Dividing Lines

Pastor Emeritus Larry Peters has written an interesting piece attempting to identify the true dividing line between orthodox and heterodox churches and church bodies. He notes that while most assume that bibliology is key (think matters of inerrancy and infallibility), but he wonders if this is truly the case since there are groups with a high view of Scripture but a low view of the means of grace. Indeed, this does not make since. Affirmation of Scripture should lead to an affirmation of the Sacraments. Consider the following:

We believe that Scripture is itself sacramental—it speaks and in its speaking things happen. Hearts are warmed to faith and sins are forgiven and water bubbles with life and bread and wine actually become the flesh and blood of Jesus. This sacramental reality flows naturally from the Scriptures as living voice. We say this not to confine God to something alien to Him but precisely because this is how God has said He works.

And in the next paragraph he compares conservative Lutherans with conservative Baptists and concludes:

The reality is that [Baptists] do not speak the language of Scripture at all. The truth they seek to preserve is a testament or record to factual events of the past and is not a living voice that works through the Word. How can we say we have more in common with conservative Protestants than sacramental churches? The sinner's prayer and baptismal regeneration do not complement each other but work against each other. One group preserves the historicity of Scripture and its unconditional truth but then ignores what that Word says to invent a means of grace called the sinner's prayer. Where in Scripture or in the history of Christendom prior to the Reformation any sense in which God requires a decision from us or uses such a prayer in order to come to us and make His home in us? What ever happened to faith comes by hearing the Word of God?

While the piece uses Lutheran denomination (LC-MS) in opposition Baptist, this divide is important to understand in order to recognize if we are rightly positioned in relation to Scripture and the Sacraments. It is well worth a read.

Invisible Aspects of Worship

What do we consider when coming together with other believers for Sunday worship? No, I do not mean what we see, hear, smell, taste, or feel. Those are common to all in attendance—unless distracted. My question is more of what we consider that cannot be grasped with our five senses but are nonetheless very present. In a lecture Dr. John Kleinig gave on Hebrews (see embedded link at bottom), he noted that the writer recognized seven of these in Hebrews 12:22–24 (ESV). I give them below with a few notes from his lecture.

1. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem – We in the States tend to think of meeting in a structure with a roof and walls, however, we come to God’s dwelling place from which He reigns over heaven and earth.
2. And to innumerable angels in festal gathering – Angels have the initial focus of leading in worship. Our worship is only imperfect, but they are able to do so perfectly.
3. And to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven – Christ is the firstborn over all creation (Col 1:15), and every believer has their name registered in heaven. In our locale, we join with all others also worshiping around the world.
4. And to God, the judge of all – Every Lord's day is judgment day and should be treated as such. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (He 10:31), but we are vindicated in Christ.
5. And to the spirits of the righteous made perfect – These are the faithful who have fallen asleep in Christ and are now before the throne.
6. And to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant – This is the summation of the book Hebrews. He is the mediator of that covenant ensured by better things.
7. And to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel – The blood speaks, “This is the blood of the new covenant for the remission of sins.” It cries for mercy, grace, and forgiveness.

As Dr. Kleinig went through each of these, I noticed what appears to be a chiastic structure.

A. Location of worship (Mount Zion, holy ground) (Rev 4:2; 7:9)
     B. Heavenly host worships (Rev 4:6–11; 5:11–12; 7:11–12)
          C. Church Militant worships (Rev 7:9–10)
               D. Recipient of worship (Rev 14:7; 16:4–7; 19:1–5)
          C'. Church Triumphant worships (Rev 5:8–10; 7:9–10)
     B'. Heavenly Mediator for worship (Rev 7:15–17)
A'. Qualification for access (Rev 7:13–14)

I may have forced the structure on the text, but as I considered what was happening, the parallels to Revelation came to mind, especially those passages in which the worshipers acknowledge the Lord’s righteous judgment.

