THE FACES OF WORSHIP

The LORD says:

These people come near to me with their mouth

and honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

Their worship of me is made up only

of rules taught by men.*

Therefore once more I will astound these people

with wonder upon wonder;

The wisdom of the wise will perish,

the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.

(Isaiah 29.13-14, NIV)

* LXX: "They worship me IN VAIN; their teachings are but rules taught by men." (My emphasis).

"Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!'? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence." (Colossians 2.20-23, NIV)

There are many truths in this passage of sacred scripture, but I believe it is necessary to refrain from commenting on all but this thought for the moment: The commandments and doctrines of man promote WILL WORSHIP, which does NOT honor Our Creator, but only serves the carnal man.

Phillips translates the last verse, "I know that these regulations look wise with their self-inspired efforts at worship, their policy of self-humbling, and their studied neglect of the body. But in actual practice they do honor, not to God, but to man's own pride."

The words "will worship" appearing in the King James Version, and "self-imposed worship" in the NIV, are translated from the Greek word ethelothreskeia -- a compound of two words: etheloo, an absolute verb meaning to determine as an  act of the will, and a noun, threskeia, which means a ceremonial observance, especially a religious ritual. This worship is external, and since the depth of worship, that which is "in spirit and in truth", is missing from the word it obviously emphasizes only "religious activity".

Religion is predominately an act of the will and readily becomes solely self-serving. I think the Amplified Bible translation of the last phrase of Colossians 2.23 is interesting: "...they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh -- the lower nature. [Instead, they do not honor God] but serve only to indulge the flesh".

It's best to approach this disquisition informally from two fields of thought: one:-- that we need to be cleansed from that which is simply self-activated and self-centered worship, so that our spirit may flow freely to God, and two:-- we need to be cleansed from worshipping the "will of man", which most subtly exalts man, rather than God.

These two thought-paths are markedly intertwined and it's difficult to completely separate them because churchdom has most thoroughly imbued both aspects in man. In a former letter I wrote briefly on worshipping the "will" of man, but here we need to probe deeply and seek to be cleansed of EVERYTHING that has the hallmark of will-worship. And this we will do, if God wills, so that we may be truly free to worship God and magnify Him only.

Again I must say that our inner thoughts and attitudes are far more crucial than our external words and actions. Jesus said to the super-religious Pharisees and teachers of the law: "Woe to you ... you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside will be clean." (Matthew 23.25-26, NIV).

Will-worship is concentered on externals, setting standards of "Don't touch; don't taste; don't handle", as with the force of their own will men strive mightily in a do-it-yourself cleansing program. The religious habits and outward ritualistic manners of churchdom's pedagoguery are so thoroughly ingrained in man that when he seeks to be freed he almost always approaches the problem from WITHOUT -- from the OUTSIDE! The attack is launched bravely! He uses sheer willpower and flint-faced determination! He prays valiantly against "it"!!! Determines never to "do it again"!! Sets his mind and firmly resolves to change!!

AND FAILS!!

Truly, the moment man succeeds by the strength of his own will to do anything, that's the moment he begins to exalt the "will of man" -- free or otherwise. This turns his worship away from God to the worship of will, or as some say "willpower" and "the free will of man". It's clear that if man's will is the source of worship it will ultimately become the OBJECT of worship and replace God. This happens even though the initial worship is thought to be directed to God.

Close examination will reveal that the "will" has the same deficiency as the "law", because the will also deals with externals, and can NOT transform the spirit: ONLY ALMIGHTY GOD CAN WORK FROM THE INSIDE, and He has directed that our worship be in truth. Yes, in SPIRITUAL REALITY! Read what the scripture says on the subject: "...what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit". (Romans 8.3-4, NIV). "...the code [of the law] kills, but the (Holy) Spirit makes alive". (2 Corinthians 3.6, Amplified).

Uncountable are the instances when the law has been used to control and exploit mankind. Holy humbugs make explicit commands, sanctimoniously quote chapter and verse, -- with the object of binding others in their own pious chains. Most of the time such action results in pride and fear -- pride consumes both prisoner and jailor, so they begin to believe that they and they only are the "right" people -- knowing God's laws. And of course this great knowledge will be used to help lesser mortals shape up and live right!

Fear also has a prominent place in the religious milieu. The power of controlling others brings with it the anxiety of perhaps losing control, and that that control might be taken by others outside the pale. Power corrupts -- and man needs to be delivered from the stumbling-block of needing to manage others, whether it be wife, husband -- whomever!

There is no need for man to make a law, i.e. an "externalism" by which to measure and judge others: "...sin is not charged to man's account where there is no law.." (Romans 5.13, Amplified). "...where there is no law there is no transgression" (Romans 4.15, NIV, also Amplified and other translations.)

