I am a voracious reader. I usually keep at least two books going at once. I try to make sure that at least one of them is fiction, preferably a good detective novel or an escapist work of some sort, so that my mind can be relieved of the “heavy-lifting” of its everyday duties. The other one or two works are usually chosen to challenge me on some intellectual and/or spiritual level so that both my faculties and my Scriptural tools are being sharpened for my own betterment and the edification of those for which I am, under God, responsible.
Having stated the above, one work that has recently impressed me is entitled Ancient-Future Worship by Robert Webber. It is one of a number of books in the Ancient-Future series by the same author. However, this particular one on worship is his last one, since he died just prior to its publication.
The basic premise of this particular work is the difference in how we perceive the worship of God out of our understanding of salvation today vs. how the early Church, the Reformers and the great leaders of the Church did until the rise of various influences in the late 1800s. Now, before you turn me off and think, “This is another boring foray into Church history”, let me assure you that I do not intend to overcome you with a bunch of historical material. Rather, I just want to simply share with you this difference. I will endeavor to be straightforward.
From the time of the early Church, the focus of worship was the telling of God’s story. It was done through the reading of the Old Testament Scripture. It was accomplished through the singing of the psalter (the Psalms put to music). It was eventually developed into the various types of liturgy so that, by repetition of various passages, both doctrine and the teachings of the New Testament could be shared with the congregation. Throughout the entirety of the worship service, the story of God was woven as a tapestry because it was understood true salvation was God in Christ inviting His people to join Him to be a part of His story. Thus when one was touched by the Holy Spirit and conviction came upon one’s life for one’s sin with the attendant repentance, it was felt to be the greatest honor and privilege to be asked by the God of this universe to become a part of His family, His court, the story that He was unfolding around them. In all of Church history, the early Church had the greatest grasp of these truths in their understanding of worship and this perspective of salvation.
The Reformers came to the forefront at a time most needed and reoriented the perspective on salvation from that of justification by works to grace alone. With other great Church leaders and theologians like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, the emphasis on grace in salvation and the need to worship God on His terms and not on our own remained paramount, though admittedly not to the same degree as did at the time of the early Church. However, through the influence of these leaders provided by God, the Church remained anchored until the late 1800's to this premise of our entering into His story by His invitation, seeing as the privilege, honor and blessing it is intended to be in Christ according to the Scriptures.
Toward the end of the nineteenth century the tide turned toward a more man-centered theology with the rise of the influences of Revivalism and Fundamentalism within Evangelical Protestantism. Worship began to be more “man-focused”. Hymns began to be more centered on individual action and response rather than centered on the glory of Christ and God the Father, as had been prior to that time. Actions in worship concentrated more so on “what worked” to get a projected response from the people rather than on “seeking the face of God” and Biblical precedent for what was being done. In reference to salvation, the norm became “asking Jesus into one’s life” to show the means of accomplishing this transaction. In other words, it became God entering into our story rather than visa-versa. The tables had truly turned. The worshiper became the primary focus while the former object of worship took a secondary position, and nary a peep was raised in offence to the change...as it remains so to the present.
Is it not past time for returning God to the forefront? Can we be a part of correcting this situation? What proactive steps could we take to reorient our approaches to both worship and salvation? We must make sure that each of us has surrendered ourselves fully to Him, that we have been invited to be “in His story”, and have placed ourselves totally at His disposal to be used by Him in whatever way He deems fit. We must not at all hold the view that Christ and His benefits are but mere “merit badges” that we add to our own lives. Rather, we must be committed to the truth that Christ is preeminent in everything (rf. Luke 1:31-33; Philippians 2:9-11).
Think about it. Who is, indeed, truly greater–ourselves or Christ? If the answer is so obvious, then into whose story should we be seeking to gain entrance? And Who should we be focusing all of our attention on in all of our aspects of worship? Let us then be about putting the answers to action so that the Church can once again be God-focused in worship and salvation, calling all people to enter into God’s story for His ending is so much better than any we could ever create on our own! When will we ever learn: the early Church had it right in so many things!
