Worship and Theology 敬拜與神學

English

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Judgment Seat of God

Judgment seat of God:

1. There are two judgment seats.

a. The Great White throne, that which the unbeliever face up to their rejection of Christ in their lifetime of opportunity to hear the gospel but rejected it. They will be separated from God forever.

b. The bema seat judgment (獎賞台) is where believers see what they have done in their lives, their sins are covered by the blood of Christ. Here, they will weep on how, in their lifetime shamed Christ, and will receive rewards according to their good deeds in crowns. Here is also where believers cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus Christ to give all glory to Christ.

2. Before Christ comes back, we are to live lives glorifying Christ. (to be like Christ) We must live like Christ instead of talking about Christ.

3. The organized, institutionalized “church” is not the church but only gathering of Christians which is what the word “ecclesia” means. If the “church” (building, organization, outward appearance of Ecclesia/church did not glorify (live/behave like Christ) Christ, it does not deserve to exist.

4. Unbelievers must see our Christ-like behavior before they hear us talk about Christ because our life speaks much louder than our talk.

5. Too many believers offer their bodies to the church, but few offer their bodies to God. Offering to God means that the “church” may reject you much like she rejects Christ, making Christ an excuse for worldly success. Offering to the “church” gives you salaries (as “Christian” workers) It’s a career but offering your body to God is a life.

Modern Applications of the Book of Micah

Most of Micah’s charges against Israel and Judah involve injustices against civilians in those countries — unfair business dealings, looting, abuse of women and children, and a government that takes advantage of the hard work of its own people to live a life of luxury.

Where is the injustice in your own life? Who is the humblest person in your life? Do you need to repent like the Israelites and Judah did? Micah’s impassioned plea to God’s elect to repent will bring many of us to accusation. Most of us don’t decide to lay off workers or find ways to commit injustice every day. Instead, we do it out of habit. Let’s let Micah’s words break our indifference to justice and kindness to others and move toward a world more like the coming millennial kingdom. Let us resolve to live according to God’s will. Live like Christ – “do righteousness, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8).

The Book of Micah makes it clear to the modern world:

7:1 “Alas. I [or Israel – (God’s chosen people – the church)] are as if the fruit of summer has been gathered up, and as what is left after the grapes have been plucked. There is nothing to eat. I envy the first-ripening figs.

7:2 The godly are destroyed on earth, and there is no upright man in the world. Everyone lies in ambush to kill and shed blood. They all hunt their brethren with snares.

7:3 Their hands do evil. Kings show affection, and judges want bribes. The big one spit out malice. They are all connected to each other to do evil.

7:4 The best of them is thistles. The most upright is but a hedge of thorns. (America’s newest Supreme Judge can’t/dare not tell the difference between men and women) Your watchman says the day has come. They will be disturbed.

7:5 Do not depend on your neighbor. Don’t trust close friends. Keep your mouth shut and don’t tell your wife in your arms.

7:6 For sons despise their fathers, daughters against their mothers, and daughters-in-law against their mother-in-law. A man’s enemy is his own family.

7:7 As for me, I will look to the LORD, and I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will answer me.

7:8 Do not boast to me, O my enemies. Although I fall, I will get up. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD is my light.

Matthew quoted this verse (7:6)

Matthew 10:36 A man’s enemy is his own family.

People in the family (who live together) face each other day and night, and all their shortcomings can be clearly seen. As the saying goes, “It’s good to meet each other, but it’s difficult to live together.”

What is the difference between believers and unbelievers in this area o concern?

Believers dedicate themselves to God, not to the church. Unbelievers dedicate themselves to their Godless ideology.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, by the mercy of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. It is right that you serve in this way.”

What God gives us through faith is eternal life, not a career, not a way of life, not a philosophy, not a script.

This eternal life is spontaneous, God (not the church) is the Father, Jesus is the brother, the Holy Spirit is the indwelling Spirit of understanding that dwells within us forever, and the Bible is the revelation of God. Indwelling of the Holy Spirit:

John 14:16,17 “I ask the Father, and the Father shall give you another Comforter, [or as a comforter] to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept. Because they don’t see him, they don’t know him. but you know him. For he is with you always, and he will be in you.”

Because it is a new life within, we want to often read the Bible alone, commune and pray with the Holy Spirit in our hearts, confess our sins to God often, and be reconciled and communicated with God.

Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”

We need to separate God from the church, offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, not to the church. If we offer it to the church, we will be disappointed. If we offer it to God, we will have the power of eternal life in Christ. Believers are dedicated to God, they do not devote to the church. Does that make us lonely? Never. With the indwelling, guidance, of the Holy Spirit, if we communicate and reconcile with the Holy Spirit and let Him take the first place, we will be more than conquerors. Not only that, but believers also live like Christ within and outside of the church and use their lives to lead people to the Lord:

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify Christ the Lord in your heart. Always be prepared to answer anyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and reverence.”

