holier than another--we are all in Christ and His holiness is imputed to us.  So much of our walk depends upon what we expose ourselves to because of the computer principle, GIGO (garbage in equals garbage out) applies!

When we walk in Christ and are in fellowship, we are alive, and it is possible to keep this relationship growing because that which is alive grows.  "When we walk in the light, even as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another..." (cf. 1 John 1:4).  That's why we have a living faith in a living God.  When encountering evil we face up to it and overcome it with good.  We need to keep our testimony from being jeopardized by our walk, and therefore must pursue holiness, as a way of life in our sanctification.

This means we walk in the light of eternity and not store up treasures on earth but look to our heavenly reward. We don't want our reward in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14).  We have nothing to fear in man and if we fear God we have nothing to fear.  Remember Noah:  "... Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation [ways], Noah walked with God" (Gen. 6:9, ESV).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Who's Holier Than Whom?

"Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding"  (2 Corinthians 10:12, ESV).

God rebuked Israel for having the so-called "holier-than-thou" attitude in Isaiah 65:5.  The right frame of mind is "such were some of you..." (1 Cor. 6:11, ESV).  George Whitefield saw condemned men sent to the gallows are remarked:  "There but for the grace of God, go I."  We see this haughty and complacent phenomenon today in "holiness" churches, such as the Neo-Pentecostal and Methodist, that teach "entire sanctification," or that a second salvation experience renders a believer incapable of "willful sin" or even destroys the sin nature, rendering him "holy."

It is true that Scripture does say that "without holiness, no man shall see the Lord," but all Christians are holy--there are no degrees of holiness this side of eternity, and it is not by grading on the curve, but a pass/fail basis that God uses. "Since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Pet. 1:16, ESV). Sometimes saints are referred to as "pious" and this is a reflection of our devotion to God, whose prime attribute, and the one that best describes Him is holiness (Isaiah 6:3, ESV, boldface added:  "... Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts").

There is no caste system in the faith--no elite or clergy, as opposed to laity--we're all ministers of reconciliation and messengers of the gospel.  We are all "one in Christ" and no part of the body has a right to deny the need for another part--it's not what gift you have, so much as the spirit you use it in.

(The sum total of God's attributes is His holiness and it's defined as "otherness," purity, or being set apart for service, like silverware set apart for special occasions. God's holiness is the attribute of attributes and regulates all the attributes.)

What is our righteousness then?  It is as filthy rags according to Isaiah 64:6 and, like the wind, our sins sweep us away.  Our righteousness and holiness are extrinsic and the gift of God, not our own working--we have nothing to boast of; our righteousness is God's gift to us, not our gift to Him.  We have no inherent worth or righteousness, that we can offer God and it is entirely imputed to us by Christ on our behalf, by virtue of the atonement on the cross, which enabled the Father to be both just and the justifier.


There is no "second work of grace" to seek, once saved, and believing one is entirely sanctified leads to an inflated opinion of one's achievements.  Martin Luther taught that the believer is at the same time just, and a sinner (cf. Gal. 2:17).  Proverbs 20:9 destroys the premise of sinlessness:  "Who can say, 'I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?'" At salvation we are justified and declared righteous, not made righteous--in God's eyes, we are sinless. There are no saints walking around who have overcome their sin nature and don't sin willfully.  Our righteousness is imputed, not actual. Don't overestimate your spirituality, because there are no shortcuts or easy roads to sanctification, apart from growing in Christ.


We must look into the matter of what holiness is:  Christianity isn't a catalog of rules; neither is it legalism and adhering to certain taboos or rules, or lists of dos and don'ts; neither is it a philosophy or collection of religious ideas; it is not giving up something for God to make you feel superior or smug, either. When you dedicate your life to Christ (He wants you, not something you have, as we present ourselves to Him), and then you become holy, because holiness means being set apart for the service of something.  All believers are vessels of honor and set apart for God's service.  Holiness is essentially manifest in sanctification, and we cannot be saved apart from also being sanctified--a growing process from the point of salvation.


