It is obvious that many Christians and religious people have forgotten the purpose of worship. They think men are the audience and separating people from their money is their ultimate goal.
Their version of worship is resplendent with the brightest lights, singers, equipment, technologies and talent available. These Hollywood-type productions will spare no expense to keep people and their checkbooks coming to their productions.
Simply stated, God and the Bible have been forgotten in contemporary worship. We can be assured that God has noticed and is none too pleased (Leviticus 10:1-2).
Instead of being nauseated by the behavior of church- businesses, we can become envious of their money and crowds. We begin to rationalize and ignore God’s will until we have found a way to get the traffic into our pews and pockets.
For those who have dollar signs in their eyes, let me ask a few questions:
* Where did God say that humanity is the intended audience for our worship?
* How much money has to be spent on worship before God is pleased?
* Where is the criterion for how exciting our worship must be?
* How good must we perform before God accepts our worship?
God has simple goals for our worship (John 4:24). We must always remember that God is our audience (Matthew 4:9-10), and we must connect with him spiritually and in truth as God has commanded in Scripture (1 Corinthians 4:6).
It is rebellious to offer God what he has not dictated in the New Testament (Colossians 3:17; Hebrews 12:28).
Every definition of worship requires submission, reverence, awe and respectful fear.
God will never tolerate us putting a god in front of him, especially money (Exodus 20:1-5). Jesus was very clear on this matter when he overturned the tables of the moneychangers (Matthew 21:12-16; Mark 11:15-19).
“It is written, ‘My house shall be called a
house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den
of thieves'” (Matthew 21:13, NKJV).
Today, Jesus may not bring a whip into our buildings but these thieves will still meet the wrath of the Lord in the end unless they repent (Revelation 19:20-21; 20:11-15; Luke 13:3-5). Sadly, they will take a lot of deluded theater-goers with them.
–by Richard Mansel