May You Cancel the Worship of God?

(May you do so for the pleasure of men ?)

by Rev. Thomas Miersma

There are some strange things, strange worship, or lack of worship altogether, that take place today. Jesus told us to "preach the gospel." He did not tell us to imitate the pagan Greek temples of His day with skits, plays, dramas, and entertainment. Church is now cancelled, or if not cancelled, the world is brought into the church for

• Christmas (commemorating Jesus' birth)
• New Years Day (Has the Lord nothing to do with our life in a new year?)
• The Super Bowl, a football game, mere entertainment
• Jogging with unbelievers, when God sends the spring (which is what Bloomsday is)

Some Questions

Consider a few questions:

• May you cancel the worship of God in Jesus Christ for your own pleasure?! What does the Lord think of this?
  
  
• May you bring the entertainment of the world into God's house? Is it not to be a house of prayer and worship?
  
  
• May you substitute for the worship of the Lord a quickie pseudo-service, so you can join hands with unbelievers and go jogging? Will the Lord receive such worship?
  

Perhaps a few more important questions:

• What does the Word of God say about such things?
  
  
• What does that Word say about the spiritual state before God of the heart of a man or woman who does such things?
  
  
• What does the Lord say and how does He view it?

The last three are perhaps the more important questions, because they are not after all a matter of opinion, yours or mine. The only thing that really matters is what the Lord thinks about it since it is eternally serious! The Word of God has a lot to say about this subject.

What does the Word of God say
in the history of the people of God?

To begin with, it is important to have a certain principle in mind: "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," II Timothy 3:16. The Word of God, describing the walk of Israel in the wilderness between Egypt (the house of bondage and a shadow of the house of sin) and Canaan (the shadow of heaven) says of it, "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come," II Corinthians 10:11. They "happened" and were "written" for the New Testament church. The point made is , "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall, " II Corinthians 10:12. This principle applies to all the Old Testament as well.

It is well that we turn first of all to God's revelation in the history of the people of God. In I Corinthians 10 the apostle gives a summary of what happened among those who had the name of the people of God in the wilderness. They were baptized (I Cor. 10:2), ate of the "spiritual meat, the manna ( I Cor. 10:3), and drank the "spiritual drink, " water out of the rock (I Cor. 10:4). "and that rock was Christ," I Corinthians 10:4. That is, they were brought under the means of grace, the equivalents of preaching, baptism and the Lord's Supper. But they perished! "...with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness, " I Corinthians 10:5. They did not enter Canaan (the shadow of heaven, Hebrews 11:16) see also Hebrews 3:17-4:2.

Why did this happen? Because of their unbelief and false worship, They invented their own worship, the golden calves, I Corinthians 10:7. They tempted Christ by despising the manna, effectively the Word of the gospel, I Corinthians 10:9. Not only so, but they murmured against Moses, the mediator, who was the shadow of Christ, I Corinthians 10:10. Even the priests, Nadab and Abihu, worshiped after their own invention with "strange fire" and were consumed of the Lord, Leviticus 10:1-11. They rebelled as did Korah, Dathan and Abiram ( Numbers 16; Deuteronomy 11:6; Jude 11). Despising the worship of God and corrupting it led to destruction.

So likewise the sin of Jeroboam who set aside the ordained worship of God for golden calves, who also set aside the offices (priests and Levites), feasts, and order of worship and invented his own, I King 12:28-33. The excuse for this "sin of Jeroboam" was the need to please men, " It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, " I Kings 12:28. Is not this the modern principle of worship today? It is too hard to worship God; God's worship must bend to fit man's needs and will? What happened to the northern tribes of Israel when they walked in this sin? They were cast into captivity, and effectively cast out of the people of God. What happened when the kingdom of Judah walked the same way? Did they not go to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar, an Old Testament form of Antichrist! There is nothing obscure about this point in the books of Kings and Chronicles or the prophets who comment on it. Consider the book of Judges, a time when everyone did what was right in his own eyes and there was no king in Israel? It is a warning to the New Testament church. "These things were written for our admonition," I Corinthians 10:11.