We are to accept all believers, regarding each other as better than ourselves, and to have an attitude that is humble and not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. The business of the Christian life is the pursuit of experiential holiness or of becoming more conformed to the image of Christ--letting our minds become transformed and renewed.  We cannot reach a state of perfection, and perfectionism, as taught by Methodists, is erroneous.  John did say that a Christian cannot sin, but he meant to continue in its practice without conviction and discipline--because God corrects his wayward children per Hebrews 12:5-7.

There is a limit as to how sanctified we can become because our ultimate sanctification is in our glorified state in heaven--even Paul didn't claim to have attained unto it yet (cf. Philippians 3:12, ESV:  "Not that I have already attained this or am already perfect...."   The psalmist in Psalm 119:96 says that he had seen the "limit of all perfection" (ESV). This is interpreted to imply that no one's perfect and to err is human, as the cliches go. We have no right to judge or look down on our brother because "to his own Master he stands or falls." We are all "works in progress," and we must ask people to be patient with us because God isn't finished with us yet--we may even be cantankerous, but how much more we would be without Christ!  We are not what we ought to be, but thank God, we are not what we used to be!

We are not to get into the "let's compare" mindset and to "look unto Jesus, the Author, and Finisher of our faith." We all look like saints compared to Saddam Hussein or Adolf Hitler, but perfection (Christ himself) is the standard, and direction is the test: "Be ye perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect"  (cf. Matt. 5:48).  Note well that God is the moral center of the universe, and it's unwise to play the "let's compare" game.  Being in Christ we are holy positionally, and only God is holier than us by virtue of His very divine nature!   We share in His holiness--we have none of our own!  Only in achieving this God-given state of holiness do we solve the problem of our sin nature and find the way out of our dilemma.  It would be vain to hand us a set of rules or guidelines to adhere to--we couldn't keep them--what we need is a Savior to change our nature, not a lecture to make us feel guilty.   Soli Deo Gloria!

The Appearance Of Wisdom

It would seem that "holy" men like Mahatma (Mohandas) Gandhi or the Dali Lama of Tibet have reached a level unattainable by the average person.  But religiosity is not what God seeks.  Asceticism is condemned by Paul in Col. 2:23 and its show of holiness because the person thinks he is giving up something for God and doing Him a favor by impressing Him of his holiness--these types have a "holier-than-thou" attitude condemned in Isaiah 65:5.  Severe denial of pleasures or the good things in life is not the answer--God has given us richly all things to enjoy (cf. 1 Tim. 6:17) and we are not to refuse anything if received with thanksgiving--God is the source of all good things and blessings.

We are not any better because we give up something.  But fasting is a temporary abstinence of something for the sole purpose of humbling oneself to God and seeking His guidance or deliverance in a trial or difficult time or decision time--not to be practiced for its own sake as a measure of spirituality.  The purpose is to learn and practice self-control in all things, not just our eating habits as some allege.  Martin Luther practiced extreme self-flagellation, and if anyone could've benefited by such a lifestyle it would have been him--he took it to its logical conclusion and found out it didn't work nor impress God.

Faith is what pleases God, not religiosity--He tests our faith as if by fire and brings trials our way to force action.  There are plenty of athletes who have a lot of bodily self-discipline but aren't even saved.  Jesus didn't come to make us good people who have good habits, but to make dead people alive who enjoy the more abundant life He promised.  Abstinence of pleasure or the good things in life is not taught (I'm not talking of sin); for instance, there is no case for teetotalism.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Developing Holy Habits

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles" (Hebrews 12:1).
"Direct my steps according to your word; let no sin rule over me" (Psalm 119:133).
 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36).
"Sin will have no power over you, because you aren't under Law but under grace" (Romans 6:14).
 "They are slaves to whatever has mastered them"  (2 Pet. 2:19).
 "'I have the right to do anything,' you say--but not everything is beneficial.  'I have the right to do anything'--but I will not be mastered by anything"  (1 Cor. 6:12).

NON-BIBLICAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

"To fall into a habit is to begin to cease to be," as P. D. Ouspensky has said.
"Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life," says Grenville Kleiser.
"Habit with him was all the test of truth, 'It must be right: I've done it from my youth,'" quips George Crabbe.

