(07/10/2014) To Serve GOD Acceptably

Today, focus continues upon the meaning of worship in Christian belief.


THE BATTLE AXE:  The Meaning of Worship? (07/09/2014)—(6.)  Christian worship is interpersonal, is accomplished by interaction among and within two or more “persons” in continuing relationship, and is not merely a mechanical response to a remote or abstract deity.  Therefore, worship appears as celebration, gratitude, learning, fulfillment of promise, reconciliation, service, and trust.  Rightly understood, then, worship is more than ceremony, custom, habit, ritual, social process, or tradition.  While praise and worship may display and use multiple finite faculties, and human tools (e.g., bowing, chanting, emotion, intellect, logic, movement, reason, singing), genuine worship is generated only by ones own spirit content imparted from divinity.  Thereby, worship is an experience of being joined and immersed within the continuous expression of humility, love, and reverence occurring among members of the GODhead.

(7.)  Men are said to be ordained for destruction in final judgment in the sense that the penalty for their crimes are already determined; and they belong to the class or group of beings that have all participated in peculiar offenses (we say, transgression) against divine law.  There is no arbitrarily or randomly established list of names that was composed before Creation, or prior to the birth of every child.  Also, no one is being chosen or identified for destruction upon the basis of selected personal characteristics such as birthplace, eye color, height, marital status, and weight.  The focus of divine judgment is primarily ones spirit content as displayed through their attitudes, conduct and deeds documented within the Book of Life.  Thus, there is no pre-set list of the damned, and names of those assigned to someday become unrepentant sinners.  Instead, there is a list of actions, postures, and responses to GOD that identify a condition of spiritual corruption, decay, imperfection, and impurity that separates mankind from divinity; that renders created beings and living creatures totally unresponsive to the will of GOD; and that threatens to continue as permanent opposition to the existence of divine law, the lawgiver, and all divine order maintained through sacred law.  Because such beings do not respond to divine provisions for salvation such as cleansing, healing, fellowship, forgiveness, prayer, redemption, and sanctification, they absolutely must be destroyed.  Before sin was ever committed upon the earth, Adam and Eve were told the judgment against their disobedience would manifest as death.  As an aspect of proclaiming the law, punishments and sanctions—some say, admonitions, cautions, possible consequences, warnings—also are published.  Believers are informed of their accountability; and instruction on those condemned to be destroyed is provided to further alert and prompt believers that they must be diligent, dutiful, and godly in the exercise of their own awareness and self-will.  Consider again John 4:  24, Deuteronomy 8:  19, James 2:  14-20, Romans 9:  21-23, Galatians 3:  26-28, John 17:  11-26, Jude 1:  4 and Revelation 7:  9-17, KJV.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  For our God is a consuming fire.  (Hebrews 12:  28-29, KJV)


There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended.  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to the operations of your faith from GOD.


THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC