EULOGY PART 2 - CULTURAL AND ETHICAL DIMENSIONS

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  So far, we have learnt a little about the origins of the eulogy. I hope that it was not morbid, but that you learnt something from it or, at the very least, that it gave you a new perspective on what a eulogy is and what it is intended to achieve.

In Part One, I wrote about certain Gnostic traditions concerning Jesus. If I were a Gnostic writing a eulogy about Jesus, I might say that He turned a sculpture into a living bird and spoke when He was born.

In death, however, we should be ethical.

Jesus said to His mother at the wedding in Cana:

“Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:4

The implication is significant. Jesus was indicating that His public ministry and the signs associated with it had not yet begun. Contradicting what a person said or demonstrated about themselves in life, particularly after their death, without evidence or proof, is wrong.

WHEN “SPEAKING WELL” BECOMES DISHONOUR

By speaking only good of a person's life, we can actually dishonour the dead.

I will use another clear and well-known person as an example: the historical figure behind the legend of Santa Claus—Saint Nicholas of Myra.

Saint Nicholas was a devoted Christian who lived during the third and fourth centuries, approximately 270–343 AD, in Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey. He served as a Christian bishop and became famous for his secret gift-giving and his defence of his faith.

The Christian practice associated with his gift-giving connects with the teaching in Matthew 6:3:

“Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.”

Today, many people want to focus on Saint Nicholas's good deeds. But in doing so, we can lose the meaning of his life—the principle by which he lived and the essence of the man himself. What is even worse is that we use his life to pull others away from the Christian beliefs that inspired his works by replacing Jesus Christ with Santa Claus.

We actually dishonour him by turning him into Santa Claus and, worst yet, by capitalising on his story when the man himself practised piety and secret generosity. He did not want his story to be used in such ways.

There is a lesson here.

When we reduce a person's life to the parts that are convenient, entertaining or profitable, we can distort the very life we claim to be honouring.

THE ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EULOGIST

There is another ethical dimension to the eulogy.

The person being discussed cannot defend themselves.

I believe there is a deeper purpose for the eulogy. Jesus paid for this person's life, and there will be a judgement for each of us when we die. A eulogy reminds us that we all have to answer to someone. We are witnesses to this person's life, and in giving a eulogy, we are, in a sense, testifying about them like in a court case.

There is a spiritual side to death. That means the person delivering the eulogy has a spiritual responsibility.

You should not use someone's funeral to settle old scores, expose embarrassing secrets, make yourself the centre of attention or manipulate the audience. God is not pleased with any of that. Manipulating the role of the eulogist for any of these objectives is witchcraft. A practice of deception. 

The deceased should remain the centre. But Jesus is the ultimate goal of the eulogy and the funeral.

But there is another interesting tension here:

A eulogy is about the dead, but it is written for the living.

That tension is what makes this form of writing and memory so interesting.

CULTURE, MEMORY AND ORAL TRADITION

There is also a cultural aspect to the eulogy.

Human beings have always been concerned with memory. Memory forms part of our oral traditions, and the eulogy helps us pass on the oral tradition of the deceased.

But ethics and culture can, and do, come into conflict. The transformation of the life of Saint Nicholas into the cultural figure of Santa Claus demonstrates this.

Coincidentally, it also raises another issue: the way the cultural story of Santa Claus can overshadow the true meaning of the Christmas celebration.

Here again we see a conflict between culture and ethics.

What happens when the story we pass down becomes more important than the truth behind the story? What happens when memory is shaped by culture until the person being remembered is almost unrecognisable? These are ethical questions.

DEATH, MEMORY AND LEGACY

We die physically, but our relationships with other people do not simply disappear at the moment of death.

The impact and lasting memory of a person can continue for at least one other person—and sometimes for generations.

People continue to exist in memory:

• through stories;
• through photographs;
• through children;
• through institutions they built;
• through lessons they taught;
• through values they transmitted;
• through people whose lives they changed;
• through continued behaviours and traditions.

The eulogy participates in that process. It says:

• This person existed.
• This person affected us.
• This person's story belongs to our collective memory.

THE EULOGY AS A CASE STUDY

In this way, there is also a scientific aspect to a eulogy.

The life of a person can become a case study of their practices, words, beliefs, environment, way of thinking, family and community. We can examine what they did, what they said, what they believed, how they responded to their circumstances and how their circumstances influenced them.

Their life becomes evidence from which others can learn.

This brings us back to the Greek meaning of the word eulogia—“good words.” That meaning is beautiful. It isn't merely about saying nice things.

We make good of our words by giving value and meaning to the person's life.

It is about using words to preserve something of a life that has ended physically.

WHY MEMORY MATTERS

Human survival depends, in part, on learning the lessons of those who have died.

Because of the comforts and innovations we have today, we can easily forget that we are created beings on Earth and that human existence itself can face extinction.

Every generation inherits knowledge from the generations that came before it.

• We learn from their successes.
• We learn from their failures.
• We learn from their mistakes.
• We learn from their beliefs.
• We learn from their choices.
• We learn from the consequences of their actions.

The dead therefore have something to teach the living.

Our desire to remember life gives hope to those who remain: that, in the greater context of existence, when death comes, something of our life may continue through others.

Our words, our actions, our values, our children, our teachings, our institutions and our traditions can all become part of what survives us.

Perhaps this is one of the deeper purposes of the eulogy. It does not bring the dead back to life. It helps the living understand the life that was lived. And perhaps, if we are willing to listen, it can teach us how to live the life that remains better.

Jesus paid for us with His life and blood. Our life and death belongs to Him. Even in death our life is about Him. That is why the eulogy must serve a Jesus purpose that is to draw others to Christ. Our life must prove His word is true and the eulogy ultimately explains that. We have to see how God's word is is real in this person's life. Not with judgement but with the love of Christ. 

THE EULOGY - PART I

  This may sound a bit strange, I know. I came across the eulogy I wrote for my mother, and it got me thinking.

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The history of the eulogy is not Christian. It is a tradition handed down, or copied, from the Greeks and subsequently adopted by different cultures and peoples.

Too often, we misunderstand or misuse the eulogy. There is a purpose for it, but most times we lose direction with it.

What do I mean?

A eulogy is an opportunity to give guidance or direction to the descendants and those affected by the deceased. Even a stranger can learn from a well-written eulogy.

A eulogy is a speech or written tribute delivered in honour of a person who has died. It normally takes place at a funeral, memorial service, wake or celebration of life.

But that does not mean that only positive things should be spoken of the individual. That would be a misinterpretation of the person's life and, ultimately, of the purpose of a eulogy.

From a biblical perspective, there should be hope, and there should be the glorification of God.

DEFINITION

A eulogy is much more than a speech about someone who has died. At its best, it is an act of remembrance, interpretation, honour and communal healing.

The word itself comes from the Greek eulogia, meaning “good words” or “speaking well of someone.” That gives us an important clue about its original purpose: a eulogy is not primarily a biography of the deceased. It is an intentional act of speaking about a person's life in a way that helps the living understand and remember it.

The “good words” are not simply words that make the person look good. They are words that make good—or give meaning—to the words used to describe that person's life.

Consider someone who dies after being imprisoned for a crime. There is a lesson in that life: crime does not pay. Meaning is given to what happened.

The people who knew the individual most closely should be able to give context to the person's actions and words, or to their way of thinking, so that others can understand who that person was and why they did what they did.

There is a distinction worth making: 

A eulogy is not an obituary.

An obituary generally tells people that a person died and what happened during their life—birth, education, career, family, achievements, survivors and funeral arrangements.

A eulogy asks different questions. It also helps to bring resolution to the wider community as well as the immediate family.

What should a eulogy achieve? I would say there are five major things a good eulogy should accomplish:

1. It should honour the person.
This person's life mattered as an individual.
2. It should help people remember.
3. It should give meaning to the life.
It should place the person's life in the context of the community in which they lived and offer an interpretation of the life of the deceased. 
4. It should help the living grieve.
5. It should provide closure—or at least a path forward.
It should do this through shared memory and by bringing clarity to the actions and words spoken by the person. It can help explain their driving force.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Greeks had a tradition of public speeches honouring the dead, and one of the most famous examples is Pericles' Funeral Oration, recorded by the historian Thucydides in his account of the Peloponnesian War.

