May11
Worshiping God Should Make Us Holy
Thought I’d post a brief section from a chapter I wrote on "Living for God’s Glory." In it I describe different ways corporate worship should change the way we live. Feel free to leave any thoughts. Thanks again for your prayers and encouragement regarding my current book project…
It is impossible for us to rightly consider God apart from his holiness - his wrath against sin, his steadfast opposition to injustice, and his righteous judgment of the wicked. These aren’t exactly popular or seeker-sensitive topics, but they describe the God we worship. But the more we love “worship,” the more we should hate sin in all its manifestations. If God wasn’t fiercely opposed to evil in every form, including our sin, he would not deserve our worship. He would not be good. He would not be God.
God’s Word speaks of our being holy in numerous ways. In the first sense, it means we’ve been sanctified, or set apart for God. He has purchased us through the blood of his Son and we have no other Master ( 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Second, to be holy means we’re different from the world in our thoughts, words, and actions ( 1 Cor. 6:11). Holiness is typically not on anyone’s top ten list. People magazine will probably never run an article called “Holy People We Most Admire.” But holiness is precious in God’s sight. Third, holiness refers to moral purity. Negatively, it involves resisting sin, fighting temptation, and taking no part in the unfruitful works of darkness ( Eph. 5:11). Positively, it means pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart ( 2 Tim. 2:22).
That’s one of the reasons we occasionally confess our sins together as a church before God. It’s not that we’re trying to make ourselves feel bad or that we enjoy morbid introspection. It’s not that we’ve forgotten we’re saved. Rather, we’re seeking to counteract our continual attempts to justify, minimize, ignore, and neglect our acts of defiance against a holy God. We are seeking to cultivate what Scripture calls the “fear of the Lord.” The fact that God doesn’t kill us every time we sin leads us to think God doesn’t feel strongly about sin. But he does. He’s holy. That’s why it’s good to remember our sins together in the shadow of the cross.
The cross reminds us that the holiness that cannot dwell with evil is also the love that died for us while we were yet sinners ( Rom. 5:8). Righteousness and mercy embrace in the perfect sacrifice of God’s Son. God’s love and holiness are not contradictory – they are inseparable.
My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine;
For thee all the follies of sin I resign.
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Thank you Bob for updating your blog very frequently. I’ve been blessed to read your blog ever since that Men’s conference in January. I had never heard of you before, and I was really touched by your worship style. I’ve been reading your post faithfully and it’s really great to read what you say because there is always one main thing that always comes up and that is Christ. Christ is so important and I’m so glad that you always remind us of His glory. He really is amazing.
I thank God that He works through you!
Gabriel
Comment by Gabriel Gagnon — May 11, 2007 @ 6:39 pm
Hey Bob,
Great post! Seeing the last response reminded me of how long your music ministry has blessed us AND makes me ask if GLAD is going to release another album. God bless you, Paul
Comment by Paul Hayes — May 12, 2007 @ 12:59 pm
Paul,
Thanks for your encouraging words. Nope, GLAD released their last CD, Receive the Glory, a couple years ago. After 28 years of making records they’re finally calling it quits. They still perform about 10-15 concerts a year, though.
Comment by Bob Kauflin — May 12, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
“But the more we love “worship,” the more we should hate sin in all its manifestations.”
Wow. Thank you for this concise, well-packed statement of truth (but truth as it is not typically presented), by which I can examine my own heart as a worshipper. Growing in love for a holy God requires growing in hatred for the sin he despises. I need always to be reminded of this, so thank you! We’re praying for your writing process, knowing that this book will bring wise counsel to so many.
Comment by Tracie — May 13, 2007 @ 11:20 pm
Bob,
Thanks for a timely, well-written post. It reminds me of a quote by Thomas Brooks that I came across this weekend. He says that you wouldn’t use a knife that you used to slay your child as a butter knife to serve guests; they would be completely appalled at the impropriety. In the same way, each time we consider sinning, we must look on it as that knife which slew our Savior, and despise it for what it is (rather than make common use of it).
Expressing our love for the Savior in worship should make us appreciate His grace and despise those sins which cost Him His precious blood. May we all be wary of haphazard worship that does not make us want to flee from our former sins.
Thanks again for thoughtful, reflective posts like this one. I always appreciate your perspective.
Comment by phil — May 14, 2007 @ 8:07 am
Hi Bob,This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
. Are there other passages that refer to this concept, and what do you understand it to mean?
I can see you’re busy with book writing, so may not have much time for questions. But when/if you have time, I am interested in the phrase ‘Let your song be heard…’in your song ‘Let your Kingdom Come’. Could you clarify what we would mean in singing this phrase? I read ‘your cause’the original prayer on which this song is based but could not find any reference to this phrase. A quick look at a concordance came up with David referring to ‘the LORD’s song’ in Psalm 42:8Psalm 42:8
[8]By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
Thankyou for your helpful blog and music.
in Christ
Kevin
Comment by Kevin — May 14, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
Kevin,
Thanks for your encouragement.
You asked about the line “Let your song be heard everywhere on earth,” from the song “Let Your Kingdom Come.”
I was thinking along the lines of Ps. 40:3Psalm 40:3This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
: He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
[3]He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.
“Your” song means, the song of praise the Lord has given us that proclaims his salvation. I think Ps. 42:8Psalm 42:8This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
fits that as well. The song we sing is a gift of God’s grace before it’s our offering to God.
[8]By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
Were you thinking it meant the Lord was singing? I guess it could be understood that way as well, if you consider that we’re joining in the song of Christ as he sings to the Father ( Heb. 2:12Hebrews 2:12This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
).
[12]saying,
"I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will sing your
praise."
Let me know your thoughts. Thanks for asking.
Comment by Bob Kauflin — May 14, 2007 @ 8:44 pm
Thanks for your reply Bob,This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
was written by David, yet Hebrews 10:5-9Hebrews 10:5-9This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
cites Psalm 40:6-9Psalm 40:6-9This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
as Christ speaking. We could therefore also see Psalm 40:3Psalm 40:3This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
as Christ speaking. Spurgeon (Treasury of David) says - ‘What a song is that in which His glad heart forever leads the chorus of the elect…Justice magnified and grace victorious; hell subdued and heaven glorified; death destroyed and immortality established; sin overthrown and righteousness resplendent…’This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.
): when we sing ‘let your song be heard’ we could also understand it as a prayer that the gospel be spoken in words and lived out in the lives of his people.
Perhaps your two thoughts could be brought together. Psalm 40Psalm 40
[40:1]I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
[2]He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
[3]He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.
[4]Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
[5]You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.
[6]In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
[7]Then I said, "Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
[8]I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
[9]I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
[10]I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your
faithfulness
from the great congregation.
[11]As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!
[12]For evils have encompassed me
beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
my heart fails me.
[13]Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
O LORD, make haste to help me!
[14]Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who delight in my hurt!
[15]Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"
[16]But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, "Great is the LORD!"
[17]As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God!
[5]Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he
said,
"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
[6]in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
[7]Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your will, O
God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'"
[8]When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken
pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings
and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the
law), [9]then he added, "Behold, I have come to do your
will." He does away with the first in order to establish
the second. (ESV)
[6]In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
[7]Then I said, "Behold, I have come;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
[8]I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart."
[9]I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O LORD.
[3]He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.
A further thought (in light of the context of the ’sacrifice of praise’ in Hebrews 13:15Hebrews 13:15
[15]Through him then let us continually offer up a
sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that
acknowledge his name. (ESV)
Thanks again for your music and helping me think about what we are singing.
in Christ
Kevin
Comment by Kevin — May 16, 2007 @ 10:33 pm
Wow!! Thanks for sharing, Bob. Very insightful and encouraging. I look forward to reading your book once it’s out.
Comment by Daniella — May 17, 2007 @ 6:19 am
Bob. Thanks for your great post and I have not come across many blogs that address worship. A W Tozer once wrote a book on worship being the missing jewel in the church - and how right he was. Even today the many who write about theology, doctrine etc and forget and miss out the fundamental item of WORSHIP.
Can I add my little bit to your post
Worshiping God Should Make Us Holy
First of all for me the word Should is one of the most negative words in the English dictionary. We use the phrase well the chair should fit under the table as I measured it. NO NO NO. Therefore worshipping God should make us holy, perhaps to re - address it and say worshipping God in Spirit and in truth makes us holy. The essence here is Spirit and truth. Please do not come before God on a Sunday for an hour of worship thinking that it will make you holy. To go through the motions is an offense to God and others. No God is wanting a people that will sacrifice all and lay down their lives that they will worship Him. Worship will cost you something, worship is a heart thing, worship is what God deserves.
Every blessing and look forward to more posts
Richard B
Comment by Richard B — May 18, 2007 @ 8:11 am