Volume  2    Issue   49    October 13th, 2002

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

Weekly the saints assemble on the first day of the week to worship God based upon biblical example such as in Acts 20:7.  When brethren come together they participate in five actions that make up what is done on the first day of the week.  Brethren assemble to:
 

1. Pray together.
2. Sing together.
3. Partake of the Lord’s Supper together.
4. Contribute to the collection together.
5. Participate in the preaching of God’s word together.

This is the first article in a series that will deal with each aspect of the five individual acts listed above.  We will try to reach a better understanding of each aspect of our weekly worship to God.  We will be sure that we can know what it means to worship in spirit and in truth.

“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”  Most understand that God is a spirit.  Most understand that He does exist in a mortal fleshly body.  But, many do not understand what it means to worship God in spirit, and they certainly fall short of understanding worshipping in truth.

When told to worship God in spirit in this passage we look to the meaning of the word.  When we look to a Greek Lexicon such as Thayer’s we find that the word “spirit” under question is defined in this context as: “pneuma - the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks,  decides…”  When we are to worship God in spirit we are to do so rationally.  Therefore, we apply what we know and worship God accordingly.  That which we should know is what God has revealed as the truth.

We are to use or knowledge to worship God in truth.  The word truth is simply defined later in the book of John.  (John 17:17) “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”  We are to worship God based upon the truth He has revealed in His word.  Specifically, Christians today are to follow the pattern of worship outlined in the New Testament understanding that the Old Testament is not our standard of authority (Romans 7:1-6, John 12:48, Hebrews 1:1-2, Matthew 17:5, Colossians 2:14, Ephesians 2:11ff., and Hebrews 9:15-17).  Therefore, we can conclude that John 4:24 teaches us to use our minds and abilities to reason in understanding what God has revealed in His word for us to do to please Him.  We come together to worship God, not to please anyone else (Galatians 1:10).  We must always understand that the things we do in worship to God need to be authorized through His word.

Our test throughout this series is going to be to prove we have the authority from God to worship the way that we do.  Some would argue that we can do what we like and God will be pleased, but that is not the truth as the Bible clearly teaches (Colossians 3:17, Deuteronomy 4:2, Proverbs 30:5-6, and Revelation 22:18-19).  The Bible teaches that as Christians we should be able to prove all things (I Thessalonians 5:21), and to be ready to give an answer for what we do (I Peter 3:15).  The Bible teaches that we should speak as the oracles of God (I Peter 4:11).  We should be able to put our finger on a passage of scripture for our reasoning behind what we do in worship to God.  There is a good biblical example that will serve as the conclusion of this article.  It is a biblical example of how God feels about incorrect worship to Him.  (Leviticus 10:1-2) “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not.  And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.”

Quick Notes

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Steve Burgoon, Joan Croyle, and Goldie Buterbaugh (Carol’s mom).

Something to Remember:
Last week I had mentioned that a lot of error is being taught in the liberal churches surrounding us.  We must take note of how wonderful we have things here.  We, being a group of brethren that speak the same thing, are of the same mind, and same judgment, are truly the light of this area of the state.  We must also attempt to allow others to know that the church in Butler is a safe-haven from the error that is affecting the body of Christ worldwide.  The psalmist puts the perfect conclusion to this little note: Psalms 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”  - B.A.Y.