theology

The Balance of Emotion and Truth in Worship

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“Now David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their strength, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and with trumpets.” (1 Chronicles 13:8, LSB) 

The modern evangelical church faces numerous challenges. Passion and “vibes” aren’t lacking, though. In fact, the modern evangelical movement emphasizes and showcases its emotional focus, often displaying its energy and excitement as proof positive that they love God. I’d argue that loving God with our hearts just as much as our minds is a biblical principle that many churches need to be reminded of. However, I’d also contend that too many churches ride the wave of emotionalism, believing that the outward expression of these “worship experiences” is God’s primary concern. It’s not.  

Now, if I were part of this movement of emotional excess, swaying to the moody singing with the lights down low and hands raised high, I wouldn’t need to provide any proof. After all, how I feel is enough. But I want to argue against that, and so I will offer biblical proof, the only true proof that really counts.

The passage from 1 Chronicles 13:8 is part of an intriguing section of the Old Testament. It is often cited to support emotion-driven worship. First, let me emphasize that God is concerned about us worshiping Him in truth. In John 4:24, Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24, LSB). I am not suggesting that we must choose between emotion and truth, but truth takes precedence over emotion. To worship the Lord in error, even if we are excited and passionate about it, is egregious. 

Along with truth, we must realize that God is holy and not like men. Hosea 11:9 says, “For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, And I will not come in wrath” (Hosea 11:9, LSB). In Isaiah 12:6, the Lord states, “Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6, LSB). Holiness doesn’t only mean sinless; it also means not creaturely. Although Jesus came as a man, He is the God-man. He is unique and not created.

First Chronicles 13:8 describes the passionate and energetic worship of a small group of worshippers as they attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. However, if you read a little farther in the chapter, you will find a shocked and terrified king standing beside a dead man. What happened? God struck down one of the men in the procession, named Uzzah, for daring to touch the Ark with his hands when it appeared to be falling from the cart it was being transported on.

Didn’t God see their passion? Didn’t God see that Uzzah only meant well? What happened? Again, God is more concerned with truth and His holiness than energy and passion. In chapter 15, we see that the lesson was learned. Verse 2 says, “And David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God but the Levites; for Yahweh chose them to carry the ark of God and to minister to Him forever” (1 Chronicles 15:2, LSB).

David had given up hope of moving the Ark of God, so he placed it in a nearby farmhouse after Uzzah died. It remained there for a time, but he wanted to bring it to Jerusalem again. This time, however, he remembered that God wants to be worshiped in truth and holiness as well as passionate energy. When he made his plans, he didn’t place the Ark on an ox-cart as he had done before. Instead, he enlisted the Levitical priests and informed them that this was how Yahweh chose to have his Ark moved. 

As he spoke to the priests, he ensured they were prepared to encounter this holy God. He instructed them: “and said to them, “You are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites; set yourselves apart as holy, both you and your relatives, that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it” (1 Chronicles 15:12, LSB). 

We also read how David arrived at this conclusion in the next verse: “Because you did not carry it at the first, Yahweh our God broke out against us, for we did not seek Him according to the legal judgment” (1 Chronicles 15:13, LSB).

Some within modern evangelicalism dismiss all of this, believing that truth and holy reverence stifle emotion and passion. They’re mistaken. It channels those feelings properly toward God and away from ourselves. Worship isn’t meant to be performative, yet it often is in the church today. Instead, it should elevate the heart to God, humbling us as we offer ourselves in reverent love as His people.

Once David had everything in order, according to God’s prescribed rules for worship, the Ark was moved. Was it somber? Was it more like a funeral march because truth and reverence were required? Absolutely not. Joy was evident. In verse 25 we read, “So it was David, with the elders of Israel and the commanders over thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the house of Obed-edom with gladness” (1 Chronicles 15:25, LSB). That passion spread, and we read in verses 27-28, “Now David was clothed with a robe of fine linen with all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah the leader of the singing with the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. Thus all Israel was bringing up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh with shouting, and with sound of the horn, with trumpets, with loud-sounding cymbals, with harps, and lyres” (1 Chronicles 15:27–28, LSB).

What we observe is that even while adhering to the law, there was still joy, passion, gladness of heart, and a celebration of God. There wasn’t the wild and unregulated worship that the pagans practiced. Instead, the One True God was worshiped as He desires, in Spirit, Truth, and Holiness. 

Divine Warfare: What 1 Chronicles Teaches Christians Today

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“With them by their generations according to their fathers’ households were 36,000 troops of the army for war, for they had many wives and sons. Their relatives among all the families of Issachar were mighty men of valor, recorded by genealogy, in all 87,000.” (1 Chronicles 7:4–5, LSB)

Although it’s not the most gripping read in the Bible, the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles are “…God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16, LSB), like every other passage of Scripture. I’ve tried to keep this in mind during my daily Bible reading as I move through this section of my devotional study.

This morning, what caught my eye was the repeated references to the number of men prepared for war among each of the tribes of Israel. Of course, these numbers were both dangerous and essential for the king(s) to know. They are dangerous because they could lead a ruler to rely on physical strength rather than on God, who is the One who fought for the nation. However, these numbers are also crucial for faithful preparation. As Jesus notes, “Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?” (Luke 14:31, LSB).

The Bible is filled with references to war and battle, both physical and spiritual. Some Christians struggle with the concept of warfare, viewing it as problematic for New Testament believers to engage in anything from war to self-defense. For pacifistic Christian sects, they must grapple with the warfare language used throughout the New Testament (including Jesus calling his disciples to carry swords at one point, cf. Lk 22:36-38) as well as the extensive discussions of warfare found in the Old Testament.

Although we might be able to dismiss war in the Bible as the sinful actions of warmongering rulers and sinful soldiers, we cannot ignore the reality that God Himself is identified as “Lord of Hosts” and “warrior” and that He engages in war with His enemies (Ex 14:14; 15:3; Ps 24:8; Isa 42:13; Jer 20:11; Zeph 3:17). So, if warfare is sinful, then why does the Lord Himself engage in it, and why did the Holy Spirit inspire New Testament writers to use battle imagery when speaking about the Christian life?

I don’t deny that not all wars are equal. I also don’t deny that war and violence are ugly. The fact is that we live on a fallen planet where the wicked and the righteous must coexist. The righteous are called to live at peace with others, so far as it depends on us (Rom 12:18). But what happens when the peaceful are acted upon? What happens when women, children, and the helpless are threatened, and the lives of others are put in danger? Is it not righteous to protect the lives of others? The temple had guards. Things we value have locks, including our homes.

I found an interesting quote in Peter Craigie’s book, The Problem of War in the Old Testament. Referring to a study done by Elbert W. Russell, “…the more orthodox a Christian group or individual may be, the more likely it is that his attitudes will be militaristic.”1 As I stated above, the challenge for pacifist Christians is that the Bible is filled with references to war, warfare, and even God’s direct instruction to Israel on how it should engage in battle. Craigie identifies Russell as a Quaker, and as such, he highlights the paradox of why orthodox teaching on warfare does not deny the place of peace in Christianity. I would add that peace was also the goal of the Old Testament teachings of God to His people.

Some politicians and American presidents have touted the ideal of “peace through strength.” As I read through 1 Chronicles, I can’t deny that militarism and preparation for righteous warfare are not foreign to the Bible, and neither should they be to the lives of modern Christians. One day, we will hammer swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks (Isa 2:4), but that is awaiting King Jesus, who will rule with a rod of iron and be seated on His throne. Until that day, I am thankful for the men who protect the innocent on a daily basis all around the world.

  1. Peter C. Craigie, The Problem of War in the Old Testament. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), 14. ↩︎

Praying For the Peace of Israel

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

I remember as a child scoffing as my parents said that the swat I was about to receive on my bottom was harder for them than it was for me. “Harder for you?!” I would think. How could that be true? But as a parent about to dole out discipline to my own children years later, I understood. My discipline was not meant to bring retribution but was instead aimed at true discipline, or teaching. Of course, my children didn’t always understand this, even when I explained it to them. The sting of discipline can sometimes get in the way of the communication process.

Right now our world awakes to the daily reality of multiple wars raging all over the world. For those in the war zones, the painful reality is both shockingly real and surreal. It is easy for us in the peaceful parts of the world to make judgment calls on who is right and wrong in these upheavals, like a person sitting in their living room watching a sports match and choosing sides. But in war, is there a winner?

In my Bible reading this morning through the Old Testament prophet of Ezekiel, I was struck by the words of the Lord through this man of God. His words were of judgment, but not toward His own people Israel. Earlier in the book, the Lord has doled out his discipline on His wayward people, and it has been harsh. The events that took place against God’s people were brutal, even barbaric. That isn’t to say that it wasn’t well deserved. God had sent wave after wave of His servants, the prophets, to bring God’s warning of impending judgment, only to be met with laughter, disgust, and further open wickedness. When the bowl of the wrath of God was full, He acted just as He had promised.

In bringing punishment to His people, the Lord used the enemies of Israel, some of whom they had treaties with, others who rejoiced in its fall and took advantage of their weakened state. Having completed the punishment against His people, the Lord turned to those who struck out against His people. Remember, God didn’t implant jealousy and hatred into the hearts of these people. They already hated Israel. He simply allowed the hatred, greed, and jealousy to have its result–the plundering of Israel.

