Continued from FAQ page.....
However, as in the case of most spiritual issues, a complete answer to this FAQ requires a much more extended explanation.
Let's begin with a definition of what it means to glorify something or someone.
To glorify someone or something means to elevate the person or thing to a position of superiority in whatever realm it indwells.
The victors in virtually any arena or area of competition pursue the glory of being "Number #1." The types of glory that human beings can experience, in most cases, the are short lived and can come at a very dear price. Even if it should last for a lifetime, such glory, like the persons who receive it, is still no more than a passing thing that is here today and gone tomorrow!
In the spiritual realm, the highest form of glory is to be acknowledged as the Holy, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. sovereign
Creator of everything that was ever was, is now, or will ever be. Both Old Testament (Gen. 1:1, 2, 26) and New Testament (John 1: 1, 3/Matt. 28: 20) Scripture teach that the Creator is ONE Godhead, consisting of three, equal, personalities (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) who share the same divine attributes. The individual and corporate activity of three personalities of the Trinity "God" can be seen in all of the major spiritual events that are documented in Scripture.
"In the beginning, God (speaking of the Triune
Godhead) created the heavens and the Earth (Gen. 1: 1 NASB/italics mine)."
"....and the (Holy) Spirit of God (speaking of God the Holy Spirit)
was moving over the surface of the waters (Gen. 1: 2 NASB/italics mine)."
"...all things came into being through Him (speaking of the
incarnate God the Son prior to the First Advent), and apart from
Him nothing came into being that has not come into being (John 1: 3/italics mine)."
"Then God (speaking of the Triune Godhead) said, "Let Us (plural)
make Man in Our (plural) likeness...(Gen. 1:26 NASB/italics/mine)."
"Destroy this temple and in three days I (speaking of Himself in the
capacity as God the Son) will raise it (His body in resurrected form)
up John 2: 19 ( NASB/italics mine)."
"But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that the
(healing) power (of God) had gone out of Me (His humanity)."
Luke 8: 46 NASB/italics mine)."
Much confusion and many false doctrines have evolved when interpreters of Scripture fail to distinguish when the Lord Jesus Christ functioned in His deity, and when He functioned in His Humanity. When functioning in His humanity, He was subordinate to God the Father (Luke 14: 28), but in His deity, He was equal (John 10: 30). In order to fulfill the plan of God, He CHOSE to function in the limitations of His humanity, but at NO time was His deity ever diminished. A good indicator is that when our Lord was functioning in His (self-imposed) limitations of His humanity, Scripture usually refers to Him as "Jesus", whereas when He functioned in His Deity, Scripture usually refers to Him as the Lord Jesus Christ.
"...for (God) the Father (in His deity) is greater than I (the Lord
Jesus Christ in His Humanity (John 14: 28 NASB/italics mine)."
"I (the Lord Jesus Christ speaking) and (God) the Father are
one (coequal in deity)." (John 10: 30 NASB/italics mine).
Failing to understand what He accomplished in Humanity tends to minimize the pressure and potential of failure that He endured in order to fulfill the plan of God in our behalf. At the same time, failing to perceive Him as the incarnated God that walked among us can result in one never having an understanding of the TRUE Gospel required for salvation. One can not believe (and be saved) that which he does not understand. The TRUE Gospel speaks of the need to acknowledge the PERSON (God in the flesh) and the atoning (WORK) of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As of the Church Age, the FIRST time that a human soul has the opportunity to glorify God is AFTER he/she has reached the age or stage of moral
accountability and is presented with the TRUE Gospel Message. This can take place ANYWHERE and at ANYTIME that God the Holy Spirit arranges for any given soul to be presented with it. There are MANY ways in which the information of the Gospel can be made known, but it is the pre-salvation ministry of God the Holy Spirit that gives the "hostile (Romans 8:7)" unsaved, spiritually dead, soul the opportunity to understand the Gospel and the accompanying opportunity to respond to it.
N-o-t-h-i-n-g can be done by parents, friend, or clergy that can take the place of the Titus 3:5 regenerating and/or the Eph. 4: 30) sealing (marking for identification) Work of God the Holy Spirit that takes place IF and WHEN the soul involved is presented with the TRUE Gospel AFTER reaching the AGE or STAGE of moral accountability. Scripture (2Sam. 12: 23) teach that if physical death should take place prior to any given soul (if ever) reaching the age or stage of moral accountability, that soul goes to the same place as believers. I believe that this is in response that the soul makes in its heart of hearts to the Eccl. 3: 11 concept of (God) eternity that God places in EVERY soul that He creates. Such details are among the "secret things (Deut. 29: 29 NASB)" of God that requires that such issues be placed in His hands. For God not to provide the means and opportunity for ANY soul to be saved would be totally contrary to His nature and character.
The devil is well aware of the emotions involved with (Deut. 29: 29) issues that are not specifically addressed Scripture, and does not overlook the opportunity to raise doubts and fear in the souls who face such challenges of faith. While the devil tries to promote the absence of answers as a "deficiency" of Scripture, the edified and spiritually mature believers understands that the primary purpose of there being "secret things" is to require the soul to develop the type faith that allows the believer to place the "unknowns" in the hands of God, and to remain focused on what IS made clear in Scripture.
Note that the same verse (Deut. 29: 29) also states that what has been revealed to us in Scripture IS ours to learn of and to apply. Advancing disciples will learn that the more they learn about God and the things of God, the more there is to learn!
"(Knowledge of) The secret things belong to the
Lord our God, but the things (that are) revealed
(in Scripture) belong to us....(Deut. 29: 29 NASB/italics mine)".
There ARE a lot more answers to be found in Scripture than what most believers perceive. The devil knows this and this is why he has always downplayed the need to know and/or the need to apply what Scripture reveals. With just a little bit of discernment, one can see what alternative role that "religion" plays in the devil's agenda! Granted there IS the need to have a correct interpretation of Scripture, and that is why God the Holy Spirit gifts (1Cor. 12: 18) and trains (2Timothy 2: 24) the believers HE selects to provide this service throughout the course of each generation of the Church Age.
All "requirements" of "religion" are intended to bring the human souls into its clutches at the earliest point possible, setting the stage for a lifetime of bondage. Freedom from such bondage can be secured by continuing in the Word (John 8:31, 32).
Note that in Scripture, ALL water baptisms took place AFTER the soul was already saved, and did NOT involve children or ANYONE else who had not reached the AGE or STAGE of moral accountability and had ALREADY a confession of faith in the message being communicated to them. The "religious" alternative(s) that have evolved through the course of Church history is among the things that is, "...highly esteemed among men (that) is detestable in the sigh of God (Luke 16: 15). Such things are "detestable" because they are among the "dirty rags (Isa. 64: 6)" of SELF righteousness that Man (through religion) has blasphemously promoted as a necessary "additive" to what God, and ONLY God, can, did, and will do!
Click HERE for a detailed study on the issues of baptism.
Spiritually dead human beings do not merely have a disinterest in glorifying God, but actually come into this world in a state of hostility (Romans 8:7) towards God and things of God. Even AFTER one is born again, the hostile sin nature remains within us (Romans 7) until the day we leave it behind at physithe cal death. From the day of our re-birth (Titus 3: 5) forward, the bulk of spiritual warfare takes place between our two ears as the Spirit of God and the inaudible voice of devil strives to be the chosen source of influence over the thoughts and actions of the saved soul.
God will not, and the devil can not, force anyone to do anything that violates the free will of the human soul. God will not force anyone to believe in the Gospel (and be saved), and God will not force a born again believer to enter into and remain in discipleship. The "army" of God that engages in spiritual warfare is an all volunteer outfit! What God will do is to make it clear what the eternal consequences of not believing (Rev. 20:15) the Gospel will be, and what the heavenly consequences (1Cor. 3: 15will be for choosing not to enter or to remain in discipleship.
"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,
he was (will be) thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 30: 15 NASB/italics mine)."
The devil on the other hand, will dismiss or diminish the need for an unbeliever to be born again, and/or the true purpose for a born again believer to identify and to pursue the TRUE post salvation spiritual life. The devil does so by influencing some to conclude that there is no god or eternity to be concerned with, and to offer temporal and eternal benefits via participating in pagan and/or counterfeit "Christian" religion practices. I place quotation marks around the adjective "Christian" because the phrase Christian religion is an oxymoron. TRUE Christianity consists of all that can be Biblically substantiated and was authored by God, whereas religion consist of all that Man has added to or has perverted what can be Biblically substantiated. The co-author and chief promoter of Man-made religion, "Christian" or otherwise, is the devil himself. As always, he does the most harm in areas where his presence and influence are least expected.
In the spiritual realm, we are what we choose to be, beginning with the status of spiritual death vs. spiritual life. Once we are born again, we have passed from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive, but what we do or don't do with OUR post (AFTER) salvation spiritual life determines if it is one that continues to glorify God or not.
Spiritually dead human beings can do no more in the spiritual realm than physically dead human beings can do in the natural realm. Until one is born again, we do not have the opportunity to do a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g that pleases God. We can be taken or later "go" to Church, read the Bible, participate in all kinds of "religious" rituals, behave morally, and even go through the motions of celebrating Communion EVERY day of our lives here on Earth, but all for nothing if we are not FIRST born again! Hell will be filled with religious and relatively moral individuals.
The devil works long and hard to dispute the concept of the Trinity, and has established many false doctrines disputing the co-equal status of God the Son, aka the Lord Jesus Christ. It was our Lord's claim of equality with God the Father that was the basis for His "conviction" of blasphemy before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22: 70, 71). While always acting in unison with each other, Scripture is clear that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have separate functions and roles to play during each dispensation (period of time) of human history,. As a rule of thumb, God the Father plans, God the Son executes, and God the Holy Spirit sustains the Work of God.
Since the creation of Man, God the Father desired to have fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14), be worshiped (John 4:23), and glorified (Phil. 1: 9-11) by the free will choices of the human souls. The mechanics and rituals of worship have changed over the course of the coming and the going of the various dispensations of human history, but the Old Testament rituals that were given to the ancient Hebrews foreshadowed what was to come, and the objectives, mechanics, and ONE ritual for Church Age is laid out in the Gospels and the epistles of the New Testament.
The mechanics of HOW a believer worships and glorifies God differs within each dispensation of the plan of God for the human race. Religion is infamous for bringing into the present dispensation of the Church Age, facilities, altars, and a form of priesthood with alleged functions that were NEVER ordained for the Church Age.
"And I pray that your love may abound still more and more
in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve
things are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the
day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which
comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1: 9-11 NASB)."
The "love" being spoken of here begins with an understanding of the John 3: 16 "love" that motivated God to send God the Son, aka the Lord Jesus Christ, to Earth and to be the ONE and ONLY sacrificial offering that atoned for the world's sin debt, when we (the human race) were yet sinners (Romans 5: 8). When one understands the love that God has for him, the person will develop a reciprocal (1John 4:19) form of love that motivates the advancing disciple to express that love through obedience (John 14:15). When this love matures, there will be the desire to share it with others.
"For God so loved the world....(John 3: 16 NASB)."
" ....God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were
sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 8 NASB)."
"We (advancing disciples) love (God, self, others) because He (God) first loved us (1John 4: 19/italics mine)."
"IF you love Me, you WILL (be motivated to) keep my commandments
(John 14: 15 NASB/italics mine)."
Sincerity does not insure accuracy or performance. Pastors and congregations can be sincerely WRONG! Many are!
There is ONE true Gospel Message, and a host of false Gospels out there, evidenced by the blasphemously perceived need for the believer to DO some form of "works", engage in religious ritual(s), or to refrain from committing some form of post (after) salvation sin in order to either obtain or retain his/her salvation.
Likewise, there is doctrinal truth(s), and there are a host of "alternative" concepts concerning the post salvation spiritual life of a believer. At least in the case of post salvation issues, such beliefs and practices do not change the integrity of the salvation of a born again soul. Inaccurate post salvation doctrine and practices, however, do impede one's spiritual growth (1Peter 3: 18) and productivity (John 15: 5) in the true post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
Salvation is complete and forever secured once one has heard and chooses to believe (John 3: 18) a presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message. This presentation can take place at any time once the individual soul has reached the age or stage of moral accountability. Once born again, however, discipleship (discipleship = learning, refining, and applying the Word of God) is a life long process. If we want God's best, we must learn to do it God's way. God's way for developing discipleship (Matthew 28): 20 is for each born again believer to identify the specific pastor-teacher that God the Holy Spirit will use to edify him/her at the various stages of his/her spiritual growth.
Anyone can be used by the devil and his Ephesians 6:12 forces of evil to make someone else "religious", but no one, be it a pastor, parent, family member, or friend can be used by God to bring another soul to a greater level of spiritual maturity than what he/she has first arrived at him/herself! IN our childhood, we (usually) aren't given the opportunity to make our own independent choices, but when we reach the legal and moral age of accountability, we would be well-advised to take a close look at the spiritual life of ANYONE before taking spiritual guidance from him/her, as ask yourself, "Is this how I desire to be when I reach that age or stage in my own post salvation spiritual life?".
"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child,
think like a child, reason like a child; when I became
became a man; I did away with childish things
(1Cor. 13: 11 NASB)."
Note that it is the potential teacher's spiritual life that an advancing disciple must take a look at. Some of the greatest sinners become the greatest saints. Aside from the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, making an hero out of ourselves or ANY other human being will lead to disappointment when the fallen nature inside of us or them has its way from time to time.
When two or more believers, groups, or denominations of believers hold different and/or opposing doctrinal viewpoints, they both cannot be correct.! Accordingly, I believe that if the Rapture should take place in the middle of worship services, there would be (born again) believers taken up, and there would be "religious", sincere, but spiritually dead persons left behind in the pews, and in some cases, standing behind the pulpit, within ALL of the various sanctuaries, meeting places, and those "attending" by remote means of communication, existing within the "Christian" Community at large.
Salvation is NOT about being Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Non-denominational! Salvation is about the necessity (John 3 : 3, 7) of being born again. Where and how one worships and grows in God's grace and knowledge are post (after) salvation issues, and do NOT determine who goes to Heaven or who goes to Hell. Such post (after) salvation issues DO impact one's ability to identify and execute the TRUE post salvation spiritual life, and the degree (if any) to which a believe will glorify God!
"Religion" glorifies Man, as it promotes all that Man (thinks) he can do to make or to keep himself "right" with God. Spirituality glorifies God, as it is based on belief (John 3: 16in all that God has done to save us, and all that He desires to do through (John 15;5) us in the course of our post salvation spiritual life.
Scripture (1Cor. 3: 12-15) teach that after the Rapture takes place, ALL the born again believers will be summoned to appear at the evaluation of the deeds. For some (believers) it will be a moment of great glory, whereas for others (believers), it will be a moment of shame and embarrassment!
Note that the Philippian passage (Phil. 1: 9-11) teaches that one must abound in real (real =accurate) knowledge if order to become the type of believer that brings glory to God.
Gathering together (Hebrews 10: 25) for the celebration of The Lord's Supper (1Cor. 11: 24, 2o) and to be edified (Matthew 28: 20) by the teaching of the Word of God are key elements of the type of corporate worship that was ordained for the Church Age.
