Book Review: The Canon of Scripture, by F.F. Bruce

A few months back over in FB-land, I posted a ‘status update’ basically ‘thinking out loud’.

“Been thinking a lot lately on how the Bible became the Bible and how canon of Scripture was formed.  Would like to know more”

The post went something like that.

I did this because I knew that I have a small handful of friends who went to a couple different bible colleges and I wanted to be pointed in a good direction, instead of just wandering around the internet, hoping I find a good resource.

Just like the dependability if a finely jeweled timepiece, two of those friends sent me some links to check out and offered a few books that they had on hand.

The one I chose, of course, is the one that this little blog post is about.

“The Canon of Scripture, by F.F. Bruce”

Taken from the back of the book, on the dust cover:

“How did the books of the Bible come to be recognized as Holy Scripture?

Who decided what shape the canon should take?

What criteria influenced these decisions?

After nearly nineteen centuries the canon of Scripture still remains an issue of debate. Protestants, Catholics and the Orthodox all have slightly differing collections of documents in their Bibles. Martin Luther, one of the early leaders of the Reformation, questioned the inclusion of the book of James in the canon. And many Christians today, while confessing the authority of all of Scripture, tend to rely on only a few books and particular themes while ignoring the rest.

Scholars have raised many other questions as well. Research into second-century Gnostic texts have led some to argue that politics played a significant role in the formation of the Christian canon. Assessing the influence of ancient communities and a variety of disputes on the final shaping of the canon call for ongoing study.

In this significant historical study, F. F. Bruce brings the wisdom of a lifetime of reflection and biblical interpretation to bear in answering the questions and clearing away the confusion surrounding the Christian canon of Scripture. Adept in both Old and New Testament studies, he brings a rare comprehensive perspective to his task.

Though some issues have shifted since the original publication of this book, it still remains a significant landmark and touchstone for further studies.”

My review in a word:  WOW.

While the back of the book, doesn’t fully do Mr. Bruce’s work justice, he does a great job in answering the three questions posed at the top of that excerpt.  This book is a jewel regarding the history of how the canon of Scripture was formed.

Now, it doesn’t go into a huge detailed writing of how, say, the King James Bible came to be.  No, he stays on track to answer the questions of canon.  Mr. Bruce also does a great job of not bending his book this or that way concerning his own view or take of christianity or christian faith.  He stays focused and gives great insight into many aspects of the history behind what we now know as “The Bible”.

In order to do this, he breaks his book up into a few different sections. first documenting how the Old Testament canon came to be by both Jews and Christians, then he goes into the New Testament canon and other issues concerning that.

There are footnotes on almost every page, I mainly focused on the footnotes where he adds more depth or a little extra to the topic at hand, he also cites other books, texts, scripture references and documents (which I assume would be present in a theological type book like this…but I wouldn’t know, I am very much a layman).  I am going to buy this book and read it a few more times.  There is just so much to enjoy in this book!  I didn’t have my bible with me when reading to cross-reference the scriptures he sites, but I am tempted to do just that when I get the itch to read it again.  Mind you, I wouldn’t need to do this to make sure he is being ‘scriptural’, no, it would be to see in better detail the examples he brings out.   There are many great historical insights to be understood and enjoyed as you read through this piece.  There is a lot to learn regarding everything that has happened in the last two thousand years, and beyond!

To give but one example of something I learned:  I didn’t know that after the Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was sacked in 70 A.D., that there was a ‘council’ of sorts that was held by some of the influential Jewish leaders of the time.  The purpose of the meeting?  To determine what to do with the sacrificial requirements of the Law now that the temple was destroyed.  Now, this struck me.  Why wouldn’t they just try to do something like in the days of Moses and have a ‘makeshift’ temple?  Also, I remembered that in past times of destruction, persecution, etc., God would normally send a word through his prophet, like in the Babylonian captivity.  To do a terrible paraphrase of the Babylonian captivity:  You are going to be here awhile, make homes, marry, have kids, I will bring you back home later.

This time…there was nothing.  It was there, at that council, that they basically decided to get rid of the sacrificial requirements of the Law.  Could it be that no “word” came because:

1. Jesus, the Incarnate God, had already warned them about what was to come.
2. Jesus was the final revelation of Who God really was.
3. God’s Word had come, fulfilled and nullified the Law and a New Covenant that was sealed with a one-time sacrifice.
4. His purpose now is to have His Spirit live in and with us.

Just a few thoughts on the matter.

I’m currently reading the appendices where Mr. Bruce has supplied a couple transcripts of lessons or speeches he has given.

