Amos 5:23 and 24 - "Take the noise of your songs away from Me; and I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
I wanted to take just a quick second and add to what we spoke about the other day in regards to Worship. It is of the utmost importance to note that God decides how he is to be worshipped. It is not us who decide how we will approach him. We can may be very excited about our music and it may be upbeat and the people may feel it and earnestly try to worship and it can be rejected. We may feel the presence of what we perceive to be the Holy Spirit and yet our worship may stink in the nostrils of God. We may totally reject modern worship songs and sing to God Hymns and psalms that rightly point to the Glory of God and be totally rejected of Him. Our Worship serves no purpose and only angers God if we are not Worshipping him in truth and with our Life. May we be a people separated unto God. Let us be Just with one another and jealous for each other's Holiness. Let us hold each other accountable for the Glory of God. Let us strive for righteousness and holiness by praying that God would conform us to the image of his Son. Let our life be offered up to God in true and pleasing Worship.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Thank you David! Jon Foreman has a song out based on that passage called "Instead of a show" that is very good. It has become my daughter and my favorite. As much as I would like to think I worship Him in spirit and truth, my heart tells me otherwise. Again your rebuke hit me like a velvet brick. Keep them coming...
ReplyDeleteThanks Tim and I am looking forward to seeing you guys tonight. I think everyone is coming.
ReplyDeleteThe Reformers taught what became known as the Regulative Principle. That is only what was specifically commanded in scripture is acceptable for worship. This of course condemned many of the practices of the Catholic Church along with Christmas, Easter, Lent, and and other Holy Days of the Church Calendar. Also it seems that the majority of reformation, and puritain churches did not use musical instruments in their services. Spurgeon said that he wouldn't mind an organ in church as long as it could not be seen or heard. They believed that musical instruments were a part of the cerimonial law and not to be practised in the New Covenant.
ReplyDeleteSome are strict Psalmodist. That only the Psalms should be used in worship. When the bible says "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" it is not talking about three things but one thing. This is a common style of Hebrew poetry and writing as a way of using an exclamation mark. I've also heard that this is the titles of the three sections of the Psalms in the Septuagint.
The Psalms were a big part of the worship in Geneva but Calvin was not a strict Psalmodist. He did however believe that the very words of scripture should be sung. Luther thought that songs should be close to the words of scripture, such as songs written based on certain passages. None of them would be happy with singing let your glory fall 20 times.
I have not personally formed a conviction yet but these are things I've been studying at my liesure, which is very little time these days. Thought it might be something to chew on.