I was sent a question asking, "What is your view of instrumental music in worship?". It is seemingly becoming a more and more hot topic. I think I have heard just about every argument for and against it. You throw in the mix 'praise teams' and special singing groups and it really becomes a boiling pot. Let me start with this, what seems to be addressed in the majority of cases is the instrument, praise team and singing groups and not worship. That's where we seem to get off track. We need to address worship and what God, not me or someones personal feelings, deems as acceptable. Understanding worship will give us the answer to all of the above.
What is worship about? That must be answered! Who is central in worship? God or man? Carefully read John 4 where Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman. I know you know what it says, but read it with care and faith! In this discussion with her, Jesus gives great insight about genuine acceptable worship. She thinks it is location that makes worship acceptable (John 4:20-22). Jesus assures her that a change is taking place and worship will no longer be confined to a location. True worshipers, He teaches, worship in spirit and truth, not in one city or a temple (John 4:23). The spirit and truth issue are the two key elements for acceptable worship before God. To worship in spirit is to worship from within the depth of your being, coming from the heart and it is all bound by the truth. Look closely at the word "must" which is emphatic in the Greek.
What does all this teach us? For worship to be acceptable, and is that not what we are speaking about, it "must" be God and Christ centered! Paul brings this idea to life to the Philippians about worship that those who "worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus put no confidence in the flesh!" (Phil. 3:3) NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH! To worship from within the heart and the sphere of God and Christ, that eliminates man's fleshly desires and personal interests! Otherwise, worship is useless in the eyes of God because it is man centered, man pleasing and caters to mans wants and feelings. The center of our worship should be God and He is Spirit. The way we touch God's world is worshiping from our spirit side! Just like walking faithfully in Christ, we need to learn to be led by the Spirit and not our fleshly thinking and feelings, which comes from our physical side. Our new birth was spiritual, not physical. It came from within, not without! If one does not revere God and hold Him in awe (Heb. 12:28-29), then our worship will be centered around our personal desires and feelings, in which the externals are emphasized. We will cater to things that make us feel good and that's what all this issue is about. We are turning worship into a society accepted production that moves us emotionally and our spiritual side (which some cannot distinguish what that is other than their feelings) is left untouched. Emotions can be stirred in worship, but they are stirred from being God centered, not man made things to move us or excite us!
Peter speaks of proclaiming the excellencies of God because we have been brought out of darkness into His light (I Pet. 2:9). Worship is about proclaiming His excellencies, not us! Peter continues to teach that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (I Pet. 2:5). Acceptable sacrifices, which is what worship is about, are offered to God because of Christ and are acceptable if they are spiritual, not physical. This is the truth that worshipers need to grasp and God seeks true worshipers! It amazes me how few who have been in Christ for many years have no clue what is spiritual and what is fleshly.
Where does all this leave instrumental music, praise teams and special singing groups? I must say, not in true worship in spirit! These things have no part of acceptable worship to God. It might make us "enjoy" worship, but then we make worship about us and our feelings. God is 'dethroned' in the heart. God is spoken about, but not the center because those who want to be moved always speak of what they feel and how they are stirred rather than what God is looking for. The instrument, praise team and groups are for us...let's just be honest and stop playing the game! They have no appeal to God!!! God is spirit and seeks spiritual worshipers, who worship in the realm of truth from the depth of their beings, not the external of something man invented!
No comments:
Post a Comment