|
Author: Carson C. Day Article source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com/. Used with author's permission.
The Bible teaches that Christians ought to practice a single faith. It reads: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:4-6). Yet, today, every man does what is right in his own eyes. What's the solution? Pastors and elders must set the church in order.
The apostles did not lay down different worship patterns at the various churches they established, as the following apostolic warning indicates: "If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice — nor do the churches of God" (1 Cor. 11:16). Likewise, God had told Moses, "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mount." Just so, after correcting many deviations from the God-given pattern, Paul the apostle told the Corinthians "The rest I will set in order when I come" (1 Cor. 11:34).
Moreover, those who care to look into it will find that the phrase "set in order" represents a technical, liturgical term found three times at the end of Exodus as a summary for the refrain, "just as the Lord had commanded Moses." Exodus 39-40 uses the phrase "set in order" specifically of those three symbols most prominently regarding the Church and its holy jurisdiction -- the table of showbread (representing the Lord's Supper), the lampstands or candlesticks (portraying the churches themselves in Revelation 1-3) and the altar (symbolizing the prayers and praise of the saints in the New Testament).
This order whereby the apostles and prophets laid the foundation of the Church (Eph. 2:20) does not refer to "order in general" (where orderliness sits opposed to chaotic worship), as many commentators have falsely surmised. Rather, it has in mind the priestly order assigned to care for the worship of God so that it proceeds precisely as God has commanded, without deviation or exception. Liturgical care and precise obedience to the biblical pattern of worship form the basis of the Holy Spirit's applause given to both the prophet (and priest), Samuel, and to King Josiah, in these words:
"And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days. And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover kept" (2 Chronicles 35: 17-19).
If one heeds the tone carefully here, he might note that this compliment comprises as much an indictment against Israel as a lauding of the fidelity in worship displayed by the prophet and king favorably named in the passage. It also tells us that God takes note when His people deviate in the least from, or conform exactly to, His own established worship pattern. He cares.
In the New Testament, "order" in the churches refers to the priestly order of Melchizedek. Hence the saying of Paul, "Follow me as I follow Christ." The context tells us here that Paul was making a point about the pattern of worship (liturgy), meaning "Following the apostolic pattern, as we have delivered to you the teachings of Christ." The apostolic duty requires Paul to perform the liturgy of the churches just as Christ -- the head of the Church as High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek -- dictated by his words and deeds. The Lord Jesus sets the pattern. Here the saying applies, "My House, My rules." Christians -- pastors and elders -- must not deviate from this pattern. For the one Lord commands it, the one faith requires it, and the one baptism we shares promises this obedience in worship.
Conclusion: The extraordinary diversity in worship patterns among religious groups today -- which many applaud as "blessed diversity" -- shows that our churches and nations are filled with all manner of idolatrous fancy and man-made innovation in worship. This shows a disdain for the commandments of God, and a hostility toward His word. And that is precisely how He regards it. The Bible itself insultingly calls this "will worship," meaning worshipping God by the doctrines of men, rather than by the acceptable divine pattern found in the commandments of God. Col. 2:22-23 reads, "...Which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men ... Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."
Let the reader recall that diversity in Israel's liturgy among its kings came only through REBELLION without exception, starting with Solomon's idolatry. Rather, the Bible commands that we must have "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." And this ONE faith which God commmands has a name in the Bible. It is called "The faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12). It is this faith alone we must practice in the churches. And if anyone wants to be contentious about this, the apostles and prophets had no other practice — nor did the churches of God. Carson Day has written approximately 1.3 gazillion articles and essays, many with very insightful, if alternative, viewpoints. He presently writes for Ophir Gold Corporation, and specialized in the history of ideas in college. He has been quoted in the past as saying "What box?" and remains at large despite the best efforts of the civil authorities.
You can visit the Ophir Gold Corporation blogsites at http://scriberight.blogspot.com (Writing With Power), http://ophirgoldcorp.blogspot.com (OGC's Free Web Traffic), or http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (Church and State 101)
Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?
Did you ever see something go wrong around you and suddenly burst out, "How on Earth did I create that?" Really, how can bad things happen, even to the sweetest...
Female Dog Care
Female Dog Care
The Secret of Pushing the Pass Line
Professional gamblers can get better odds than casual gamblers when they play craps. They just know how to ask properly, and they get to "push the house."
Recycle Your Work
A simple way to make extra money on work you've already done is to reduce it and reuse it!
Learn How to Relax Then Do It
Today, prescriptions for dealing with depression, anxiety, stress and other similar ailments are at record highs. The need for these medicines did not even exit...
The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie Experience
Just about everyone loves freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Many of us have fond memories from our childhoods of the aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip c...
Buying an Art Reproduction: The Giclee
If you have been shopping recently for affordable fine art either online, at art fairs or galleries, you've probably come across the term "giclee". This process...
Music Develops Human Potential and the Brain
Music is a very powerful tool in developing the human potential. It was found that music increases the children performance in math, science, reading, history ...
Adsense, Boost Your Payout 400%, No Really
Proven, not only by myself. How long can we get away with it? Who knows? Start now and you'll get away with it the longest you possibly can. Saying that Google ...
Dolls for Every Occasion
If you've ever wondered why some people collect dolls, read this and see. Perhaps you'll decide to join them!
Send Flowers and Liberate Your Bridal Party From the Shackles Of Monogram Hell
With so many ways to ask your closest friends and family members to be a part of your big day, it's tough to know how to strike a balance between creativity, co...
Adult Acne Treatment – To Treat a Condition That No-one Talks About
I'm a grown adult, how can I possibly get acne, and how do I find an adult acne treatment?
The Language of Confidence
If you want to be more confident in any area of your life, the language you use is vital. Discover some language patterns that will boost your confidence.
Network Marketing - Its All About Customers
Leadership, Visualization, Goal-setting, blah, blah...
Calling Cards and Prepaid Phone Cards To Help You Save Money
You can now save quite a bit of money on your long distance calling simply by using prepaid phone cards. It wasn't too many years ago that making a call oversea...
5 Tips For Increased Website Traffic
There are still a few good ways to help build your web traffic and still pay nothing.
Media Training: When Reporters Bully You
What happens when you're about to be interviewed by a hostile reporter? It happened to Susan, who appeared a few months ago on Dateline NBC. She was bullied by ...
First Aid for a Dried Out Hanging Basket
Let's face it: Our houseplants aren't the most important things on our to-do lists, and even the most attentive gardeners will sometimes forget to water the han...
Shih Tzu - Ways A Breeder Can Influence Healthy Litters
Nutrition is probably one of the most important variables that influences an outcome of healthy puppies...
Preparing The Garden For Winter
This article outlines the practical steps to putting the outdoor garden to rest for the winter.
The Debate About Cloning
There are two types of cloning. One involves harvesting stem cells from embryos ("therapeutic cloning"). These are the biological equivalent of a template. They...
Simple and Effective Solutions for Aquarium Algae
Eradication of encrusting algae could be done simply by periodically scraping the sides of the aquarium or scrubbing the rocks...
The (Not So) Shocking Truth About Getting A High Search Engine Ranking
I have seen my site hit #3 at Google, and some of my fellow entrepreneurs are wondering how I did it. Well, it's no big secret, and it won't cost you anything b...
Create Reserves for a Stress Free Life
Have you ever thought of creating reserves in your life? Not only can you save money and create abundance, but you can avoid all those dramas that happen when y...
|
Print this page