I promised a blog post on purity in the church. Here it is:
I have been reading the book of Jeremiah. He warns that Isreal is about to get exiled because of their adultery. They don't turn and repent, so they end up in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar for 70 years.
Of course the picture of cheating on a spouse is metaphorical. God is referred to as "the husband". Isreal is his bride. Isreal cheats -- over and over again -- by worshipping other gods.
In the New Testament, the Church is referred to as the "bride of Christ." She is called to be faithful to her heavenly husband. Hence our worship should be pure -- we worship God alone. The one, true and living God. Individually and corporately, we follow only Jesus. We cannot tolerate, within the Church, the worship of any other gods.***(See below)
To worship is to give something worth. When we worship, we recognize the worth of what or whom we are worshipping. Over and over again, Jeremiah points out that gods created by people's hands, that cannot move on there own or speak for themselves are worthless. These gods do not create or sustain. They do not bring rain in its season or comfort the afflicted. They aren't real.
God has given us so much!! He deserves our faithfulness and more. Cheating on him is not good. That is why the church must be pure.
As for me, I make this song my prayer:
Sanctuary
This blog post goes with my previous post on diversity, the opposite of purity, The Same Race and Long time, no post.
***Within the Church. I am an American and a big believer in the First Amendment and am quite willing to defend it. No country is the Bride of Christ.That title belongs to the church universal, which includes people of all nations. As far as I am concerned all people should have religious freedom and there should not be government - established churches. At any rate, forced faith is not likely to be real faith.
I have been reading the book of Jeremiah. He warns that Isreal is about to get exiled because of their adultery. They don't turn and repent, so they end up in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar for 70 years.
Of course the picture of cheating on a spouse is metaphorical. God is referred to as "the husband". Isreal is his bride. Isreal cheats -- over and over again -- by worshipping other gods.
In the New Testament, the Church is referred to as the "bride of Christ." She is called to be faithful to her heavenly husband. Hence our worship should be pure -- we worship God alone. The one, true and living God. Individually and corporately, we follow only Jesus. We cannot tolerate, within the Church, the worship of any other gods.***(See below)
To worship is to give something worth. When we worship, we recognize the worth of what or whom we are worshipping. Over and over again, Jeremiah points out that gods created by people's hands, that cannot move on there own or speak for themselves are worthless. These gods do not create or sustain. They do not bring rain in its season or comfort the afflicted. They aren't real.
God has given us so much!! He deserves our faithfulness and more. Cheating on him is not good. That is why the church must be pure.
As for me, I make this song my prayer:
Sanctuary
This blog post goes with my previous post on diversity, the opposite of purity, The Same Race and Long time, no post.
***Within the Church. I am an American and a big believer in the First Amendment and am quite willing to defend it. No country is the Bride of Christ.That title belongs to the church universal, which includes people of all nations. As far as I am concerned all people should have religious freedom and there should not be government - established churches. At any rate, forced faith is not likely to be real faith.
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