I would recommend this work to anyone.  I don’t think that my review could really do the book justice.

What does Creation teach me about the Creator?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was Life, and the Life was the light of men.”   ~The Gospel According to John, Chapter 1, verses 1 – 4 (NKJV)

“An artist is revealed in the work he or she creates, and in the abundance of the work created.  Think of the ocean.  Picture it in your mind.  Tonight, the breakers are thundering on the reef a hundred yards out, and beyond that open ocean.  What does this tell us about Jesus?  What words come to mind?”   ~Beautiful Outlaw, by John Eldredge

I love nature.  I love animals.  I am captivated, absolutely in awe of creation.  My wife and I share a mutual joy with watching nature documentaries on PBS, or getting DVDs from the local library or our Netflix membership.  I am completely fascinated.  The majority of my commute to and from work takes me along more ‘rural’ roads which affords me more sweeping views of fields, little outcroppings of trees, creeks, things like that.  I am mindful of my surroundings and I frequently keep an eye out for nature.  Pheasant, Geese, Ducks, even the occasional Blue Heron (a large crane-like bird which I have grown very fond of, a story I’ll share another time), even some Peregrine Falcons are often seen on my commute.  From time to time, I’ll be sharing with you things that I have experienced, witnessed and observed in nature.  Things that point me to the Creator, the one through Whom all things were made.

This is a Sand Piper. (edit 06/19/2013 – I kept forgetting the ‘proper name’, which is Killdeer)

She is almost center in the photo, sitting down among the perma-bark/gravel.  See her?  Good.

Now, Sand Pipers are interesting little birds.  I’ve been told that when someone or something comes near a piper’s nest, the piper will give out this high-pitched chirp, squeal and try to lure that thing away from the nest in order to protect the eggs.  I’ve also been told that the piper will actually act like it is injured, thus making the predator believe that the piper is easy prey and hopefully miss finding the nest in pursuit of the “injured” piper.  When this happens, when you get close to the piper, it would then quickly, very quickly walk away a yard or two and repeat the process.

Now, I’ve only seen part of this process.  I’ve seen many little pipers chirping/screeching/squealing (whatever the technical term would be called) and quickly moving away.  But I’ve never seen it act injured.

All that changed over the last few days.

See that picture above?  That was taken on my cell phone – sorry iPhone/smart phone users…I don’t have one of those fancy phones so I could instagram my photo.  Cut me some slack, though, I’m a father of four, so my money goes elsewhere.  That photo was taken in the front parking lot of my work.  If you were to follow that little sidewalk to the right you would see a four lane highway.  It is a major road in our area.  55mph.  Might not be much to some, but given its location, it’s a pretty impressive piece of road.

I took that photo yesterday, Friday, about two days after I took this photo.

Four little piper eggs.

I was coming back to work after lunch, having put a book I was reading back in my car – I’ll have a book review for you guys when its done, its a pretty good book – and I noticed this little piper screeching her head off!  I stopped and looked at her, she just kept going.  I figured that there might be a nest, but I thought it would be in the shrubs along the sidewalk or maybe even the larger bushes that sat between the sidewalk and the highway.

Late afternoon, or as Dr. Sheldon Cooper might call it: prevening, I was walking back to my car and sure enough she was screeching again.  This time, two landscapers were standing close by.  I briefly mentioned to them that there must be a nest nearby, they concurred and then pointed right to it.

I’d never seen a piper nest before and was surprised that it was right there, apparently out in the open!  But, from a distance and even if you are looking right at the gravel, it takes a little bit of time to find the eggs.  Although it isn’t perfect, the eggs blended in fairly well.

This is when I took the photo of the eggs.

I watched ‘momma’ and she was going berserk standing about two yards away from the nest.  That’s when I saw it, and in hindsight I should have taken pictures.  She started to act like she was injured!  It was fascinating.  She would get down and move her tail feathers in a way that made her look injured.  Then she would do something else, she would spread and contort her wings in such a way where they looked broken.  Seriously!

Absolutely clever, absolutely brilliant.

Then if I moved closer to her, she would slowly move and then pop up and scurry away a few feet and do it again.

Thursday, I found her sitting faithfully on her eggs.  All.  Day.  Long.  From what I observed, nobody bother her or threatened her eggs.  That is how I was able to take the first picture.

