Tag Archives: Worship

Worship God: Comparing Worship Then and Now

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Worshipping God is fundamental to God’s people. God wants the redeemed of all ages to honor and serve Him with reverence and joy. Unfortunately, worship is one of the most controversial subjects in churches today. Instead of uniting the church, “worship wars” have scarred denominations and fragmented the church. These types of disputes are nothing new. The fault lines of worship controversies have marred nearly every turning point in church history. In this article I would like to compare the worship between Israel and the church.

The Emerging Church: The New Worldly Church

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What are we to think of the emerging church movement? Does it have any validity? What are its dangers? In this issue of the Faith Pulpit, Dr. Douglas Brown of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary combines careful analysis with Biblical understanding to show us the hazards of this movement and how to help people avoid being enticed by it. The emerging church (or emergent church) is an elusive movement.1 Attempting to understand and explain the emerging church is admittedly difficult. However, the movement is impacting the church today and needs our attention.

David’s Musical Therapy, I Samuel 16:14-23, Part 2

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In part one we looked at three topics relating to 1 Samuel 16:14–23: The problem of evil, the identity of the evil spirit, and the solution for King Saul’s affliction. In this article, we will investigate the ability of David’s music to bring about a two-fold deliverance for King Saul’s affliction, but, first, some interpretive issues are appropriate to consider. A number of commentaries say that David’s music had little if anything to do with Saul’s recovery; this interpretation, however, ignores the language employed by Samuel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

David’s Musical Therapy, I Samuel 16:14–23, Part 1

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A hot topic brewing in Baptist churches today is the subject of music. Although music is not on the theological level of Christology, the practical considerations of a leader’s music philosophy affect the local church on every level; for that reason this topic is on the front burner for many people. These articles will discuss a premier text dealing with the power of music. Part one will discuss the problem of evil, the identity of the evil spirit, and the solution for Saul’s affliction.

Salvation Only in Christ

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Introduction Is there salvation any way apart from Christ? Does the Bible anywhere indicate that if people are sincere in their worship, they will be saved, regardless of whom or what they worship? A similar question is, “Does God work redemptively in other religions to bring men to Christ?” The Word of God indicates that the answer to the above questions is an unequivocal “no.” Historically, those who have argued for an affirmative answer to these questions have been classified as theological liberals who espoused some form of universalism or religious pluralism.

The Compromise of Jeroboam

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Jeroboam was the new king of the ten northern tribes that had split from the two southern tribes. Because of Rehoboam’s fool-hearty decision to oppress his people, the ten tribes crowned Jeroboam as their new king. From the beginning, this king compromised the commandments of God and plunged his nation into disobedience and spiritual apostasy. I. The Decree by the Unnamed Prophet Jeroboam wasted no time in violating the commandments of God. According to 1 Kings 12:25–33, the new king initiated four significant changes in the worship of God.

Doing Worship God’s Way

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Our faith is an internal faith. Contrary to our natural predispositions to focus on the external and evaluate everything by the visible, God focuses on our hearts. No wonder the supreme goal of the believer is to glorify God. This magnificent theme echoes and reechoes throughout Scripture. All other goals and aspirations, as vital as they are, simply serve God’s glory. But how does one glorify God? He created man to have fellowship with Him (Col. 1:16), and we are His purchased possession (1 Cor.

An Evaluation of the Open View of God

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Introduction The traditional Christian view of God says that He knows all things. This refers to knowledge of things that have occurred, that are occurring, and that will occur, and includes the future free choices of every human being. It also includes certain knowledge of everything that would have occurred under any set of circumstances (The Moody Handbook of Theology, Paul Enns, editor, 194–195). This all-encompassing knowledge, when referring to everything that has happened or that will happen, is sometimes described as God’s decree.

What Constitutes Worthy Worship?

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There is a great deal of confusion today about what constitutes appropriate worship, whether we are talking about personal or corporate worship of God. Some expect worship to make them feel good and therefore want church services by which they feel affirmed and satisfied. Others link worship with entertainment, and church services are planned accordingly. These views mistakenly assume that worship is intended to enhance the personal pleasure of the worshipper. This is not true. What does the Bible have to say about appropriate worship?

Customary Restraints

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“And whatsoever things are …lovely…of good report,…think on these things” (Phil. 4:8). “For the mystery of lawlessness doth already work” (2 Thess. 2:7). In Western culture an aspect that helps make life tolerable comes under the heading of manners. We live under a whole complex of accepted ways of doing things, of introducing people, of eating, of choosing clothes, and of carrying ourselves. All these are part of culture, and in the more limited sense of that word, all tend to limit and guide the cultured person.