Established Forums
Because it’s been done for decades, even centuries, and well established in our rituals, and made to look as if they were from God, doesn’t make them from God, or even right. For when anything is instituted, meaning it’s been corroborated, and done for a period of time, it is taken as normal and therefore determined proven, but it’s not necessarily right. And many, if not all, of our instituted programs are exactly that.
Let’s just look at our beloved ‘Sunday School’. Someone invented it many years ago, but not centuries, and I’m sure it sounded godly and good, but not a scripture, nor first century writings, can establish it as from God. It was probably conceived from a sincere man that wanted to show himself approved, and in his fleshly mind thought it a righteous judgment. Can God move on someone to begin a teaching lesson; of course, but to institute it, and make it a weekly practice, and then it being done for a long period, establishes a false belief. But, as the practice goes, if we can train ‘em while they’re young, there is a less chance in them leaving in later years because it’s ‘authenticated’ by time and effort. So, we naïve sheep just follow where we’re led, believing it’s from God because were told it’s from God, it ain’t. Now, of course, many good lessons have been learned in ‘Sunday School’, but many false teachings had been taught.
Can God move upon someone to help our youth? Yes He can and He does. But to structure a youth program that meets regularly, can lead us into a territory of great responsibility that only a few are equipped for, and then I’m not sure that we can format it. What a dangerous position to place someone in, or to be in, when we have taken the responsibility of the Holy Spirit and the parents, and focused their attention, the children, where we want it to be, and it’s the same in adults also. It looks good, sounds good, and even leaves a good taste in the mouth, but it’s not ordained by God. So what is it? It’s a man-made established program, for man to build an empire unto himself, and there are many well-intentioned, sincere people, following their fore father’s foot-steps thinking that they are on the right path. But that freight train has been on this down-hill path, with so much speed, and so many miles behind her, that I doubt that train ever stops.
I’m not attacking the people that do these rituals and programs, for most come about them honestly, but I do come against the institution of anything that we don’t have scripture to back it up. When we call ourselves ‘christians’, we are all sort-of grouped in the same pile, claiming that we all have the same Dad, God; and that offends me to the point that being called a ‘christian’ is no different than any other religious organization world-wide; and we’re called to be different; set aside. And the true Bible scholars and leaders know these facts about ‘christianity’, but seem to play along with all the traditional games we play. They probably care, I’m sure many do, but they won’t rock that boat that barely been floating for all these centuries, so most keep silent.
I think it honorable for women to wear skirts and dresses, but so many of these corner gathering galleries make them wear them or don’t enter their doors; whose doors are they? If we’d each just stop a minute and think of a few of the by-laws that are instituted on us, I’m sure we’ll come up with several that are not locked in the scriptures for us. I guess it’s just inside of flesh man, and him wanting to feel important, that makes many want to establish such forums, but to align ourselves with the Love of God out-ranks anything else the mind can fathom.
Let’s look at ‘altar-calls’, and attempt to see what they are. To look in scripture, and no matter how far you look, one cannot find anything in resemblance to the modern day ‘altar-call’.
Now an altar is found many times in scripture, and from the beginning it was ordained by God, it was to be made of stone, and no stone could be hewed by the hand of man, stacked in a certain way, but not symmetrical; a place of sacrifice. For all its’ purposes, this tangible creation was to point us to the prophesied Christ; For He alone is the Altar.
Reading in Hebrews 7 we can begin to see. “Therefore if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law); what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed of necessity, there is also a change of the law. For He of whom these things are spoken,” (The He is Christ) “belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood… there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life…For on one hand there is no annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better Hope, through which we draw nearer to God.” It is evident to see that Gods’ altar changed, and Christ Himself became our Altar. It’s not a place, nor can we call it a noun, speaking of the altar, It is a person that goes by the name Son-of-God, the Christ, in which we are also partakers. But to see these ‘things’ sitting below the pulpit, made of wood, engraved by mans’ hands, sculpted in every detail, and then we are led to believe that this is all Godly; and again, it is not. To inscribe ‘in remembrance of me’, and to show-off the skills of a carpenter, won’t cut it. These might be ‘altars’’, and they might even serve some kind of purpose, but they are not of God, and neither is their purpose. This is done so man can feel good about man.
Mankind is somehow hard-wired to strut-his-stuff, whether it’s his strengths, intelligence, his power, his skills, or any other perceived ability, and he feels the need to make his mark, even if it’s at the expense of the growth of those he supposed to lead. It’s not just some people are this way, but all of us that live in the flesh follow the same set of unwritten rules of self-centeredness. When Jesus came to set us free, and be free indeed, it was to be freed from the bondage of these man-made, unwritten rules that only draw men into themselves. And they can claim to have a relationship with the Father, but with their strengths, abilities and so-on, they (we) serve God with their lips only, and not through the heart.
Let us now look for the word ‘choir’ and see where it’s found in scripture, or even the word ‘pulpit’, or the word ‘pews’, or the ‘baptismal’, not a trace will be found, except in Nehemiah the scribe Ezra was standing at a wooden platform that might be associated with a pulpit.
It you look like a duck, walk like a duck, and quack like a duck; what are you? One day, in my time of silence, while in prayer, I asked just that of the Lord; and the answer I received was, it might be an animal that is duck-like, but is not; a coot, for a coot is a bird, somewhat like a duck, but technically is not. The old adage that says if you can’t make it right; make it look good, is silly when seeing it in print, but many go by it, and I’m afraid many are missing a wonderful relationship with the Father because of it.
Let me stop and tell you a story that a young man, whom I love very much, was telling to me, not so long ago. A friend of his asked him to go to ‘church’ with him, and had asked several times before, and this young man accepted. For the days and weeks prior to this conversation, God had been opening up his heart and had filled this young man to capacity with the Love of God, and he wanted to share what the Lord had been doing in his life. God had been teaching him thru the book of Galatians that there was no returning to the law, and understood, thru his friend, that this was the very subject being taught. So he also, wanting all that could be had, went to ‘Sunday school’, for it was the preacher that was teaching the class; what an opportunity! Much was said about chapter two, but when it came to explaining the law and the works of the flesh, the preacher, somehow, just didn’t get to it, too many other obstructions of importance were in the way.
When entering the ‘church’, his attitude was that he was glad to be there, and looked forward to hearing a message from God, especially being there with a close friend added to the charm. But the air, to his surprise, was filled with coldness, as the preacher, standing at his pulpit, began telling about the wonderful time that each had last Thursday in their halloween festivities. Also singing the praises of how God had delivered them from a rain that was forecast to fall on their parade of festivities. This, along with a few more entertaining forums, continued for most of ‘the service’, and seemed more polluting than it did edifying. The young man said that if not for his friend he would have walked out, and in his mind, he already did, but willing to persevere, he stayed, still wanting to hear from God.
There was an elderly man in the next pew, some ten feet away that seemed to have a demeanor that one would always like to have, and illuminated a glow of Godliness, and at the end of the sermon was asked to give the closing prayer. As the elderly gentleman began praying, this young man began to have a vision. The older mans’ prayer was as if he too knew that more should be worshipped than the fleshly stuff being talked about, and eloquently was asking for Gods’ help. And as he looked to his right, glancing at the elderly man, and finally hearing words of Godliness, he saw a bubble begin to form out of the mouth of this man praying. The man’s prayer was beautiful, and the contents of the words were in worship, but suddenly the bubble began growing. It was smooth, clear, completely round, and as pure as the air that was around it, it was silver with an oily sheen. After growing to a large diameter, it broke loose from the gentleman’s mouth and began floating thru the air in the direction of the pulpit. The bubble had risen and centered toward the platform of the preacher, when it suddenly burst, splattering a messy goo, not only on, but all around the pulpit in which that Sunday mornings’ sermon came. It was a sickening mess.
The young man went in wanting a message from the Lord, at one point thought it wasn’t going to happen, but God showed him an answer to a long time prayer that will not have to be doubted again.
Now I think that each one of us can interpret this story, and the vision, the way God leads, but it seems plausible that God was showing this young man the Truth of what was going on in these things that claim to be ‘church’. The bubble had a message, and I think the message is essential to share, as many as are still wandering in the wilderness as of what to do. Oil and water don’t mix, and neither does Spirit and flesh. The pureness of the sphere of prayer was of the Spirit, and still fell on the ears of God, but had no choice but to disintegrate when it drifted to the ears of the flesh.
Most of the forums in this ‘thing called church’ were established many years ago, even in the nineteenth century was the growing popularity of forums used to gather in as big of a mass of folks as possible. The covered-dished picnic was one of several of them, but, in these contemporary times the escalation of inventions to draw in the crowds, has spiraled in the same parallel spiral as did the imagination of the carnal man, and it wasn’t directed toward God.
As I travel, I can see the cute little notations, and clever sayings that are hung weekly on most any ‘church’ marquee as they compete for any would-be passer-by to enter their door and empty their pockets. Well, I guess I don’t have to make fun of them, but it is represented as my Father’s House, and not a den of thieves. If they’re talking about their dad, I guess it wouldn’t bother me so, but they characterize themselves as speaking about my Dad. Now that bothers me, and I hope it begins to upset others. I’ve seen car shows, carnivals with their bouncy houses, chili suppers and cook- offs, car washes, turkey shoots, and much more including placing a float in some parade for advertisement; they might as well have a hog-wash. No wonder Jesus went in to overturn the money- changers tables, and run the sellers out of the Temple. There might be a place for this type of commerce in the world, but it doesn’t belong in a representation of a Godly place of worship. There’s more than me that sees this travesty, and I want to hope that more than a few will stand up and put a stop to this discrepancy, or quit calling that corner building, a place of worship.
Scripturally speaking, there are several outward acts that we can do to show an inward work of our Lord, but to do them as a ‘show’ is not what He intended.
Whether we celebrate the Lords’ supper, humble our self to wash the feet of our neighbor, or being baptized as an expression of His cleansing our inward man, these rites are to serve our spiritual growth, and are not necessarily needed to be shared on a stage, or a performance, for others to watch. Peter, when standing on the mountain during the transfiguration, wanted to build three tabernacles to honor the miracle he just witnessed, but Jesus rebuked him and took Peter back off the mountain. This downhill trip signifies that Peter was, as yet, not mature enough to be in that high place, therefore had to descend back to the place his spiritual level was keeping him. To build monuments, or even a ritual show of what God is doing, is designed for the man doing it, and certainly not for our Father, which is in Heaven, that lives internally in each.
When you want to pray, go in a closet; when you want to sing, sing in your heart, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Now there are more than a few exceptions, but for the most part, what we do is between us and God, and to the benefit of our relationship with Him, and not to be strutted abroad. But man seems not to be built this way, for unless he flaunts it, he sees but little purpose; but God knows His own, and those that do in secret, are rewarded, those that are last, are made first.
Jesus came to a dark world to reveal the Light of the Kingdom.