I WORSHIP YOU, ALONE.
I know we love God, but does the love, respect and honor we
give men greater than that which we direct toward Heaven? I ask this because I
suspect that we have become worshippers of men.
The world naturally screams and cheers uproariously when they see or hear their favorite actors, actresses, entertainers, and athletes as they perform. It is a natural response, for them. We should be different. I think the problem arises out of our lack of honor and respect for everyone—we know, God is no “Respecter of persons”, but I don’t believe we can honestly say the same about ourselves. Think about our introductions of speakers in our churches. We spend an inordinate amount of time applauding those who preach the word, more than we do Jesus. We are encouraged to honor the pulpit—often naming every name that is present in ministry, but the Bible teaches us to give more honor to the “less comely parts of the Body”, and we fail miserably at this. I’ve seen us getting autographs from preachers, clamoring to shake their hands or be touched by them (papal-style), and yes, standing and applauding there entrance—but when is the last time you saw anyone applaud and salute the entrance of the usher, or the older saint who sits (perhaps) unnoticed in church week after week. That is respect of persons. Jesus hated behavior, Paul taught against—and both lived vastly different lives than our ministry does, today. Neither, existed on a pedestal, and Jesus is Lord, really.
If we treated one another as equals, in the Body of Christ, and
didn’t have respect of persons permeating every vestige of our church
experience, I am guessing that Jesus would really have top billing. Certainly,
there should be a difference among us; we should not be just like the world as
they worship their favorite idols. Think of Jesus’ words on the subject of
respect of persons:
“A disciple is not above his
teacher, nor is a servant or
slave above his master. It is sufficient for the disciple to be like his
teacher, and the servant or
slave like his master. If they have called the Master of the house
Beelzebub [master of the dwelling], how much more will they speak evil of those
of His household.” [Matthew 10:24,25]
“He who receives and welcomes and accepts
a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward, and
he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man
because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold
water because he is My disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose
his reward.” [Matthew 10:41,42]
“Take My yoke upon you
and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek)
and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and
refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.” [Matthew 11:29]
“ But Jesus called them to [Him] and said to them,
You know that those who are recognized as governing and are supposed to
rule the Gentiles (the nations) lord it over them [ruling with absolute power,
holding them in subjection], and their great men exercise authority and
dominion over them. But this is not to be so among you; instead,
whoever desires to be great among you must be your servant, And whoever
wishes to be most important and
first in rank among you must be slave of all. For even
the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to
give His life as a ransom for (instead of) many.” [Mark
10:42-45]
“But you are not to be called rabbi (teacher), for you have one
Teacher and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone [in the church]
on earth father, for you have one Father, Who is in heaven. And you must not be called masters
(leaders), for you have one Master (Leader), the Christ. He who is
greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness
and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself
[whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised
to honor.” [Matthew 23:8-12]
“You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or
the altar which makes the gift sacred?” [Matthew 23:19]
“Then the just and upright will answer Him, Lord, when did
we see You hungry and gave You food, or thirsty and gave You something to drink?
And when did we see You a stranger and welcomed and entertained You, or
naked and clothed You? And when did we see You sick or in prison and
came to visit You? And the King will reply to them, Truly I tell you, in so
far as you did it for one of the least [in the estimation of men] of
these My brethren, you did it for Me.” [Matthew 25:37-40]
And the apostles understood Jesus’ message of humility and His
direction not to exalt men. They reaffirmed that message after the
Resurrection, in the epistles repeatedly. Not once do we read those who were
apostles calling themselves (or instructing others) Apostles, as in Apostle
Peter, Apostle Paul, or Apostle John, or instructing the people of God to do so, either. Instead, they begin their epistles
(letters) like this: “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God…” [Romans 1:1] and, “Peter, an apostle
of Jesus Christ…” [1 Peter 1:1] and, “James, a servant of God and of the
Lord Jesus Christ…” [James 1:1]
and “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and brother of James…”
[Jude 1:1]. John, the apostle, makes no
mention of himself, at all in any of his letters to the church.
We would be
hard-pressed to find such humility toward the men of God, today. Instead, using
the office of ministry as titles—this of course, puts separation among us and creates a
hierarchy in the Body of Christ, where none is to exist. Paul writes to us, “I
appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the
mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all
your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated)
and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent)
service and spiritual worship. Do
not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its
external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire]
renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may
prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,
even the thing which is good
and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. For by the grace
(unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than
he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to
rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of
faith apportioned by God to him.”
[Romans 12:1-3]. Usually, we read
verse 1 and 2, without verse 3, as if verse 2 doesn’t lead directly into verse
3, in continuity. This is a command not to place ourselves in any type of hierarchy,
like the world does. The world has kings, princes, presidents, emirs, shahs and
more, and they ascribe titles to them—that, according to this portion of
scripture is a worldly practice,
and one which we are to shun. Paul goes on to write (in this same chapter),
“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend
to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits”. And he
reiterates this message, repeatedly, in 1 Corinthians 1:27-31; 2:1-5; 3:1-11;
4:5-9; 8:5,6; 9:14-19; 10:3-7, 12-14; 11:18,19; 12:14-25; 2 Corinthians 1:24;
4:7; 10:17,18; 12:6,7; Galatians 1:24; 5:19,20 (“idolatry…seditions”=divisions);
6:8,10,14; Ephesians 3:8; 4:1-6; 5:21; Philippians 2:1-9; 3:3,15; Colossians
1:17,18; 3:2,11,25; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:6-8; 3:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:11,12;
1 Timothy 2:5; 2 Timothy 1-5. And, so did the other apostles as in, James 2:2,9; James 3:1,14-17; 4:5-10;
1 Peter 3:8; 4:11; 5:1-6; 2 Peter 1:1-3; 1 John 2:6 (How did Jesus walk? Humbly,
without regard for His divinity); 2:15,16; 5:21; Jude 1:19; all of this
testimony and instruction so “that no flesh should glory in His presence”.
There is honor and respect for the
office, but no increased favor of the
person above that which is due to all the brethren. We are charged however,
to “Let the elders who perform the duties of their office well be considered
doubly worthy of honor [and of adequate financial support], especially those
who labor faithfully in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says,
You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain, and again, The
laborer is worthy of his hire.” [1 Timothy 5:17,18; 1 Thessalonians
5:12,13]. It is our duty and responsibility to esteem our leadership (in the
church) highly, as they commit themselves to righteous leadership. We must, “Listen
to no accusation [presented before a judge] against an elder unless it is confirmed by the testimony
of two or three witnesses. As for those who are guilty and
persist in sin, rebuke and admonish them in the presence of all, so that
the rest may be warned and stand in wholesome awe and fear.”
There is no room for such rebuke and admonishing in our midst, even though it is directed, and the mode is stated here, plainly. Because of this, many in ministry have abused the office, and many in the Body of Christ, have fallen and fail to rise from that fallen state in repentance, and have the misconception that they are never to be questioned. However we question God, as did David (a man after God's own heart) and Job (a man labeled by God as "upright and one that escheweth evil". Where does this come from? It is the nature of mankind to desire a golden calf, that can be seen and touched, and even worshipped.
We have to place God on the throne and pedestal of our hearts—where
he alone belongs. Only Christ deserves our worship; only He died for us.
Leaders will have to reject the worship that is being heaped upon them, in
order for the Body to learn how to direct worship to God, alone. I look forward
to the day when we stand and say, “Giving honor to God.", adding nothing else (or no
one else), which in essence makes them equal to God in the honor that we give Him. We can’t
continue to give God the same, or less honor than we give men and women. We
must learn to respect everyone, equally; it’s time for us to raise the level of
every member in the Body of Christ to a place of esteem, no matter what
position or status they appear to have. When this happens, love can abound
among us, and without partiality.
Worship, adoration and glory belong to You, Jesus—and no one else.
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