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Commentary on "Conformity, Compromise, and Crisis in Worship"
Day 7: Friday, August 19, 2011 - Further Study
Overview
The usual Ellen G. White quotations…
Problems
Worship is not about behavior. More properly, no one can tell whether someone’s “good” behavior represents true worship. We are not to judge (Matthew 7:1-5, Romans 2:1) because we are incapable of judging accurately and fairly. It is proper to ask questions to get at the why’s and wherefore’s of someone’s approach, but we should never confuse redemptive questioning with ill-disguised condemnation.
Yet, the SDA approach is to look at behavior first, last and always. Their claim is that I can know your heart by what you do. No you can’t! Nor can I know your heart. This is Spirit work (1 Corinthians 2:10-11).
Therefore, true worship is a matter between you and the Spirit. Abiding in the Vine, Jesus, is the only way to avoid the self-deception, worldliness and compromise that afflicts today’s churches so badly.
This lesson does a great job exposing the lies that permeate worship today, but no real solutions are offered, because all the Adventist church has to rely on is the Law. This approach is doomed to failure because the Law can only point out that we fail to live up to God’s rightful demands. The Law cannot provide the strength necessary to live as we have been called to live.
Only Grace, the indwelling Holy Spirit, can do that. This is why we are no longer under Law. The Law has done its work when you come to Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life. Having completed this work, the Law has nothing left to offer. This is wonderful news! The shadow has done what it was meant to do – point us to Jesus. Now, Grace takes over.
This is the stuff of true worship. This is what causes even the smallest or most private activity to be a paean of praise. This is what causes corporate expressions of that same private praise to draw seekers to Jesus.
It is time to quit worrying about tempo, key, beat, and instrumentation in corporate worship. It is time to start proclaiming Jesus, the only True God, Source of Life and Object of praise.
Copyright 2011 BibleStudiesForAdventists.com. All rights reserved. Revised August 8, 2011. This website is published by Life Assurance Ministries, Glendale, Arizona, USA, the publisher of Proclamation! Magazine. Contact email: BibleStudiesForAdventists@gmail.com.
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