The marvelous, grand, and glorious wonder of the NEW COVENANT is stated in the principle, "...God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them..." (2 Corinthians 5.19, NASB).

Grace is internal and it is not in man's power to control an inner spiritual work. All inner transformation is the WORK OF THE LIVING GOD. He takes control and all self-works come to an end. When the will of man surrenders to God, worship is directed away from man and back to HIM, who is LORD OF ALL, in us.

Religious forms, rituals, ceremonies and the like are void of His life and power. This being so, law takes over -- a law of manipulative control with rigid codes of dress, punctilious deportment and discipline designed to bind and enslave. Man becomes a performer rather than a worshipper, and if there is no living relationship, no vital consciousness of God's presence, it is terribly easy to fall into a form of will-worship.

I once heard a man rightly say, "Much of our worship time is nothing more than a 'happy hour' in which the participants can enjoy a good time." These holy happy hours are contrived plans and programs devised according to man's will. Favorite songs are sung over and over again, hands are clapped, quasi-choreographed dances are performed and general shouting is maintained at a level carefully orchestrated by the leader, so weeping and laughing are closely regulated to the flow of music.

(I was once present at a "meeting of God's Sons" where a specially chosen leader was designated to teach the congregation how to praise. There was even a special "praiser" who had traveled thousands of miles to demonstrate the manner of praise and shouting we were to use in worship. I left before the show really got started.)

Where in all of this WILL-WORSHIP is the true worship of our Creator? Jesus said that "the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart", (see Matthew 12.34) so when HE rules within us surely our speech will reveal and magnify Him. But when self rules within and our own will is in control, who is revealed and magnified?

How much of our speech has the simple object of self-justification?! So often we find it almost impossible to act and allow the action to speak for itself. Much time is wasted in explanation, hoping to justify our actions and "set things straight".

We don't need to "straighten things out" -- and being concerned about what others think of us is a form of self-worship -- which is idolatry in a common form. We need to keep in mind that our justification rests entirely with God, and is the only standing that counts. What good does it do to worry about the judgement of others? Christ's servant stands or falls to Christ -- and Christ is able to make him stand. (See Romans 14.4).

Often when a man becomes unsure of his standing in Christ, infirm in his belief that Christ directs his life, the old "I will" kicks in and takes over the self. Then by the force of his own will man seeks to control his destiny -- an effort doomed to failure. No matter what the poet wrote, man is NOT the master of his fate nor the captain of his soul. That's just more humanist doctrine, and one little fire-fight in the long war against Our God that has been raging for millennia.

The "I will" syndrome seeks self's control over self: "I WILL take control of my destiny. I WILL dream my own dreams. I WILL claim, rebuke, demand, and bind and loose my way through this Christian walk of faith. If God won't do what I want Him to do in a certain situation then I WILL step into the gap and by exercise of MY OWN WILL, 'declare it', 'confess it', 'visualize it', 'command it', and I WILL DO whatever is necessary to bring about the thing I have WILLED.

It is difficult for the will of man to relinquish control, and indeed, this "control" is an especially strong facet of WILL WORSHIP.

Man has paid so much homage to the "will of man" that superstition of the most childish sort has crept into his life. There are will worship warnings such as, "Don't say it or you make it so!" "The tongue is a creative force!" NONSENSE!!! Confessing something doesn't make it so! Poverty, sickness, and other problems of mankind are facts, and reinforcing them with negative statements doesn't reinforce their reality. Such pretending is ungodly and not worthy of Christian thought.

B U T --

THE PROMISE OF GOD IS GREATER THAN THE WILL AND THE PRETENSE OF MAN --

A N D --

TO CONFESS HIM AND BELIEVE IN THE HEART IN HIS REALITY IS TO STRENGTHEN CERTAINTY IN HIS MERCIES TOWARD MAN.

There are those who deify the ability of the will to the point that they think just speaking something brings it into existence. In this there is both worship BY the will, and worship OF the will; powers are attributed to the exercise of the will that just aren't there -- another vanity of the carnal mind.

Self, as described by a brother-in-Christ, is "that part of us that seeks to live independently of God". It's wonderful to know that Our LORD has ways of dealing with our destructive ego, removing what we depend on outside His grace, replacing the most cherished of our vanities with His life and love and faithfulness. In His own way He fits the circumstance to our need, circumstances which are completely beyond our control. When we have utterly exhausted ourselves, when we have come to the absolute end of self in frustration, and have finally realized the futility of trying to force God to act according to OUR WILL -- He lets us break on the ROCK and surrender all.