What does the Word of God say
directly about this in the Old Testament?

The short answer is, a great deal. In fact, only a brief summary of passages can be presented here. They speak both positively of the blessings of true worship and the negatively of false worship and its corruption. Consider:

• Psalm 50 ( the whole Psalm ) - "Whoso offereth praise glorifeth me; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God" Psalm 50:23
  
  
• Psalm 106 ( the whole Psalm) - "But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And He gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul," Psalm 106:13, 14.
  
  
• "Thus they were defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance," Psalm 106:39, 40.
  
  
• "Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil," Ecclesiastes 5:1.
  
  
• "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for thew wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid," Isaiah 29:13, 14ff.
  
  
• "If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call a sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord,"... Isaiah 58:13, 14.
  
  
• "A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so; and what will ye do in the end thereof?"
  Jeremiah 5:30, 31.
  
  
• "Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord," Amos 8:11
  
  
• "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?"
  Jeremiah 7:10
  
  
• "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O Priests, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible." Malachi 1:6, 7
  
  

What does Jesus say about this?

One could quote even more extensively from the Old Testament. But what about the New Testament, yea more, what did Jesus Himself say? To answer that with clarity there are a few point which must be kept in mind:

• The New Testament church is spiritually the temple of God, "the habitation of God through the Spirit," Ephesians 2:19-22.
  
  
• The Word of God says to the gentile church in Corinth, of them as a church," Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." I Corinthians 3:16, 17, where the Corinthians (plural) are the temple (singular) of God in the Spirit.
  
  
• One aspect of prayer and also of public worship is entering the presence of God, the spiritual equivalent of the holy of holies in heaven, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.: Hebrews 4:16. Again we read, "Having therefore, brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,...Let us draw near with a true heart..."
  Hebrews 10:19, 22.
  
  
• The calling of the New Testament church in worship is to, " ...preach the gospel to every creature,..." Mark 16:15. It is, as Jesus himself said, to "...teach all nations..." and that, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you,... " Matthew 28:19, 20.
  
  
• This calling is moreover constant and continual as the charge addressed through Paul to Titus indicates, "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine." Titus 4:1, 2.
  
  

While the above few texts, (and there are more) may serve to define what the church is to be in public worship and what the center of that worship is, namely preaching, we may in that context also look to what the Lord Himself said, though again, only briefly. It is well that we do so with some reflection on what Jesus' words mean and the gospel history connected with them. Jesus said:

• "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an hour of merchandise," John 2:16. At the beginning of his earthly ministry Jesus first cleansed the temple with these words. He did so to establish His authority over the house of God, which He would confirm by His words and miracles. He did so also to declare at the beginning of His preaching, " Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," John 2:19. During the last week of His life before the cross, Jesus again wrought the same wonder, now a second time, "Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves." Luke 19:46. Also in Mark, "My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer." Mark 11:17.
  
  ---Question: if the New Testament church is now, as the Scriptures declare, the temple of God in worship, is it then also a rock concert, a video extravaganza, a substitute for a sports bar on the day of Super Bowl or a night club. How is it then a house of prayer?! Can this be a church of Christ? Or do men make it a den of thieves anew?
  
  
• "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me," John 10:27. God works salvation by the hearing of His Word (Romans 10:14, 17), Jesus commanded us to "preach the gospel," Mark 16:15, and to teach all men to observe, "all things what soever I have commanded you," Matthew 28:19, 20. He says to his disciples concerning the preaching, "and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me," Luke 10:16.
  
  --Question: How is Jesus' commission obeyed when church is cancelled for the entertainment of men?
  
  --Question: Is the gospel which is the "power of God unto salvation," Romans1:16, so impotent that it needs entertainment in the church to make it work?
  
