It is amazing that when you say this many believers will think you are trivializing worship because you are suggesting you can worship by yourself 24/7. They are taught to think, based on twisted scripture that corporate worship, the kind with a worship leader in a worship center in a worshpful ceremony is the apex of God's design for worship. I used to think the once a week corporate cermony was what God had asked for. Then I realized I could not find anywhere in the NT where these elements were instructed. Every scripture pointed to the exact opposite of a special building and a special leader dominating the expression for a special hour of the week on a special day. Everyone knows worship is to be founded on spirit and truth, but there is no spirit or truth that points to these corporate and compartmentalized functions. (Some versions captialize Spirit and some to not.) Once you realize God desires his people to worship him 24/7 and everywhere you are, you realize the one day a week in a special building trivializes the worship of God. If we have not worshiped God all week, what business to we have gathering together to ceremonialize it so we can say we worshiped? It is all so contrived. Corporate worship is only as good as your 24/7 worship.
I read the Edwards article on pride. He ssems to give a pass on pride that leads men to claim special titles, special offices, and do 100% of the epxression of truth every Sunday morning. I think he exagerates certain relationship functions of believers to call them pride. Some of his pride listings are practices God has asked for. Am I worng about this?
Eric,
ReplyDeleteIt is so true. We worship the Father and Jesus as we live our daily lives.
Peter
It is amazing that when you say this many believers will think you are trivializing worship because you are suggesting you can worship by yourself 24/7. They are taught to think, based on twisted scripture that corporate worship, the kind with a worship leader in a worship center in a worshpful ceremony is the apex of God's design for worship. I used to think the once a week corporate cermony was what God had asked for. Then I realized I could not find anywhere in the NT where these elements were instructed. Every scripture pointed to the exact opposite of a special building and a special leader dominating the expression for a special hour of the week on a special day. Everyone knows worship is to be founded on spirit and truth, but there is no spirit or truth that points to these corporate and compartmentalized functions. (Some versions captialize Spirit and some to not.) Once you realize God desires his people to worship him 24/7 and everywhere you are, you realize the one day a week in a special building trivializes the worship of God. If we have not worshiped God all week, what business to we have gathering together to ceremonialize it so we can say we worshiped? It is all so contrived. Corporate worship is only as good as your 24/7 worship.
ReplyDeleteEric,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was learning to sift through the detritus of traditionalism I found these words very helpful, and necessary.
https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2001/jonathan-edwards-on-spiritual-pride/
I read the Edwards article on pride. He ssems to give a pass on pride that leads men to claim special titles, special offices, and do 100% of the epxression of truth every Sunday morning. I think he exagerates certain relationship functions of believers to call them pride. Some of his pride listings are practices God has asked for. Am I worng about this?
ReplyDelete