In Ezekiel 25, the Lord turns His attention to the nations that took advantage of Israel in her weakness. Although God was angry with His people, like a father who loves His children even while he is disciplining them, so too our God loves His people Israel, even as He brings judgment on them for their open rebellion. He never forsook them, and His wrath cannot be interpreted as a separation from them as His own. In case there was any doubt about that, this chapter (and the next several) describes God’s judgment not on Israel, but upon the people that attacked God’s precious people Israel. In chapter 25, God speaks His judgment against Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia.

In God’s words of judgment to these nations, there is an important lesson to consider, especially in light of the war in Israel going on right now between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It is this: Israel may be disobedient, rebellious, and hard-hearted in its attitude toward God and righteousness, and God will punish. But He will never forsake His people. And for those that point and laugh, and say that Israel is no different than any other nation, and that her punishment is proof of God’s rejection of Israel, I say you need to read your Bible, and specifically the way God dealt with those in Ezekiel 25. 

First, look at what God says to Ammon, “And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face toward the sons of Ammon and prophesy against them and say to the sons of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of Lord Yahweh! Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile,” (Ezekiel 25:1–3, LSB)

God took offense against Ammon for its mockery when His holy temple was profaned. “Aha!” is an interjection, and the Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Hebrew Bible connects this word to the Greek word euge, which means, “Good!” We can picture the rejoicing and dancing in the streets of many Muslims in the Middle East when the planes struck the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

For their hatred of God’s people, the Lord promised to give over their land to nomads and to turn their capital into a pasture for their camels. The Lord further elaborated on their joy over Israel’s demise: “‘For thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and were glad with all the scorn of your soul against the land of Israel, therefore, behold, I have stretched out My hand against you, and I will give you for plunder to the nations. And I will cut you off from the peoples and make you perish from the lands; I will destroy you. Thus you will know that I am Yahweh.”” (Ezekiel 25:6–7, LSB)

Instead of coming to Israel’s aid, the Ammonites celebrated. Instead of mourning, they rejoiced. And for their hard hearts and wicked scorn, God would destroy them.

The next nation that the Lord addressed was the people of Moab. Both the Ammonites and the Moabites were distant relatives of the Jewish people. They traced their lineage back to Abraham’s nephew Lot, who bore children by his daughters, and these children were named Ben-Ammi and Moab (Gen 19:30-38). This means that their mockery and scorn were doubly offensive since they were distantly related. But the animosity they showed had no compassion or love mixed with it.

To the Moabites, the Lord said, “‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, “Because Moab and Seir say, ‘Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’ therefore, behold, I am going to open the flank of Moab by its cities, by its cities which are on its frontiers, the glory of the land, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim, and I will give it for a possession along with the sons of Ammon to the sons of the east, so that the sons of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations.” (Ezekiel 25:8–10, LSB)

Where the Ammonites rejoiced in the defilement of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Moabites declared that the House of Judah (and this the lineage of David) where nothing special, like everyone else. I have heard some Christians denounce Israel, saying they aren’t anything special to God anymore. They say that many Jews are rebellious, and wicked, and they hate Christians. Much of this is true for many Jewish people. And it is no worse than what they were being punished for in Ezekiel’s day. And yet, God still stands by them in covenant love, even though He was unwilling to overlook their sins against Him. 

Do we really want to be on the side of these rebellious nations that sided against God’s people? Do we really want to equate Israel with all the other nations of the world as if it is not exceptional and special in God’s eyes still? I don’t need to justify or excuse Israel’s sins to stand by them as God’s people. As a matter of fact, God’s prophets spoke hard and true words to them, and so should we. We should not compromise to call the Jewish people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah. But we must not follow in the footsteps of the pagan nations and point at Israel as rejected both by God and men. 

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” (Psalm 122:6, LSB)

Grown Ups Eating Theological Baby Food

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

Every two years Ligonier Ministries and LifeWay Research conduct their “The State of Theology” study to identify what Americans believe about God, the Bible, and doctrines historically accepted by the Christian faith. The findings are often helpful in gaining an understanding of how America thinks about moral and religious issues.

Regarding the question of the belief that the Bible is true, evangelical Christians stated in the 2022 survey:

“A rising disbelief in the Bible’s literal truth may help us understand why American evangelicals also increasingly believe that religious faith is a subjective experience rather than an objective reality.”

STATEMENT NO. 31: Religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth.

U.S. Evangelical Finding:

2018: 32% agree
2020: 23% agree
2022: 38% agree

Source: “The State of Theology”1

The idea that belief is personal opinion and not objective truth didn’t come out of nowhere. This idea surrounds us in a cultural milieu where truth is relative, and “my truth” can coexist alongside contradictory truth claims, even within the same person. As if this weren’t serious enough, this foolish abandonment of truth has found a place within the evangelical church.