God's disciplinary measures aren't ruthless nor are they arbitrary and heartless. In the mouths of two witnesses it is proven true: Hebrews 12.6 says, "He lays the rod on every son whom He acknowledges", and verse seven says "What you endure is to correct you". (Beckwith New Testament). This is in witness to Proverbs 3.11-12, NASB.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD,

or loathe His reproof,

For whom the LORD loves He reproves,

even as a Father, the son in

whom He delights.

His judgements and correctional chastenings are for our own good, so that He might receive us to Himself to become participants-in-common with the fullness of HIS life!!!

A reading of Daniel, chapters three and four is good for instruction in this matter. Nebuchadnezzar did his carnal best to promote worship according to his will. He had an image set up and arranged for particular times when all people should "fall down and worship" it (Daniel 3.5). Compare that to the programs being propagated by the will of man in the present apostasy! The choir, the soloist, the robes, and the organ; the tempo, the volume, the hand-clapping -- all controlled to play on the emotions of the people, exciting them until they simply react and think they're worshipping GOD!! -- And this is closely supervised and cued by the will of the council-appointed "Praise and Worship" leader.

There were three young Hebrew men who didn't fall in line with the "leader's" will, and refused to worship as ordered, even in the face of a horrible fiery death. Read the witness in Daniel 3.16-18 when the king threatened them with the blazing furnace: "..we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O King. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, we want you to know, O King, that WE WILL NOT serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (NIV, my emphasis). And God wondrously vindicated His own and brought them through the fire triumphantly.

But that was only a small part of Nebuchadnezzar's processing. In due time the LORD caused him to be driven from the presence of men, and while "seven times" passed over him, he was broken into complete submission and learned whom to worship. When the king's understanding was given back to him he said: "I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High, and glorified Him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion,

his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.

He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.

No one can hold back his hand, or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

(Daniel 4.34-35, NIV)

This declaration was not an act of will-worship, -- it was an expression born of reality -- a reality of spiritual worship from the king's inner-most being. It was deep calling to deep, and a proclamation of servant to master in willing subservience.

At one time Peter's life served to illustrate man's propensity to will-worship. He said to Jesus, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will. Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you". (Matthew 23.33-35, NIV). "I've made myself your slave; my will is set and I've consecrated myself! I will serve the LORD!" What a bitterness when the cock crowed!!! I'm sure Peter would have confessed then, as Paul did, "...I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it". (Romans 7.18, Amplified).

Peter's will-worship didn't work, but Jesus assured him that his faith wouldn't fail and he'd return to strengthen his brethren (see Luke 22.32). After learning that his will could never accomplish that which can only be done by our LORD, Peter, much later, wrote of the real security we have when we are kept by faith in God's power until our perfection in salvation. (See 1 Peter 1.5). -- Not by the strength of "I will", but by the grace of God and His power living in us -- the Christ!!

When will-worship rears its scruffy head the record of the praying Pharisee comes to mind. He stood and prayed to himself, "God, I thank Thee that I am not like other men...I fast twice a week, I give tithes of everything I possess..." (Luke 18.11-12). "I have a great religious credo and my standards of Christian conduct are very strict. I have set my mind to do these things I've enumerated -- and it makes me feel really good -- for I am better than other men."

Will-worship quite naturally breeds pride and a Pharisaically pernicious attitude toward others -- that of being "better" or "more righteous". It's part of churchdom's teaching that good works prevail with God to assure salvation, a sort of service to earn His grace rather than to rest faithfully in the gift of His quickening, indwelling presence.

Will-worshippers are convinced that with strict and "holy" personal standards and outward forms they can become better. They believe the exercise of the will makes them more fit to be sons of God -- because they will be good enough. Will-worshippers glory in the thought that "I believed, so He had to save me! I came to Him, so He had to reward me." How different the Spirit's revelation in Paul: "...it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this (faith) is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God". (Ephesians 2.8, NIV, my parenthesis. See also 2 Corinthians 10.12).

We are NOT "saved" BECAUSE we believed, but WHEN we believed -- and that "when" is the time HE chose to impart the faith to believe. Truly, "NO man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him", Jesus said in John 6.44. We can't credit OUR will -- because it's HIS will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

Romans 9.16 says, "...God's gift is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God's mercy. It depends not on one's own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God's having mercy on him". (Amplified).

Will-worship doesn't honor God, but just serves to indulge man's carnal nature. Moffat translates Colossians 2.23, "...self imposed devotion, their fasting, and their rigorous discipline of the body, they are of no value, they simply pamper the flesh."

Man's heart quickly drifts from inward reality to outward appearance, to form, to the creature, to carnal modes and motives; to performance and hype, serving the "audience" rather than shepherding the assembly into common participation and fellowship in GOD. It is common practice in most of the assemblies of this era to see the congregation and its shepherds blessing themselves in "spiritual" performances, in singing to themselves and preaching to each other in high-sounding prayer and praise.