Friday, again she sat faithfully on her eggs.  At lunch time I came close by and she began to chirp and get louder.  I slowly walked away to my car so I could drive to a nearby park and read and looking back, I then noticed the male showed up this time too.  A few feet away on the lookout.  First time I’d seen a male come in to help.  Pretty cool, really.  Friday there was more landscaper activity, so I saw her get up a couple of times from her nest to begin her little ruse.  Ever faithful.

Just, fascinating.

Now, as a little asterisk to all this – I don’t want you thinking that I am some crazy, mourning over fallen trees, “earth-first” type person.

I just appreciate the brilliance of creation.  Is it a paradox that I also like to fish and hunt but am not a trophy hunter or trophy fisherman?  I digress.  Back to my main idea here.

What does creation teach me, or reveal to me about the Creator?

Think about it.  Based on what I have shared with you, what would this reveal about God to you?  What would God like to reveal about Himself to you?

Now, I’m not saying that God would reveal 100% of Himself in a little bird.  But, if the artist is revealed in the art he or she creates, and if the Creator can be revealed in what He creates – then just like the purpose of Scripture – Nature and Creation, to a degree should point us back to the One who created them, revealing even a part of His Nature.

I see cleverness, faithfulness, a little bit of cunning, a willingness to create life in the middle of great danger.  That last one I’m sure could feed a conversation for a few friends and I for hours.

Like getting a glimpse of Him I find myself being fascinated and captivated by it.

From time to time, you can expect posts like these, so, let’s get some convo going, shall we?

Let me know what you think!  Did this help at all?  Was there a glimpse of Him that you saw in this piece, or, have you encountered glimpses of Him through His creation recently?

I hope to hear from you.

Have a great weekend!

<Addition 06/19/2013>

I’ve been checking on the ‘little momma’ every day.  Still she sits, staying at her post.  Doing her ‘thing’ when people come to close.  Yesterday evening a fast and furious dust & wind storm blew through.  Today, we have had some interesting rain storms.  As of this writing, we are in a really nice, heavy downpour…with hail!  Still she sits, sitting on those eggs, keeping them warm and dry.  Keeping them safe in the middle of a chaos that those little lifeforms-in-development can’t even begin to fathom, yet.

Through Creation, I see an enduring Love, steadfastness, willing to see to the end the purpose in which He has determined.

The phrase “Author and Finisher of our Faith” comes to mind.

Feel free to leave a comment, I would love to see something other than “Spam” in the inbox!

~Tom

FB-land & More Posts to come!

Well, it’s official:  there is now a Facebook page for all the users out in FB-land.  I even have a link down there over on the right side of this page!

If everything is done right, that link will take you to the FB-land site and also, when I post something here, it will automatically show up as a link on the FB site.  Making it easier for the die-hard FB-Land users to keep up with the posts.  This post is actually a ‘test’ of sorts to see if it actually works!

Speaking of posts…”Sam” Chapter 3 should be coming out tomorrow, if all goes as planned.  There are also about thirteen other posts (I know, right??) that are in draft stage right now and I chew on them and what I want to communicate in them.  Of those posts are more “Sam” chapters, one post in particular about “Sonship & Adoption” that I am working on, and a few others, one about “Healing”, one about “Tithing”.  That one about “tithing” is a revision from my original FB-land post… boy oh boy did that cause a little bit of ‘stirring’!  Hahaha… good times.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday.

Searching for Life In The Question Marks,

~Tom

Life, Worship and God – Part 3 – The End

Wow…I actually made a three-part series.  Absolutely crazy!  This IS the final post on this.  Basically, I got carried away and had to chop it into three parts!  I really didn’t plan on a three-part series.  But hey, a writer’s gotta write, right?

As before in Part 1 and Part 2, hopefully questions and thoughts are coming to the surface and you are taking them to Christ.  Maybe you’ve read in these last two posts things you’ve only thought about but dared not to say in church.  You are not alone.  As always, I hope this post brings encouragement and most importantly, points you back to Him for the real answers and for real Life.  It is important to use your God-given gifts of reason and logic, but it is as equally important to take these things to God and be led by His Spirit.  So…shall we begin?

Truth, Life, the Omni-Present God and things you can’t do…

God is everywhere, always.  This called being “Omni-Present”.

You cannot pray, praise, worship, jump around, sing songs enough to get God’s attention.  Face it, you just…can’t…do it.  It is through the Son that we have full, complete and unhindered access to God.  Thinking that you have to do things to get His attention is at best Old Covenant thinking.  If you could do anything to add to your salvation, righteousness or access to God, then Grace wouldn’t be Grace, because your effort is still in the mix.

Crazy, huh?  That’s Grace for ya…it’s all God.

