The Scourge Of Racism
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The last day of God’s predetermined end is also the first day of His new beginning! For the Lord Jesus Christ triumphantly declares in the face of His glorious return: ‘“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” While presenting Himself to John He says again, ‘“I am the Alpha and the Omega’” and adds, ‘“the First and the Last,’” (Revelation 1:7-8, 11a, NKJV). Using the first and last letters Alpha and Omega from the Greek alphabet, the Lord unmistakably asserts Himself as the focal point of His Father’s eternal plan, history, the ages and paradigm shifts within, between as well as absolute authority over them!
As part of the Father’s plan from eternity, I was previously led by Him to discuss four major last day events at the end of this present world and age.1 The first event is the assemblage of Gentile nations to Israel to war against God and Christ that they lose to Him; bringing an end to the kingdoms of men. The second is the glorious Second Coming of Christ in which He immediately gathers His Church to Himself in the sky by resurrection and translation to immortal glory. This ends the Church’s mortal existence! Third, the Father pours out the fullness of His wrath upon sinful mankind ending this wicked age. Fourth, Christ captures and imprisons Satan ending his world rule.
The glorified Church of Christ that experienced an end (of death, suffering and mortality) on this last and also new beginning of God’s planned eternal day are the first to enjoy it as a next event.2 This, as we take the reins of global authority and reign with Christ in the aftermath of His victorious war of the ages (Daniel 7:23-27; Haggai 2:20-23; Zechariah 12:1-9, 14:1-5, 12-15; Revelation 5:8-10, 14:14-20)!3 Afterward, on this unique “day” where the glory of Christ is literally “the light of the world,” the topography of Jerusalem and its environs will continue to be transformed by His presence and purposeful power in restoration and new creation as foretold (Zechariah 14:6-11; John 9:1-7, NKJV).4
The physical makeover of Jerusalem and surrounding topography are all part of God’s planned new beginning for the land and people of Israel under Christ as King (Isaiah 35:1-7, 65:17-25; Ezekiel 36:1-15; Joel 3:17-21; Amos 9:11-15)! As is the prerogative of any king, Christ the King of Israel will choose and build up Jerusalem as His capital city and claim “Judah as His inheritance,” (Psalm 48:1-3; Zechariah 1:14-17, 2:1-13, 8:1-3, NKJV). Simultaneous to His restoration of the land, Christ will institute God’s new beginning for Israel’s elect mortal remnant in the land and scattered throughout the earth. He will ‘“whistle for…gather…’” and ‘“redeem them,’” (Zechariah 8:4-8, 10:6-12, NKJV).
He will do this because Christ is Israel, the consummate Israelite who came and comes to rescue His people from all of their enemies beginning with sin, death and Satan (Isaiah 49:1-3; 61:1-3; Hosea 11:1, 13:4-14; Matthew 1:18-25, 2:13-15; Mark 10:32-45, 15; Colossians 2:13-15). Rejected by their religious leaders and larger body of Jews of that day, the Lord’s labor seemed inconsequential. However, His Father’s plan called for the Gospel of salvation through repentance and faith in Him to be preached in all the world as it has now, for nearly two thousand years; saving millions of souls among Jews and Gentiles (Isaiah 49:4-7; Luke 24:36-49; Acts 1:6-8, NKJV)!
Even so, at the end Israel as His ethnic people and nation are still in God’s plan of salvation, though they are only a tiny remnant when the time comes because of the punishment of their sins. That this is the biblical case is foretold by nearly all of the writing prophets beginning with Moses, Christ Himself and His faithful apostle to us Gentiles, Paul (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 35:8-10, 42:16-17, 49:8-13; Jeremiah 30:1-3, 10-11, 18-22; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Luke 13:34-35; Romans 11:25-27). As His people gather to Him from all over the world beginning on that last day of the end, the Father’s gracious outpour of the Holy Spirit upon them will bring all to repentance and grief as they behold the glory of Christ their King (Zechariah 12:10-13:1; Acts 2:1-37, 3:17-21, NKJV).
