Tag: christianity

Jesus Christ is the focal point of all true Worship in both the Old and New Testaments

Both the New and Old Testaments are acutely focused upon the basis and Object of worship.

Misconception #1:  The New Testament cares more about the heart of the worshiper than the Old Testament.

1) The OT is deeply concerned with the heart of the worshipers and the Object that they worshiped.  The list could be much longer, but these verses will do well to support the point.  Pay careful attention to the last citation here, for it has a direct reference to the issue at hand – namely the heart of worship is emphasized strongly in the OT.

  • God commands, “love and serve Me with all your heart and soul.” (Dt. 10:12)
  • “Circumcise the foreskin of your heart.” (Dt. 10:16)
  • Again, “love the LORD you God, and serve Him with all your heart…” (Dt. 11:13)
  • “Put away foreign gods and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” (Joshua 24:23)
  • God rebukes His people for they, “said in [their] heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’” (Is. 47:10)
  • God rejects the outward displays of worship, because the heart of the worshipers is wicked… “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? …I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts… When you came to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?… When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen.”  (Is 1:11-15)

Misconception #2: The Old Testament cares more about the practice of worship than the New Testament.

2) The NT is just as concerned with the manner of worshipers’ approach to God as the OT.  This list also could go on further, but it is likely that my point will not require much more than a few examples here.

  • Humans are still required to approach God through propitiating sacrifice and after their sin has been covered. (Romans 3:21-26)
  • The person and work of Christ justifies and only through Him does any human have access to the Father. (Romans 5:1-2)
  • Christians possess a righteousness, i.e. the ability to approach God, that has come from Christ (Phil. 3:9)

Misconception #3:  The worshipers’ approach to God in the Old Testament is different from or separate from the approach that New Testament worshippers must take.

3) The overwhelming point of the OT worship practices is to provide a type, shadow, or example of who and what Christ will be (from our future perspective – who and what Christ is).  Therefore, the OT does and should concentrate heavily on numerous specific practices and methods for approaching the one and only Holy God of all creation.  The NT also concentrates heavily on the single person and work, which has been displayed as the substance of these shadows, the antitype of these types, the real form of all these examples.

Both testaments point to the methods, modes and practices. 

Both testaments point to the heart of the worshipers. 

Both view each of these issues with great emphasis.

The OT emphasizes the shadows and the heart of the worshipers in relation to their trust in the promise…  The NT emphasizes the substance of the shadows and the heart of the worshipers in relation to their trust in the promise.

The promise in both testaments is that God will glorify, is now sanctifying, and has redeemed and justified sinful people through His own initiative and action.

Therefore, it is critical to lift up the continuity of the testaments concerning the basis (God-initiated mediation – ultimately Christ in both testaments) and Object (the one true God) of worship, while recognizing there is diversity in the outward practices of worship.

Right Thinking…

What do Murder, Marriage, and Monarchy have in common?

They all begin with the letter “M” of course…

Another thing that they have in common is that they each have captured the attention of millions of people in recent days.  The death of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman, the Supreme Court ruling that legitimized and validated homosexual relationships, and the birth of a nominal prince has each drawn the intense interest of many.

It is often very easy to be swept away by the floodwaters of common concern, and all of these issues are not necessarily unimportant, relatively speaking.  However, these three are examples of issues that can effortlessly blur our lenses.

From the numerous “talking heads” on television and the millions of want-to-be psychologists, theorists, sociologists, theologians and logicians that find their way to a social media platform, we constantly drink in the worldview of those around us.  Most times this happens without our being aware of it at all.

Because of the regularity with which we experience unbiblical – untrue and unhelpful – thoughts, words and deeds, it is vital that you and I spend significant effort on “Right Thinking.”

Right Thinking is the kind of thinking that makes us say right things and do right things.  If you know that a cup contains a clear poisonous liquid – you will not likely drink it as water, and you certainly would not encourage others to quench their thirst with it.

Right Thinking is produced when right or truthful information is understood, admitted and trusted.  If you are going to successfully avoid driving off of the road because of a fallen bridge, then you are going to need to understand that there is danger ahead, admit that the danger is a real danger, and trust that the danger applies to you.  Any of these three may be removed and Right Thinking will fail.

With an embracing frequency, people will claim “faith,” but they will have no understanding of the substance thereof.  In other words, the idea is to believe… but believe what?  As nicely as I might say it, if “trust” is not placed in an understood and admittedly real object, then it is not trust… It is credulity.

Credulity is an attribute of a person who would be willing to buy oceanfront property in Oklahoma (as if anyone actually wanted to live there).  Credulous people are those who will believe anything you tell them; they are gullible.

As Christians, we have the benefit of an objective reality that has been communicated to humanity in understandable terms, so that it might be acknowledged as true and believed or trusted with certainty.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that God saves.  It is a historical, factual story that took place in real human experience.  The content and implications of that message are HUGE and more important than anything else – ever.

Take some time today to refocus your lenses on the most important information, concepts and message.  Invest some effort in “Right Thinking.”  You are likely to find that there is incredible benefit to be enjoyed from such a change.

The Bible talks about Right Thinking…

“[W]hatever 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. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” 

Philippians 4:8-9

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