"...do this (eat the symbolic bread) in r-e-m-e-m-b-r-a-n-c-e of Me (1COr. 11:24) NASB/italics mine)."
"...do this (drink the symbolic wine) as often as you drink it (celebrating Communion/Lord's Supper) in
r-e-m-e-m-b-r-a-n-c-e of Me (1Cor. 11: 25 NASB/italics mine)."
Corporate (as a group) prayer (Acts 3:1 ) and music (Psalms 69: 30) can be included in Church Age worship, but such things must line up with the "truth" requirement of John 4:24, and be executed with the power (John 15:5) of God the Holy Spirit. ALL Biblically ordained prayers are addressed to God the Father (Matthew 6:9), in the name of God the Son with the right motivation (John 14: 13); and executed with the power of God the Holy Spirit (John 15: 5)."
"Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the
ninth hour (3 pm), the hour of prayer (Acts 3: 1 NASB/italics mine)."
Almost all forms music can "entertain" congregations, but if it is to glorify God, the message it conveys must be in line with doctrinal accuracy.
"I will praise the name of God with song....(Psalms 69: 30 NASB)."
"God is spirit, an those who (desire to truly) worship Him must worship
in spirit (filling of the Spirit) and (doctrinally accurate) truth (John 4:24/italics mine)."
"Pray, then, in this way. "Our Father.....(Matthew 6:9 NASB)."
"Whatever (within the will of God) you ask (in prayer) in My name, that
will I do (Why?) so that (God) the Father may be glorified in (God) the
Son (John 14: 13 NASB/italics mine.".
God shares this form of glory with NO ONE (Isa. 42: 8)! If whatever is said, sung, or done does not glorify God, then it has no place or part in the type of worship that God desires for the Church Age. What is promoted by, on, or through the products of religion does NOT glorify God.
In this day and age of great (prophesied-1Timothy 4: 1) apostasy, if all such activities and elements were to be removed from what many "Christians" perceive to be "Church" and/or worship services, the Christian Community, as a whole, would be barely recognizable!
Truly, God was much more glorified in the "meeting places" of the first century "Church", than it ever was or will be in the elegant cathedrals and worship centers that have evolved down through the course of the Church Age that open their doors to many forms of apostate teachings and practices.
"I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give
MY glory to another, Nor my praise to
graven images (Isa. 42:8 NASB)."
"But the (Holy) Spirit explicitly says that in the
later times some (believers) will fall away from
the faith (faith= here means post-salvation doctrine),
paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of
demons (1Timothy 4:1 NASB/italics mine)."
Prayer, individual and corporate, goes no higher than the ceiling if the believers involved are not Spirit-filled (John 15:5) and in compliance with the format and Scriptural purpose of prayer. The ONLY prayer of a believer who is out of fellowship that God hears is the prayer of confession (1John 1: 9), as without it, there is NO FELLOWSHIP (2Cor. 13: 14) with God and the believer can do NOTHING (John 15:5) but go through the motions of meaningless activity until our fellowship is restored.
"Entertaining" music containing lyrics that are contrary to accurate Bible Doctrine neither glorifies God nor does it edify the congregation, but has become a major component of the "horse and pony show" that Man has developed and is promoted by the devil and the Ephesians 6: 12 forces of evil. Such things reinforce the false concepts that have come to be accepted as truth. Such things not only deceive un-edified believers, it denies God the glory that He desires to receive during Church Age worship services. Music that contains accurate doctrinal information can be used to glorify God, but only when those singing or listening to it are aware of what the doctrinal principles really mean. Amazing Grace, for example, has been sung, played, and listened to by millions of persons who do not have a clue as to what the "grace" of God is all about.
As important as worship and other POST salvation issues are, they are never the less POST (after) one has already and forever been saved, and therefore have got NOTHING to do with either obtaining or retaining salvation!
They do however, have MUCH to do with the identification and execution of the TRUE post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
The celebration of the Lord' Supper (Communion) certainly glorifies God, p-r-o-v-i-d-i-n-g that it is celebrated as a symbolic ritual of remembrance (1Cor. 11:24, 25), and not one of reproduction, as at least one major "Christian"religion would have us believe.
As one celebrates the Lord's Supper according to Scripture, he brings to his conscious soul the memory of the Person (symbolized by the bread) and the Work (symbolized by the wine) of the Lord Jesus Christ. As each believer eats the bread and drinks the wine during a Biblically structured celebration of the Lord's Supper (Communion), he (should be) reminded on a regular basis of what HE did for us. This is the Biblically documented
purpose (1Cor. 11:) of this ritual that glorifies God. It requires NO priest or altar, or ANY other product of religion.
There is NOTHING that need or can be done by or through any PRODUCT OF RELIGION to add to the salvation or its integrity that we (born again believers) have already received.
Likewise, there is NOTHING (John 15:5) that we, apart from God, and do in the spiritual realm of the post (after) salvation spiritual life. One remains saved (1Cor. 3: 15), but becomes "apart" from God as a result of post salvation sin. While apart from God the born again believer (Hebrews 12:6) is subject to divine discipline here on Earth and loss of some of the rewards in Heaven (1Cor. 3: 12-15) that the same believer would have otherwise received. Periods out of fellowship can be as brief as the few seconds it takes to confess a known sin (1John 1:9), or for as long as the rest one one's post salvation spiritual life here on Earth.
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides
(is in fellowship) with Me and I in him, he bears much
fruit (executes the post salvation spiritual life), for apart
(out of fellowship) from Me you (the born again believer)
can do nothing (John 15: 5 NASB/italics mine)."
"If we (born again believers) (in private prayer) our
(post salvation) sins, He (God) is faithful (to the covenant)
and righteous to forgive us our (known) sins and to cleanse us from
from all (unknown) righteousness (1John 1: 9)."
God can not even look (Hab. 1: 13) with approval on ANY (James 2: 10) sin, let alone "abide" (have fellowship) with it.
"Your eyes are too pure to approve of evil, And You
look not on wickedness with favor....(Hab. 1: 13 NASB)."
"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in
ONE point, he has become guilty of (breaking) all (James 2: 10 NASB)."
This was what took place on the cross, when God the Father broke fellowship with the humanity of God the Son as the sins of the entire human race were poured out on the Lord Jesus Christ, causing Him to recite the opening verse of Psalms 22.
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me....(Psalms 22:1 NASB)."
The Lord Jesus Christ was NOT asking God the Father WHY? this was taking place. He was bringing to the attention of those present the fact that what was taking place was prophesied hundreds of years prior to the crucifixion, in very specific details outlined in the 22nd Psalm.
Although the post salvation sins of believers do not result in the loss of the "irrevocable (Romans 11:29)" gift of salvation, post salvation sin doe result in the loss of fellowship with God.
wship with God highlights the negative impact that sin, especially the sins of the mental attitude and lifestyle that must also be forsaken (John 8: 11) if one is to remain in fellowship after the former sins(s) are confessed. Otherwise, the born again believer will spend much of his post salvation spiritual life in a revolving doorway going in and out of fellowship with God and never moving forward in a post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
"...Go. From now on, sin (in that way) no more (John 8: 11 NASB/italics mine)."
God does not place unrealistic demands on any0ne. Post salvation sin is NOT to condoned, but it IS an inevitable experiential element of the post salvation spiritual life (1John 1:8).
" If we (Church Age, born again believers) say that we have no
(post salvation sin) sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the
truth (that we are still sinners, saved by the grace of God) is
not within (our edified soul structures) us (1John 1: 8/italics mine)."
When Paul wrote the epistle to the local church in Rome, he spoke of his ongoing struggle between himself and the fallen sin nature that was still with him, almost 30 years after he was saved) and that it would be with him until the day he (and we) physically died and leaves it behind in the natural body. Many of us commit our first sin of the day before we even get out of bed in the morning with an ungodly mental attitude, let alone when we are confronted with the spiritual battles of the day to come. The need to confess our known sin(s) and to move on with the spiritual agenda of the day is an on-going process if we are to regain the fellowship with God and , in doing so, be in a position to execute the true post salvation spiritual life!
This (Biblical) confessional is open 24 hrs. a day, seven days a week, and differs greatly in form and purpose from the ones offered via religion!
If there were not post salvation sin, then there would have been no need for God to establish a (1John 1: 9) remedy for it. What needs to be understood, however, is that confession of post salvation sin is for the purpose of restoring fellowship, NOT salvation! As far as salvation is concerned, EVERY sin that (with the exception of the sin of disbelief) was paid for in full by the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The omniscience (all knowledge) of God enabled Him to include all past, present, and (at that time) future sins of the entire human race. This includes every sin that each one of us have committed, are committing, and will commit during the course of our time here on Earth.
Post (after) salvation sin results in the loss of fellowship (2Cor. 13:14) and the inability to have God produce divine good through him/her, until the fellowship is restored via the 1John 1: 9 process. In the meantime, we can choose to be otherwise religious and relatively moral, but such acts of "self-righteousness" amount to no more than a pile of filthy rags in the eyes of God (Isa.64:6). Such things are of no 1Cor. 3: 12-15) value to the believer and do NOT glorify God. Some "religious" activity amounts to blasphemy, as it generates a cloud of doubt in the minds of weak believers s to the integrity of Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If a person really believes that the Work of salvation WAS finished (John 19: 30) on the cross, and that it becomes applicable to the human soul when he/she BELEVES in a presentation of the Gospel, then why would he/she see the need for ANYTHING else to FINISH the job?
Having the issue of one's eternal destiny forever resolved, the born a gain believer) now has the "foundation " (1Cor. 3: 11)" that the soul structure (Matt. 7:24) of his/her post salvation spiritual life is to be constructed. One's soul structure is built, refined, and maintained through the o-n-g-o-i-n-g intake and application of the teaching (Matt. 28: 20) of the Word of God. This, and not the entertainment or the pageantry of the religious horse and pony show, is how one glorifies God AFTER he/she has been born gain (John 3: 3, 7).
If THIS form of celebrating the Lord's Supper is NOT one's experience, and if being doctrinally edified by the teaching being presented on a regular and ongoing basis, then you are among or likely to become among the many who really do not "get anything" out of "attending" the worship services of choice.
Even if the form of worship being offered IS in line with Scripture, merely "attending" the type of worship services that glorifies God and enriches the soul is like expecting to build a physical body by going to the gym and "watching" others work out! Good luck with that!
Both angels and Man in their created status had the capability to worship God. Since the Fall of the angels that CHOSE follow Satan in his rebellion, this categories of (Fallen) angels are no longer in fellowship with God and therefore can no longer worship God. Adam and the woman (later named Eve) , prior to their Fall, were in fellowship with God in the Garden and had the capability of worshiping God. But since the Fall of Man, every human soul (with the exception of the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ via the divine conception) comes into this world physically alive, but spiritually dead.
Until this spiritually dead status is addressed, the human soul is incapable of worshiping or glorifying God by ANYTHING he does or is done by others in his/her behalf.
In the Old Testament days, the generations of Man were held accountable to the extent that God revealed Himself to them, beginning with the concept of eternity that is placed in EVERY soul that God creates (Eccl. 3: 11). The Old Testament rituals and practices of the ancient Hebrews foreshadowed what would be (and was eventually fulfilled) by the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here in the Church Age, those who are presented with the TRUE GOSPEL are held accountable for his/her CHOSEN response to it. I believe, that those who are not given that opportunity (if such persons actually do exist) will be judged by their CHOSEN response to the extent that God revealed Himself to each one of them, beginning with the (Eccl. 3: 11) knowledge that God puts in the heart of EVERY soul He creates.
"...He set (the concept) of eternity (and eternal things) in their
heart (Eccl. 3: 11/NASB italics mine)."
What a presentation of the TRUE GOSPEL does guarantee to ALL those who hear and believe it is that they will live in fellowship with God for all of Eternity. At the same time, those who hear , but reject it are equally guaranteed to find themselves in the torments of Hades upon leaving this world, and eventually in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15), separated from God, for ALL of eternity.
The further glorification of God is the one and only divine purpose for the born again believer's presence here on Earth once he/she has been born again, but has got nothing to do with obtaining or retaining his salvation. This is where TRUE Christianity and "Christian" religion take different roads.
ALL believers are spiritual in the sense that they have ALL been spiritually regenerated Titus 3:5 . All believers are eternally saved, but only the minority of all the believers of each generation of the Church Age choose to c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e on in the Word (John 8: 31) and grow in the grace and knowledge of God 2Peter 3: 18). Even at that, one does NOT glorify God by knowing what to do. One glorifies God IF and when he does it!
The "religious" believer is just as "saved" and headed for Heaven as is the "spiritual believer, p-r-o-v-i-d-i-n-g that in the midst of all his religiosity, he/she manages to hears the TRUE Gospel and is born again (John 3: 3,7).
The earthly difference between a religious believer and a spiritual believer is that the spiritual one executes a post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God and will be rewarded for it in Heaven, whereas the religious one executes a post salvation religious life that does not glorify God and will forfeit the eternal rewards that he/she would have received in addition to his/her eternal life (1Cor. 3: 12-15)."
"...whatever a man sows (or fails to sow), that shall he
also (fail to) reap (Gal. 6: 7 NASB/italics mine)."
This passage, in context addressed the issue of sowing either good or evil and reaping the corresponding results, but with a little discernment, it can also be applied to the principle of investing time and energy into the production of divine good and being rewarded for it as he/she glorifies God.
Rather or NOT the person whose pre-salvation life was religious or not, everyone enters into the TRUE spiritual realm by hearing and choosing to BELIEVE in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel. It s NOT until one is born again that his/her POST salvation SPIRITUAL life begins, having had his/her formerly spiritually DEAD human spirit regenerated (Titus 3:5) by God the Holy Spirit.
Oddly enough, it is the RELIGOUS and not the IRRELIGOUS soul that can have the more difficult with building his/her POST salvation soul structure (Matthew 7: 20). The reason for this is that the formerly religious soul has to go through a period of DECONSTRUCTION of the "religious" soul structure that influenced his thoughts and actions BEFORE he/she was born again.
It is the formerly RELIGOUS soul that is more likely going to face much of the Luke 14: 26 challenge sooner than the believer who does not come from a "religious" background.
"If anyone (who has been born again) comes to Me (with the intention of becoming a
disciple) and does not hate (love less) his own father and mother and wife and
children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be
My disciple (Luke 14: 26 NASB/italics mine)."
Regardless of which background the born again believer comes from, the devil is going to go to work to prevent and to impede ANY forward progress in the POST salvation spiritual life of the believer. Be it a former atheist or religious person, all believers have their own self-centered and hostile fallen nature to contend with for as long as he/she remains here on Earth (Romans 7).
It is NOT the believer's salvation that is on the line, but the glory that one will or will not bring to God in the course of his/her POST salvation spiritual life. While the glory of God is not the number one priority of unbelievers or immature believers, it is the primary purpose for which one gets out of bed for in the morning if and when he/she desires to become and live the life of a disciple! This applies no matter where the day brings him/her or to what activity he/she engages in on any given day.
This concludes our Biblical Answer to the FAQ, "Why is the concept of the glorifying God so important?".
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However, as in the case of most spiritual issues, a complete answer to this FAQ requires a much more extended explanation.
Let's begin with a definition of what it means to glorify something or someone.
To glorify someone or something means to elevate the person or thing to a position of superiority in whatever realm it indwells.
The victors in virtually any arena or area of competition pursue the glory of being "Number #1." The types of glory that human beings can experience, in most cases, the are short lived and can come at a very dear price. Even if it should last for a lifetime, such glory, like the persons who receive it, is still no more than a passing thing that is here today and gone tomorrow!
In the spiritual realm, the highest form of glory is to be acknowledged as the Holy, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. sovereign
Creator of everything that was ever was, is now, or will ever be. Both Old Testament (Gen. 1:1, 2, 26) and New Testament (John 1: 1, 3/Matt. 28: 20) Scripture teach that the Creator is ONE Godhead, consisting of three, equal, personalities (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) who share the same divine attributes. The individual and corporate activity of three personalities of the Trinity "God" can be seen in all of the major spiritual events that are documented in Scripture.
"In the beginning, God (speaking of the Triune
Godhead) created the heavens and the Earth (Gen. 1: 1 NASB/italics mine)."
"....and the (Holy) Spirit of God (speaking of God the Holy Spirit)
was moving over the surface of the waters (Gen. 1: 2 NASB/italics mine)."
"...all things came into being through Him (speaking of the
incarnate God the Son prior to the First Advent), and apart from
Him nothing came into being that has not come into being (John 1: 3/italics mine)."
"Then God (speaking of the Triune Godhead) said, "Let Us (plural)
make Man in Our (plural) likeness...(Gen. 1:26 NASB/italics/mine)."
"Destroy this temple and in three days I (speaking of Himself in the
capacity as God the Son) will raise it (His body in resurrected form)
up John 2: 19 ( NASB/italics mine)."
"But Jesus said, "Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that the
(healing) power (of God) had gone out of Me (His humanity)."
Luke 8: 46 NASB/italics mine)."
Much confusion and many false doctrines have evolved when interpreters of Scripture fail to distinguish when the Lord Jesus Christ functioned in His deity, and when He functioned in His Humanity. When functioning in His humanity, He was subordinate to God the Father (Luke 14: 28), but in His deity, He was equal (John 10: 30). In order to fulfill the plan of God, He CHOSE to function in the limitations of His humanity, but at NO time was His deity ever diminished. A good indicator is that when our Lord was functioning in His (self-imposed) limitations of His humanity, Scripture usually refers to Him as "Jesus", whereas when He functioned in His Deity, Scripture usually refers to Him as the Lord Jesus Christ.
"...for (God) the Father (in His deity) is greater than I (the Lord
Jesus Christ in His Humanity (John 14: 28 NASB/italics mine)."
"I (the Lord Jesus Christ speaking) and (God) the Father are
one (coequal in deity)." (John 10: 30 NASB/italics mine).
Failing to understand what He accomplished in Humanity tends to minimize the pressure and potential of failure that He endured in order to fulfill the plan of God in our behalf. At the same time, failing to perceive Him as the incarnated God that walked among us can result in one never having an understanding of the TRUE Gospel required for salvation. One can not believe (and be saved) that which he does not understand. The TRUE Gospel speaks of the need to acknowledge the PERSON (God in the flesh) and the atoning (WORK) of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As of the Church Age, the FIRST time that a human soul has the opportunity to glorify God is AFTER he/she has reached the age or stage of moral
accountability and is presented with the TRUE Gospel Message. This can take place ANYWHERE and at ANYTIME that God the Holy Spirit arranges for any given soul to be presented with it. There are MANY ways in which the information of the Gospel can be made known, but it is the pre-salvation ministry of God the Holy Spirit that gives the "hostile (Romans 8:7)" unsaved, spiritually dead, soul the opportunity to understand the Gospel and the accompanying opportunity to respond to it.
N-o-t-h-i-n-g can be done by parents, friend, or clergy that can take the place of the Titus 3:5 regenerating and/or the Eph. 4: 30) sealing (marking for identification) Work of God the Holy Spirit that takes place IF and WHEN the soul involved is presented with the TRUE Gospel AFTER reaching the AGE or STAGE of moral accountability. Scripture (2Sam. 12: 23) teach that if physical death should take place prior to any given soul (if ever) reaching the age or stage of moral accountability, that soul goes to the same place as believers. I believe that this is in response that the soul makes in its heart of hearts to the Eccl. 3: 11 concept of (God) eternity that God places in EVERY soul that He creates. Such details are among the "secret things (Deut. 29: 29 NASB)" of God that requires that such issues be placed in His hands. For God not to provide the means and opportunity for ANY soul to be saved would be totally contrary to His nature and character.
The devil is well aware of the emotions involved with (Deut. 29: 29) issues that are not specifically addressed Scripture, and does not overlook the opportunity to raise doubts and fear in the souls who face such challenges of faith. While the devil tries to promote the absence of answers as a "deficiency" of Scripture, the edified and spiritually mature believers understands that the primary purpose of there being "secret things" is to require the soul to develop the type faith that allows the believer to place the "unknowns" in the hands of God, and to remain focused on what IS made clear in Scripture.
Note that the same verse (Deut. 29: 29) also states that what has been revealed to us in Scripture IS ours to learn of and to apply. Advancing disciples will learn that the more they learn about God and the things of God, the more there is to learn!
"(Knowledge of) The secret things belong to the
Lord our God, but the things (that are) revealed
(in Scripture) belong to us....(Deut. 29: 29 NASB/italics mine)".
There ARE a lot more answers to be found in Scripture than what most believers perceive. The devil knows this and this is why he has always downplayed the need to know and/or the need to apply what Scripture reveals. With just a little bit of discernment, one can see what alternative role that "religion" plays in the devil's agenda! Granted there IS the need to have a correct interpretation of Scripture, and that is why God the Holy Spirit gifts (1Cor. 12: 18) and trains (2Timothy 2: 24) the believers HE selects to provide this service throughout the course of each generation of the Church Age.
All "requirements" of "religion" are intended to bring the human souls into its clutches at the earliest point possible, setting the stage for a lifetime of bondage. Freedom from such bondage can be secured by continuing in the Word (John 8:31, 32).
Note that in Scripture, ALL water baptisms took place AFTER the soul was already saved, and did NOT involve children or ANYONE else who had not reached the AGE or STAGE of moral accountability and had ALREADY a confession of faith in the message being communicated to them. The "religious" alternative(s) that have evolved through the course of Church history is among the things that is, "...highly esteemed among men (that) is detestable in the sigh of God (Luke 16: 15). Such things are "detestable" because they are among the "dirty rags (Isa. 64: 6)" of SELF righteousness that Man (through religion) has blasphemously promoted as a necessary "additive" to what God, and ONLY God, can, did, and will do!
Click HERE for a detailed study on the issues of baptism.
Spiritually dead human beings do not merely have a disinterest in glorifying God, but actually come into this world in a state of hostility (Romans 8:7) towards God and things of God. Even AFTER one is born again, the hostile sin nature remains within us (Romans 7) until the day we leave it behind at physithe cal death. From the day of our re-birth (Titus 3: 5) forward, the bulk of spiritual warfare takes place between our two ears as the Spirit of God and the inaudible voice of devil strives to be the chosen source of influence over the thoughts and actions of the saved soul.
God will not, and the devil can not, force anyone to do anything that violates the free will of the human soul. God will not force anyone to believe in the Gospel (and be saved), and God will not force a born again believer to enter into and remain in discipleship. The "army" of God that engages in spiritual warfare is an all volunteer outfit! What God will do is to make it clear what the eternal consequences of not believing (Rev. 20:15) the Gospel will be, and what the heavenly consequences (1Cor. 3: 15will be for choosing not to enter or to remain in discipleship.
"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life,
he was (will be) thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 30: 15 NASB/italics mine)."
The devil on the other hand, will dismiss or diminish the need for an unbeliever to be born again, and/or the true purpose for a born again believer to identify and to pursue the TRUE post salvation spiritual life. The devil does so by influencing some to conclude that there is no god or eternity to be concerned with, and to offer temporal and eternal benefits via participating in pagan and/or counterfeit "Christian" religion practices. I place quotation marks around the adjective "Christian" because the phrase Christian religion is an oxymoron. TRUE Christianity consists of all that can be Biblically substantiated and was authored by God, whereas religion consist of all that Man has added to or has perverted what can be Biblically substantiated. The co-author and chief promoter of Man-made religion, "Christian" or otherwise, is the devil himself. As always, he does the most harm in areas where his presence and influence are least expected.
In the spiritual realm, we are what we choose to be, beginning with the status of spiritual death vs. spiritual life. Once we are born again, we have passed from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive, but what we do or don't do with OUR post (AFTER) salvation spiritual life determines if it is one that continues to glorify God or not.
Spiritually dead human beings can do no more in the spiritual realm than physically dead human beings can do in the natural realm. Until one is born again, we do not have the opportunity to do a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g that pleases God. We can be taken or later "go" to Church, read the Bible, participate in all kinds of "religious" rituals, behave morally, and even go through the motions of celebrating Communion EVERY day of our lives here on Earth, but all for nothing if we are not FIRST born again! Hell will be filled with religious and relatively moral individuals.
The devil works long and hard to dispute the concept of the Trinity, and has established many false doctrines disputing the co-equal status of God the Son, aka the Lord Jesus Christ. It was our Lord's claim of equality with God the Father that was the basis for His "conviction" of blasphemy before the Sanhedrin (Luke 22: 70, 71). While always acting in unison with each other, Scripture is clear that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit have separate functions and roles to play during each dispensation (period of time) of human history,. As a rule of thumb, God the Father plans, God the Son executes, and God the Holy Spirit sustains the Work of God.
Since the creation of Man, God the Father desired to have fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14), be worshiped (John 4:23), and glorified (Phil. 1: 9-11) by the free will choices of the human souls. The mechanics and rituals of worship have changed over the course of the coming and the going of the various dispensations of human history, but the Old Testament rituals that were given to the ancient Hebrews foreshadowed what was to come, and the objectives, mechanics, and ONE ritual for Church Age is laid out in the Gospels and the epistles of the New Testament.
The mechanics of HOW a believer worships and glorifies God differs within each dispensation of the plan of God for the human race. Religion is infamous for bringing into the present dispensation of the Church Age, facilities, altars, and a form of priesthood with alleged functions that were NEVER ordained for the Church Age.
"And I pray that your love may abound still more and more
in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve
things are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the
day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which
comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1: 9-11 NASB)."
The "love" being spoken of here begins with an understanding of the John 3: 16 "love" that motivated God to send God the Son, aka the Lord Jesus Christ, to Earth and to be the ONE and ONLY sacrificial offering that atoned for the world's sin debt, when we (the human race) were yet sinners (Romans 5: 8). When one understands the love that God has for him, the person will develop a reciprocal (1John 4:19) form of love that motivates the advancing disciple to express that love through obedience (John 14:15). When this love matures, there will be the desire to share it with others.
"For God so loved the world....(John 3: 16 NASB)."
" ....God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were
sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5: 8 NASB)."
"We (advancing disciples) love (God, self, others) because He (God) first loved us (1John 4: 19/italics mine)."
"IF you love Me, you WILL (be motivated to) keep my commandments
(John 14: 15 NASB/italics mine)."
Sincerity does not insure accuracy or performance. Pastors and congregations can be sincerely WRONG! Many are!
There is ONE true Gospel Message, and a host of false Gospels out there, evidenced by the blasphemously perceived need for the believer to DO some form of "works", engage in religious ritual(s), or to refrain from committing some form of post (after) salvation sin in order to either obtain or retain his/her salvation.
Likewise, there is doctrinal truth(s), and there are a host of "alternative" concepts concerning the post salvation spiritual life of a believer. At least in the case of post salvation issues, such beliefs and practices do not change the integrity of the salvation of a born again soul. Inaccurate post salvation doctrine and practices, however, do impede one's spiritual growth (1Peter 3: 18) and productivity (John 15: 5) in the true post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
Salvation is complete and forever secured once one has heard and chooses to believe (John 3: 18) a presentation of the TRUE Gospel Message. This presentation can take place at any time once the individual soul has reached the age or stage of moral accountability. Once born again, however, discipleship (discipleship = learning, refining, and applying the Word of God) is a life long process. If we want God's best, we must learn to do it God's way. God's way for developing discipleship (Matthew 28): 20 is for each born again believer to identify the specific pastor-teacher that God the Holy Spirit will use to edify him/her at the various stages of his/her spiritual growth.
Anyone can be used by the devil and his Ephesians 6:12 forces of evil to make someone else "religious", but no one, be it a pastor, parent, family member, or friend can be used by God to bring another soul to a greater level of spiritual maturity than what he/she has first arrived at him/herself! IN our childhood, we (usually) aren't given the opportunity to make our own independent choices, but when we reach the legal and moral age of accountability, we would be well-advised to take a close look at the spiritual life of ANYONE before taking spiritual guidance from him/her, as ask yourself, "Is this how I desire to be when I reach that age or stage in my own post salvation spiritual life?".
"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child,
think like a child, reason like a child; when I became
became a man; I did away with childish things
(1Cor. 13: 11 NASB)."
Note that it is the potential teacher's spiritual life that an advancing disciple must take a look at. Some of the greatest sinners become the greatest saints. Aside from the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, making an hero out of ourselves or ANY other human being will lead to disappointment when the fallen nature inside of us or them has its way from time to time.
When two or more believers, groups, or denominations of believers hold different and/or opposing doctrinal viewpoints, they both cannot be correct.! Accordingly, I believe that if the Rapture should take place in the middle of worship services, there would be (born again) believers taken up, and there would be "religious", sincere, but spiritually dead persons left behind in the pews, and in some cases, standing behind the pulpit, within ALL of the various sanctuaries, meeting places, and those "attending" by remote means of communication, existing within the "Christian" Community at large.
Salvation is NOT about being Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Non-denominational! Salvation is about the necessity (John 3 : 3, 7) of being born again. Where and how one worships and grows in God's grace and knowledge are post (after) salvation issues, and do NOT determine who goes to Heaven or who goes to Hell. Such post (after) salvation issues DO impact one's ability to identify and execute the TRUE post salvation spiritual life, and the degree (if any) to which a believe will glorify God!
"Religion" glorifies Man, as it promotes all that Man (thinks) he can do to make or to keep himself "right" with God. Spirituality glorifies God, as it is based on belief (John 3: 16in all that God has done to save us, and all that He desires to do through (John 15;5) us in the course of our post salvation spiritual life.
Scripture (1Cor. 3: 12-15) teach that after the Rapture takes place, ALL the born again believers will be summoned to appear at the evaluation of the deeds. For some (believers) it will be a moment of great glory, whereas for others (believers), it will be a moment of shame and embarrassment!
Note that the Philippian passage (Phil. 1: 9-11) teaches that one must abound in real (real =accurate) knowledge if order to become the type of believer that brings glory to God.
Gathering together (Hebrews 10: 25) for the celebration of The Lord's Supper (1Cor. 11: 24, 2o) and to be edified (Matthew 28: 20) by the teaching of the Word of God are key elements of the type of corporate worship that was ordained for the Church Age.
