Southside Informer

Published by the Southside Church of Christ which meets at 1368 Highway 15 South in Woodland. Mississippi 39776 

Volume 7                              January 9, 2012                          Number 2

Getting Something Out of Worship

J. F. Dancer Jr.

   Time  and  time  again  I  have heard Christians say, “I don’t get anything out of going to church.” They use the expression “going to church” to mean “worship of God.” Have you ever said this? Have you ever thought it? What is the problem?

            God seeks people to worship him (Jno.4:23). This is not because God needs our worship but because God knows that people need someone or something to worship. There is much confusion in our consumer-oriented society regarding worship. Sunday worship has often degenerated into an attempt to produce a certain kind of experience for those who come together. It has almost become all about people (me, in particular) and what it makes us (me) feel. Thus, it has become a type of modern day idolatry as people seek entertainment and emotion.

            Biblically, worship is about people bringing gifts to God in an attempt to please God and show him how much we honor him. It is an effort on our part to reach out and touch God (figuratively) in a way that is pleasing to God. He has ordained that acceptable worship is to be in spirit (sincerity) and in truth (according to his instructions - Jno.4:24). Our duty as Christians is to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1 Pet.2:5). In this way we are presenting our body as a living sacrifice (Rom.12:1). Sacrificial (offering sacrifices) worship is about giving something to God. It is not about pleasing myself or making myself feel good.

            There are several things I should bring to God as I worship. (1) Prayers of thanksgiving, supplications and intercessions are something like incense to God (Rev.5:8). Early saints continued steadfastly in  prayer (Acts 2:42) and were later instructed by Paul to pray without ceasing (1 Thess.5:17). So are we today.

            Saints are also to offer (2) the praise of their lips (Heb.13:15) in the form of songs, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph.5:19). These songs give praise to God as well as teaching and admonishing the singers. We are also (3) to bring monetary offerings to God. These are to come from willing hearts (2 Cor.8:12; 9:5-7) and planned according to the blessings we have received from God (1 Cor.16:2). These gifts should be sufficient to show our honor to God (Mal.1:8) and a sacrifice to ourselves.

           God also expects our (4) gift of attention. He desires our hearts be tuned to honor him (Matt.6:33; 4:10). We should open our Bibles, take notes (mental or written), and seek with all our might to understand what God would have us know (Eph.5:17).

            These “gifts” (and others) when brought to God in worship are intentional and deliberate. They are offered by those who want to approach God and please him. They are all active, not passive and are not a show to man but an appeal to God. We cannot worship God as spectators, we must be participants and when we “participate” we will always “get something out of it.” “Going to church” will not be a waste of time. We “got something out of worship” because we “put something into worship.” ##************

A Church With A Dying Fire

Frank Richey

            The church at Ephesus is an example of a church that lost its heartburn. The burning desire to do the will of God was dying out. Although the church at Ephesus had done many wonderful things over the years, such as laboring for the Lord, having patience, not being able to bear those that were evil, testing false teachers and finding them to be liars and laboring for Christ without becoming weary (Rev.2:1-3) inspiration reveals to us that the Lord was not pleased with this church.

            “Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent” (Rev.2:4,5). Matthew Henry says of this passage, “Having lost the fervent degree of it (love) that at first appeared, Christ is displeased with his people, when he sees them grow remiss and cold toward him.” Adam Clarke said, “They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth.” Notice that Henry says they “lost the fervent degree of it (love).” Fervent is defined as glowing, boiling, or burning. Clarke uses the word “ardent.” Ardent is defined as “hot or burning; fiery; having the quality of fire; glowing.”

            The obvious point about the church at Ephesus leaving its first love is that their spiritual heartburn was on its way out. No longer was there a burning zeal to serve God. The Lord’s cure for the lack of such is seen in Rev.2:5; “repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place, except you repent.” From its beginning, Ephesus had manifested a spirit of enthusiasm, activity, and devotion to Christ. But Jesus perceived a decay or deterioration in their love! May we learn a lesson from these examples. Maybe we all need to work on rekindling the fire in our hearts. - via What Does The Bible Say?, Riverbend church, Florence, Alabama

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Calvinism -  Perseverance of the Saints

J. F. Dancer, Jr.

            We come to the last of the five major aspects of religious theology made popular by John Calvin. It is called “the perseverance of the saints” and is more commonly identified as “can’t fall from grace” or “once saved, always saved.” The idea is that once one is saved he can never sin in such a way as to be lost. This is a doctrine held by most Baptist churches. Just what does the Bible teach on this? Was Mr. Calvin correct?

            In Acts 8 we find Philip going to Samaria and preaching Christ to the people. Both men and women believed the message and were baptized (v.12). According to Mk.16:16 they were saved! Then Luke tells of a specific instance of  a man believing and being baptized (v.13). His name was Simon. He, also, was saved according to Mk.16:16. Then something special happened. Peter and John came from Jerusalem and laid their hands (vs.14-17) on people who received the Holy Ghost. Simon offered Peter money to receive this gift (vs.18,19). Peter rejected his offer and told him he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity (v.23) and that he needed to repent and pray that God would forgive him of this (try to buy a gift from God) wickedness (v.22). Simon fell from grace. A saved man who is no longer saved! Mr. Calvin was mistaken!

            Of course, Mr. Calvin would say that Simon was never saved. But, he did what Jesus said must be done to be saved (believe and be baptized). He was saved or else Jesus lied. Jesus did not lie. Simon was saved but he later fell away.

            In Heb.3:12 saints (brethren) are warned about departing from the living God. This means they were with God - saved! One cannot depart from a relationship he does not have. Why warn saints about falling away if they could not do it? Doesn’t make any sense. What does make scriptural sense is that saved people can depart from the living God and be eternally lost!

            In Gal.5:4 some saved people (v.1) were told that if they tried to find justification by now going to the law of Moses they would have fallen from grace. Note, they had been made free from sin saved) and now by their behavior could fall from grace! Again, why warn people about some danger they can never face? The truth of the matter is that Mr. Calvin (and those who follow his teaching) was mistaken. Saved people can later be lost. All of us need to be fully aware of what it takes to be saved and then what it takes to remain in that saved condition. Calvinism (either one point or the whole thing) does not lead people to Christ. It is of Satan (Matt.12:30). ##