In addressing the believers in the letter to the Hebrews, the biblical author chastised the church for its own lax views toward a rigorous and thoughtful faith: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (Hebrews 5:12, LSB)

We don’t have any indicators about how long these Christians had been believers (“by this time…”), but the author is confident that they are way behind in their ability to pass along the faith to others. Some Christians feel as if they do not need to study the Word, or to do so seriously because they are not “gifted to teach.” But the author of Hebrews doesn’t seem to give this as an option. He doesn’t say, “Now to you who have been called by God to be teachers…” His words of rebuke are aimed at a general audience, strongly implying that all believers ought to be teachers.

Lest anyone think that this is an anomaly, Paul writes these words to the church in Colosse: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16, LSB). Paul commands the church to be, among other things, “teaching and admonishing one another.” We understand that there are those within the church who are called as teachers, but Paul is assuming that there is also an informal type of teaching that is to be practiced by all within the body of Christ–the more mature teaching the less mature.

This idea has deep roots within the Jewish community that was commanded by the Lord to make sure that the children of God’s covenant people were well taught by their parents: “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:7, LSB).

In his book, The Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes recalls an interview with radio talk show host Dennis Prater, who is Jewish. Prager states:

“One thing I noticed about Evangelicals is that they do not read. They do not read the Bible, they do not read the great Christian thinkers, they have never heard of Aquinas. If they’re Presbyterian, they’ve never read the founders of Presbyterianism. I do not understand that. As a Jew, that’s confusing to me. The commandment of study is so deep in Judaism that we immerse ourselves in study. God gave us a brain, aren’t we to use it in His service? When I walk into an Evangelical Christian’s home and see a total of 30 books, most of them best-sellers, I do not understand. I have bookcases of Christian books, and I am a Jew. Why do I have more Christian books than 98 percent of the Christians in America? That is so bizarre to me.”2

More than bizarre, such a statement is to our shame if it is true. And according to The State of Theology study, it is true. So, what can we do about it? Tolle lege! Let us take up and read! Some have a sense of superiority connected to their simple thinking and willful ignorance. May we instead dive deeply into the things of God to grow–not in arrogance and price, but instead into a deeper love and relationship with the God of the Bible.

  1. https://thestateoftheology.com/data-explorer/2022/31?AGE=30&MF=14&REGION=30&DENSITY=62&EDUCATION=62&INCOME=254&MARITAL=126&ETHNICITY=62&RELTRAD=62&EVB=2&ATTENDANCE=254 ↩︎
  2. R. Kent Hughes, The Disciplines of a Godly Man, 97. ↩︎

Popularity Doesn’t Equate with Truth

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh.” Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of Yahweh here that we may inquire of him?”” (1 Kings 22:5–7 LSB)

As I was reading the passage above, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before in my previous readings in 1 Kings.

King Jehoshaphat requested that King Ahab first inquire about the will of God before agreeing to go to war with him. Ahab obliged by calling 400 so-called prophets who told him that the Lord approved of the war.

But Jehoshaphat was not fooled. Something didn’t sit right with the message these prophets gave. The text doesn’t tell us why, but Jehoshaphat didn’t accept these 400 prophets as speaking from the Lord. As a matter of fact, this is what caught my eye.

Again, it says in verse 7, “But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of Yahweh here that we may inquire of him?”” It is almost as if the king told Ahab, “Yes, yes, I have heard the popular opinion of all these men, but…don’t you have any actual prophets of Yahweh, or only these fakers? I’d actually like to hear what Yahweh has to say.”

Ahab doesn’t seem to be confused because he knows that his sleight of hand trick hasn’t worked. He knows that he has been keeping the good stuff in the back and hasn’t brought out the real prophet of Yahweh. Ahab wasn’t looking for truth, only for a confirmation of his preconceived plans.

You know, some people claim to want the truth, but they want their truth, as the current foolishness of our day would say. But the truth is a stubborn thing. Something is either true or it is not. And the number of people you get to back a lie doesn’t increase its truthfulness. A lie is always a lie no matter how many false prophets can lip-sync in unison the siren song of the culture or popular opinion.

We need to ask ourselves this as well. Do I really want to know the truth, or am I wanting to fit in, to follow with the cool crowd (whoever the “cool kids” might currently be)?

Appeals to “science” or straw man arguments, or the number of books written or Instagram followers may sway those who want to affirm their own preconceived notions, but popularity and doctrine don’t equal truth. Whether it is the cultural doctrines of gender politics, abortion, or feminism, or the theological doctrines of eschatology, pneumatology, or ecclesiology. Memes don’t prove the truth. Mic drop blog posts and Facebook rants bring more heat than light.

What we need is to hear a true prophet of Yahweh speak. God has spoken, and He has done so perfectly in His Word. So, instead of gathering polemics and talking points from Fox News, CNN, Twitter, or YouTube, for those of us called out by Christ, let’s open our Bibles and listen to God speak.