Worship Exhortations

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Genesis 4:7

cceptable worship or sacrifice: The Lord accepted the worship of Abel. What is acceptable worship? How the Lord manifests His acceptance of a worship?

The sacrifices offered on the Altar of burnt offerings in the Tabernacle were burnt by the fire from the Lord. This fire on the altar was from the Lord (Leviticus 9:24). That first fire (on the altar) was not earthly but came down from the Lord. The Lord instructed the people Israel that no one should put a strange (earthly) fire before the Lord (Exodus 30:9). Moreover, the Lord manifested His acceptance by sending the “fire and consuming the sacrifice/offering” [Solomon’s offering – 2 Chronicles 7:1-2; Elijah’s offering – 1 Kings 18:38; Gideon’s offering – Judges 6:21; and David’s offering – 1 Chronicles 21:26]. Such a manifestation (acceptance) indicates that the Lord was delighted or pleased with the person who offered the sacrifice. It appears that the people of Israel have missed the truth that the Lord looks at the person more than the offering that he/she brings (1 Samuel 15:22). Therefore, the acceptable sacrifices are 1) broken heart and contrite spirit (Psalm 51:16-17) and 2) heart and spirit of obedience (1 Samuel 15:22).

As long as the fire (from the Lord) on the altar continually burning (in the Tabernacle or in Temple), the sacrifices offered on the altar was accepted. Even so,  the greatest sacrifice of Lord Jesus Christ (on the cross) was the most acceptable one to the Lord. Because of that sacrifice, our lives are accepted to the Lord (Ephesians 1:4) – Our heart is cleansed by the blood of Jesus and spirit is quickened through the power of resurrection. Thus our spiritual sacrifices are accepted by the Lord. Praising  and thanksgiving to the Lord are our spiritual scarifies (Psalms 107:22; Hebrews 12:15-16).

By him (Jesus Christ) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name (Hebrews 1:15).

Table Exhortations

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
( John 17: 16-18). 

n the world but not of the world: What kind of world that we are living in? and How to live in such world as a child of God?

The five characteristics of the world (the system) that we are living in:

• Fashions of the world (1 Corinthians 7:30-31) – The fashions (in other words show or drama) will pass away.  Many of the attractions and pleasures that we observe in the world are like a show (vanity fair). They do not last long and moreover there is much deception in it.
• Course of the world (Ephesians 2:2) – the way that the world system works:
  • Rudiments (elements) of the world (Colossians 2:8, 20) – The course or the way of the world is based on the rudiments or man made traditions, that opposes the ways of God. 
  • Cares of the world (Matthew 13:22) and desires for riches (Matthew 13:22) – The course or the way of the world creates cares of the world and desires for riches which makes one unfruitful for God,
  • Wisdom of the world (2 Corinthians 2:6, 3:19) –
• Corruption in the world (2 Peter 1:4) – The worldly system, when followed or yielded spoils and destroys a person. The decay or corruption in the world opposes the divine nature a person can possess through Christ.
• Pollution of the world (2 Peter 2:20) – The pollution (or uncleanness) in the world works against godliness and makes us unclean before the Lord.
• Wickedness of the world (1 John 5:19; Galatians 1:3) – The whole world is in the hands of the evil one (the Devil). Therefore, it is in wickedness in high places.

The five characteristics of the world (the system) that we are living in:

• Love not the world (1 John 2:15) – We are exhorted by the Word of God that we should not have either highest form of love, above God, for the world (1 John 2:15) or the Philio (friendly) love for the world (James 4:4).
• Be Unspotted by the world (James 1:27) – While desiring the godliness, we need to be blameless (unspotted) in the world.
• Not to be conformed to the world (Romans 12:1-2) – We should not become alike or follow the worldly course
• Not belonging to the world (John 17:16-18) – We are in the world but not of the world. We should maintain our separation to the Lord (our sanctification, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
• Be a light of the world (Matthew 5:14) – We need to reflect the nature of our Lord Jesus Christ in the dark and sinful world.

We can see clearly that the world is becoming sinful increasingly. We must rise up to live for the Lord to prepare ourselves to the coming of Lord Jesus Christ and to protect our children from the filth of the world. As a church, we need to shine for the Lord as testimony to bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.