JANUARY 17 – I did it my way.

JANUARY 17 – I did it my way.

Leviticus 10:1-3 – Not just any worship is accepted by God.

Nadab and Abihu decided to worship their way. It brought about their death. God had just laid out specific instructions that He expected His priests to observe. Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Israel’s priest, the nephews of Israel’s leader, the head of Israel’s princely elders. They had been with Moses and Aaron in the mount; they had looked upon the glorious vision of God as He appeared on Sinai; they had been chosen and consecrated to the priesthood; they had assisted Aaron in the first operations of the Hebrew ritual; and in all that camp of God’s chosen ones, Moses and Aaron alone had higher dignity than theirs. But, from the mount of vision they fell into the pit of destruction. They were accepted priests yesterday; they are disgraced victims of God’s holy indignation to-day.

We must understand that at this point, God had laid out each step to be observed in His worship. We have the examples of Nadab and Abihu. We also have David improperly moving the Ark and the death of one man. Saul also intruded into the office of the priest. If it is not God’s way, it is not accepted.

We are in the church age and some would say, that does not apply today. The Old Testament is our example and gives us principles that we need to be aware of. We no longer offer animal sacrifices but today according to Paul in Romans 12:1, we are the living sacrifice. We sacrifice unto God the way He wants us to.

How often do we hear, “God sees the inside” and thereby we consent to sinful acts of the flesh because in essence it does not matter how we live or talk or what we do because we claim that what is important is the heart of man. I concur that it is important that the blood of Christ cleanses man from sin. I believe it is important that the heart is clean and pure, Yet what is inward will be demonstrated outwardly. Read the book of Ephesians. We are to put off the old man and put on the new man where the inward change has change and cleaned up our mouth. Where our thoughts have been cleaned up. We don’t do the things we used to do.

Worship of God is not according to what pleases us. Some people want to worship God in their manner. We are very much in the me/I generation. It is a throw back to the 50’s and 60’s when Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way.” When someone points out some obvious scripture, the common mantra of shaming is thrown up; “judge not that ye be not judged.” Another accusation that is used as a hammer to try and bludgeon people into submission is; “you are a legalist.” This is a complete and total redefinition of the word. Paul knew what a legalist is. Some one that added works to the free gift of salvation. Jews that followed Paul and told new those saved by Grace that they had to be circumcised. A “legalist” is not one that wants to continually apply the Word of God to their life so that every day they are continuing to conform to the Word. Shame on those that try to destroy those that would live a life conforming more to God’s Word everyday.

God has set the standard. There are those that will not study enough to find out what pleases God. They are self-willed people. They do not heed the instruction of God. In the 70’s in Peoria, Illinois, some enterprising person decided to start a club for christians. The though was that people loved to go to bars and taverns so this club was set up just like a bar. There was no alcohol but the lights were turned down low. Soft music was playing. There were intimate settings for couples. There was a dark dance floor. This club failed. The doors were closed. To me, this proved that the Biblical admonition was correct, “they loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” True christians do not want to be in a situation where emotions and lusts are aroused. Those that prefer that atmosphere also prefer alcohol to be involved so that inhibitions are released and inappropriate behavior have a skin of a reason. “I was drunk.”

The saddest part of this is that we now some churches practicing the darkness over light. Music has become the draw, doing it my way. Enticement instead of confiction bringing them in instead of “going” as the Great Commission says. Then we see the response; “bring them in by what ever means and what ever works.” We make them comfortable in a worldly atmosphere. There is a tendency to not delve deeply into God’s Word and simply make them “bottle babies” where Paul says we need to go on from the “milk of the word” and eat meat, and Paul never encouraged any one to stay as “bottle babies.” Meme’s, platitudes, and incomplete phrases and sayings have never driven anyone deeper in the knowledge of God and His Word. Today in some Baptist Churchs there is less concern about truth and feelings are emphasized above truth and music above the preaching of the Word.

Now the situation is that worship is all about me and not God approved or God accepted. Yes, no fire will consume you, but that doesn’t mean it is God approved.

My purpose here and your purpose here should be worship God “in spirit and in truth” and be accepted by God. God calls for obedience.