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Pastimes : Prophecy -- HYPE or HOPE? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: SOROS who wrote (713)	10/4/2001 5:13:53 PM
From: PROLIFE	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 5569

What do you think of this, Soros? The Response is Worship: Crashing Towers and Christian Perspective "Those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:4-5) Some religious vocalists blamed the attacks of September 11 on national moral decay--and by implication of righteous judgment--God himself. In ancient times, a smaller but similar tragedy struck Jerusalem. Mirroring current events, some saw this earlier disaster from a decidedly legalistic perspective. Jesus rebuked, not the prostitutes and tax collectors, but the glass-housed hypocrites who cast the stone of blame. The above passage demonstrates that like those before them, modern Pharisees who cast blame to promote their own sense of self-righteousness stand as condemned as those they accuse. I've listened as people attempt to bring order to the aftermath. Last week I stated that rather than merely reacting, we are set free to respond in faith. Those who approach tragedy from an Old Testament perspective react contrary to faith. They see the pattern of death and sacrifice, but neglect the pattern of worship and redemption woven throughout scripture. Christianity requires a new covenant perspective. Our Christian response must include what can only be called the most miraculous mystery of all time--the redemption of hostile and alienated sinners by a holy God through divine grace. When I said, "the response is worship", did you think I meant we should hold a song service? Some have reduced the "sacrifice of praise" to the rousing of deadbeat pew-warmers to sing their hymns with improved enthusiasm. No--the New Testament concept of worship runs far deeper and richer. The relationship of sacrifice (with its death) to worship (with its redemption) pictured throughout scripture finds its fulfillment in our new covenant perspective. Jesus held the old covenant mode of worship in high esteem. He frequently and reverently observed the feasts and demonstrated an attitude of fierce devotion toward the temple and its worship. Yet by speaking of himself as "greater than the temple" (Mt 12:6) and by requiring "mercy and not sacrifice" (Hos 6:6, Mtt 12:7), he indicated a radical change. Christian worship turned man-centered religion upside down when the sacrifice became the free will offering of God's own Son. Each worshiper must now accept God's gracious offering by faith, adding no merit of his own. True worship is not earned by the performance of religious obligations, but by the revelation that God judged all of our sin and put it to death in the flesh of our Savior (Col 1:21, 22). Without blood, there is no remission of sins (Heb 9:22) and those who count God's judgment apart from such revelation practice a bloodless, ineffective religion (Heb 10:18) that only mimics Christianity in name. The new covenant replaces a stone temple with the believer’s own body. The true worshiper approaches the Father with a cleansed conscience, not as a self-satisfied moralist, but soaked in the blood of God’s precious Son. In this confidence we see God's wrath against all our sin was laid without regret or hesitation (Isa 53:10) upon the lamb that was judged and slain in our place (1Pet 1:18, 19 KJV), Now, in all things being his temple, everything we do …is worship. In responses to my 9/17 message, "Is God a Terrorist?" some readers questioned my lack of enthusiasm for a so-called need of national repentance. The old covenant concept of a nationalistic righteousness never made it past the shadows. When God made Jesus Lord of all, his church became the only holy nation (Eph 1:19-23; 1Pet 2:9). When Jesus spoke to the woman of Samaria he foretold the abolition of religion that evolves around one’s nation or culture and external forms of worship: "Neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father"; "They that worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (Jn 4:21,24). Ethno-centric and performance-based religions demand shallow, societal conformance to their own image. Christian worship effectively establishes the Lordship of Jesus Christ where it must--in the heart. Other readers questioned, "Don't you believe things like abortion, immorality and civil liberties groups have weakened our nation spiritually?" America is not spiritually weak. She is spiritually dead and Pharisaic finger wagging will not resuscitate her. God’s wrath has been poured out in its fullness upon his Son and there alone lies hope for her citizens. The old covenant notion of a righteous nation is a phantom. And so, the question more accurately stated, becomes, "Have these things weakened the Father's acceptance of the offering of his own Son?" The question for every American isn’t, "Is America worthy?" but rather, "Are you in Christ?" If you are in Christ, your righteousness can only fail when Christ’s righteousness falters. If your righteousness can fail, you are not in Christ. © 2001 EternityNow Ministries. All Rights reserved. This page may be freely copied, reprinted or otherwise used for non-commercial purposes only. eternitynow.org