What is my takeaway thought after looking at these things? We miss a great deal in our worship. By and large, Christians grasp neither the scope of activity in heavenly realms nor the solemnity and reverence due to God. In some measure, we are simply ignorant;, never having been instructed on the wonder and vastness of whose company we keep as we are assembled; in another we are just casual and complacent in our comfortable pews. You see, for the most part are comfortable in our pews.

The solution is to understand the wonder of the majestic unseen company with whom we are privileged to join in the adoration of a holy and just God.

The 11-part series can be found here. Each video is about an hour long and well worth the time investment.

Which Way Are We Oriented?

Ask the average churchgoer who is being most honored each Sunday morning, and I dare say, one will get a response very close to this opening line of a Joshua Hedger blog post:

It’s a worship service at church, so of course it celebrates Jesus… right? Or does it?

That is the question, but what is the answer?

I have been in enough American Evangelical services to tell you they follow the same basic format: singing with varying accompaniment and a 45-minute sermon. The only differences are in general attire and stage presence. Yes, I used the word stage purposefully. Forty years ago, whomever led singing did so with the intent of ensuring the congregants and accompanist were open to the same hymn, singing in the same tune, key, and rhythm. Now, the worship leader is a performer engaging the attendees with rhetoric, song, and occasional theatrics intended to stir the soul. The congregants feed off of the energy and respond inciting more passion from the leader building a rush akin to merry-go-round riders pumping each other more and more for the excitement of the ride.

Some will object to this characterization, pointing out that the soul should be stirred when in the Lord’s presence with His people. I agree, however, contemporary church-growth and worship methodology places experience above truth as the goal for meeting. Why else would someone sing “Missouri River” songs? You know the kind: a mile wide (full of biblical-sounding phrases) and an inch deep (effusive emoting with no content). If I want to sing about someone to be close to and have arms put around me, I’ll play Michael Bublé love songs rather than Hillsong or Bethel Music.

Preachers handle the Word of God with varying success. I applaud those who are able to consistently deliver Law and Gospel in a way that delivers Jesus as the only satisfaction for my sin. However, there are others who develop a well-organized talk laced with engaging object lessons but continually end up delivering a self-help plan or a Jesus who just wants to make you feel better. In between the extremes are preachers who are able to accurately explain the Scriptures yet leave the listener with no sense of how Christ is present or what He is doing. Instead of Christ crucified, the message is style, effective delivery, and application drawing attention to the preacher rather than the Savior.

Who is actually celebrated in the above congregations? With the entire program geared to elicit a response, we must conclude that it must be the celebrants themselves. Yes, God and Jesus are mentioned using Scripture, but every aspect has been an outgrowth of the same theology of worship: I, in my own way, will tell God how I feel about Him, and those around me are welcome to join. But is that a legitimate theology of worship? Charles Finney thought so as he promoted outward measures to elicit responses in order to stir the hearts of sinners as they sat on the anxious bench. While novel at the time, 180 years later this basic form has become a Sunday morning staple. But the question remains: is it correct?

Which way are we to be oriented?

The New Westminster Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship defines worship as “the general idea of offering to God adoration and service; the concept can be extended to include offering prayers to God including petition and intercession, and it can also refer to obedient listening to God speaking.” This definition is accurate in that it is derived from the lexical definition of the Greek (to prostrate or kiss the hand toward) and neatly fits the worship described in the beginning paragraphs of this post, but comes short of a full understanding.

The center of our attention and celebration determines our orientation, and ultimately, our practice. During a podcast interview (The Gottesdiendst Crowd, Episode 1), Pastor Burnell Eckardt offered a poignant observation of Old Testament worship:

The priests, the Levites—those who worshiped—entered the worship of God, they entered the temple, they entered the Holy Place with a clear understanding that God was in charge, that they were not, that this was the worship of God, that they were facing Him.