If the Truth is that God is in me, my wife and every other person.  If the Truth is that God is Omni-Present.  If the Truth is such that we are supposed to have Life to the full, because Jesus promised that to us.  Then…

Then can’t I recognize His Presence within me, within my wife and within every nook and cranny of this very earth and live accordingly as He leads?  These things take faith, and faith pleases Him, so…  Isn’t this just as good as any church worship service?

Can’t I recognize His Joy in the laughter of my children or the people around me and simply thank Him, whether verbally or just within, isn’t that just as good?

Can’t I see and value every single life on this planet, regardless of if they agree with me or not, or if they are on the same political spectrum or not, or the same sexual orientation or not and allow God to show me how to love them to the fullest?  Isn’t this a form of worship that is just as good?

If we realize and recognize the New Testament Scripture/promise/reality of “Christ IN us the Hope of Glory”, then, can’t worship transcend into something more than just merely singing songs in a worship service?  Can’t it be better than what a mere worship service attempts to facilitate, lead and provide us with?

Wouldn’t it transcend into an actual expression of living our lives?

If the point of worship is to do something similar to what Scripture is supposed to do, and that is to point to Jesus, then…..?

You fill in the blank.

A Parental Perspective

Okay, think about this from a parental perspective for just a moment…

Say we were gathered together, enjoying time together over grilled food, a few choice beverages, stories, laughter and excellent conversation.  Sounds good right?  If it doesn’t, check your pulse…  Now, say my youngest daughter comes over to me and gives me a hug, kissed me on the cheek and says:  I love you Daddy, you’re the best!  And then runs off.  It’s precious, right?

Now, take it a step further.

Let’s say she didn’t stop.  She just kept going and going, she wouldn’t let go and she kept telling me how great I am and how she loved me.  At first it might be comical, but then as I couldn’t get her to stop it just becomes… awkward, doesn’t it?  You would think that there is something wrong with her, wouldn’t you?  I would.  One of the first thoughts I would have is:  Is she insecure in my love for her?  Does she not know?

So let’s try and relate that to God, Our Father, Who lives in us and Who is with us always.  Which would He value and enjoy more?  Letting His children sing songs to Him over and over and over or actually interacting and enjoying life with His children?  I can’t speak for God, but don’t you think He would value doing the latter?

What do you think He likes more?  Having His Children be led by His Spirit where they realize, know, understand, accept and experience His Love for them and the reality that He is always with them?  Or to continually, ignorantly do spiritual aerobics in a weak attempt to try to get His attention?  I can’t speak for God, but don’t you think He would value doing the former?

Wouldn’t you think He would like to lead us into all forms of living life which from His viewpoint actually equate to real worship?

Are we so arrogant to think that when Jesus was talking about worshipping in Spirit and in Truth that he was talking about worship services as we have it now?  Or worship services at all for that matter?

Didn’t he say that there wouldn’t be a specific place to worship in or at anymore?

Who then, is Spirit and Truth?  None other that God Himself.

Is it such a leap then, to think that worshipping in Spirit and Truth would equate to living your life, everyday, through the highs and lows, as a form of worship because you are now in Christ?

To Live Life…

You see, I want my cake and I want to eat it too.  I want to live Life as He intends for it to be lived and worship Him.  I want them to intertwine where you cannot tell the difference.  To really be led by His Spirit.  On the outside you may think I am just living my life, but from within…from within that wellspring of Life is erupting into a geyser of worship.  Just not in the way church views it now…  These are the things I am yearning for.

Ok…which is easier:  Singing songs as worship or trusting in Him to lead you into a life of worship as He intends?

A church staff or church system cannot judge the level, depth or ‘anointing’ of worship by the latter way, because it cannot be seen from the outside.  It cannot be gauged by how many times hands are raised, or people stand, clap, shout, jump or run around.  At a worship service you ‘can’…but how do you gauge whether it’s the Spirit or just flesh?

I personally think that Life as He intends it and promises it isn’t actually lived inside the four walls of a church building and the multiple services, programs, schools and book programs offered ad nauseam.  I also think that living our life the way He intends it is the best form of worship possible.  For inside of that Life is Jesus, and Love, Family, Friends and Grace enough to extend to anyone who comes into contact with you… anyone.  You and I, living our lives the way He intended and in the way He leads will automatically spill out into the lives of others.  From how I see it…it has to, because it seems to be the only way that it would be natural and not forced.

