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All through the Bible we read how the actions of men and women either reflect the true God or a perverse copy of Him. Noah believed upon the Lord. His actions were firmly shaped by the Word/Law of God. Abraham believed God. He understood the Lord would provide the sacrifice on the mount. Abraham determined he would return to the servants with Isaac (Genesis 22:5 ). Moses understood the power of God. He comprehended the bondage of slavery and believed God would deliver His people. His actions were shaped by the influence of the Spirit of God. The stories mount, one on top of another. On the other hand men like Nadab and Abihu were struck down upon presenting strange fire in worship (Leviticus 10:1-2 ). Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, lied to the Holy Spirit and were killed (Acts 5:1-10 ). The theme of obedience and disobedience within the church (visible) runs throughout the Bible. In the New Testament the writer to the Hebrews describes our corporate worship as a time when, through an eye of faith, we come up to the celestial Jerusalem (i.e. the throne room of God in the highest heavens). He continues, revealing that when we worship corporately we gather with innumerable angels and the catholic church, before the mercy throne (Hebrews 12:22-24 ). After his dissertation on the reality of worship the writer reminds us that God never changes, He is still “a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29 ). Worship is important in the eyes of God. He works covenantally with His people. Each Lord’s Day we enter His throne room. In this time we ought to: seek forgiveness for (and are forgiven) our sins, sing His praise, profess our faith; have our lives cut up and then re-organised by His Word (in Scripture readings and through the sermon); sit down (i.e. recline) at the table and rejoice in God’s goodness; receive the blessing of God to go out and conquer the world (i.e. the Benediction); and sing our gratitude for His provision to us (i.e. Doxology). In other words we ought to seek to renew covenant with our Creator. To remind Him of His promises toward us and rejoice in the forgiveness of our sins (i.e. reclining at the table with God). Finally, being commissioned to go out and make disciples of all the nations.
God’s overarching covenantal dealing with His people is “obey me and be blessed, disobey me and be cursed.” Fundamentally God operates the universe in terms of resurrection (i.e. life) following death (i.e. self-denial). We are to die to self in order to be resurrected and blessed. This is tough. By nature we are stubborn willed and proud. So we all fail here. We have transgressed the covenant and seek to do what seems right in our eyes. So God made an addendum to the covenant; “if you trust in my Provision, I will curse Another for your disobedience, and bless you for His obedience.”[3] This theme of first dying to self, then being raised unto life undergirds the Biblical narrative. It should be our foundational thought paradigm. Our very existence is to “glorify God” by seeking first His kingdom ( Matthew 6:33 ). More than that; we are to also “enjoy Him forever.”[4] Christianity is not lifeless or dull or joyless. Christ has freed us from the bondage to sin and misery; we are to rejoice. A lifestyle of rejoicing in the Lord desperately needs to be injected back into families and churches. But what do I mean by this? I am not promoting licentiousness or total freedom to do as I see fit. Rather, enjoying the Lord must be couched in glorifying Him. Freedom is never grounded in lawlessness. This is where I and we all need to learn what dying to self, taking up our cross and following the Messiah actually means. Through His death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, Jesus has won the victory. All authority has been given to Him on earth and in heaven ( Matthew 28:18 ). Satan does not rule the world. He is a defeated foe and has been bound from deceiving the nations ( Revelation 20:3 ). We, the Church, are involved in a historical “mop-up”. Each Sunday we are commissioned to go out from worship and subdue the earth; beautifying it according to the will of God (i.e. teaching the nations to obey all of Christ’s commandments). We are in the process of building paradise, transforming the new creation through the preaching of the Gospel. So we ought to see the broadness of the Gospel. It is the power of God unto salvation ( Romans 1:16 ). Salvation unto what? Are we saved to simply tell people to love Jesus; or retreat from the world; or is God’s will greater than this?
Succumbing to the Word of God renews our minds ( Romans 12:2 ). In dying to self we are used to build the kingdomof God. Our calling is not one of retreat. Pop-culture is not our master. Through the simple obedience of ordinary people God is gloriously transforming the world. His new creation is being beautified and restored to reflect His glory. We may not see this in our particular circumstances or the tiny scope of history we live in. However, all things are being made new. The Church is moving “further in and further up”[5] the new creation. God has reconciled the world to Himself in His Son ( John 3:16 ). We, His people, are being used in history to transform the world. The forest ought to be seen through the tress. And we must believe it when we pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
So let us seek the path of humble obedience. Living lives of simple faithfulness to God’s Law/Word. Persecution will probably come (in one form or another). However, it in turn will bring new life. In so understanding and doing we will build (tiny bit by tiny bit) a culture centred on loving the Gospel, the church, our children and our neighbours. And so in death to self we receive new life and the kingdomof God is built. This is a life long task of glorifying/beatifying the world unto Christ. We have a way to go. Long term vision, prayerfulness and work are required.
Where does all of this start? In worship. Spiritual battles are won in corporate worship. Throughout the Bible God has outline how He ought to be worshiped. We need more discussion on this. Surely Sunday services are more than the sermon? Are we simply coming together for an intellectual download, some songs and a few prayers? Or is there something more grandiose happening when we meet together? Is it not the time when heaven and earth meet? Are we not coming into the very presence of God? Next time I will seek to answer some of these questions.
End Notes
[1]According to NCLS research the decline was around &% decline in weekly church attendance between 1996 and 2001. See:http://www.ncls.org.au/default.aspx?sitemapid=352.
[2]According to NCLS research 5% of Australian Christian young people leave the church when they turn 15. See: http://www.ncls.org.au/default.aspx?sitemapid=352.
[3]Sproul Jr, RC, 2009, Kingdom Notes 28 January 2010, Building Paradise.
[4]Answer to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1.
[5]Lewis, CS, The Last Battle, Chapter 15.
