“THERE IS STILL ONE WORSHIP”
“And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” (Rev. 22:8-9). The writer of Hebrews records this, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:28-29). Some translation translates the word “serve” as “worship.” Which would read, “Thus let us offer to God acceptable worship” (ESV).
Has God authorized a multiplicity of ways to worship him? It did not appear so in The Patriarchal Age, for God did not accept Cain’s worship (Gen. 4). It would seem that Cain could have been acceptable to God because he was probably sincere in his worship and sacrifice. In the Mosaic Age God would not accept the worship of Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the Lord (Lev. 10:1). In the Christian Age the Bible reveals, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24) so it would be that God will not accept just any worship.
Today various congregations have incorporated two worships, traditional and contemporary. One worship includes instrumental music, and the other does not. Can you imagine under the Mosaic Law and in the Temple there would be a sign at the entrance of the temple, which read “Sacrifice Offered with Fire with a Flair will meet at 9:00 A.M.” Then next to it the sign would read, “Sacrifices Offered with Traditional Fire at 10 A.M.” If it wasn’t so sad, it would be funny. Under the Patriarchal dispensation you can just see it. Ishmael was outcast. He decided that he would offer his sacrifice different (the people would like it that way), besides Abraham is old, traditional and favors Isaac. Would that please God? You know it wouldn’t!
There is only one worship acceptable to God and that is revealed in the New Testament. We engage in five items of worship; prayer, preaching, Lord’s Supper, singing and giving (Acts 2:42; Eph. 5:19; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Acts 20:7). Folks have said, “Well, the elders have studied this, and they have concluded that the New Testament doesn’t prohibit the use of the instrument.” What New Testament are they studying? Not one single time in the New Testament does the scriptures even hint that an instrument can be used in worship? Not one! Repeat, Not one! The name on the building may be “Church of Christ” but it is everything but that. The word of God in that group has been abandoned for the pleasing of men.
Larry