  --Question: Did Jesus use other methods than preaching and showing the power of God? Did he entertain, have singers, plays, dramas (the equivalent of movies) in that day? Is that what he sent the apostles to do?
  
  --Question: When he said "preach" and "teach" was he lying? Is the ruler of the house of God, the head of the church, Who raised the dead to life, and Who is now exalted at God's right hand unable to save His own in the way He ordained, so that men need to help Him along?
  
  ------Is not such thinking blasphemy?
  ------Then why is it found in the so-called church? Is it of God or men?
  
  
• "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matthew 10:37. Christmas, the commemoration of Jesus' birth recorded in the gospels, was, this past year (2005) on the day of worship, Sunday. While the church has the liberty to commemorate Jesus' birth, may you or can you do so by cancelling church, the worship of God? The excuse given was the need for family time! Is that what Jesus said above? Can you love your family this way? Can you commemorate Jesus' birth without turning to the wonder "...that unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."? The angels themselves proclaimed this, saying, "Glory to God in the highest!" Luke 2: 11, 14. Is that what cancelling church was about? Genuine love of family in Christ ? And then the Super Bowl came and you showed what? More love for Christ? Next will be Bloomsday? Jesus said, "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it," Matthew 10:39.
  
  
• Jesus also said , "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God," Mark 10:14. He warned, " But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6. To offend in the sense that Jesus uses it means to lead into sin and away from the gospel. (He is not talking about human dislikes.) The two texts are related in their ideas, as positive and negative, and belong together. Which is it that shaped Christmas, so-called Super Bowl Sunday, at your church? Are your children even in the worship service?
  

Then there is the question of spiritual priorities and the heart. God alone knows the heart, and Jesus warns us, " Judge not, that ye be not judged," Matthew 7:1, that is, He warns us against a sinful sitting in judgment upon one another. But when the Word of God judges us, that is a different matter. As God alone knows the heart, so also Jesus knows what is in the heart of men. We read, "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man, " John 2:24, 25. The one who called the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and whited sepulchres is the one who knew what was in them. So also he knows us! He speaks rather directly about it and he is not deceived by mere show.

• He said of worship, " God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth," John 4:24.
  
  
• "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24. Mammon refers to the things of this world, not merely money as some paraphrases render it. It includes also serving our own sinful pleasure.
  
  
• "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33
  
  
• "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, ...But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,...For where your treasure is there will your heart be also," Matthew 6:19-21.
  
  
• "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:12.
  
  

What does the rest of
the New Testament say about this?

• "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." II Corinthians 6: 14-18.
  
  
• "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you," I Peter 4:3, 4.
  
  
• "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:1, 2
  
  
• "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life , is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I John 2:15-17.
  
  
• "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." I Peter 4:7
  
  
• And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who had pleasure in unrighteousness." II Thessalonians 2:11, 12.
  
  
• "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud...lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. II Timothy 3: 1, 2, 4, 5
  
  
• "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby," I Peter 2:1, 2.
  
  
• Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)...Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;" Hebrews 10:23, 25
  

One could quote yet more and more, the teaching the New Testament epistles, the testimony of the apostles, is also clear. We are to be spiritually minded, we are to walk in spiritual separation from a world of sin, with our priorities set on the Word and worship of God.

Answer: You may not!

The entire Bible teaches consistently a calling to genuine and sincere worship under the word of God, and that from the heart. From the corrupt worship of Cain in the beginning, in Genesis 4:5-7, to the false worship of the beast, Revelation 13:12, the Word of God warns us of the issues in this matter. "...know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God," James 4:4.

We are warned likewise of false teachers, christs and prophets who make merchandise of the gospel for worldly advantage and gain ( II Peter 2, Jude). The word of God is plain. May you cancel the worship of God for your own pleasure? You may not. May the church of Christ do so? Not if it is the church of Christ! If your heart is right before God, why would you want to? The spiritual disposition of faith in the love of Christ is, " I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord," Psalm 122:1.

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