Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature
Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature Purpose Driven or Scripture Driven? - Way of Life Literature
children of Israel could have said to Aaron, “All worshipof god is God’s worship.” These analogies have the samedeceptive sound of being logical at first glance, but theyare full of the same ambiguity and deceit as theexpression “all truth is God’s truth.”Rick Warren made the statement, “I don’t think God carestwo bits about your style of worship as long as it’s in spiritand in truth.”Is he correct? The terms spirit and truth must first bedefined in a Biblical context. When worshipping the Lord,man’s spirit is to be moved only by the Holy Spirit of God;furthermore, worship is to be in truth which means it canonly be defined according to what God’s Holy Word says(not what man says). The Bible says that worship is to bepracticed in holiness and reverence--these qualities of “style”are not subjective! If the methods of worship were totallyrelative to the individual, then the demonstration of “spirit”and “truth” in worship would mean absolutely nothing--therewould be no way to distinguish the church from the socialinstitutions of the unregenerate world. No, the Bible says thepeople of God are to be holy, as He is holy. They are to be a“peculiar people,” “a light set upon the hill”; they arenoticeably different from the world. Thus, Warren’sstatement is not correct; God does indeed care about one’s“style” in worship and methodology. Our worship is to bepatterned after the likeness of Christ Himself and inaccordance with the principles set forth in the eternal,unalterable Word of Truth.First Chronicles 16:29 says, “Give unto the LORD theglory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come beforehim: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” Is“holiness” subjective to the individual? Absolutely not--onlyGod is holy; therefore, the characteristics of holiness arefound in the Lord, not man. Many examples and direct114
statements in God’s Word guide the believer in his worshipand in his witness away from the course of this present evilage. The qualifications of holiness are invariably differentfrom the world; thus, holy worship includes both reverenceand separation from a worldly style.Notice the New Testament counterpart for the Lord’speople in the church: 1 Timothy 6:11-14 says,But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and followafter righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold oneternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hastprofessed a good profession before many witnesses. Igive thee charge in the sight of God... That thou keep thiscommandment without spot, unrebukeable, until theappearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.First Peter 1:13-19 and Peter 2:5, 9 furthermore providebelievers in the Church Age with commands that must beconsidered when defining purpose:Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, andhope to the end for the grace that is to be brought untoyou at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedientchildren, not fashioning yourselves according to theformer lusts in your ignorance: [NOT stylizing ourcurrent walk after the former unsaved, worldly walk] Butas he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in allmanner of conversation; Because it is written, Be yeholy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, whowithout respect of persons judgeth according to everyman’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here infear.... Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritualhouse, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosengeneration, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiarpeople; that ye should show forth the praises of him whohath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.Who comprises the local church? The church is to meettogether on the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week; we find115
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statements in God’s W<strong>or</strong>d guide the believer in his w<strong>or</strong>shipand in his witness away from the course <strong>of</strong> this present evilage. The qualifications <strong>of</strong> holiness are invariably differentfrom the w<strong>or</strong>ld; thus, holy w<strong>or</strong>ship includes both reverenceand separation from a w<strong>or</strong>ldly style.Notice the New Testament counterpart f<strong>or</strong> the L<strong>or</strong>d’speople in the church: 1 Timothy 6:11-14 says,But thou, O man <strong>of</strong> God, flee these things; and followafter righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience,meekness. Fight the good fight <strong>of</strong> faith, lay hold oneternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hastpr<strong>of</strong>essed a good pr<strong>of</strong>ession bef<strong>or</strong>e many witnesses. Igive thee charge in the sight <strong>of</strong> God... That thou keep thiscommandment without spot, unrebukeable, until theappearing <strong>of</strong> our L<strong>or</strong>d Jesus Christ.First Peter 1:13-19 and Peter 2:5, 9 furtherm<strong>or</strong>e providebelievers in the Church Age with commands that must beconsidered when defining purpose:Wheref<strong>or</strong>e gird up the loins <strong>of</strong> your mind, be sober, andhope to the end f<strong>or</strong> the grace that is to be brought untoyou at the revelation <strong>of</strong> Jesus Christ; As obedientchildren, not fashioning yourselves acc<strong>or</strong>ding to thef<strong>or</strong>mer lusts in your ign<strong>or</strong>ance: [NOT stylizing ourcurrent walk after the f<strong>or</strong>mer unsaved, w<strong>or</strong>ldly walk] Butas he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in allmanner <strong>of</strong> conversation; Because it is written, Be yeholy; f<strong>or</strong> I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, whowithout respect <strong>of</strong> persons judgeth acc<strong>or</strong>ding to everyman’s w<strong>or</strong>k, pass the time <strong>of</strong> your sojourning here infear.... Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritualhouse, an holy priesthood, to <strong>of</strong>fer up spiritual sacrifices,acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But ye are a chosengeneration, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiarpeople; that ye should show f<strong>or</strong>th the praises <strong>of</strong> him whohath called you out <strong>of</strong> darkness into his marvelous light.Who comprises the local church? The church is to meettogether on the L<strong>or</strong>d’s Day, the first day <strong>of</strong> the week; we find115
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