The Lord gave Moses detailed instructions in Exodus and Leviticus for proper worship. An examination shows that the first purpose for gathering was not to give God something (i.e. praise and adoration) but to receive something—atonement. Whether the daily sacrifice or the Day of Atonement, before anything else occurred, blood was shed for my sin. Only then would a proper response begin. Additionally, as the people then heard God’s Word, they responded as they recounted His faithfulness. Note the sequence: receive, then respond. Our Sunday mornings should have a similar dialogical form: receive Christ through absolution, through the reading of His Word, through baptism, through the Lord’s Supper, then responding accordingly and appropriately to each.

How do we get properly oriented?

The solution to the dilemma is singular yet two-fold: orient both our personal and corporate lives in the liturgy of the Church. Placing ourselves willingly under a form designed to celebrate God above all impedes the desire we might have to take liberties and turn attention to ourselves. Luke Childs has described it this way:

A regular day and time of worship forces one out of oneself and into something greater – yes I have needs, but the needs of others are often greater and are always infinitely more important. The rhythms of daily prayer, where we begin by confessing our sins, meditate on the Scriptures, and end with prayer for all the needs of the world and church, keep me constantly a part of the great cloud of witnesses in Christ. A liturgical style of worship, meaning a set pattern of written prayers and readings to guide us, remind me that I am not the centre of the universe – God is. The prayers written by some of the most saintly Christian men to have ever existed fill me with hope in the darkest of times. The Scriptures we read on a given day are Scriptures I might never have chosen to reach for given that freedom, often encouraging, but often challenging to the core.

We reorient ourselves by willing being molded to a standard and plan outside ourselves. Instead of celebrating ourselves (whether intentional or not), and celebrate our Lord who alone is worthy.

Seven Marks of a True Church

Bryan Wolfmueller has edited and made available a work by Martin Luther entitled On the Councils and the Churches. One of the treasures in this book is Luther’s list of seven marks for a true church.

1. This Christian, holy people is to be known by this, that it has God’s Word, though in quite unequal measure, as St. Paul says. Some have it altogether pure, others not entirely pure.… This is the main point. It is the high, chief, holy possession from which the Christian people take the name “holy,” for God’s Word is holy and sanctifies everything it touches; nay, it is the very holiness of God.
2. God’s people, or the Christian holy people, is known by the holy Sacrament of Baptism, when it is rightly taught and believed and used according to Christ’s ordinance.
3. God’s people, or a Christian, holy Church is known by the holy Sacrament of the Altar, when it is rightly administered according to Christ’s institution and is believed and received.
4. The people of God, or holy Christians, are known by the keys, which they publicly use. Christ decrees, in Matthew 18:15 that if a Christian sins, he shall be rebuked, and if he does not amend his ways, he shall be bound and cast out; but if he amends, he shall be set free. This is the power of the keys.
5. The Church is known outwardly by the fact that it consecrates or calls ministers, or has offices which they occupy. For we must have bishops, pastors, or preachers, to give, administer and use, publicly and privately, the four things, or precious possessions, that have been mentioned, for the sake of and in the name of the Church, or rather because of their institution by Christ…. The whole group cannot do these things, but must commit them, or allow them to be committed, to someone.
6. The holy, Christian people is known by prayer and public thanksgiving and praise to God. Where you see and hear that the Lord’s Prayer is prayed and the use of it is taught; where Psalms, or spiritual songs, are sung, in accordance with the Word of God and the right faith; when the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Catechism are openly used; — there be sure that a holy Christian people is; for prayer, too, is one of the precious holy possessions, whereby everything is made holy, as St. Paul says.
7. The holy, Christian Church is outwardly known by the holy possession of the Holy Cross. It must endure all hardship and persecution, all kinds of temptation and evil (as the Lord’s Prayer says) from devil, world, and flesh; it must be inwardly sad, timid, terrified; outwardly poor, despised, sick, weak; thus it becomes like its head, Christ.