That speech is fascinating because it demonstrates that, historically, funeral speeches were not always the intimate tributes that we practise in modern times.

Pericles used the occasion of mourning the Athenian dead to speak about the values of Athens itself.

In other words, the deceased became a vehicle through which the living community reflected upon itself.

Funeral speech has historically been about both the individual and the community. The individual was an example of the output of the community from which they came.

Similar examples can be found in the tributes people make to heroes who pass away. We say, “He was a son of the soil,” or “She was a daughter of the soil.”

As human beings, they contributed to human life, which continues after their death.

The Romans developed their own important tradition known as the laudatio funebris—the funeral oration. Among aristocratic Roman families, speeches could celebrate the ancestry, accomplishments and virtues of the deceased.

These speeches were not simply expressions of private grief. They could reinforce the family's honour, social standing and values.

The funeral therefore became a public presentation of identity.

Christianity transformed the tradition by adding another significant dimension. The Christian funeral introduced the idea that death should be understood within a larger theological story—death, resurrection, eternal life, judgement, hope and the promise of being reunited with God.

Consequently, Christian funeral addresses have often attempted to accomplish two things at the same time:

Remember the person and proclaim hope.

This is why many Christian funeral services distinguish between mourning the deceased and proclaiming the faith to the community.

The Bible helps us put the eulogy in context:

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
— Proverbs 3:6

And:

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
— Romans 6:23

The deceased person's life is remembered. We acknowledge the ways of the deceased and allow that testimony of life to guide us. We allow the person's life to draw us closer to God because the eulogy is part of the funeral service and serves as a testimony to God's word unfolded in a person's life. We prove that in death we see God's word is real in Romans 6:23 for we all are sinners and fall short of the glory except through Christ.

The funeral must ask and answer the larger questions:

• What do you believe about death?
• Where will you spend eternity?

The temptation in writing a eulogy is to be completely positive. But that can actually diminish the humanity of the person. The good or bad of that person's life loses meaning when it is whitewashed. The deceased had tears, joys and a thinking process to back up the things they did, we should not belittle it by forgetting about it either. This would be cancel culture. We must give it a moral value.

I think in some ways the Bible is like a eulogy of mankind. The risk in focusing only on the good things or down right lying to claim good of someone can be seen in the Gnostic beliefs about Jesus. They diminish Jesus's humanity by focusing on miracles that is said (not proven) to have been performed in His childhood, but in so doing they undervalue the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The end result is that the price paid for our sins is of reduced value.

By representing the deceased with dishonesty or in a puerile or childish manner, we risk leaving wounds open and we enable generational curses and cycles to continue. Hurts fester, and chaos can ultimately become the end result. 

THE EULOGY AND THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS

The lesson we learn from the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11) is that Jesus glorified the Father by performing the miracle. He said, “It is for God's glory.” But He added that it was also “so that God's Son may be glorified through it.”

Jesus wanted to demonstrate to the people that resurrection is possible and to give them a recent example of it, so that they would be more inclined to believe in His own resurrection, which would come soon after.

His disciples, misunderstood what He had said and Jesus replied:

“Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”

Added to this, He said to Martha:

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

To the attendees at a Christian funeral, the eulogy asks this same question:

“Do you believe?”

The hope is in spending eternity with Christ—or be condemned without Him.

In Him is life. Without Him is death.


“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
— Romans 6:23

This account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead is an important aspect of Christian beliefs. It is about life, death and eternity. Even in death we must glorify God, we must prove God and draw others to Christ. Jesus shows us that here. A funeral is an opportunity to spread the gospel and even in death we belong to Christ because He paid the price for it. I will post more on the eulogy in Part 2.

MELCHIZEDEK ORDER PART 2

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Trusting God More Than Speculation

Trusting God is another lesson we learn from the account of Melchizedek.