"...do this (eat the symbolic bread) in r-e-m-e-m-b-r-a-n-c-e of Me (1COr. 11:24) NASB/italics mine)."
"...do this (drink the symbolic wine) as often as you drink it (celebrating Communion/Lord's Supper) in
r-e-m-e-m-b-r-a-n-c-e of Me (1Cor. 11: 25 NASB/italics mine)."
Corporate (as a group) prayer (Acts 3:1 ) and music (Psalms 69: 30) can be included in Church Age worship, but such things must line up with the "truth" requirement of John 4:24, and be executed with the power (John 15:5) of God the Holy Spirit. ALL Biblically ordained prayers are addressed to God the Father (Matthew 6:9), in the name of God the Son with the right motivation (John 14: 13); and executed with the power of God the Holy Spirit (John 15: 5)."
"Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the
ninth hour (3 pm), the hour of prayer (Acts 3: 1 NASB/italics mine)."
Almost all forms music can "entertain" congregations, but if it is to glorify God, the message it conveys must be in line with doctrinal accuracy.
"I will praise the name of God with song....(Psalms 69: 30 NASB)."
"God is spirit, an those who (desire to truly) worship Him must worship
in spirit (filling of the Spirit) and (doctrinally accurate) truth (John 4:24/italics mine)."
"Pray, then, in this way. "Our Father.....(Matthew 6:9 NASB)."
"Whatever (within the will of God) you ask (in prayer) in My name, that
will I do (Why?) so that (God) the Father may be glorified in (God) the
Son (John 14: 13 NASB/italics mine.".
God shares this form of glory with NO ONE (Isa. 42: 8)! If whatever is said, sung, or done does not glorify God, then it has no place or part in the type of worship that God desires for the Church Age. What is promoted by, on, or through the products of religion does NOT glorify God.
In this day and age of great (prophesied-1Timothy 4: 1) apostasy, if all such activities and elements were to be removed from what many "Christians" perceive to be "Church" and/or worship services, the Christian Community, as a whole, would be barely recognizable!
Truly, God was much more glorified in the "meeting places" of the first century "Church", than it ever was or will be in the elegant cathedrals and worship centers that have evolved down through the course of the Church Age that open their doors to many forms of apostate teachings and practices.
"I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give
MY glory to another, Nor my praise to
graven images (Isa. 42:8 NASB)."
"But the (Holy) Spirit explicitly says that in the
later times some (believers) will fall away from
the faith (faith= here means post-salvation doctrine),
paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of
demons (1Timothy 4:1 NASB/italics mine)."
Prayer, individual and corporate, goes no higher than the ceiling if the believers involved are not Spirit-filled (John 15:5) and in compliance with the format and Scriptural purpose of prayer. The ONLY prayer of a believer who is out of fellowship that God hears is the prayer of confession (1John 1: 9), as without it, there is NO FELLOWSHIP (2Cor. 13: 14) with God and the believer can do NOTHING (John 15:5) but go through the motions of meaningless activity until our fellowship is restored.
"Entertaining" music containing lyrics that are contrary to accurate Bible Doctrine neither glorifies God nor does it edify the congregation, but has become a major component of the "horse and pony show" that Man has developed and is promoted by the devil and the Ephesians 6: 12 forces of evil. Such things reinforce the false concepts that have come to be accepted as truth. Such things not only deceive un-edified believers, it denies God the glory that He desires to receive during Church Age worship services. Music that contains accurate doctrinal information can be used to glorify God, but only when those singing or listening to it are aware of what the doctrinal principles really mean. Amazing Grace, for example, has been sung, played, and listened to by millions of persons who do not have a clue as to what the "grace" of God is all about.
As important as worship and other POST salvation issues are, they are never the less POST (after) one has already and forever been saved, and therefore have got NOTHING to do with either obtaining or retaining salvation!
They do however, have MUCH to do with the identification and execution of the TRUE post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
The celebration of the Lord' Supper (Communion) certainly glorifies God, p-r-o-v-i-d-i-n-g that it is celebrated as a symbolic ritual of remembrance (1Cor. 11:24, 25), and not one of reproduction, as at least one major "Christian"religion would have us believe.
As one celebrates the Lord's Supper according to Scripture, he brings to his conscious soul the memory of the Person (symbolized by the bread) and the Work (symbolized by the wine) of the Lord Jesus Christ. As each believer eats the bread and drinks the wine during a Biblically structured celebration of the Lord's Supper (Communion), he (should be) reminded on a regular basis of what HE did for us. This is the Biblically documented
purpose (1Cor. 11:) of this ritual that glorifies God. It requires NO priest or altar, or ANY other product of religion.
There is NOTHING that need or can be done by or through any PRODUCT OF RELIGION to add to the salvation or its integrity that we (born again believers) have already received.
Likewise, there is NOTHING (John 15:5) that we, apart from God, and do in the spiritual realm of the post (after) salvation spiritual life. One remains saved (1Cor. 3: 15), but becomes "apart" from God as a result of post salvation sin. While apart from God the born again believer (Hebrews 12:6) is subject to divine discipline here on Earth and loss of some of the rewards in Heaven (1Cor. 3: 12-15) that the same believer would have otherwise received. Periods out of fellowship can be as brief as the few seconds it takes to confess a known sin (1John 1:9), or for as long as the rest one one's post salvation spiritual life here on Earth.
"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides
(is in fellowship) with Me and I in him, he bears much
fruit (executes the post salvation spiritual life), for apart
(out of fellowship) from Me you (the born again believer)
can do nothing (John 15: 5 NASB/italics mine)."
"If we (born again believers) (in private prayer) our
(post salvation) sins, He (God) is faithful (to the covenant)
and righteous to forgive us our (known) sins and to cleanse us from
from all (unknown) righteousness (1John 1: 9)."
God can not even look (Hab. 1: 13) with approval on ANY (James 2: 10) sin, let alone "abide" (have fellowship) with it.
"Your eyes are too pure to approve of evil, And You
look not on wickedness with favor....(Hab. 1: 13 NASB)."
"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in
ONE point, he has become guilty of (breaking) all (James 2: 10 NASB)."
This was what took place on the cross, when God the Father broke fellowship with the humanity of God the Son as the sins of the entire human race were poured out on the Lord Jesus Christ, causing Him to recite the opening verse of Psalms 22.
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me....(Psalms 22:1 NASB)."
The Lord Jesus Christ was NOT asking God the Father WHY? this was taking place. He was bringing to the attention of those present the fact that what was taking place was prophesied hundreds of years prior to the crucifixion, in very specific details outlined in the 22nd Psalm.
Although the post salvation sins of believers do not result in the loss of the "irrevocable (Romans 11:29)" gift of salvation, post salvation sin doe result in the loss of fellowship with God.
wship with God highlights the negative impact that sin, especially the sins of the mental attitude and lifestyle that must also be forsaken (John 8: 11) if one is to remain in fellowship after the former sins(s) are confessed. Otherwise, the born again believer will spend much of his post salvation spiritual life in a revolving doorway going in and out of fellowship with God and never moving forward in a post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
"...Go. From now on, sin (in that way) no more (John 8: 11 NASB/italics mine)."
God does not place unrealistic demands on any0ne. Post salvation sin is NOT to condoned, but it IS an inevitable experiential element of the post salvation spiritual life (1John 1:8).
" If we (Church Age, born again believers) say that we have no
(post salvation sin) sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the
truth (that we are still sinners, saved by the grace of God) is
not within (our edified soul structures) us (1John 1: 8/italics mine)."
