“…to worship God in spirit, to rejoice in Christ Jesus and to have no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3)
I spent a lot of time in Christian church buildings during the first 55 years of my life. I observed over that time that most of my service and worship in those buildings were of the “flesh” as Paul puts it. I found that one is labeled a good Christian depending on how much time and money he or she spends being involved in the various programs sponsored by the various churches and their cooperative associations.
Paul tells the Philippians above not to put any confidence in those fleshly efforts to please God, but that true worship is “in spirit”. And he is not talking about speaking in tongues. I have concluded over the past 10 years that simply trusting God to always do the right thing, and to rejoice in what Christ Jesus has done for me can be “spiritual” worship anywhere…at home, at work, with my kid and grandkids, or on the golf course with friends. And I find it easier to worship in these places than in a church building where a mixture of grace, works and guilt is regularly handed out as service and worship of God.
I spent a lot of time in Christian church buildings during the first 55 years of my life. I observed over that time that most of my service and worship in those buildings were of the “flesh” as Paul puts it. I found that one is labeled a good Christian depending on how much time and money he or she spends being involved in the various programs sponsored by the various churches and their cooperative associations.
Paul tells the Philippians above not to put any confidence in those fleshly efforts to please God, but that true worship is “in spirit”. And he is not talking about speaking in tongues. I have concluded over the past 10 years that simply trusting God to always do the right thing, and to rejoice in what Christ Jesus has done for me can be “spiritual” worship anywhere…at home, at work, with my kid and grandkids, or on the golf course with friends. And I find it easier to worship in these places than in a church building where a mixture of grace, works and guilt is regularly handed out as service and worship of God.
But hey, that’s just me...
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery…circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” (Galatians 5:1; Romans 2:29)
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery…circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” (Galatians 5:1; Romans 2:29)