Many people are led astray through a lack of knowledge, false teaching, distorted facts, fables and myths. Today, social media algorithms often feed what the Bible calls "itching ears." They present people with ideas that agree with their opinions rather than challenge them with the truth.

Even Christians can fall into this trap. Our own emotions, personal biases and desires can influence how we read Scripture. Like Israel in biblical times, we often struggle with wanting to please people and fit in with the world around us. This is one reason God repeatedly warned Israel about adopting the beliefs and practices of the surrounding nations.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 says:

"For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction that challenges them with God's truth. Instead, to satisfy their own desires, they will gather teachers who tell them what they want to hear. They will turn away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

The enemy's methods have not changed. Only the tools have changed. Today those tools include technology, social media and marketing. The goal is still the same—to create confusion, division within the body of Christ and ultimately a falling away from the faith.

The Church has been building on the foundation laid by Christ and the apostles for nearly two thousand years. Yet we must ask ourselves: Are we continuing to build on that foundation, or are we allowing ourselves to be distracted from it?

Jesus Himself said that "the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light" (Luke 16:8). The world often plans its strategies carefully. As believers, we should be equally committed to knowing the truth, living it and sharing it faithfully.

Our calling is to strengthen and unify the body of Christ. True transformation begins when God's people awaken to His truth. I hope to explore this subject more fully in future articles.

Peter reminds us that the apostles did not build their message on myths.

2 Peter 1:16 says:

"For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty."

The apostles wrote about what they saw, heard and experienced. Throughout the New Testament they remain consistent on the essential truths of the Christian faith.

These include:

1. Jesus' words and works.

2. The call to repentance and conversion.

3. Jesus as the mediator of the New Covenant.

4. Jesus as the Word of God.

5. Jesus' humanity, born of a virgin, as the Son of Man.

6. The miracles of Christ.

7. The miracles that followed through faith in His name.

8. The command to preach, teach and spread the Gospel.

9. Jesus as the Saviour of the world.

10. Jesus as the true and living God.

11. Jesus as the Son of God.

12. Believers as heirs and joint heirs with Christ.

13. Believers as ambassadors of Christ and a royal priesthood.

14. The complete and perfect work of the Cross.

15. The power of the blood of Jesus.

16. The ministry of reconciliation flowing from the Father's love.

17. Salvation by grace through faith, not by works.

18. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

19. The Holy Spirit, who brings to believers all that Christ has accomplished for them.

20. Believers have power and authority over the wiles and plans of the enemy.

These themes appear throughout the New Testament and are rooted in the Old Testament. As the Church builds on these truths, believers grow in unity, maturity and love. Imagine the harvest of souls that could be gathered into God's Kingdom if we remained focused on these foundations. We would be building the walls or repairing the walls. We will be building from the foundation which a next step.   

The book of Hebrews brings many of these themes together. It does not present Melchizedek as an isolated figure. Instead, his priesthood becomes the meeting point of several great biblical themes: covenant, kingship, priesthood, righteousness, peace, inheritance, eternal life, Christ's once-for-all sacrifice and our access to God. Hebrews uses Melchizedek to show how Jesus fulfils God's redemptive plan in a priesthood that is greater than that of Levi.

How confusion surrounding Melchizedek is often used

Confusion about Melchizedek can become a doorway for false teaching. Some common examples include:

1. Focusing on his ethnicity in ways that create unnecessary division over the Canaanites rather than understanding the biblical account.

2. Using modern political or emotional issues, such as debates surrounding Israel, Jerusalem, Palestine and Gaza, to distract from what Genesis is actually teaching.

3. Claiming that because the Bible does not answer every question, it cannot be trusted.

4. Introducing teachings about Melchizedek that present a different gospel or a false view of Christ.

5. Claiming that Israel invented or hijacked the priesthood and that Jesus is therefore not the promised Messiah.

6. Using Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek to argue that the biblical principle of giving has no relevance today without considering the wider teaching of Scripture.

Paul repeatedly warned believers about this kind of error.

1 Timothy 1:4 warns against myths and endless genealogies that produce speculation rather than God's work, which is by faith. In the case of Melchizedek it is a question of genealogies.

Titus 1:14 tells believers not to pay attention to human myths that turn people away from the truth.

1 Timothy 4:7 simply says:

"Have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths."

What are "silly myths"?

Many ideas shared on social media and presented as research are not based on careful scholarship or sound methods of investigation. They often rely on assumptions, selective evidence and emotional appeals rather than facts. They are designed to provoke reactions instead of helping people discover the truth.

This brings us back to a simple but important question.

Do I trust God?

Do I believe that what God has revealed in Scripture is true?

Do I also believe that what He has chosen not to reveal is not necessary for my salvation or for understanding His purposes?

When Abraham entered an unfamiliar land, he brought Lot with him. Over time, God taught Abraham to trust Him completely. 

Are we doing the same? Are we allowing others to create a "veil" over our eyes? Are we allowing endless questions, speculation and myths to pull us away from the solid foundation of God's Word? 

Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law."

Ask God to forgive you for engaging or listening to myths, fables, genealogies. Ask The Holy Spirit to help you filter out the deceit of the enemy. Remember there is a difference in seeking truth or seeking to break down believers. Ask God to forgive you for listening to and entertaining, a false Jesus or a false gospel. Click here for part 1

MELCHIZEDEK ORDER PART 1

 In the following blogs I want to address topics that have been used to deceive many people. Some are foundational matters to the Christian faith. Many fall away from the church due to lies, propaganda and ignorance or lack of knowledge. For sure, many people perish for a lack of knowledge. Let us look at Melchizedek.

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Melchizedek was a priest, but not just any priest. He was the priest of El Elyon, which means God Most High. 

What is most important about Melchizedek is what the Bible actually tells us. Over the centuries many people have guessed who he was and what his meeting with Abraham meant. The Bible, however, gives us only a few details. Perhaps God chose to reveal only what was necessary so that our attention would stay on His purpose instead of our own speculation. Nonetheless, there has been a lot of confusion about Melchizedek because of historical inaccuracies. 

In this series I want to examine that purpose. Before we can understand what the Bible calls the Order of Melchizedek, we must first understand the man and the city where he ruled.

What does the Bible tell us?

The Bible tells us that:

• Melchizedek was the king of Salem.

• He was the priest of God Most High (El Elyon).

• Abraham met him after winning the battle that rescued Lot.

• Melchizedek brought out bread and wine.

• He blessed Abraham in the King's Valley near Salem.

• Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils from the battle.

• The Bible presents Melchizedek as someone greater than Abraham in rank because Abraham received his blessing and paid him a tithe.

Some References: Genesis 14:18–20; Psalm 76:2; Psalm 110:4.

The City of Salem

The first point worth examining is that Melchizedek was the king of Salem. Salem was a Canaanite city-state, yet its king served the Most High God. The city depended on the Gihon Spring for its water supply and that is a landmark used by archaeologists in identifying the location.

The name Salem means peace in both Hebrew and Canaanite. Because of this, Melchizedek is often called the King of Peace.

Many scholars identify Salem with ancient Jerusalem. Over time the name developed into the Hebrew Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). Some connect this name with the Hebrew root yarah, meaning "to found" or "to lay a foundation," and "founded in peace".

In Judges 19:10 the city is called Jebus, after its Jebusite inhabitants. Later it became known as Jerusalem after King David captured it. The Bible also uses the name Zion. Sometimes Zion refers to the fortress David conquered, while in other passages it represents God's dwelling place among His people (Psalm 76:2). The historic main areas of Salem was renamed to honour King David

The prophets Isaiah and Nehemiah later referred to Jerusalem as the Holy City.

There is much more that could be said about Jerusalem. If you would like to explore its connection with sacrifice, you can read my earlier article, by clicking here for What's on your altar? Part 4  where I explain why David purchased the threshing floor even though he already ruled the land.

Archaeological Evidence

Archaeologists have uncovered a rock structure that is about 4,000 years old. The structure supports the idea that Melchizedek served as both king and priest.

Among the discoveries are:

• a standing stone or pillar that may have been anointed with oil as a symbol of meeting with God;

• a carved stone altar with channels that may have drained blood or wine;

• an olive press that could have been used to produce sacred anointing oil.

Many archaeologists believe this complex may have been the place where Melchizedek brought out bread and wine and blessed Abraham. It provides an interesting historical background to the biblical account.

Why was a Canaanite king serving the Most High God?

This is an important question. One that should be placed in context of the period this event occured. At the time Canaan was serving other gods, yes. But Canaan was a city that came out of one of the sons of Noah. Ham's descendants populated the area known as Canaan. The descendants of Shem later conquered the land. In Genesis 9 we learn that Canaan the youngest son of Ham was cursed by Noah. This can be discussed further in a later blog. What is important to note at this time is that they all came from the same lineage and there was a reason why Shem's descendants would rule the land.  

The name El Elyon first appears in Genesis 14:18–20. The meeting between Melchizedek and Abraham happens immediately after Abraham defeats the kings who had taken Lot captive.

The name Lot means "veil," "covering," or "that which conceals."

Here I would like to offer my own interpretation.

I believe the war became a test of Abraham's readiness to fully trust God. As long as Abraham depended on Lot, he was not fully trusting God. How was he dependent on Lot? 

When God first called Abraham to leave his family, Lot travelled with him. Lot represented security to Abraham. Abraham may have trusted God, but perhaps he still wanted something familiar to rely on. 

Here is a lesson I learnt a long time ago. When God tells us to leave others and move with Him. We should do it and do it fast. Disobedience causes confusion with the same people we hold on to. We can see that happening between Abraham and Lot and they had to separate (Genesis 13:8). This separation was very significant. In fact both times they separated held important meaning. In the first parting Abraham called him "brother" and not nephew. 

The significance can be seen in that as soon as they parted Abraham moved his tent which was in Bethel-where Jacob wrestled with God-to Mamre, Hebron, where God spoke to him. 

Genesis 13:14–17:

"And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: 'Lift up your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth... Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.'"

Genesis 14 tells us that Abraham took 318 trained servants from his household to rescue Lot. He was acting on principle as found later in Leviticus 25 concerning the redemption of a relative, because Abraham referred to Lot as his "brother" not his nephew when they parted the first time. Abraham then became Lot's "blood avenger".  In this second parting of ways Abraham fulfilled his responsibility toward Lot but after this rescue the Bible records no further direct relationship between them.

In my view, this showed a turning around for Abraham who now became Lot's back up plan rather than Lot be his back up plan.

Only after this final parting does Melchizedek appear and bless Abraham. This proves that there was a significance in his final parting with Lot.

Are there people in your life like Lot? Has God told you to separate from anyone and follow Him?

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy." 1 Peter 2:9-10

Pray and ask God to show you if you should separate from anyone and ask for courage and wisdom to do it peaceably.  Follow after Jesus you will not regret it.

FOUNDATIONS OF WORSHIP PART 2

 

In Foundations of Worship Part 1, I introduced worship as a work of obedience, submission and a life of sacrifice. Let us expand on this some more from another angle which is very familiar to us-the association between praise and worship-. The link between the two is real as most people think about worship along with praise.

Praise and worship complement each other but there is a difference which I will explain. Praise is recognising God for who He is: "you are holy", "your name is worthy", "no one can compare to you", "you are Jehovah Jireh, our provider". 

Praise creates a space and purifies the atmosphere that allows holiness to exist within; "Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3). 

God dwells in our praises. But worship takes us a step further. Worship does not just recognise the characteristics or the acts of God, worship acknowledges that He is God. Praise can be given to humans but worship sets someone as being sovereign over you. 

Praise can set the mood or be used to focus on God. But as a mood you can be fooled and this is where most people are led astray. They have difficulty in understanding the relationship between praise and worship. 

Both praise and worship can be done in song. In fact, most people only know it as song. But worship songs are different to praise songs. Each has a function and sometimes, songs of worship and praise are a distraction. When we hear a song that we like we sing it and forget the subject matter is God. The purpose of the song is not about becoming emotional or to get caught up with the music. Saints be careful you must NOT worship the songs.