Every church has some or many of these marks to one degree or another, but where one finds these in there entirety and used correctly should be the norm.

Keep It at Its Appointed Time

Some time ago, I was reading a blog post about traditions, and that got me considering their importance in the rhythm of life. We need traditions for communal welfare. Whether instilled in us or formed by us, traditions set aside definite occasions for reflection, joy, or solace—and sometimes all three at once. For instance, people have family traditions which allow the parents and children to enjoy one other and further strengthen their bond to one another.

In the same way, God’s people are called to keep traditions. Consider the following:

On the Sabbath days, carry no burdens with you from your houses, nor do any work. Instead, sanctify the Sabbath days, as I commanded your fathers.… “Thus it shall come to pass that if you hear Me,” says the Lord, “so as not to carry burdens through the gates of this city on the Sabbath days, but to sanctify the Sabbath days and do no work therein, then there shall enter through the gates of this city kings and rulers, sitting on the throne of David and riding in their chariots and on their horses, they and their rulers, men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This city itself shall be inhabited forever.” (Jer 17:18, 20–21)

This restatement of a prior command to hold the Sabbath reiterates a divine promise that the Lord would bless His people if they faithfully keep these weekly, appointed times. This is not so much because the people are seeking the blessing, though it plays a part, but because adherence witnesses to a desire to live by faith in God and His Word. While the Sabbath is specifically mentioned in Jeremiah, other feasts and festivals (Lev 23:1–44) were a regular part of the yearly calendar. I would dare say that God mentioned this one, because if the Sabbath can be kept, the others would come as a natural consequence.

Christians understand that the sacrifices, feasts, and festivals are fulfilled in Christ, so how are we to apply the same philosophy of faithful, righteous tradition to the Church? Attendance at Sunday worship is probably the most identifiable. Beginning with the apostolic age, we see a regular gathering at least once per week, usually on Sunday, but are there other traditions that equally as important? In the U.S., Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are easily identified as important dates to set apart, which leads to another question: are these enough? I contend that we lack proper grounding when we neglect the church calendar.

Lectionaries and the lectio continuo (continual reading) have been a vital part of believing communal life since the synagogal system came into being and probably before. We can see an example from Jesus’ life wherein He was handed the Isaiah scroll for the regular reading (Luke 4:16–30). This practice is good and salutary that believers might know the whole counsel of God. There are three established lectionaries (one-year, three-year, and four-year) that have a basis in the life of our Lord Jesus, differing in which Gospel is followed for the year. This pattern keeps both pastor and parishioner on a consistent schedule. That said, I acknowledge that there are many pastors who preach through whole books of Scripture. May God bless their effort. However, the lectionary schedules are derived to annually follow Christ through a regular sequence of events and teachings, which leads to the church calendar.

As mentioned previously, Israel followed a regular cycle of feasts and festival, which were times of remembrance of God’s mercy, grace, and faithful work among them. The early believers borrowed from this regular remembrance to set aside seasons in which they might remember Christ in similar fashion, keyed on events in His life and work. Besides Christmas and Easter as specific days already mentioned, there were periods of time—Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Pentecost—and specific days—Ascension, Annunciation, Visit of Magi, etc. Besides these, depending on the denomination, there will be other special days to remember other biblical and martyred individuals—a practice from early post-apostolic times.

Why am I asking for a remembrance of the church year and lectionary? Because people are forgetful. If you do not believe me, read the Old Testament. When they were not actively being taught and reminding themselves of what the Lord desired, they quickly neglected, then abandoned, Him. Sure, there were small groups who remained faithful, but as a nation, they walked away and welcomed abominable practices picked up from the cultures around them. I am not advocating a political manifesto in hopes of setting America on a path to God, rather I desire for a return to a rhythm of Christian life once so prevalent, yet later jettisoned in favor of individual congregational needs, thus loosing ties to both the historical Church and fellow believers in our communities.