The church leads few people to the Lord. The church should be a team of believers who support and care for each other and are of one mind. If there is no unity, the testimony will be lost. (Frequently happens) Many believers lead people to the Lord with their lives. Therefore, believers should live more and speak less. They should always be prepared. Live a day like Christ, is better than listening to many sermons. The church should be a team of believers who support each other and are of one mind. If there is no unity and mutual support, the testimony will be lost. Lead people to the Lord by the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It is extremely difficult to bring people to the church because the church has lost a great deal of its testimony.

Influence of Secular Music on Christian Music

The Spirit and Soul of Music in

Christian Worship                                                              by Joshua Law

Introduction:

  1. Church Life Must Have an Emphasis on “Spirit and Mind”

For the highly spirited behaviors in the church, such as speaking in tongues, Paul requires an interpreter (so to be connected with the mind for understanding.) He advocates that the church’s worship life must involve both the spirit (Gk. pneuma) and the mind (Gk. nous).

1 Corinthians 14:15 “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

For the present day, since English is an international language, the Bible has been translated into majority of languages, and mass communication media is extremely wide-spread and available, this spiritual gift seems to be much less in need. But the principle of prayer and singing that Paul talked about is, of course, the golden rule, because no matter what the medium may be, the audience’s understanding is the most important.

The highly emotional style of classical music of the Romantic Period has the same negative influence on worship as the soulful popular music in the modern church. (The devil is an expert in tempting humans into sin and leading them astray through emotions to defeat the human spirit and understanding of the truth). These two types of music have influenced the quirks of modern addiction to the romantic mood of music. This quirk for emotional feeling usher people to lose their ability for spiritual reasoning (spiritual wisdom) and turn to feelings as a guide to pursue truth. To many churches, worship means just to sing a random selection of love songs to Jesus. The congregation enjoys “spiritual pleasure” watching the worship leaders acting like super pop stars. Many classical music fans enjoy listening to classical music (especially music of the Romantic Period) as a form of worship, and many enjoy the ecstasy inspired by Christian pop rock (particularly the explicit and direct love song lyrics), thinking that it gives them a spiritual high. Therefore, music of the classical Romantic Period or our contemporary popular song lyrics used in churches mostly focus on love. The warm and fuzzy love emotion have misled our congregations into emotionalism instead of spiritualism. And, somehow, the many other ways/stanzas of worship such as confession, reconciliation, salvation, prayer, dedication, etc. are being left out and neglected.

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Choosing Songs for Worship

1975, I was supposed to do the DMA from SWBTS, but I was called to the ministry, I had the MM already, I chose to do the M Div. at GGBTS. Then took theology after. Now I believe all (music) ministers need pastoral and theology training and discipleship. The good soulful feeling in the sound of music changes the emotions in the listener’s heart, which can last a long time (繞樑三日) but the lyrics in the songs washes brains and thus changes lives. Without thorough understanding of theology, the music/worship director may choose songs that are emotionally beautiful, which changes feelings, but yet incorrect/imbalance theologically in the lyrics, which will misguide the listeners into an unhealthy spiritual life. If a “music minister” did not have proper theological understanding, he/she must consult and get permission from the pastor on the theology of the lyrics. (and even in the musical style)

Music chosen for the theologically correct/balanced lyrics should reflect the lyrics instead of just offering purely emotional trips(sweet nothings, or an addictive “high” through an injection in the arm.) leading the listener to stray from the meaning of the lyrics. (This is called integrity between music and lyrics) Since music lyrics changes lives, behavior and spiritual mindset of the listener, the musicians in church need a pastoral calling and training.

Among frequently sung worship songs, there are not enough songs that are about the attributes of God such as righteousness, justice, or sins of man and believers, or confessions and prayers. This means there is an imbalance in the spiritual diet in the most powerful tools of influence in church life. This imbalance must be addressed by the pastors. It is concluded by a Southern Baptist research study that the theological input or understanding of Christians among the Baptist Churches was by far influenced by hymns and spiritual songs than that from the pulpit. So, church singers, watch out for the theological correctness/balance in the lyrics of the songs you choose in leading worship. God is watching and you are responsible.

Christmas 2020 Message

At this Christmas Season, as we face a world crisis, anticipating wars and civil unrest, I am led to think about the two Christmas related songs, both recorded in Luke chapter 1. They are the songs of Mary, and Zachariah. The troubled condition these people personally faced can be shared to encourage us for what we are facing now in our world, alone.

Mary’s song, much appear in the songs or the musicals called “Magnificat” is recorded in Luke 1: 46-55

The uncertainty and trouble that was facing Mary would be unbearably great.

  1. Being pregnant before marriage. This most likely would get Mary death by stoning
  2. Abandonment and shamed by her fiancé Joseph and the two clans.
  3. She would become cursed and an outcast for the rest of her life.
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