Why are habits crucial?
"Sow a thought  ["As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," says Prov. 23:7; cf. Prov. 4:23], reap an act ["The soul of every act is thought," according to Robert Browning]; sow an act, reap a habit [there's a loss of self-control]; sow a habit, reap a character [We are the sum total of our thoughts]; sow a character, reap a destiny [salvation or damnation]."  It is that simple according to Charlie Riggs.  Peter said, "Whatever overpowers you, enslaves you" (2 Pet. 2:19; cf. Rom.6:16).  Sin is just like that:  it enslaves and alienates you [from God or from others].  We must "consider [our] ways" as Haggai says!  This suggests that the first step is to analyze our life.--"The unexamined life is not worth living," said Socrates.

Habits can develop into addictions if persisted in (even impulsive behaviors) and some things like drugs or coffee seem to be addictive by nature.  In those cases, one may need deliverance and the aid of other believers to intervene and intercede on your behalf.  This is why we need to nip the habit in the bud before it controls us:  it is alright if we control it!  (Cigarettes are a prime example (not a sin in themselves) and are also a medical problem that is aggravated by chemicals such as tar and nicotine.)

Having habits is like being programmed--we should be careful who is doing the programming and be aware of input error!  We are sometimes guilty of habitual behavior that is done without thinking too.  Habits may ultimately decide our eternal destiny, so we should judge them.  Some habits are just ingrained behavior due to repetition like sitting in the same seat where we feel comfortable, or taking the same way home, or going the same place and sometimes we find ourselves repeating the folly unconsciously--like when I go to the lounge instead of the laundry room, because I always go there.

Man is a creature of habit, it is said, and no one can claim to be without them. The issue is whether they are healthy or deleterious, and whether they interfere with our testimony or not. ("All things are permissible, but I will not be mastered by anything," says 1 Cor. 6:12b).   C. H. Spurgeon smoked and was asked when he would quit:  "When it became a problem."  When is that?  "When I smoke two at a time!"  There is some validity to his tongue-in-cheek remark:  The only time we need to worry about a habit is if it compromises or jeopardizes our witness to the world, or otherwise diminishes our character because most habits are fairly harmless.  Those who are married are often annoyed by the mannerisms, quirks, idiosyncrasies, and eccentricities of their mate:  Things like nail biting, procrastinating [never-ending to-do list], teeth grinding, negative thinking, potty mouth, or what-have-you.  Did the mate think he or she actually could change their mate?  Love in marriage is accepting the mate despite their faults--not demanding change.

God doesn't require us to clean up our act to become Christians.  We come as we are, but we don't stay that way.  We are changed from the inside out of all sinful habits.  It goes with coming clean and owning up to our failures, flaws, and shortcomings ( sins).  The fact is though, that God changes us and gives us the power to overcome our sin.  "He shall save His people from their sin."  God accepts us as we are and works on us "to do and to will according to His good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).  I believe that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome our habits ("Cease striving and know that I am God," says Psalm 46:10) and develop good ones to replace them (it is a law of nature to abhor a vacuum!). Just taking them away would open the door for a worse fault or demon.  Don't replace one habit with a worse one!  Don't just clean house or turn over a new leaf, get the Lord's power to live in the Spirit.

Jesus had some "holy" habits (I'm not saying we need a longer to-do list, which would revert us to legalism like the Pharisees or known as the yoke of the Pharisees]:  he got up before dawn to pray, he gave thanks before eating, and he went to the synagogue every Sabbath to worship.  But he did not have the habit of washing his hands before eating, which drove the legalistic Pharisees nuts because he saw that as only an addendum or legalistic extension of the Mosaic Law.  He was probably known as Mr. Unclean.

It is good to have "holy" habits that develop into godliness and give God the opportunity to nurture our faith.  For me, reading the Bible is only natural and I wouldn't dream of not doing it on a daily basis.  Praying is also without ceasing as I keep the communication line open between me and my Maker.  I keep short accounts with Him and immediately confess all known sin according to 1 John 1:9 ("If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness").

One should study Brother Lawrence's book The Practice of the Presence of God to see how one can always be in fellowship with God, no matter what one is doing.  A word to the wise is sufficient:  Do not practice your piety before men, to be seen by them (per Matt. 6:1)--then you've had your reward.  To initiate godly habits one must simply take a leap of faith and just do it--try it, you will be rewarded!  And by all means don't ever get into the trap of thinking you have to do something (that is legalism)--the motive should be the unsatisfied one of love, not fear, i.e., that you want to!

To start the challenge of cultivating a "holy" habit, one should start with some goal or task that he or she believes he or she can faithfully execute.  It only takes a few days to develop a habit, so be careful what habits you are beginning.  It is a lot harder to break a habit than begin one.  We are known by our habits and we get set in a pattern or rut, you could say.  For me, the goal is to bow down to the Father first thing I wake up in the morning and thank Him and then offer my petitions for the day, of which are composed of my outstanding prayer requests and needs.  (I confess that I was brought up saying grace before eating, and hardly ever even remember to do it now as an adult, unless in company with other believers.  I just got out of the habit and don't remember anymore.)

I believe that God empowers us to break bad habits through the Holy Spirit.  We don't speak of quitting cigarette smoking, but being set free--viva la difference!  We want to give God the glory and learn to depend on His strength ("Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts," says Zech. 4:6).  Our attitude should always be to give God the credit to remember what Jesus said:  "Apart from Me you can do nothing"  (John 15:5).  If God wants us to quit, He will tell us when and all we have to be is obedient. It must be in His timing and we will be convicted by the Holy Spirit not accused or made to feel guilty by our friends or enemies.  He will give us the strength if it is His will.  It has to be in His timing, though.  It is not a matter of trying, but of trust.  It must be by faith that God gets the glory (Soli Deo Gloria! meaning to God alone be the glory).  Soli Deo Gloria!

He That Is Spiritual

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God" (Rom. 8:14). 

It has been said that a Christian has a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which He loves, a voice through which He speaks, and hands through which He helps--this is the epitome of spirituality--to know Christ and make Him known.

That was the title of the 1918 book by Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, that made him a renowned and celebrated theologian.  Who is?  This is a vital and bona fide question:  Like someone has said, "We have found all the questions, now let's find the answers!"  When we are spiritual we are exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in a manifold manner.  There is no certain manifestation, such as talking about Jesus or the Bible.  Sometimes just touching base with someone in love and charity and meeting their needs is genuine fellowship and expression of being spiritual. There are telltale signs of spirituality:  A famous saying goes thus:  Where there is love there is joy; where there is joy there is hope; where there is hope there is peace; where there is peace there is Jesus!  I have learned this and have observed it:  God meets us where we are and knows where we are!  We don't always need someone to preach at us, but sometimes we need a listening and sympathetic ear.

Just think of all the possibilities of expressing the nine winsome graces given by the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Wherever two or three are gathered together in Jesus' name, there He is.  The one who is spiritual simply walks in the Spirit and has continual fellowship with the Lord (keeping short accounts of his sins and confessing them per 1 John 1:9:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  The spiritual one simply is in touch with God and meets people's needs and is not self-centered, but Christ-centered.  He lives for Christ and not for himself.  This does not necessarily refer to a level of maturity or of being mature per se, because sometimes a baby believer can be more spiritual than the seasoned.

No one can claim to be always spiritual or that they have "arrived" at such a point of perfection, of not being conscious of sin or shortcomings.  Sometimes the wisest remarks can proceed out of the mouths of babes, as Jesus noticed:  Psalm 8:2 says, "Through the praise of children and infants..."  I believe children can even be used by God: a child's voice convicted St. Augustine said:  "Take and read, take and read."

He that is spiritual simply walks with the Lord as Enoch and Noah ("Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God")-and we have this privilege too!  It is a "faith-walk" because "we walk by faith, and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:17).  There is no veneer to see through or guise of spirituality, such as hypocrisy (he has nothing to hide and is straightforward in speech), but a genuineness and authenticity in action. He is the real thing, an original!  He's not out to outshine someone or be a rival.  "The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments'  (1 Cor. 2:15).  There is a certain natural ability to discern the Spirit, in other words.  Whatever he does, he does to the glory of God (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31)!

There is no inherent dichotomy or division of believers into classes of spiritual and non-spiritual, first-class and second-class, or what Chafer mistakenly believed to be carnal and spiritual Christians. Just like it is wrong to have a "holier than thou" attitude (cf. Isa. 65:5), it is wrong to deceive yourself into thinking you are more spiritual than your brethren--you either are spiritual or you're not--there are no degrees to graduate to.  

Any believer can be carnal or spiritual at any given period of time, it is not a given (each day one must start all over in their walk:  "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deut. 33:25).  "This is the day that the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it," says Psalm 118:24), and he must "abide in Christ" or stay in fellowship with God in order to walk in step with Him.  The most spiritually mature can indeed fall into sin like David did but he will ultimately recover and his carnality will not be a permanent or continuous state. The continuity of our status in Christ never changes; only our state of fellowship and relationship and/or sanctification.

This doctrine need not be problematic or an issue at all:  "So I say, walk by the Spirit and you shall not gratify the desires of the flesh"  (Gal. 5:16). We are indeed free in Christ:  not free to live according to the flesh and our old nature, but power to live in the new nature or spirit.  The old nature knows no law, the new nature needs no law!  In other words:  Freedom to do what we ought, not what we want! We've never had the right to do what is right in our own eyes or to do what is scripturally wrong.  In sum,  "So we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step [pace] with the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25).   Soli Deo Gloria!

What is the Essence of Worship?

Caveat:  Only worship the LORD your God, for He alone is worthy, that even goes for angels who stand in the presence of God and represent or speak for Him.  "At that time a gift of homage will be brought to the LORD of hosts."  Worship is called that because of His "worth-ship."  We worship God for who He is and what He has wrought.

The typical believer thinks that he simply goes to church to "worship" God and hopes to get something out of it.  This couldn't be further from the truth, biblically speaking, that is.  We don't go to worship we are to worship with our bodies, our time, our talents, our resources, our opportunities, our money, our speech or testimony, our demeanor or attitude, our relationships, our vocations and vacations or witness.  Our whole life is a devotion to God.  "Present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God...."  Worship is a prostration of ourselves unto God, valuing and recognizing his "worth-ship" (the origin of the English word).  We "bow" to God ("worship and bow down," says Ps. 95:6). Whenever we give God His "due" we are worshiping and humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord--"God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Worship must be lively or "in the Spirit" and not "lukewarm, nonchalant, disinterested, or casual  (this refers to Mark 7, Matt. 15 and Isa. 29:13 which says, "Because these people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote." Jesus said, "But in vain do they worship me.")--we take God seriously and not treat Him in a flippant or frivolous manner.  Don't be a fraud at worship, but sincere.

Indeed, some are more demonstrative and some are by nature stoical or inhibited, but God wants us to learn to worship God, nevertheless--feelings are not wrong, but worship is more than emotionalism, just as much it is more than intellectualism.   "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name, worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness"  (Ps. 29:2).  ("Bless the LORD, O my soul, all that is within me bless His holy name, says Ps. 103:1.  Jesus said that those who worship God must "worship in spirit and in truth," according to John 4:24.  

That means that accuracy and right teaching are important to God as well as how excited we get. Speaking of excitement:  Ps. 100:4 says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, enter his courts with joy."  Ps. 47:1 says: "Clap your hands all ye peoples, shout to God with the voice of triumph."  Likewise Ps. 89:15 says:  "Blessed are the people who hear the festal shout," or "Blessed are the people who hear the joyful call to worship!"  or "Blessed are the people who have learned to acclaim You."

Worship is a celebration and meant to be happy and a "sacrifice of thanksgiving."  "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me," says Ps. 50:23.  All worship glorifies God and whenever we do something to the glory of God it is a sacrifice to God, in fact, "whatever you do, do to the glory of God,"  1 Cor. 10:31.  God hates "solemn assemblies" and "religious feasts" (Amos 5:21).

 We offer our daily activities to glorify and honor our Maker and they are the worship we are called to do, just as the pastor giving his sermon is doing what God has called him to do in life (another example is the bricklayer seeing himself as building a temple for God, not just making money or laying bricks).  I've heard it said that we don't "go to church, we are the church."  It is the same in worship, there is corporate worship as the body assembles and we are not to neglect this, but we are to worship God individually (our private walk with the Lord), too and I don't mean like the farmer who says he can give God His due in the cornfield.

 The biggest misconception concerning worship is that one can listen to someone sing and that is worship per se.  "Sing to the LORD a new song {not listen]."   Worship is not passive, au contraire, it is very active and so active you would call it a sacrifice unto God.  Yes, it's sacrificial and going to cost you (you might have to give up something, and I don't mean for Lent)   We don't receive, we give--only God is worthy of worship and in today's society there are many idols people worship, such as fame, fortune, power, success,  and money even though we don't worship "idols" like the Israelites did.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" worship and some are traditionalists by nature and don't like new, untried activity.   God wants us to always give Him the credit and not think it ours.  The motto of the Reformation was Sola Deo Gloria or to God alone be the glory! The more we exalt God the better and we should be like John who said, "He must increase, I must decrease."  The whole idea is to get our eyes off ourselves and on our triune God.   As we get older we get set in our ways, but this is not ideal--we should be young at heart and relate to the youth, even then, and reach out to them--the older are to mentor the younger in the Lord.  Soli Deo Gloria!

How Do You Prepare for Worship?

We don't just roll out of bed and show up at church for the show hoping we can get blessed!  Some believers go to see what they can get out of the worship and complain when they get nothing or aren't blessed.  We go to church to corporately worship God and it is a serious business.  Would you go to see the president dressed casually or as nice as you can?  Of course, it depends on how well you know the president!  But we are to worship God in holy array ("Worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness," says Psalm 29:2b) and this is an inward attitude, not our outward appearance--"Man looks on the outward appearance, God looks on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).  Come as you are (God won't let you stay that way, though),  God will change you from the inside out and make you a neater person or one that dresses to please others, and not just yourself.  

 Worship is not a performance we go to see, but it involves our effort and input as we become sensitized to the Spirit's message to us.  Unconfessed sin can get us out of fellowship and is a hindrance to worship--we must realize that sin is a barrier that must be overcome by confession and repentance.  Discover the power of praise and get your eyes off of yourself and onto Jesus--"looking unto Jesus."  It is depressing to get our eyes off of Jesus and focused on ourselves or the world.

We get into the spirit of worship or some may say the mood by entering His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise (a friend of mine says he gets into the mood at Bible study when they sing the hymns)--we just do it and if we are in fellowship with no unconfessed sin (cf. 1 John 1:9) it is God's pleasure to bless His children as they worship Him. 

 We must be patient and not go by feeling but wait on the Lord.  For me the best preparation is to read the Bible and let God speak to me--O how I love the Word--it is a vital part of my walk and fellowship (from the Greek koinonia, meaning sharing things in common).  Case in point:  "When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" (Jer. 15:16).

Note that fellowship is not only vertical but horizontal--we prepare by making sure we don't have any unholy relationships and by fellowshipping with our brethren--that's why it is a good idea to show up early for worship and let the Lord lead you and enjoy the fellowship of believers in the Spirit and see why the apostles were so devoted to it (cf. Acts 2:42).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Where Do You Get Your Strength?

We all have a crutch, whether we admit it or not, it could be a spouse, a habit, a drug, an escape, or even religion itself. No man is an "island" nor a "rock" as the song by Simon and Garfunkel goes and the words of John Donne--we all lean on something or someone in a time of stress.  We all know there are no atheists in foxholes.   Man is designed to worship God and get his strength from up above--Sir Francis Bacon said there is a God-shaped vacuum in all of us that can only be filled and satisfied with God Himself.  Ted Turner says, "Christianity is for losers."   Everyone has a god, whether they know it or not; we all worship someone or something.  However, "The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe"  (Prov. 18:10).

 We can all reach our potential in Christ as we tap into divine power.  "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me"  (Phil. 4:13).   "He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength"  (Isa. 40:29).   Yes, "Let the weak say, 'I am strong'" (Joel 3:10).  "Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this:  that power belongs to God..." (Psa. 62:11).  We have to remember that this power is at our disposal and it is not intrinsic, but extrinsic:  "'...Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 4:6).

God wants all the glory and the credit, so to speak:  "You who rejoice in Lo-debar [nothing], who say, 'Have we not by our own strength captured Karnaim [the stronghold] by ourselves?'" (Amos 6:13). Truly "you have done for us all our works" (Isa. 26:12).  "Did we in our strength confide, our striving would be losing...." (says the hymn).   We must bear in mind that "apart from [Christ] we can do nothing"  (John 15:5).  I'm not against good works, just ones done in the flesh in our own power.

Until we realize the power of the Spirit in leading us and the empowerment ministry we are just plodding along in the energy of the flesh and cannot be rewarded.  All our works will be evaluated as to whether they were done in the right spirit and motive.  We must work "with all his energy which he powerfully works within [us]" (Col. 1:29).  He is able to do more than we can ask, "according to the power at work within us"  (Eph. 3:20).

In witnessing it is necessary to get the prompting and the leading and the open door of the Holy Spirit:  "And you shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."  (Acts 1:8).  "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work according to his good pleasure"  (Phil. 2:13).  Knowing that it is God and not us is key and then we come to a knowledge of Christ working in us:  "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..."  (Phil. 3:10).

We don't want to be self-confident,  but God-confident and faithfully proclaim, "The joy of the LORD is [our] strength"  (Neh. 8:10).    In summation, let me quote the Apostle Paul, who went on to boast in the Lord:  "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You A Sabbatarian?

Sabbatarian is defined as one who religiously and strictly keeps the Sabbath holy (defined as making separate or consecrating to the service of) as unto the Lord per the fourth commandment. There is no hard-and-fast rule as to what a Sabbath should be and Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath--it is His day. According to the law of Moses, breaking the Sabbath was a capital offense. Sabbath doesn't mean "seventh" but "rest." We owe our concept of a weekend to our Judeo-Christian heritage. Going to church every Sunday doesn't make you a Sabbatarian. Deciding that you need one day a week to rest is not being a Sabbatarian unless you keep it holy. Going to the ballgame or mowing your lawn on Sunday is not a violation for non-Sabbatarians.

My pastor has gone to games on Sunday. If you work on Sunday and you're taking another day off does not make you a Sabbatarian. Ministers, who work on Sunday often take Mondays off are by my definition not Sabbatarians. Taking a break is not necessarily keeping the day holy. Jews were forbidden from pursuing "pleasure" on the Sabbath (Isa. 58:13). The principle of "rest" is in effect still and God warns in Hebrews that Israel failed to enter into His rest.

The Sabbath day was given as a sign to Israel ( Neh. 9:14; Ezekiel 20:12,20). Christians are not to be judged as regards a Sabbath (Col. 2:16). The only one of the Ten Commandments or the Decalogue not repeated in the New Testament is the fourth about the Sabbath. The principle of rest still applies but "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27). We owe our concept of the weekend to our Judeo-Christian heritage. Christians enter into His rest (Heb. 4:3). Rom. 14:5 makes it clear that we are to be convinced in our own mind and not to judge some who consider one day more sacred than another. To some, all days are equally holy.

Seventh-Day Adventists consider the Sabbath still in effect and insist that this implies that it should be Saturday which the Jews keep holy and that the earliest Christians actually didn't change the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday or the Lord's Day as John calls it in Revelation. It is reported in Didache 14:1 that early Christians met on the Lord's day by the end of the first century A.D. We do have a day set aside to worship and gather together to break bread and collect offerings (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. l6:2). This is circumstantial evidence and there is no command in the New Testament to observe the Lord's Day. In conclusion: you have the freedom to be a Sabbatarian or not one if you will, but not to judge others.   Soli Deo Gloria!