Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Stamp of Approval

I recently heard a worship pastor say quote: "God is not concerned with putting his stamp of approval on our worship" Oh really? I bet he can't back that up with scripture!

God will not accept the worship of a false god, nor will He accept the worship of the true God if offered in the wrong way. Why? Because the worship of the true God is very specifically established in Scripture, along with the proper mode and manner.

God will not accept worship that is offered to Him in an unacceptable manner. It’s unacceptable to reduce God to an image, a material representation, an idol, or anything that is a result and product of one’s own thinking. I often hear people say, “I worship God as I perceive Him to be.” Well, if your definition of God doesn’t square with the Word of God, your worship is unacceptable-even though you may identify it with the true God. Exodus 32

God will not accept self-styled, self-invented modes of worship. We are not to worship God on our own terms; we are to worship Him according to the terms prescribed in Scripture. Lev. 10:1-2

God will not be handled at the whim of man in a self-styled way-no matter how good the intentions. 2 Sam. 6:1-9

God isn’t interested in all the holy hocus-pocus that goes on in so many “Christian” churches where the traditions of men have been substituted for the commandments of God. God is to be worshiped in spirit and in truth-not through images, rituals, or liturgies. John 4:23

If you worship false gods, or if you worship the true God reduced to some kind of image, or if you worship the true God in a self-styled way, or if you worship the true God in the right way with the wrong attitude-it’s unacceptable and will effect your destiny.

Excerpts taken from a sermon preached by John MacArthur titled "True Worship, Part 2" Tape GC 2005

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