Questions On Worshipping God (2)

Question 6. Why is it that the majority of churches are turning away from conventional hymns and replacing it with conventional music for the congregation to sing during worship time at service?   What does the Bible state how we are to worship God with music and do we know that it is praiseworthy music?

Answer First, we are commanded to sing a certain type of songs.  They are to reflect spiritual truths.  Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16.  The only way we can know if these songs reflect truth is to compare their messages to what the bible teaches.

Also,  we are told to sing and, in the New Testament, are not commanded to play any instruments in our worship to the Lord.  We must be careful not to go beyond these things and offer to the Lord what we think is best for our worship rather than what He has commanded.  John 4:20-24.  Whatever we do must be done from the heart and according to that which is written. Contact Gary

Question 7. Do you worship God or the Bible?

Answer The object of our worship is to be God as is revealed in so many places in the bible. The Bible is the only revelation we have which gives us the information we need to know how to worship and honor Him. And, in the bible, we read that we should give glory, praise, honor and obedience to God.

MAT 4:8 Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory;
MAT 4:9 and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me."
MAT 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'"
MAT 4:11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.

JOH 4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
JOH 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

REV 22:8 ¶ And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
REV 22:9 And he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book; worship God." Contact Gary

Question 8. Should the Lords Supper be carried to the sick?

Answer Acts 20:7  "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." This tells us when the disciples partook of the Lord’s Supper i.e. upon the first day of every week. But it also tells us that the disciples "CAME TOGETHER" to partake of the Lord’s Supper. I don’t think the Lord would hold us accountable for doing something we were not able to do. (Example the Lord would not require us to give a million dollars on the first day of the week, but He does require us to give as we have been prospered.) A person unable to attend because of sickness, etc. would not be required to partake of the Lord’s Supper, but to willingly miss without a proper reason would be wrong (Heb 10:25-26).  To take the Lord’s Supper to a sick or elderly person unable to get might make that person feel better, but I don’t think it is required. Contact Danny

Question 9. Please tell me if and where the bible says we shouldn't eat or have a church play  in the church.i believe where they are two or more people you could have church.i thought the church was just a building.

Answer In 1 Corinthians 11Paul was dealing with the Corinthian’s abuse and misunderstanding of the Lord’s supper. It’s purpose was to unite the brethren around the cross, but they were mixing the Lord’s supper with a common meal and some were being full and others were being left out. Verse 22  "What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not." Paul was saying if you want to feed the physical body do that at home, if you want to feed the spiritual body do that in the assembly through the Lord’s supper.

The church is not a building. The church is made up of individuals and the building is a place these individuals assemble to worship God spiritually.  In 1 Cor. 15:9 Paul said he "persecuted the church of God." He didn’t persecute the building. He persecuted the people that made up the church by putting them in prison and / or killing them. And in persecuting the church, Christians, he was persecuting Christ (Acts 22:7).

When Jesus said in Matthew 16:18  "…I will build my church..." He was not talking about a physical building. Jesus purchased the church "…with his own blood." (Acts 20:28). He did not purchase a physical building. Jesus died for individuals, not a building. (Ephesians 5:25)

The mission of the church is (Ephesians 4:12) (a) "For the perfecting of the saints"—educating and training its members (b) "For the work of the ministry"—Benevolence (c) "For the edifying of the body of Christ:"—Preaching, teaching the lost. The building a place the members of a local congregation can carry out these three things. Any other use of the building is not authorized such as secular education, recreation, etc.

The word "church" means "the called out" i.e. those individuals that have been called out of the world into a relationship with Christ where He is the head and directs through the Word.  Contact Danny

Question 10. One of my co-workers goes to church with his girlfriend occasionally, this Sunday they are having communion, he says that he doesn't participate because he does really understand what its for, and I told him, it's for our remembrance of Jesus, who died for our sins.  But can you give me Scripture, so he can read and understand the concept.

Answer As to this, there are several things to be pointed out concerning what is called the Lord's Supper.  But first, let me say that the Lord's Supper is for Christians, those who have obeyed the gospel.   Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:36-47, 8:34-39, 22:16, Gal. 3:26-29.  Therefore, all who would gain the benefits and blessings from the Lord's Supper must be Christians.

Now, what is the significance of the Supper and when are we to partake of it?

1.  It is basically a memorial in which we remember the death of Jesus for our sins.  Jesus Himself, the night before He died, instituted it with His disciples.   Matt. 26:26-29.

The unleavened bread and grape juice each represent something related to His death.   The bread represents (not actually is) His body.  The grape juice represents (not actually is) His blood.  As we eat the bread and drink the juice, we should remember His death for us.

2.  The Supper is a sharing together in the benefits of Christ's sacrifice.   We are not only united with Him, but also with each other as we observe it together.  1 Cor. 10:14-22.  We must partake of the Supper with fellow Christians, not in isolation.

3.  It is also a proclamation of our belief that Jesus died, rose again and is coming to reward His saints and destroy those who are disobedient.  1 Cor. 11:17-26.   So, not only do we look backward but we also look forward anticipating His coming.   Although we are not given the exact time of His coming, we are reminded to be prepared for it by serving Him.

4.  The Supper is a time for self examination where we focus on our lives and seek to more faithfully dedicate ourselves to His service.  1 Cor. 11:27-33.  Just as the Old Covenant given to Israel was dedicated by blood so also the New Covenant that we partake of has been dedicated by the blood of Jesus.  Exodus 24:1-8.

When did Christians partake of the Supper?  The only clear indication in the Bible is that they partook of it on every first day of the week, Sunday.  We see the example of the church at Troas.  Acts 20:1-12, especially verse 7.  To partake of it only every month, quarter, year or some other interval besides weekly is to set our traditions above the example that we have in Scriptures.  Contact Gary