In accord with the terms of His New Covenant God promised Israel, He will forgive and “cleanse” away their sins in which initially rejecting Christ is chief.5 Too, He will put the Holy Spirit within them (Jeremiah 31:31-34, 32:36-41, 33:8; Ezekiel 36:16-28; Micah 7:14-20, NKJV). As well, God will remove their tears and prosper the remnant of Israel as never before under Christ their King (Isaiah 4:2-6, 11:11-16, 30:18-26; Jeremiah 23:5-8; Ezekiel 36:29-38; Malachi 4:1-3).6 Christ will also be their High Priest and rebuild the Temple, the place of His glorious residence (Isaiah 11:10, 60:1-7, 13-14; Ezekiel 40:1-4, 43:1-10; Haggai 2:7-9; Zechariah 3:6-10, 6:9-15, 14:16-21). This first part to God’s new beginning in His eternal day continues 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6).
1 Read the August 6, 2023 post, The Last Day Of The End, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 What a surpassingly great joy the dawn of the day of the Lord will be for every saint after having obediently stood to the end enduring everything this present world and age ruled by Satan hurled at us in troubles, hardships, adversities, afflictions and persecutions through His strength (Ephesians 6:10-18)! There will be some serious shouting in the clouds!
3 See the two-part February 13, 2022 post, War Of The Ages End, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 The ground shifting changes occurring in Jerusalem and its surrounding countryside due to the presence and purposeful acts of power by Christ mirror what has already taken place over the entire earth in the face of the Father’s global quake that completely transforms its topography at once (Isaiah 13:13, 24:1-3, 17-20, 40:3-5; Revelation 16:17-20)!
5 At this important, God appointed time, He has led this Ministry to produce the thirty minute Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, viewable on YouTube. He wants to do for you in need, O professed Christian, what He does for the remnant of Israel in the day very near: forgive and cleanse you of your sins (Zechariah 1:3-4). Lacking a presence among the elect remnant of Israel or “holiness,” “no one will see the Lord” without eternal grief (Hebrews 12:14, NKJV). I urge you to take the time to watch the video.
6 Please note in Ezekiel 36:37-38 God allows Himself to be petitioned by the elect remnant of Israel for an increase in men He answers in the affirmative. Why is this so im- portant God specifically states it in His restoration plan? Hint: men from creation have been foundational to God’s positive plans for mankind! Consequently, you can be- lieve Christ will restore God's order of mankind currently being trampled on by the world and many professed Christians in their churches! This prophecy is sweet vindica- tion to me and Strong Man Ministries now, with His assigned mission to restore men, their families and communities that also gave rise to my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get it in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
There is an end God has had planned before there was ever a beginning and shepherds bringing to fulfillment. That I should be alive to be as close as we are now, in the world to the day of the Lord and end of this present age abundantly foretold in Bible prophecy is exceedingly awe inspiring to me! Any of us who are faithful Christians have only one legitimate cause for sorrow about this and that is the reality not everyone we love or know will come to God’s end saved in spite of our best efforts (Jude 20-23). Truly, God’s holy wrath approaches as the destructive dawn of His eternal day and punishment of all unsaved sinners for their wicked deeds (Zephaniah 1:1-3, 14-18)!
From creation God in sovereignty has been shepherding events toward His predetermined end bound up in His Kingdom and Son, Jesus Christ, as noted in last week’s post and proclaimed by His apostles after His first century appearance (Daniel 2:44; Acts 2:22-36, 3:17-26; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; Ephesians 1:3-23; 1 Peter 1:20-21; Revelation 1:1-8).1 As in every generation following those days described as “the last,” ours are still an outworking of God’s plan toward His end in Christ (Acts 2:1-21; Hebrews 1:1-4; 1 John 2:18, NKJV).2 These are the last days for a number of reasons one of which is God has allocated none after to offer His gracious salvation to mankind (Titus 2:11-15).3
Bible prophecy speaks of the “latter days” or “times” which as the phrase conveys are the last part of the last days when God begins to fulfill the most severe foretold events in His prophetic plan especially His warning judgments before bringing His wrath and end to this present mortal age as we have known it (Jeremiah 30:23-24; Daniel 10:14; 1 Timothy 4:1, NKJV). Now, many professed Christians that love this present age do not want for their selfish motives to see it end. But end it must since all that has taken place after Adam’s fall during it is a wicked deviation from God’s perfect will for His creatures to be eternally together with Him as Creator (Genesis 1:26-31, 2:7-3:11, 22-24).