Have I made it?  Oh no…not yet.  I’ve seen and tasted small fragments of it, but I’m not there yet.  I wish I had a better answer.  But with God all things are possible.  I believe and accept by faith that He is with me, and (with a little bit of ‘fear and trembling’… see my heart here) I believe and accept by faith that He is leading me and raising me as a father would a son (something sticks out about growing into the full stature of Christ from the New Testament here…).

Nothing wrong with singing a song.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with using a song to worship God.  I’m not saying that.  I have previously written about an intimate setting where one song was more than enough and it was perfect.  Songs can have a beautiful way of expressing how you feel towards any particular person or thing.  I remember reading through an old hymnal about a year ago and being blown away at how powerful the words to those old hymns were.  How much better they pointed to Jesus, to the Cross, to Grace, to the Resurrection than most of the modern songs do.  Seriously.

Worship in the form of song can be amazing.  Worship songs can be a powerfully fast way to teach about Christ.  But then again, it’s the Spirit that gives these things life.  I just think there is too much emphasis on art forms and basically entertainment defining worship instead of letting our lives be the form and definition of worship.  The focus seems to be off.  Interpretive and or prophetic dance (with or without banners) and painting at these ‘worship services’ seem to just provide a level of entertainment as Tozer so eloquently put it.  And those things are just distracting at best and awkward at the very least.  Seriously those art forms are meant to be watched and appreciated, how in a corporate setting is that more for God than the crowd?  Yeah, yeah…I know what David did.  I don’t see people doing that now, though and using scripture to back it up.

If you see a church or know of one that really ‘dances like David danced’, let me know…I got two words for them:  You Tube.

Look, I’m trying to find that better way, to walk in it and live it.  I need Him, oh how I need Him to lead me and guide me, to teach me like a father to a son.  That’s where me accepting by faith what He has done and reality as He sees it comes in.  I’m not satisfied with just singing a song, feeling goosebumps and calling that being led in worship by the One who did everything to save me and included me in His family in such a way where there was nothing I could do to add to it.

Oh…to be led by the Spirit of God.

One can only trust and look to Him and let Him do what He promised.

Further questions to Ponder

I end this blog series with just a few more questions for us to chew on and hopefully, take back to Our Father in one way or another.

If God is after a relationship with his children as a Father relates to his children, then is one-sided singing or performing for Him really the way to enhance that relationship?

God showed us that He loved us by living among us, enjoying life with us, and most importantly dying for us.  How is singing songs of adoration to him how he wants our relationship to be defined?  (I’m not saying that Jesus wasn’t worshipped, there are a few accounts where He was… don’t get sidetracked.)

How does God want to spend time with His children?

And that concludes this long post!  I hope this helps you as you walk with Him.  I hope that you take these things to Him and let Him show you and illuminate things that He wants to say to you.

Life, Worship and God – Part 2

Hopefully there were a few questions raised, or maybe even a few thoughts that you have had yourself at one point and the first installment helped you by way of a reminder.  Hopefully it has helped you a little, pointed you more towards Christ.  I continue to encourage you:  take these things to Him, let Him show you.

So, without further interruption: here we go with Part 2!.

As I mentioned in Part 1, I came across two things as I was putting my thoughts down in this blog regarding worship that I thought interesting enough to share.  The first was a quote by A.W. Tozer, the second thing which I saved for Part 2 is a link to an article from Regina Beardsley.  I placed the link in here so you can read it yourself and understand that I am not coming from a position of attack against what she says.  Her viewpoint comes from that of a worship leader and musician, someone who is actually on a worship team and her voice brings value to this conversation.  I think that because she is part of the worship team she has some good points regarding the concert-like trend of worship these days, the lack of real doctrinal/Scriptural substance and Truth in the worship songs.  She also helps illustrates the church view of worship, or for lack of a better phrase: the view of how the system looks at worship, or at least part of it.  This helps to further pose questions for all of us to think about.  Regina, if you ever read this post, thank you for your voice in this conversation.

Interestingly enough, before publishing this second installment, I came across this article in my WordPress Reader by Kevin Daniel.  Please go read it as well.  I don’t have this type of perfect timing, and in a short amount of space he articulates things very well from his viewpoint as a former worship leader.  He does a good job hitting on the points of having a “God-cert” concert.  It is another valued piece added to the conversation.  Whether you read this post or not, thank you, Kevin, for your voice.

In the quote below, from Regina, the emphasis by underlining is mine.