When Paul wrote the epistle to the local church in Rome, he spoke of his ongoing struggle between himself and the fallen sin nature that was still with him, almost 30 years after he was saved) and that it would be with him until the day he (and we) physically died and leaves it behind in the natural body. Many of us commit our first sin of the day before we even get out of bed in the morning with an ungodly mental attitude, let alone when we are confronted with the spiritual battles of the day to come. The need to confess our known sin(s) and to move on with the spiritual agenda of the day is an on-going process if we are to regain the fellowship with God and , in doing so, be in a position to execute the true post salvation spiritual life!
This (Biblical) confessional is open 24 hrs. a day, seven days a week, and differs greatly in form and purpose from the ones offered via religion!
If there were not post salvation sin, then there would have been no need for God to establish a (1John 1: 9) remedy for it. What needs to be understood, however, is that confession of post salvation sin is for the purpose of restoring fellowship, NOT salvation! As far as salvation is concerned, EVERY sin that (with the exception of the sin of disbelief) was paid for in full by the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The omniscience (all knowledge) of God enabled Him to include all past, present, and (at that time) future sins of the entire human race. This includes every sin that each one of us have committed, are committing, and will commit during the course of our time here on Earth.
Post (after) salvation sin results in the loss of fellowship (2Cor. 13:14) and the inability to have God produce divine good through him/her, until the fellowship is restored via the 1John 1: 9 process. In the meantime, we can choose to be otherwise religious and relatively moral, but such acts of "self-righteousness" amount to no more than a pile of filthy rags in the eyes of God (Isa.64:6). Such things are of no 1Cor. 3: 12-15) value to the believer and do NOT glorify God. Some "religious" activity amounts to blasphemy, as it generates a cloud of doubt in the minds of weak believers s to the integrity of Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
If a person really believes that the Work of salvation WAS finished (John 19: 30) on the cross, and that it becomes applicable to the human soul when he/she BELEVES in a presentation of the Gospel, then why would he/she see the need for ANYTHING else to FINISH the job?
Having the issue of one's eternal destiny forever resolved, the born a gain believer) now has the "foundation " (1Cor. 3: 11)" that the soul structure (Matt. 7:24) of his/her post salvation spiritual life is to be constructed. One's soul structure is built, refined, and maintained through the o-n-g-o-i-n-g intake and application of the teaching (Matt. 28: 20) of the Word of God. This, and not the entertainment or the pageantry of the religious horse and pony show, is how one glorifies God AFTER he/she has been born gain (John 3: 3, 7).
If THIS form of celebrating the Lord's Supper is NOT one's experience, and if being doctrinally edified by the teaching being presented on a regular and ongoing basis, then you are among or likely to become among the many who really do not "get anything" out of "attending" the worship services of choice.
Even if the form of worship being offered IS in line with Scripture, merely "attending" the type of worship services that glorifies God and enriches the soul is like expecting to build a physical body by going to the gym and "watching" others work out! Good luck with that!
Both angels and Man in their created status had the capability to worship God. Since the Fall of the angels that CHOSE follow Satan in his rebellion, this categories of (Fallen) angels are no longer in fellowship with God and therefore can no longer worship God. Adam and the woman (later named Eve) , prior to their Fall, were in fellowship with God in the Garden and had the capability of worshiping God. But since the Fall of Man, every human soul (with the exception of the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ via the divine conception) comes into this world physically alive, but spiritually dead.
Until this spiritually dead status is addressed, the human soul is incapable of worshiping or glorifying God by ANYTHING he does or is done by others in his/her behalf.
In the Old Testament days, the generations of Man were held accountable to the extent that God revealed Himself to them, beginning with the concept of eternity that is placed in EVERY soul that God creates (Eccl. 3: 11). The Old Testament rituals and practices of the ancient Hebrews foreshadowed what would be (and was eventually fulfilled) by the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here in the Church Age, those who are presented with the TRUE GOSPEL are held accountable for his/her CHOSEN response to it. I believe, that those who are not given that opportunity (if such persons actually do exist) will be judged by their CHOSEN response to the extent that God revealed Himself to each one of them, beginning with the (Eccl. 3: 11) knowledge that God puts in the heart of EVERY soul He creates.
"...He set (the concept) of eternity (and eternal things) in their
heart (Eccl. 3: 11/NASB italics mine)."
What a presentation of the TRUE GOSPEL does guarantee to ALL those who hear and believe it is that they will live in fellowship with God for all of Eternity. At the same time, those who hear , but reject it are equally guaranteed to find themselves in the torments of Hades upon leaving this world, and eventually in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15), separated from God, for ALL of eternity.
The further glorification of God is the one and only divine purpose for the born again believer's presence here on Earth once he/she has been born again, but has got nothing to do with obtaining or retaining his salvation. This is where TRUE Christianity and "Christian" religion take different roads.
ALL believers are spiritual in the sense that they have ALL been spiritually regenerated Titus 3:5 . All believers are eternally saved, but only the minority of all the believers of each generation of the Church Age choose to c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e on in the Word (John 8: 31) and grow in the grace and knowledge of God 2Peter 3: 18). Even at that, one does NOT glorify God by knowing what to do. One glorifies God IF and when he does it!
The "religious" believer is just as "saved" and headed for Heaven as is the "spiritual believer, p-r-o-v-i-d-i-n-g that in the midst of all his religiosity, he/she manages to hears the TRUE Gospel and is born again (John 3: 3,7).
The earthly difference between a religious believer and a spiritual believer is that the spiritual one executes a post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God and will be rewarded for it in Heaven, whereas the religious one executes a post salvation religious life that does not glorify God and will forfeit the eternal rewards that he/she would have received in addition to his/her eternal life (1Cor. 3: 12-15)."
"...whatever a man sows (or fails to sow), that shall he
also (fail to) reap (Gal. 6: 7 NASB/italics mine)."
This passage, in context addressed the issue of sowing either good or evil and reaping the corresponding results, but with a little discernment, it can also be applied to the principle of investing time and energy into the production of divine good and being rewarded for it as he/she glorifies God.
Rather or NOT the person whose pre-salvation life was religious or not, everyone enters into the TRUE spiritual realm by hearing and choosing to BELIEVE in a presentation of the TRUE Gospel. It s NOT until one is born again that his/her POST salvation SPIRITUAL life begins, having had his/her formerly spiritually DEAD human spirit regenerated (Titus 3:5) by God the Holy Spirit.
Oddly enough, it is the RELIGOUS and not the IRRELIGOUS soul that can have the more difficult with building his/her POST salvation soul structure (Matthew 7: 20). The reason for this is that the formerly religious soul has to go through a period of DECONSTRUCTION of the "religious" soul structure that influenced his thoughts and actions BEFORE he/she was born again.
It is the formerly RELIGOUS soul that is more likely going to face much of the Luke 14: 26 challenge sooner than the believer who does not come from a "religious" background.
"If anyone (who has been born again) comes to Me (with the intention of becoming a
disciple) and does not hate (love less) his own father and mother and wife and
children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be
My disciple (Luke 14: 26 NASB/italics mine)."
Regardless of which background the born again believer comes from, the devil is going to go to work to prevent and to impede ANY forward progress in the POST salvation spiritual life of the believer. Be it a former atheist or religious person, all believers have their own self-centered and hostile fallen nature to contend with for as long as he/she remains here on Earth (Romans 7).
It is NOT the believer's salvation that is on the line, but the glory that one will or will not bring to God in the course of his/her POST salvation spiritual life. While the glory of God is not the number one priority of unbelievers or immature believers, it is the primary purpose for which one gets out of bed for in the morning if and when he/she desires to become and live the life of a disciple! This applies no matter where the day brings him/her or to what activity he/she engages in on any given day.
This concludes our Biblical Answer to the FAQ, "Why is the concept of the glorifying God so important?".
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