Foreknowing man’s fall into sin and His just consequence of separation by death from Him, love moved God to make a way before our creation to save the willing. That foretold way was the incarnation of the Word and His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die in our place to make atonement for our sins so God would be righteously free to forgive them and enable us to be reconciled to Him (Isaiah 53; John 1:1-18, 3:16-21, 36; Romans 5:6-11). The completely unselfish death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ heralded in the Gospel restored God’s original plan of eternal life and immortality for all mankind that would believe (1 Corinthians 15:45-57; 2 Timothy 1:8-12).4
The Lord Jesus waits for the end and awesome day of the Lord in Heaven with all of the saints departed to Him as we do here on earth. Among the many moving parts of His predetermined end only the Almighty God could perfectly weave together and bring about, are the foretold specific plans for His chosen Man and nation, Israel. The formal reappearance of the nation on the world stage in 1948 after nearly 1,900 years of dispersion throughout the world was the clear launch of God’s latter days since Israel is the central reason prophesied events of the end unfold as they do (Isaiah 49:1-3, 66:5-13; Zechariah 1:12-2:13; Romans 11:25-29)! To know where we are in God’s plan watch Israel!
Indeed, not only are we to watch Israel prophetically for what God is doing now and up until the very time of the end, but what He has done with them in the past “as examples” for us Christians the apostle Paul warns “upon whom the ends of the ages have come,” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11, NKJV). Thus, besides not sinning against God to avoid punishment, we are not “to put far off the day of doom” as part of God’s predetermined end pretending it may yet be thousands of years into the future as many of them did (Ezekiel 12:21-28; Amos 6:3-7, NKJV).5 Too, unlike them who did not believe their prophets we are to believe the prophecies God has given in His whole Word about these latter days we now, live through and the end (Jeremiah 19:14-20:6, 40:2-3; Luke 21:5-24, 24:13-27, 44)!6
Regarding the end, it comes with the outpouring of God’s promised wrath upon sinners who right up until that very moment refuse to accept His offer of forgiveness through repentance and faith in the Gospel. All of the plagues of climate change controlled by God including scorching heat come upon them (Revelation 14:6-7, 16:1-11). After this they even conspire to impossibly war against Him (Psalm 2:1-3; Joel 3:1-14; Revelation 16:12-16)! Having given His fallen creatures every chance to repent to no avail, God pours out His full wrath upon them and the earth (Psalm 2:4-12; Isaiah 13:6-13, 24:1-13, 17-23; Joel 3:15-17; Revelation 6:12-17, 16:17-21, 19:11-16). Only a mortal remnant from among the Jews and Gentile nations survive the end (Isaiah 10:20-23, 24:14-16; Ezekiel 7).
1 Read the July 23, 2023 post, The Nations Do Not Impress God, under the category, Call To Repent, and see the eighth footnote.
2 If Christ’s coming as the Judge was “at the door” in the first century, when do you really think it is now, nearly two thousand years removed (James 5:7-9, NKJV)?
3 Read the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 Through Christ, resurrection from the dead to immorality will also become the experience of all the wicked when He does this as a prelude to their final judgment and “condemnation” to Hell (John 5:24-30; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15, NKJV)! But as the apostle Paul makes clear, God has established an “order” of the resurrections (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, NKJV).
5 Many professed Christians today, not only nonchalantly kick the day of doom can down the far off in the future road, they do not want to hear about it; some even being “scoffers” with unbelievers so anchored are they into this present world and age (2 Peter 3:1-9, NKJV)! This is a grave error especially in light of the Lord’s specific command to His followers to “watch,” (Matthew 24:36-44, NKJV). All such professed Christians should watch the Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on our YouTube Channel to hear His appeal.
6 The world has its definition of “woke,” but aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ are joyfully “awake” to the nearness of “our salvation” because of believing and doing God’s Word (Romans 13:8-14, NKJV)! To learn more, get my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions along with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
The suffering and death the Coronavirus pandemic will have caused the world by its end is tragic. It is though, the beginning of God's next level judgments that vindicate His warnings through us crying out to the world about sin and churches their rebellion against His Word, toleration of falsehood and worldly compromises.1 Indeed, the rapidity by which the pestilence spread throughout the earth, came upon our nation and overtook my January through March 2020 posts calling yet again for repentance among guilty churches and warning of coming judgment will be among my most powerful memories of the event. As I warned in the opening of a March post, the Lord “ain’t playing.”2
God’s Coronavirus judgment among other things is to also be considered another significant paradigm shift in His program for Christians and churches of similar end as that which occurred with the Jerusalem church after the stoning of Stephen (Acts 8:1-4). Negatively, the stoning of Stephen led to a severe persecution breaking out against the Jerusalem church causing “all” but the apostles to be “scattered” in every direction out of the city (Acts 8:1, NKJV). In the positive, the Jerusalem saints getting run out of town led to their beginning to fulfill the next phase in the Lord’s preannounced will and plan for how He was to be witnessed geographically (Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:8, 8:4).
Negatively, the Coronavirus pandemic has closed the doors of many churches; some that will never open again. All Christians have suffered and suffer to various degrees through the challenges created by the pestilence; some have the illness and a relative few have died. Others are enduring the illness of loved ones sickened by the virus and the grief of loss. Many have failed the test of faith through fear in the event; some are rebounding through repentance. Some in despair walk away from churches. Others, called again to repent, continue to rebel in unbelief to their destruction shared in common with apostates who walk away from Christ never to return (Hebrews 3:7-19, 10:35-39).3
In the positive, the Lord through the Coronavirus pandemic has only mercifully chastened us to whatever extent any surviving Christian and church has suffered (Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:3-11; Revelation 3:19). Guilty where sin has been involved up to the swift onset of the pestilence, the repentant and humbled are freshly giving themselves in fidelity back to God--His will, way and Word! And while a number of pastors and churches have been creatively maintaining some form of corporate connection to members in the crisis, it should be clearly understood God’s one will, way and Word as it is written involves equipping men to lead His worship at home and in His house!4
Truly, Christian men new and seasoned restored in God’s revival stemming from all of this are to be in the vanguard of a renewed and final push by the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel and make disciples of the nations using mortal flesh (Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20; Mark 13:10, 16:15; Acts 26:8-20)!5 Our restored sisters are to be just as God designed: helpers and supporters of their husbands and men as they go forth (Luke 8:1-3; Romans 16:1-2); leaders in the cause to reach fellow women and children (Acts 9:36-42). If that sounds beneath you as a woman and insulting, you still need to repent from the stronghold of pride filled worldly feminism that retains its grip on your heart!
On this point as with every other matter the Bible plainly commands and teaches we should all be on one accord. For God does not have a multitude of wills, but there is only one declared consistently and without ambiguity on every issue in His Word as it is written! Passionately honoring this truth going forward as those revived by the one Holy Spirit, we fulfill Christ’s will delivered by His apostle, Paul, that walking “worthy of the calling” upon us in all “lowliness and gentleness with longsuffering” and forbearing “love” for one another, we strive hard “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” (Ephesians 4:1-3, NKJV). Over the past 500 years many professed Christians and their churches have striven for just the opposite and we see the result in ungodly divisions!6
However, if it must be as foretold that we go out as “sheep for the slaughter” for Christ’s sake, then, let us go out in unity faithfully pleasing Him and doing His will as we ought--the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in His image (Matthew 24:9-12; Romans 8:36, NKJV)!7 For “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in you all,” (Ephesians 4:4-6, NKJV). At the moment, we “hide” ourselves physically until the Lord’s indignation passes; laboring using media and waiting to emerge to zealously get after it (Isaiah 26:20-21, NKJV)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 God’s vindication in my lifetime of the word of warning and judgment He assigned in 1986 (Ezekiel 33:1-9) is deeply rewarding to me and I am sure all of His other
faithful servants. Many of the Bible’s prophets did not have this experience speaking as they did of events far removed into the future (1 Peter 1:10-12). To be sure,
the Lord’s vindication has nothing at all to do with those of us faithfully laboring, but a timely birth and nearness of His glorious Second Coming (Psalm 102:16; 1 Co-
rinthians 1:16-31; 2 Corinthians 10:17-18)! Glory to God!
2 See the March 15, 2020 post, Torn Between Two Masters, Pt. 1, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 Read the April 19, 2020 post, Does Anybody Repent Anymore? under the category, Call To Repent.
4 Pastor, it never did nor will it serve any good biblical end going forward to reserve the church house with its buildings and programs (which God has now, powerfully
shown He can do without and does not absolutely need especially when things are not going to be done His way) as the exclusive place of instruction, worship, fel-
lowship and ministry. In the wisdom of God from the beginning every man was assigned by Him to be the spiritual leader of his house (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-3, 21,
4:1-7, 8:20; Deuteronomy 6:1-9; 1 Timothy 3:2-5, 12). While you can easily teach the men of the church you lead to do as I have instructed in the free document, Men
Leading Family Worship At Home, save yourself some time since it has already been prepared. Download it from the Strong Man Store and use it!
5 Read the more thorough six-part treatment of this reality that begins July 30, 2017, Restoring Men In the Two Minute Drill, under the category, The Cause.
6 The apostle Paul, who wrote of divisions in the church at Corinth numbering just a handful, would be astonished to find them in the tens of thousands throughout pro-
fessing global Christianity today! Too, he would marvel that few consider this state of affairs abnormal and wicked in the sight of God who now, judges; calling guilty
leaders to repentance (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 3:1-4). While Paul’s focus in the passages just cited was on divisions created by personality loyalties, all should be clear
the great apostle would not condemn them caused by the faithful standing firm in disallowing the biblically defined sin of those that insist for example, on practicing all
forms of sexual immorality--a reason God Himself will exclude all such persons from the Kingdom (1 Corinthians 5:9-13, 6:9-20; Galatians 5:19-21).
7 I write about the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Get a print copy or digital download of the book
at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can also get a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
The Bible’s Book of Judges chronicles historical events and the inconsistent spiritual condition of Israel in the Promised Land after the death of Joshua and before the nation was ruled by a human king. While Joshua and the generation of leaders that entered the land with him lived, the people did well but in disobedience did not subdue all of the inhabitants or their false religions (Judges 1:1-2:10). After those leaders died, the erratic faithfulness of the people to God who was their King in the midst began. When the people turned from the Lord to other gods and all manner of wickedness, He judged them with great adversity and oppression by the surrounding nations.
Professing Christians that scoff at the fact fallen angels watch, stalk and hunt men to destroy their lives now and souls in Hell with them after God’s judgment (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 20:10-15), also obviously reject that these same invisible, spirit creatures war against the followers of Christ (Ephesians 6:12). How tragic and unfortunate for these scoffers that they show themselves to be captives and enemy agents of the same creatures arguing against God’s Word plainly written by their unbelief to include those that attempt to cloak themselves behind academia and the high sounding words of theological study (2 Timothy 2:23-26).
This edited 2011 post continues challenging the disastrous rebel thinking and actions of Western nations falling away from the spiritual, moral and ethical tenets on family that once informed their societies during the Christian era now past. As a boat set adrift at sea after being released from its moorings, so, our nation with other sister Western nations that are forcefully untying themselves from their Christian mores (Psalm 2:1-3)! Besides the fearful natural consequences of hopelessly drifting, there is the never before seen magnitude global storm brewing on the horizon propelled by the living God who comes to judge the rebellion against Him (Jeremiah 25:30-33).1
Originally Posted October 9, 2011
In a follow up to last week’s blog,2 the Lord would have me remind readers that our secular society cannot demand that men as fathers behave with the commitment to responsibility they have historically displayed toward their children and there be no absolute moral imperative to do so. This is where the silliness of moral relativity shows through in brilliant clarity. If there are no moral absolutes, then, who says men have to take responsibility for the children they father? There is no one without the other. Right doing follows righteous requirement and thinking.
Until now, men across cultures have been driven by the invisible compass of conscience (installed by God), societal norm and peer enforcement to do the right thing for their children. Also, God made His will and negative view of rebel Christian men known through His written Word distilled powerfully by the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:8. For our nation’s legal and social authorities to attempt to shame and punish deadbeat dads into right action while also supporting moral relativity is absurd to the extreme. Males from childhood must intentionally be taught there is a moral imperative from a holy God at work in their conscience and supported by all levels of the social order that they only bring forth children within marriage and in that context take full responsibility for their care.
As a teenage father I knew sex outside of marriage was wrong, but willfully chose to pursue my desires without restraint and in a setting of diminishing societal opposition. When children were actually born (some were aborted), it was also initially easy to walk away. But after I met the Lord, He restored my conscience and His absolute righteous requirement that I take responsibility for those I had fathered and father any others only in the context of marriage. Our nation must return to God in Christ and the moral absolutes of the Bible if there is to be any hope of restoring fathers to their children as the prophet Elijah will do in Israel when he comes (Malachi 4:4-6). I have written more on a father’s responsibilities in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.3
1 Read the September 29, 2019 post, God Almighty In A 21st Century World, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 See the October 20, 2019 repost, No One Without The Other, under the category, Biblical Worldview.
3 The book is available in print or digital download formats at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also get the Hard or Soft Cover print versions of the book in the Strong Man Store.
Permeating the churches in these latter days is the false teaching born of feminism’s demand for worldly defined equality that God has changed His mind about the responsibility He has assigned men to lead in their homes and in His house. Contrary to this falsehood, leading precedes only teaching, providing1 and protecting as responsibilities the immutable God has assigned men in His image and likeness. That churches supposedly of Jesus Christ would follow the world in rebellion against God in anything is unconscionable! Yet, among other things, it is happening with gender roles and responsibilities! As I have written in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics2 and many prior posts,3 Christian men are being marginalized as a negative consequence.
Besides taking authority over men from the pulpit, in administration and instruction, women are leading worship in God’s house despite the extremely plain “whole counsel of God” showing this to be sin (Acts 20:26-27; 1 Corinthians 14:33-37, NKJV).4 It is not as if there are no men to lead worship in the full assembly of God’s house (and even if there were not, obedience dictates that it would fall to the male pastor or worship does not proceed), capable men are purposely ignored! Even churches that claim they faithfully honor God’s Word are compromised on this as though their hypocrisy is masked or isn’t doctrine and practice supposed to agree (Matthew 15:1-9)? Woe to the guilty as the Lord leads me to warn in this edited 2012 Commentary as a first of those that followed!5
Originally Published July 2012
Worship of God in motivation and form on earth is supposed to mirror that which takes place in Heaven. In these last days, however, many professed Christians and church leaders have given themselves permission in their assemblies to offer God whatever forms of worship moves them. While for some in ignorance this flesh driven effort at religious devotion is well intended, if God the object is not pleased with it, then it is worthless. So, it goes in many American churches today that what passes for worship of God, is really a matter of what pleases human desires and is rejected by Him. His heretofore, forbearance to judge is also sinfully misconstrued as acceptance (Psalm 50:16-23).
According to Webster’s Dictionary, to worship anyone or anything (deity or a religious object) is to give reverence (a feeling of awe toward and profound respect). Such worship also includes the prescribed form it is to be expressed and is typically accompanied by intense devotion, esteem, love and admiration for the person or thing worshipped. When God gave man the ability in the divine image and likeness to love, exclusive worship of and foremost love for his Creator was intended to flow from his heart and be demonstrated by the action of obedience (Genesis 1:26a; Deuteronomy 4:15-19, 5:7-10; 6:4-5; John 14:15)! God also taught man how to approach Him after falling into sin (Genesis 3:21, 4:4, 8:20-22; Exodus 29:38-46).
In God's covenant relationship with Israel, only the men of the tribe of Levi would serve as priests and attendants leading the worship in the place of assembly (Numbers 3:1-13). God put to death Aaron's two sons as priests that did not worship Him as He prescribed (Leviticus 10:1-3). Later, He killed a non-Levite man who though well intended, touched the ark of God in the midst of king David's sponsored celebration of its return to Israel (1 Chronicles 13). Next time, David got it right (1 Chronicles 15:1-15). After this, the Lord revealed to David that his son would build a Temple (house) for Him (Deuteronomy 12:1-14; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15, 28:1-21; 2 Chronicles 6:12-7:3).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God and David came in the 1st century AD and emphasized the worship of God in His prescribed way. As it concerned the Temple, He rebuked the religious establishment for their failure to treat God as holy (Jeremiah 7:1-11; Luke 19:45-46). He also revealed what would become the worship reality in the New Covenant inaugurated in the aftermath of His death, burial and resurrection (John 4:19-22). He taught the woman at the well, “true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him," (John 4:23, NKJV). The Lord further explains this is absolutely necessary because "God is Spirit" (John 4:24, NKJV).
To worship God in spirit is to do so out of the deepest aspect of our inner existence given to us by Him: spirit to Spirit (Genesis 2:7; Zechariah 12:1). Worshipping God in truth has to do with inner authenticity and conformity with His Word (John 17:17). Spiritually dead in our sins, this is all impossible to us as sinners since God does not accept polluted worship (Isaiah 1:10-17, 59:1-2; Malachi 1:6-14; Acts 5:1-11). But the Lord Jesus by His sacrifice has made it possible for our sins to be forgiven and washed through His blood so that in the Spirit and faith we are able to draw near to worship God the Father as He prescribes (Ephesians 2:11-18; Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 8-10:22).
The Lord Jesus shows us by His own life what Spirit energized worship looks like in Luke 10:21. Out of His spirit spontaneously burst forth thanks to the Father. There was no choir, praise team or building; just the Son worshipping the Father in the temple of His body (John 2:19-22)! Even so, when we that are true worshippers as Christians assemble together there is worship of God in word and song as seen in the example of Israel and 1st century AD Christians (2 Chronicles 5:2-6:2; Acts 2:44-47, 16:25-26). There is also to be order, for individually and corporately we are God's house and worship Him as He prescribes (1 Corinthians 11:2-14:40; Ephesians 2:19-22, 5:17-21; 1 Peter 2:1-10).6
The worship of God is not about us; it is about Him! It does not matter whether we enjoy it or not--though in the Spirit we will. What matters is did we please God by worshipping Him as He prescribes? Therefore, let every guilty pastor repent from flesh contrived services called "worship" that feature entertainment to please people and the performing of hymns and songs led by known willful sinners. Let the Holy Spirit lead! Too, let professed Christian women that will be true worshippers of God in spirit and truth repent and voluntarily relinquish authority as a worship or any leader over men in His house (1 Timothy 2:11-14). Near is His judgment (Numbers 16:1-40)!7 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 See the July 14, 2019 post, A Man’s Responsibility To Provide, under the categories, Biblical Worldview and God’s Creatures.
2 Get a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only). You can
also get a print copy of the book on sale in the Strong Man Store.
3 A sampling of posts to read would include the July 13, 2014 post, House Of Confusion, July 20, 2014, Confused Men, Compromised Sons, October 12, 2014, Whose
House? and the two-part, Feminism’s Entry Into The Churches, posted May 27 and June 3, 2018 all under the category, Call To Repent.
4 It is a full on lie to attempt to disarm the perpetual standing of the apostle Paul’s teaching in this passage by claiming it was only for this one church and of his histori-
cal-cultural thinking of the time since in vs. 33, he asserts the truth stated is “as in all the churches of the saints” and declares what he has written “are the command-
ments of the Lord” in vs. 37, (NKJV). Therefore, I’ll say it yet again: God’s assignment of men to lead does not end at the church house steps! They are all willful re-
bels who defy and disobey the clear apostolic instruction on women in God’s house and should repent.
5 Read the January 2015 three-part 2013 repost, Worshipping God Without God and the epilogue, Final Considerations On Worshipping God, all under the category,
Call To Repent.
6 Read the July 27, 2014 post, God Of Order, under the category, Instruction.
7 Those in the churches with spiritual eyes to see, see God’s judgment in His house is in progress as warned. Guilty men considering themselves fair-minded and pro-
gresssive have much to fear as a result since rather than the good of liberating women from God’s unfair and unequal restrictions by championing their rebellion, you
are instead putting yourself and them in harm’s way of His judgment (Mark 9:42-48; Hebrews 10:26-31)!
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