This kind of worship alienates the heart from God, by either inferring that He isn't able or isn't willing to succor man in his predicament of self-will. Then as prodigals, men will feast on the husks of self-imposed prayer, fastings, or some carnal ordinance of dress deportment, thereby forsaking the fountain of LIVING WATER, and drinking from the vile cistern muddied by the mind.

Will-worship strives to substitute various technological creations of man for Gods grace. Tapes, books, counseling, TV programs and do-it-yourself gimmicks are offered to those seeking peace -- But -- such products of the handiwork of man CAN'T SAVE! ONLY GOD SAVES, and though He may use some of the above named inventions of carnality, HE IS NOT DEPENDENT ON THEM.

Being blessed with the grace of God and His manifold gifts, man often turns from pure worship to credit himself for the blessings, and substitute will-worship for spiritual reality. Man begins to potter about and toy with esoteric cults. "Why not take the things of the world, sanctify them, and use them for God?" -- As if God needed such things to draw man to Himself!! Will-worship adapts to the humor and fancy of the world with amazing alacrity, and finds great satisfaction in adjusting the world's forms and fashions in worship to the whims of man.

If you think loud preaching, noise, screaming, rock and roll cacophony, and frenzied dancing are anointed -- will-worship will most gladly accommodate you. Why not? After all, such "worship" is governed by man, for man, to please man.

The Spirit of Almighty God caused Paul to write, "...we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and PUT NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH" (Philippians 3.3, NASB, my emphasis).

LET US NOT IMPOSE ON THE SINCERE SIMPLICITY OF THE SPIRIT!!!

Paul continued to recount those natural things of the flesh which he happily reported to be "scrubbed off" and counted no more than dung, so that he might be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness. He had many things in which flesh could boast. He was "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews".

Yes, he had the right pedigree. If some one proclaimed that the covenant was just for national and natural Israel -- there Paul was! "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I." (See 2 Corinthians 11.22).

It's obvious that Paul had close connections with the Sanhedrin and its officers, and there are those who say Paul, himself, was a member of that super-holy group. That he had influence with the high priest is recorded in Acts 9.12, where it is written that he "went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues", and the letters were granted him readily. Paul must certainly have belonged to a social order of highest standing and prestige in the national and religious community.

In another place Paul said that he was "a Pharisee regarding the law", (Philippians 3.5) and that his education had been "at the feet of Gamaliel", the most prominent of the Rabbinical teachers of that era. (Acts 22.3). Paul was an accomplished academician, a lawyer, and some say a "Rabbi", or teacher, himself. He had attained professional leadership status and was a dedicated worker, and a very morally superior man! "As for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless". (Philippians 3.6, NIV).

In the realm of flesh Paul had much of which to boast: National, intellectual, personal, religious --, from the Pharisaic point of view, uncensurable. But all of this basis for exercise of his own will, this cause of "self worship", this desire to "do it his way" didn't, in fact could never, bring inner peace.

When Paul met his LORD on the road to Damascus his life was forever changed, and he surrendered ALL, to cherish the new life, the gift of participation in common with his Creator. Read what the Spirit caused him to write in Philippians 3.7-10:

But these things which were formerly considered as assets to me I have now come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. Indeed then there is therefore no doubt about it. As a matter of fact I now regard everything as a liability because of the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my LORD, because of Whom I have lost everything and now I am evaluating them as utterly worthless refuse in order that I may gain Christ and that I may be found in identification with Him, NOT HAVING MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, which has the law as its source, but by means of faith FROM CHRIST, the righteousness which has GOD as its source, which depends upon that faith, so that I may begin to know Him and the power that flows from His resurrection and share in His sufferings, by being made to conform to His death. (Renaissance New Testament, my emphasis)

Everything a man might boast about, all self-efforts and strenuous will-worship, was "scoured off" so that Paul could come to a place where he could worship and participate in the reality of "Christ in us -- the hope of glory".

The record is clear. Experience has shown mankind (if they'll only receive the revelation) that worship motivated by the will of man ends up exalting MAN'S will, serving self and promoting self-interests.

It is marvelous to know that God is purging His creation -- although to eyes of flesh such purging may not be readily apparent. The day is coming, (and now is, if we'll only see), that God will no longer permit the will of man to orchestrate worship of the only GOD by imposition of man-made laws, external forms, ceremonies, rituals, et cetera.

Nor will there be a forced worship by our own will, requiring the fulfillment of certain rigid requirements so that we can feel spiritual and decree ourselves acceptable to God. Rather, from deep within us will flow adoration, happy surrender, joyous obedience, and we'll cry out, as Jesus did --: