The Lord Hates Ritualistic Worship
“I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22- “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23- “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.” -Amos 5:21-23 (NASB)
In most Christians churches today you will hear little about sin and repentance, even less about hell, and still less about Bible Prophecy. However, you will hear tons about love and being nice and about building up your ego and self-esteem. You will see drama skits. You will hear rocked out worship by very loud worship teams. You will hear the Gospel watered-down so as not to offend anyone. And you will hear the pastors entertaining you through carefully crafted words to make you “feel” good. Their goal is to keep you interested in social matters more than spiritual matters. And at the end of service you will remain unchallenged in your faith and have minimal knowledge of your sin and unrighteousness before a Holy God. Your morale will be built up but your spiritual health suffering. You will have not, in most cases, advanced one step closer to knowing who God really is.
In ancient Israel the shepherd of sheep would be the gate of the sheep. No physical gate was used. The shepherd would lead the sheep out to pasture and then back in for safety and rest. The shepherd would be there always for his sheep and be the gate so as not to allow predators in – foxes, lions, bears. He would sleep at the gate and the sheep would not escape. The sheep knew without question the shepherds voice and commands. The shepherd provided for the sheep their every need and ensured they were kept safe from all harm.
Today this analogy of the sheep and shepherd is totally misplaced in our churches, the sheep inside the gate are perishing for they are not hearing the full Gospel of the Lord. Why? The pastors neglect telling the rock solid truths of Scripture for fear of the folks being offended and not returning. You know … follow the money, the revenue, the business. I hate to say but the majority of Christian pastors are nothing but hirelings in the pulpits and are there for the money and job. Most don’t know the Lord at all. Therefore the sheep – me and you – will perish in our sins for we have not been told the truth about the importance of sin and repentance and friends without sincere repentance and living a life of holiness, we will not enter His rest. This is extremely important to understand. Christian pastors and leaders (elders) are not doing their job and are not providing spiritual nourishment for their sheep!! You need more than just the desert part of the meal, you also need to meat and potatoes!
The sheep will suffer for they are engaged only in ritual worship void of any knowledge of God but highly versed in social justice and knowing how to feel good. Friends, if the true Gospel was being preached you would not be seeking coffee and donuts after church. You would instead, be weeping for your sin and crying out in repentance. Heaven and hell are at stake here and I dare say most Christians are headed to a Christ-less eternity for the Gospel truths have been hidden from them.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” -Matt23:13 (ESV)
These men will pay a heavy price, a stricter judgment, for their lack of dividing the word of truth correctly. They will have the blood of many people on their hands – Acts 20:26-27.
Today, do not engage in ritual worship at your church. If this is what the church is about, get out of there!! Find another or start a home church. I venture to say that most people have now been conditioned to attend church for a good social visit and to be entertained. Most want nothing to do with a God that will demand holiness and confession of sin and sincere repentance. The churches have been what’s wrong with this nation and others. We have fallen into an abyss of immoral sin, of flithy rags righteousness, of greed and idolatry like never seen before. Now is the time to turn back to God, turn to His Son Jesus Christ. Read His word with understanding. Know about sin and it’s consequences if unconfessed. Know about heaven and hell. These things are what the Lord taught and many were saved.
How about us, Pastors??? Elders??
“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” -Luke 11:52 (ESV)
Tell the people, the sheep, the whole truth of Scripture and leave nothing out. If you have a church of 10,000 and by teaching the solid rock truth, you are left with 100, so be it. If you have a church of 100 and are left with 10, so be it. Teach the full council of the word of God and win souls to the Kingdom. Do not engage or promote ritual worship, for the Lord hates this and will not hear any of it – Amos 5:21-23.
Today’s the day to make some changes.
Amen.
“Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:” -Heb 12:25-26 (KJV)
-BPWatcher, Internet Preacher and Bible Prophecy Watchman
Worship the King and Give Him Glory. Worship in Spirit and Truth!