“What is the point of a church worship service? Everyone involved in a service in any way should know what their goal is. The way I see it, my goal as a musician involved in the service is to facilitate and contribute to worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. The music department is most successful when its contribution leads the congregation into a place of worship where the music is no longer necessary and the focus is totally on the Lord. If I do my job well, the congregation will hardly notice I’m there, and at the end of the process I will no longer be needed. I am not THE worship service; I am simply an usher arranging a meeting between the people in the congregation and God.”

I would not be so foolish as to question her heart for wanting to ‘lead’ or ‘usher’ people into worshipping with God.  I have to say, that I whole-heartedly agree with her attitude when she said:  “at the end of the process I will no longer be needed.”  Indeed, we should grow in our walk, understanding, etc where being led into worship is no longer needed.  My questions then, revolve around what I have previously underlined.

Must there be a goal for a service?  Doesn’t that sound a bit…corporate?

Why must a congregation, or why does a congregation need to be ‘led’ into a ‘place of worship’ by men & women?

Isn’t it by the Spirit that we are to be led, even into the way, shape or form of worship?

When did man take over arranging the meeting between God and His Children?   I thought Christ fixed that issue…

Why would either side need to be ‘ushered’ into this meeting? 

Again, shouldn’t we leave this up to God and let Him lead?

These questions aren’t being raised because I know all the answers, far from it.  These questions are from my own journey as well as questions that have been posed to me in some form or another over the last couple years.  Hopefully that is evident by now.

To quickly quote Kevin Daniel, he does a good job summarizing who a worship service is for:

“Singing in church, I believe, is just an act of unison between believers, an act of commodore.

Singing brings us together. It builds bridges. It reminds us of the hope we stake our claim in. It blurs out the differences and clarifies the similarities. It’s for us!

Why have we labeled it worship?”

Worship Advertising

Back to the premium which we briefly discussed in Part 1 that is placed on worship services these days.  Listen to how people advertise or even talk about any particular worship service they have been to recently or are going to in the near future or even how they talk about its function.  The talk revolving around and about worship is done in a way that it is basically advertising that service or event.  It also infers that by coming to their particular worship service, you will have an encounter with God that you might not have anywhere or ever.  Apparently the worship is so anointed, or the worship team understands so well how to usher the people into the Presence of God or usher in His Presence that God has no choice but to show up there.  The deeper message then, is that if you don’t go to that particular service you will somehow miss your divine appointment with God.  As if God gets lost or can’t keep His own appointments and will just randomly show up at the wrong church!  As if God can only work within the small thirty minute worship schedule we have  blocked him into.  It’s similar to advertising a rock band on tour that is coming to town and on the tour is none other than the one and only Jesus Christ Himself.

Moving on.

In the worship service we (corporate “we”  JIC you’re curious)are reminded:

God inhabits the praises of His People.

Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with Praise.

During the worship service we pray:

God, we just invite you here this day, we make room for your Presence today.

God, as we usher in Your Presence today…

Think on it for a moment before moving on.

It might be good to remind you here that I’ve done all these things.  I used to be a worship junkie!  I got to a point where I worshipped worship, I was ravenously hyped up about worship.

What has changed?

Ask yourself:

What has the Cross changed regarding worship?  Has anything changed?

Did the New Covenant change anything regarding worship?

Aren’t these attitudes towards worshipping, like ushering in, entering in, entertaining His Presence, and things of that nature just a bit Old Covenant?

To take that a step further, doesn’t it sound a bit similar to pagan worship where there are countless things to DO in order to get the attention/favor of the gods?

Think about it.  God no longer inhabits the praises of His People.  God now LIVES IN His Children!

Think about it.  We no longer enter in to the gates of the Temple or its courts with any required actions.  We are the temple!  God has entered us!

Think about it.  We do not need to invite God anywhere. I do understand the heart behind such a thing, I used to do this too.  Just know that He is already there with you.  Acknowledge Him if you wish.  Even David knew this.  Didn’t he ask the rhetorical question “where can I go that I can escape your Presence?”  Meaning, there is no place that he could go where God wasn’t already there!

Yes, I am familiar with the Scripture that says “where two or three are gathered in my name…”, but couldn’t you look at it to mean that we should recognize that Christ is in each of us and therefore the Spirit can work through each of us to the benefit of the other?

Ok, for the sake of your sanity and eye strain I have actually created a third post, which will be shared in a couple days and we’ll finish up these thoughts on worship together.  Honestly, I can’t believe that I’m making a third post on this.  However, understanding that I can get long winded…I see how I did it.  Crazy.

Again, I hope this is beneficial to the conversation going on regarding worship.

Until then.