The Regulative Principle for Worship – April 7, 2023
Have you ever paused to consider what should be accomplished in a church service? What is necessary for it to be considered worship? Often tradition, our upbringing, our various biases, and our culture determine what we think worship should look like. However, God cares deeply about how we worship him. He stated, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24). Since God cares how we should worship, what is the proper way to worship?
In John 4, Jesus met the woman at the well and began proclaiming the gospel to her. In her discomfort, she tried to deflect the conversation and seized on the worship war of that day. Does true worship take place in Jerusalem or on the mountain? The Samaritans argued that worship took place in the spirit. Hence, they were justified in not going to the temple in Jerusalem. The pure-blooded Israelites argued that you had to go to the temple. Who was right? Jesus states that they were both wrong. God had dictated how they were to approach worship. That meant that the temple was necessary. However, God also said that worship must be about God and not man, and in this, Israel failed. True worship must be in spirit and truth.
If our worship is to be true, it must be Biblically proper. Since worship is to God and for God, we cannot worship however we want. Paul comments on this reality in his letter to the Colossians, “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Col 2:23). There were individuals in the Colossian church that were placing extra implementations on worship. They demanded that the believers follow specific ritualistic guidelines. In response, there was another group that was allowing worship to become a free for all. Paul states that these people had ceased worshipping God and had created a self-made religion. He says very clearly that this self-made religion was of no value. It attempted to approach God the wrong way.
From the beginning, God regulated how mankind was to approach him. This has become known as the regulative principle. In other words, we can only approach God how God tells us to. If God does not instruct us to come in a certain way, we cannot approach in that way and expect God to accept our worship.
When mankind fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, God gave instructions for how man was to approach Him. We see this in the sacrifices that he made and the clothing that he prepared. However, it is not long before we see the seriousness with which God takes worship. Genesis 4 contains the well-known narrative of Cain and Abel. However, we often miss the point of the passage. They both approached God in worship. Both made a sacrifice. Abel brought the best of his flock, and Cain brought the best of his harvest. However, God rejected Cain. Why? Not because Cain’s offering was not a sacrifice. But because this was not the way that God had regulated that they came to Him. He required the blood of a lamb. And Cain chose to attempt to approach God in his own way. The result was that God rejected his sacrifice.
Later, as Israel headed towards the promised land, God gave specific instructions on worship. In fact, the first five books of the Bible served as a manual on how to approach God. As we consider the ten commandments, we are struck that the first part is about how to approach God (Ex 20:2-6). Note that God is a jealous God. This means that we must approach God on His terms. Worship is not about us. It is about God. This means that we have to worship the right one the right way. There were severe consequences if they approached God the wrong way.
Leviticus 10 contains an engaging narrative on the consequences of improper worship. As the sons of Aaron, it was Nadab and Abihu’s God-given task to lead Israel in worship. But in this chapter, we learn that they attempted to do this in their own way. They tried to approach God with incense. But note that they did not bring the incense in the way the Lord had commanded. We might say, “but they were trying to worship.” However, God is not just concerned that we worship. He is also concerned with how we worship.
The method of worship was the problem with the Pharisees in Jesus’ day. The Pharisees had hearts for God. They worshiped. But they did so in ways God did not prescribe, so God rejected their worship. Jesus lays this out very clearly in Matthew 15:1-14. The most telling verse is a quote from the prophet Isaiah that Jesus applies to the Pharisees in verse 9, “In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
Now we understand that the cross of Christ has placed us under Grace. The book of Galatians clearly teaches us that the law no longer binds us. Instead, we live in a state of Grace. So, we must ask, “How does Grace impact the prescriptions for worship?” This is the question we will seek to address next week.
God’s Requirements for True Worship – March 31, 2023
Worship is to God and for God. This means that our worship must be how God requires it. From the beginning, God has informed man how we are to approach Him. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, God demonstrated to them the sacrifices that were then necessary to approach God. These sacrifices continued through Moses when God prescribed a set of laws. The first five books of our Bible testify that we cannot approach God any way we want. However, now that we are under grace in the New Covenant, has this changed? Since God does not change, the answer would be no. So how do we find out how we are to worship God? Once again, the answer is found in His Word.
