Chapter 5 - WHOSE WORSHIP DOES GOD ACCEPT?

GUARD AGAINST OFFENDING GOD 

Unless we are careful, we may do something unacceptable to God.  For example, the apostle John fell at the feet of an angel "to worship him."  But the angel warned:  "Be careful! Do not do that!  All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing to Jesus.  Worship God."  (Revelation 19:10)  Do you therefore see the need to make sure that your worship is not contaminated by any kind of idolatry? -1 Corinthians 10:14.

When some Christians began to practice religious customs that did not please God, Paul asked:  "How is it that you are turning  back again to the weak and beggarly elementary things and want to slave for them over again?  You are scrupulously observing days and months and seasons and years.  I fear for you, that somehow I have toiled to no purpose respecting you."   (Galatians 4:8-11) Those individuals had gained a knowledge of God but later erred by observing religious customs and holy days that are unacceptable to Jehovah.  As Paul said, we need to "keep making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord." -Ephesians 5:10

We must make sure that we avoid religious holidays and other customs that violate God's principles.  (1 Thessalonians 5:21) For instance, Jesus said of his followers:  "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world."  (John 17:16) Is your religion involved in ceremonies and holidays that violate the principle of neutrality toward this world's affairs?  Or do adherents of your religion sometimes share in customs and festivals that may involve conduct matching that described by the apostle Peter?  He wrote:  "The time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have worked out the will of the nations when you proceeded in deeds of loose conduct, lusts, excesses with wine, revelries, drinking matches, and illegal idolatries." -1 Peter 4:3.

The apostle John emphasized the need to avoid any practices that reflect the spirit of the ungodly world around us.  John wrote:  "Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because everything in the world-the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one's means of life-does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world.  Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remain forever."   (1 John 2:15-17)  Did you  notice that those who 'do the will of God' will remain forever?  Yes, if we do God's will and avoid activities that reflect this world's spirit, we can have the hope of everlasting life!

Next time: KEEP GOD'S HIGH STANDARDS

The Book - KNOWLEDGE That Leads To Everlasting Life, 1995