Peter informs us, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:3-4). So the Word of God contains everything that we need for life and godliness. This Word contains what we need to approach (or worship) God rightly. To this end, we should consider three principles of truth in worship.
First, worship should be Biblically saturated. Throughout the Word of God, we see that when God’s people approach God in worship, they often repeat God’s words back to Him (Psalm 119:54). This is what Hannah did when she praised God in 1 Samuel 2. An examination of Hannah’s song reveals that it is saturated with Scripture.
But not only is this an example for God’s people. We also see this as a command to us today. Consider Ephesians 5:18-19 and Colossians 3:16. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (Eph 5:18-19). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16).
When we gather, we sing to one another in Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Whatever your definition of hymns and spiritual songs is, there are a couple of facts here that are beyond argument. The first is that Psalms refers to the inspired book of the Bible, Psalms, and other songs found in the Bible. We are to sing God’s Word. Second, hymns and spiritual songs imply that the rest of the songs are to be heavily spiritual (Biblical) in nature. They are to be Scripture saturated. We also see the command about what is to occupy our minds in Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
We live in an age that has relativized truth. However, truth is not fluctuating, and the truth is not relative. Truth is dogmatic. And Christ informs us that truth is found in the Word of God. In fact, beyond being found in the Word of God, the Word of God is truth itself (Jn 17:17). If we are going to worship in truth, then the Bible must saturate our worship.
Second, worship should not only be Biblically saturated, but worship must also be Biblically accurate. In 2016 Donald Trump shocked the world with his election as the president of the US. His campaign was largely successful because he tapped into the country’s mistrust of news agencies. Through his campaign, he brought the country face to face with the fact that most people do not trust the news because it often fails to be accurate.
Sadly, this downplaying of accuracy has infiltrated most of life, and the church is no exception. The Word of God is handled as though it can be used to say whatever we want. This is not a new problem. One of the final books of the Bible given to us by God addresses this very issue. “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures” (2 Pet 3:14-16). Peter states that the Scripture can sometimes be hard to understand. But that is not an excuse to fail in biblical accuracy. For note that Peter says when ignorant and unstable people twist the Scripture, they do so to their destruction. We must be accurate with the Word of God. We must handle the Word of God correctly in our worship of God.
One of the most important questions we can ask in worship is, “Is it true?” When the speaker stands behind the pulpit and presents a message, we must ask, “Is it true?” Does what the speaker says align with what the Word of God says? When we sing songs, the question is not “How does it make me feel?” but “What is it saying, and is it true?” Just because it is old or just because it is new does not make it true. Just because it is catchy and put to music you like does not make it true. We must make sure that our worship is Biblically accurate.
We come now to the final principle; our worship must be Biblically proper. Since worship is to God and for God, we cannot worship however we want. And since God has instructed us in his Word what he desires, our worship must be Biblically proper. We must then ask how God has instructed us to worship Him. What does Biblically proper worship look like? This is a massive question that we will begin to address next week.
True Worship Is for God – March 24, 2023
Everyone worships something. As Christians, we must seek to worship the right One the right way. Last week we mentioned that we must begin this discussion with two essential principles: True worship is for God and to God. This week we want to start with that first principle. We must begin with the most foundational question to understand that true worship is for God. Why do we exist? Because the world refuses to worship God, they have come up with the happy alternative that we are nothing more than accidents of evolution. There is no purpose to our existence. However, the Bible presents the truth that we were created by God and for God (Revelation 4:11).
God created us to be worshipers of Him. This is our purpose in life. This principle means we must live for God’s glory to fulfill our created purpose (this is the only way to find purpose, satisfaction, and joy). As we follow this line, it means that worship is for God. Paul brought this home to the church in Corinth, which was in the middle of a massive civil war on worship. Some expressed superiority because they believed they had the gift of tongues. Others expressed superiority because they were so loving they could overlook blatant sin. When they celebrated the Lord’s supper, they also had a massive meal with it. The rich would bring in vast amounts of food but would rush the table to ensure they got the majority. Some refused to work but claimed God called them to be counselors and would travel from house to house, taking advantage of other members. In short, this church was a mess. Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians to instruct them in part on proper worship. And in it, he states that worship is all about God. At the end of chapter 10, he makes the statement, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (v. 31). With this, Paul repeats the statement he made in chapter 6, “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (6:20).
Since mankind’s purpose and the purpose of worship is to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31; Rev. 4:11), corporate worship in the church should reflect this purpose. Further, corporate worship should train the church members to accomplish this purpose in their lives. The church’s worship on Sunday should inspire the individual member’s worship Monday through Saturday. To worship with God’s people on God’s Day before God’s throne under the authority of God’s Word is the solemn duty and distinct privilege of God’s people.
Where the church corporately and Christians individually have often gone astray is by falling into the thinking that worship is about us. When we hear a song on the radio that impacts us emotionally, we feel we have worshipped. When we leave a church service after singing our favorite songs and having our ears tickled with some moralistic devotional, we feel we have worshipped. On the other hand, when we sing songs that don’t do it for us, and the preacher exposits the Word, and it feels like meddling with our lives, we think, “Well, that really wasn’t very good worship today.” However, this thinking is due to faulty worship. Instead of worshipping God, we are worshipping ourselves. You see, true worship of God is not primarily about us.
As Paul opens the book of Romans, he comments on the decline of culture. As he presents an incredible argument for the total depravity of man, there is a verse tucked in there that has massive implications for worship in the church. “Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen” (Romans 1:25). When we make worship about us (a creature) instead of about God (the creator) we are exchanging the truth of God for a lie. What is this lie? The lie is that we are worshipping God when, in reality, we are worshipping something far inferior.
The implication for the church is that worship cannot be about us. It must be about God. This is not to say that worship should never be emotionally stimulating. This is not to say we should never leave the service feeling good about ourselves and life. This is to say that if we think that good feelings are all there is to worship, we have begun to worship ourselves and exchange the truth of God for a lie.
This faulty worship was the very problem that plagued Israel just before God judged her with deportation. The problem was not that Israel was not worshipping. The problem was that Israel had made worship about themselves rather than about God. In his prophetic book, Amos informed Israel that God would judge them. He had no interest in their faulty worship. “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. 24 But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:21-24).
The prophet Amos addresses their worship and proclaims God’s hatred of it with words of burning eloquence. Amos uses the same words earlier to describe the attitude Israel should have toward evil in verse 15. He applies that word here to the things they think please the Lord. The routine observance of the Levitical ritual is empty because it was being done so that the people would feel good about themselves and direct God’s favor to them. He states that their religiosity is a mockery of true worship. Ezekiel echoes the reality that the very reason that God was going to judge Israel was for the impact of their improper worship. “And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23).
Since mankind’s created purpose is God’s glory and honor, the church’s worship and music should direct its members toward that goal. Worship is only for God. He alone is worthy of our worship. He is the most important audience at every service. The gathering of the church for worship is a picture and an anticipation of the heavenly gathering of God’s people. This means then that our worship gatherings should look distinct from the worship gatherings of the world. Our worship through music should look and feel different from the music concerts of the world. Our assembly should not resemble the athletic or rotary club assembly. The subject matters of our worship and music should honor God above all. The texts should drive the heart of the people to God. The focus of the service should be on God. Our worship should move the heart of God’s people to God’s throne. Most importantly, since worship is for God, we do not get to worship God any way we want. We must worship the right One in the right way.
Everyone Worships Something – March 17, 2023
In December 2019, there was an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal. It was an op-ed piece by Erica Komisar entitled “Don’t Believe in God? Lie to Your Children.” In the article she stated that “Nihilism [atheism] is fertilizer for anxiety and depression, and being ‘realistic’ is over-rated.” She continues on to write, “The belief in God—in a protective and guiding figure to rely on when times are tough is one of the best kinds of support for kids in an increasingly pessimistic world.” We would agree with her statement so far. Komisar’s counsel goes awry, though, when she discloses her advice for parents on how to talk about death if they don’t believe in God or life after death: “Lie. The alternative is to tell children that they will simply die and turn to dust, which is harmful for children’s ability to cope. Religion, on the other hand, will give children community, a sense of meaning, values of empathy and compassion, and will protect them from anxiety and depression. So even if there’s no God, no heaven, we should tell children there is.”
What Komisar discovered is that worship of self and humanity (which is what atheism is) is sowing the wind. What she also states, but does not seem to recognize, is that everyone worships. She acknowledges that people need something beyond themselves. Mankind inherently knows that they are incapable of coping with life on their own. As a result, everyone worships something.
It would probably be best to work through a definition of worship to help us understand this. As we talk about worship, we are referring to the innate desire of man to look to something for purpose, satisfaction, and joy, and to subsequently regard that person or thing with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion. As a practical outworking, worship is declaring the greatness of someone or something.
This is the fascination with sports. This is the fascination with politics. This is the fascination with alternative medicines. This is the fascination with mass consumerism. This is behind the revival of the occult in our country. This is behind every battle we face in life.
Everyone worships something. As believers in the one true God, God’s people should strive to worship the right One in the right way. Scripture clearly demonstrates that a believer’s life is all about worshiping God (Romans 12:1-2). God created all things to worship Him. Mankind stands in a particular position as God’s special creation in God’s own image. As such, man is specially designed to worship God. We need to note that this worship is best pictured when the bride of Christ, the Church of God, gathers for corporate worship. Every Sunday when we gather, we are making a very important statement to the world in who we worship, how we worship, and why we worship.
Over the past few weeks, I have had several conversations surrounding worship in the church. As a result, I want to work through this topic over the next few weeks in this letter together. Today we want to understand that everyone worships something. As Christians, we should worship the right One the right way. With this in mind, it is important that we understand two foundational principles to worship and the church that we will begin looking at next week: True worship is for God and to God. God cares how we worship and who we worship. So we must seek to worship the right One the right way.
Doing Right Through God’s Spirit – March 10, 2023
As we finish this series of letters concerning the idols of our hearts, I want to challenge us with two final steps to murdering our idols. These steps stem from Philippians 2:12-13. As we examine moving from worshipping idols to worshipping God, we must understand that this track involves two rails. If we ignore either rail, we will fail to change. One rail we can label with the title: the Holy Spirit’s power. The other rail we can label with the title: Do right. Change involves both our effort and the Holy Spirit’s power.
First, to overcome our idols, we must walk in the Spirit. Paul challenges us in Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Paul challenges us not to grieve the Spirit. Theologically he is telling us to listen to the Spirit of God in our lives. God has given us a helper. His Spirit dwells in the believer and convicts us of sin. We must listen to this alarm. If we do not listen, we risk grieving the Spirit. What happens when we grieve the Spirit? We are told we end up with a seared conscience and no longer hear his prompting in our lives. So, listen to the Spirit. He will give you the power to topple your idol.
Finally, we overcome our idol (we overcome our sin) by doing right. We put off the sin and the idol and replace them with what is right. Notice in Colossians 3:12-17 that Paul gives us a list of actions we should be marked by. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
This is in contrast to what we were to put off. In Ephesians 4:24-32 Paul makes it even more apparent. “And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
You overcome sin by doing the opposite form of righteousness. How do you know when a thief is no longer a thief? Not when he stops stealing but when he starts sacrificially giving to others. This is true because the idol of self-gratification has been replaced by God.
Paul tells us that we put away falsehood by speaking the truth, we overcome sin by hating it and not giving the devil opportunity, we overcome stealing and self-gratification by self-sacrifice and giving, we overcome corrupt and sinful speech by encouraging speech and speech that builds up, and we overcome anger and conflict by kindness and love. How do you overcome your idol? How do you overcome your sin? By actively doing right. At first, it is hard (and honestly, it will always be a battle), but you regularly choose to kill your sin and idol by doing right. You choose to run from the situation, build your fences, and take the right actions.
We all struggle with idols. A significant part of overcoming them is admitting that we have them. Once we have acknowledged our idol problem, we can begin to identify them. Once we have identified them, we can start to overcome them. We overcome them by putting them off, murdering them, and with the assistance of God’s Word, God’s People, God’s Song, and God’s Spirit, we do what is right. Only then can we obey John’s challenge. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
Tell Yourself the Truth – March 3, 2023
I know my habit or sin will ultimately lead to problems. I have tried to overcome and cast off this idol, but I simply cannot. Over the last few weeks, we looked at the path to successfully killing our idols. We concluded last week with the observation that our idols lie to us. As a result, we must speak the Truth to ourselves.
Often, we do not overcome our idols, and we do not overcome sin because we listen to ourselves instead of talking to ourselves. We listen as our flesh states that we need those idols and sins. We listen as our flesh tells us that we do not have the power to overcome these idols. But we do have the power and ability. So, Paul challenged us to talk to ourselves. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16). In this text, Paul gives us three ways we are to walk in the spirit. Three ways we are to speak Truth to ourselves.
First, Paul tells us to let Christ’s Word dwell in us richly. We are to speak the Word. The Word is the power for life change. So, we are to let the Bible dwell in us. This insinuates consistent reading, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture. If we ignore the Word, we cannot overcome our idols. We cannot overcome sin if we fail to spend time in the Word. As a result, Paul challenges us to let it dwell in us richly. The Word is to be overabundant in our lives. Letting the Word dwell richly in us is like sitting at a buffet and going all in. When we let the Word dwell in us richly, it is more than reading a few verses out of duty. It is more than trying to get our God stuff out of the way for the day. It is something that characterizes who we are. We ooze the Word. You cannot grow, and you cannot overcome your idol without God’s Word.
Second, we speak the Truth to ourselves through God’s people. Paul continues in Colossians 3:16 that we are to teach and admonish one another. God did not design the Christian life to be a solo sport. God does not intend for you to do this Christian life alone. God created this institution called the church for a reason. One of the reasons God created the church was for our mutual spiritual growth. We are to look out for one another. As a result, one of the ways that we overcome sin and idols is through the sanctifying work of the body of Christ. What does this look like? It means we edify one another daily. We speak to each other throughout the week. In these conversations, we challenge one another to overcome our sins. We ask how each other is doing in our fight against sin. We encourage one another with what God has taught us in His Word. We speak the Truth to one another.
Cambria Baptist Church is not a social club. This church is the visible body of Christ where we gather and scatter to exhort one another to overcome sin and idols and declare God’s glory to all people. You cannot overcome sin or your idol if this church body is not your priority. You will always struggle with idols when you separate your church life from the rest of your life.
Third, Paul informs us in Colossians 3:16 that we are to speak Truth through song. This means several things to us. First, it means that our singing is essential. When we sing as a congregation, it is not simply a duty we perform. We are singing to one another. Therefore, it is not dependent on your ability, nor is it not dependent on your mood. You are responsible to the rest of this body to sing for all you are worth.
Second, it means that what we sing is important. God’s Truth must mark our songs. They must mean something. The Truth that they proclaim must be clear. They cannot be surface or trite. And if they are theologically deep, I must think about them. I cannot disengage my mind and go through the motions because singing is not my thing. Here is the reality, it better become your thing because you will do it all eternity.
Third, it means that we sing corporately. This is why I am passionate about our congregational singing. We do not come to church to be entertained. We come to church to participate. So, we sing! We sing heartily. We sing loudly. And we sing passionately because we sing for God and one another. My Christian duty as a member of God’s church is to sing passionately to you as a congregation.
Speaking Truth to ourselves through God’s song also has some ramifications about what you listen to in your own time. You will struggle with sin and idols if you engage in a steady diet of this world’s music. Nothing is redeeming about the music of the popular culture. There is nothing about it that will make you more like Christ. Nothing is worthwhile, from the philosophies behind the songs to the emotional concepts driving the songs, to the lyrics, and to the performers’ lifestyles. And if you engage in a steady diet of it, you will struggle. Fill your heart with God’s songs: true songs that challenge you to live Truth (not just songs that make you feel an emotional high). Fill your mind with theologically deep songs and Scripture-saturated. When we fill our minds with these things, we begin to think like Christ.
There are two more important aspects to overcoming our indwelling sin and idols of our hearts. We will conclude this topic with these aspects next week. In the meantime, speak the Truth to yourself this week through God’s Word, people, and song.
Ending Idolatry by Walking in the Spirit – February 24, 2023
We said no to our idol, but it came back. We tried to overcome that sin, but we failed. We have all been there before. We understand the need to change, try to, and fail to change. We often conclude that this struggle will always be a part of our identity. Others might be able to overcome sin, but we cannot. Two weeks ago, we examined the need to murder our idols to overcome them. But we mentioned that we must employ one more critical step. Without this step, we will fail to overcome our idols.
In Ephesians 4, we observe that getting rid of our idols is like changing clothes. We must take off the old clothes and put on the new clothes. When we murder our idols, Paul relates that to removing dirty clothes. However, if we stop there, we accomplish nothing. We must still put on new clothes.
Then we must put on the new clothes. Paul calls this walking in the Spirit. But what does this mean? How do we do this? Paul demonstrates what this looks like in Ephesians and Colossians. First, we are told that we must clean ourselves, like taking a shower. So how do we take a spiritual shower and remove the filth of the idol and sin we must see destroyed in our lives? We do this through the Word of God. In John 17:17, Jesus informs us that we are sanctified through the Word of God. In Ephesians 5:26, Paul reveals that the Word is what cleanses us. God uses the Word in our lives to make us like him. God uses the Word in our minds to help us think rightly. To see the idol destroyed in our life, we must meditate on God’s Word to understand God and what He expects. However, all too often, we try and cheat on this step. We spend a few minutes reading a few verses and then fail to understand why change does not happen. Psalm 1 and Joshua 1 both reveal that the Christian must meditate on the Word of God for change to occur. This means that we think about the Word of God constantly. We memorize it and mull over it. Without this cleaning, we will fall prey to the idol again.
Second, we must take our idols seriously. In Ephesians 4:26-27 Paul gives us two instructions: to be angry at sin and not give sin a chance. In other words, we are to hate sin and build fences. First, we must hate sin. Paul tells us to be angry but not sin. What does this possibly mean? Isn’t anger a sin? Sinful anger is sin. Righteous anger is not a sin. What is righteous anger? It is anger that is directed toward our sin. It hates our sin. The major problem with our idols is that we love them. We follow them out of love. But we must learn to hate them. We indulge in sin because we love sin. We must learn to hate it. How? By recognizing what that sin costs. That sin, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, damned me to hell for all eternity. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant, that sin sent God to the cross. That idol required Jesus’ blood.
Second, we must build fences around ourselves to protect ourselves. Paul tells us not to give place or opportunity to the Devil. Building fences for yourself is not legalism. It is safety. A lack of fences in your life is not a sign of spiritual maturity but spiritual stupidity. Often we sin because we place ourselves into situations where we will face unnecessary temptation. Proverbs twice tells us a wise man sees evil afar off and hides himself, but the foolish pass on and are punished. Wise people recognize that they are weak and keep themselves from unnecessary temptation. One way that you overcome sin is by avoiding it. Put up fences to protect yourself from unnecessary temptation.
Third, we are to speak the truth to ourselves (and our fellow believers). Often, we do not overcome our idols, and we do not overcome sin because we listen to ourselves instead of talking to ourselves. We listen as our flesh states that we need those idols and sins. We listen as our flesh tells us that we do not have the power to overcome them. But the reality is that we do indeed have the power and ability. Next week we will look more closely at how we accomplish this through Paul’s words in Colossians 3:16.
Asking God, “Why?” – February 17, 2023
This past week a young man I know had a heart attack. I had the privilege of serving as his youth pastor and soccer coach. I have the extraordinary privilege of calling him a friend. Today he is fighting for his life. Over the past months, another young man I had the privilege of serving as his youth pastor, coach, and friend is battling cancer. Both young men are in their 20s. Both young men love the Lord and want to serve Him with their lives. Twice I have spent significant time asking God, “Why?”
We don’t have to live long before we all come to the place where we wonder why God allows certain things to happen. One prominent liberal theologian wrote a book asking the question and concluded that God is not really in control. However, this answer does not line up with Scripture. In several places, Scripture reminds us that God is in absolute control and is always good. But God does not always give us a reason behind His actions. So in those times, when we find ourselves asking why, we must lean into what we know of God.
Paul asks, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32). God sacrificed His Son for our redemption. He already gave the ultimate proof of His perfect love for us. God did not sacrifice His Son to forget about us now. In these overwhelming trials, we must remember that God is not withholding good from us. In His divine plan, God will work this for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Nothing can separate us from God’s holy, perfect love (Romans 8:38-39). We may not see the purpose behind our trial, but He sees it all.
What, then, is our response? First, we must understand that we can and should ask, “Why?” The Psalms are filled with songs of lament. God made us emotional beings to experience joy, happiness, and pain. When the pain comes, we don’t ignore it. However, God also invites us to cast that pain (that burden) on Him (1 Peter 5:7). So, out of the depths of despair, we cry to God (Psalm 130:1-2). It is not wrong to cry to God. It is necessary for us.
Second, we remind ourselves of God. We must speak the truth to ourselves even when we don’t feel it or believe it. We remind ourselves of His power, mercy, and faithfulness (Psalm 130:3-4). We remind ourselves that God’s love never fails (Romans 8). In these times, we meditate on Scripture. We pray God’s Words back to Him. And we lean into God’s people. We do these things because we need to remember who our God is (Job 38-42). And when we remember who God is, we see the God of all comfort.
Third, we wait for God to work. We wait with patience, knowing that God’s timing is not our timing (Psalm 130:6). We wait trusting that He keeps His Word (Psalm 130:5). We wait with hope (Psalm 130:7). We wait with this steadfast assurance that God will not let us down. Sometimes God gives us more than we can handle. But when He does so, He grants us His power (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). The trial may not leave, but God’s grace and power do not leave either.
Finally, we look to the eternal Kingdom. The struggles of this broken world remind us that redemption is coming. Sin and death will be no more. The day is coming when Christ will return and reverse sin’s curse. So we cry together, “Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!” But until that day, in the middle of your struggle, as you ask God, “Why?” don’t quit! Don’t lose hope! Take your anxiety to God and find peace to help in times of need (Philippians 4:6-7).
Identify and Murder Your Idol! – February 10, 2023
In 2016, at a conference sponsored by the wall street journal, the CEO of Netflix stated they the company’s goal was to eliminate boredom and loneliness. They strive to do this through entertainment because they recognize it as a significant idol in our culture. As we finish our study in 1 John, we look for a final time at the last challenge from John, Little children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21).
Last week we looked at several questions we must ask of ourselves to find our idols: What do my finances tell me? What does my time tell me? What does my attitude tell me? What do my thoughts tell me? And what does hardship tell me? Once we have identified our idols, we must overcome them. But how? John challenged us to keep ourselves from idols, but how do we do this? It is one thing to say it and another to actually do it! Thankfully, God’s Word does not keep up wondering. To overcome our sinful idols, we must take two steps. We find these two steps in Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3.
The process of overcoming our idols is like the process of changing clothes. We put off the old clothes, and we put on the new ones. To overcome our idols, we must first turn our back on them. We must turn away from them. Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote regarding our idols. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:20-22). But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth (Colossians 3:8). As long as we hold on to idols, we cannot overcome them. So how do we turn our backs on our idols?
First, we must see our idol for what it is. Ephesians 4:17-18 reminds us, Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. First, Paul states that these idolaters walked in the futility of the mind. What they were doing was vain, arrogant, and futile. When we worship the idols of our hearts, we ask them to do things they cannot do. We are engaging in futility. These idols cannot satisfy because only the one true God can satisfy. So, we constantly need more from our idols. We need to redesign our idols because we become incredibly frustrated as they fail to satisfy us. The belief that these idols can satisfy is the height of vanity and arrogance. We believe that we can replace God in our lives. We will be disappointed when we look to family for our satisfaction or identity. We will be disappointed when we look to relationships for satisfaction or identity. We will be disappointed when we look to our jobs for our identity and satisfaction. Whenever we think, “if only this would happen, then I would be happy,” we will be disappointed. It is futile thinking.
Second, Paul states that while idol worshipers are incredibly arrogant, they are ignorant. They have had their understanding darkened by sin. They cannot know the things of God (and therefore truth) because they don’t know God. Paul calls them blind. As you observe those who are blind from birth, they are severely limited in what they can know. How do you describe colors to a blind person? How do you describe what something looks like without that individual having any point of reference? Yet this is what the world is like spiritually. They are trying to understand the world around them: origins, purpose, future, and meaning. Yet, they have no frame of reference with which to work because they are blind. As a result, God calls them ignorant. And when we follow our idols, we make ourselves ignorant. We act like ignorant people.
The first step to overcoming our idols is to see them for what they are. We worship them because we believe that they will satisfy us. We set them up because we think that they will bring us joy. We must admit that they will not do these things. They are futile and ignorant.
Once we have seen our idols for what they are, the next step in putting off our idols or turning our backs on our idols is to murder our sin. We must murder our idol. Consider what Paul and Peter stated. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5). He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:24). John Owens calls this action the mortification of the flesh. To overcome our heart idols, we must say no over and over. We must remind ourselves that we don’t have to obey that sin. We can turn away from it. We don’t have to worship that idol. We can turn murder it.
Unfortunately, many of us stop at this step. We seek to say no to the idol in our power. We come up with catchy ways to help ourselves say no (like counting to 10 before we get mad) and then become frustrated when we fail. However, there is a second step to destroying our heart idols. We cannot destroy our idols without employing this second step, which we will look at next week. However, we cannot utilize the second step without taking the first step. So, say no to your idol, mortify your flesh, and consider yourself dead to that sin!
Finding the Idols of Our Hearts, Part 3 – February 3, 2023
Watching children play a game of hide and seek is enjoyable. When they are young, they don’t know how to hide. We find humor as the child hides under the bed with their feet sticking out. However, as they get older, they get much better at hiding. When children play hide and seek, it is enjoyable. When our idols play hide and seek, it is serious. Our idols do not want to be identified. For then, we will be able to dispatch them. Over the last few weeks, we discussed why our idols are hard to spot. Today let’s discuss some practical ways to identify our idols.
How do I find my heart idols? How do I determine what has taken the place of God in my life? Often these are things that everyone around us can identify but we cannot see it. And so, as we seek wisdom from God, His Word, and His people, we can ask several diagnostic questions.
We must first ask the questions, “What do I spend my money on?” and “What am I willing to sacrifice for?” We spend money and sacrifice for the things we love. Sadly, many Christians are not interested in spending money on and sacrificing for God. They give what they deem they must but are unwilling to go beyond into actual sacrifice. Some view their service as a sacrifice. They assign some arbitrary number to their time and consider that as giving. Unfortunately, this simply reveals that they love their idols more than God. Christ reminds us, Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21). We spend money on and sacrifice for what we value.
A second question we must ask is, “What does my time tell me?” You have heard the phrase. “You have time for what you make time for.” You spend your time on what you value. Your calendar informs all around you of the things you deem important. Sadly, many Christians value their sports and activities more than God. They are quick to miss corporate worship for athletic events or their hobbies. Then they wonder why their children rebel against God. They would find the answer if they looked at their calendar.
The third question is, “What does my attitude tell me?” What makes you angry, and what gets you excited? These are huge indicators of what you value. What sets off your temper, and what do you get mad about not receiving? What do you long for more than anything else? Are these things recognition, peace and quiet, or financial stability? And what do you fear the most? Do you fear financial hardship, family relationship struggles, your children failing, your health failing, or not being recognized for what you do? The answer to these questions reveals your idol.
The fourth question is, “What do my thoughts tell me?” About what do I find myself thinking? What do I find myself talking about most often? About what do I find myself worrying? You think about what you value. This is why Paul challenged us, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
Finally, we should ask, “What does hardship tell me?” Often this is called chaos theory. What do you run to when you need refuge? Where do you go to feel safe and secure? Often the answer to this reveals your idol. This is why Jesus stated in Matthew 11:28, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
We all struggle with idols. A significant part of overcoming them is admitting that we have them. Once we have acknowledged our idol problem, we can begin to identify them. Once we have identified them, we can start to overcome them. Next week we will examine how to overcome our idols and obey John’s command, Little children, keep yourselves from idols.