Many people worship on emotion. Emotion is still about self, indicating that only when I feel to worship or have a particular emotion, I can worship God. This is not worship. This is a false emotion. This is why God desires true worshippers. 

True worshippers are worshippers who worship truth. Our Father in heaven is the Father of Truth. What is the truth that we must accept? God is God all by Himself. He does not need us to be God. He is God with or without our emotion. God is not an emotion. Ha! He can raise up stones to worship Him!

A main scripture used to understand worship is:

“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will (proskuneo) worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You (proskuneo) worship what you do not know; we (proskuneo) worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming and has now come when the true (proskynetai from proskuneo) worshippers will (proskuneo) worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to (proskuneo) worship Him. God is Spirit, and His (proskynountas from proskuneo) worshippers must (proskuneo) worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:21-24).

We have to go beyond our emotions and worship God. Our emotions are in the soul. We must settle in our spirit that Jesus is God. Our faith is in Jesus as the Son of the Living God who is our Saviour, Lord and Master! This must be embedded deep inside our spirit. We worship Him in spirit and in truth. 

Worshipping God in spirit has different levels and worshipping Him in truth has different levels. I look forward to the continuation of this theme in more blogs to come.

FOUNDATIONS OF WORSHIP PART 1

 It has been quite a while since I did any blogging. To my readers I apologise. I can only say that I keep fighting the good fight of faith. Any fight of faith is a good fight. But I have learnt so much over the period that I feel like bursting. My desire with the blogging is to encourage and build faith in Christ Jesus as our LORD AND SAVIOUR. 

I want to share with you what I learnt about worship. It is a good point to re-start. Understanding how to worship is foundational and necessary. I have discovered many Christians do not understand how to worship and what it really is. 

Worship proves our dedication to Him, our reverence, our love for Him, and shows that we chose Him and say "yes" to Him while denying self and others. The question now is "How can we love God and worship Him only?" 

To answer we refer to the scriptures. There are several words in the Bible used for worship so let us start there. Worship according to scripture has several meanings but you will find that It is more about obedience, submission and a life of sacrifice. 

The three main words used to mean worship are: "shachah" (Hebrew), "proskuneo" (Greek) and "abad" (Hebrew). However, I will include a few other words used.

Shachah is the most commonly used today but used only 172 times in the Bible. It means "to bow down" or "prostrate self". It is an act of submission to the authority of God as found in Genesis 22:5, “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told his servants. “The boy and I will go over there to worship, and then we will return to you.”

The Greek word for shachah is "proskuneo" and it is also the most commonly used in the New Testament. This is probably why most people think that worship is a show or display of submission. It means to "bow down", "kneel down", "kiss the hand". I have found that many people forget that along with the outward action there should be an inward adoration of God. 

A key verse is Romans 12:1, "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." Here "latreuo" (Greek) meaning "to serve" or "minister" is used. It highlights priestly service or spiritual service to God. 

The Hebrew version to "latreuo" is the verb "avad/abad" which is used about 290 times, to describe serving a master, tilling the ground, or worshipping God. There is a related noun "eved/ebed", meaning "servant," "slave," or "subject," which appears an additional 800 plus times. The noun "avodah/abodah" meaning "service," "labor," or "work", occurs about 145 times. This meaning is the most used in the Bible for worship. 

"Yare" is also used and it is Hebrew for "fear" and "awe". It is great reverence for God's sovreignty and greatness. The Greek version would be "sabomai" indicating that it is a permanent show of devotion.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say worship is to sing songs specifically. In fact in Luke 3, John the Baptist charged the Pharisees who were the spiritual leaders of the Jews with not producing fruit;

"Then John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”" Luke 3:7-9 

When the "The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” John replied, “Whoever has two tunics should share with him who has none, and whoever has food should do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Collect no more than you are authorized,” he answered. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” “Do not take money by force or false accusation,” he said. “Be content with your wages.” Luke 3:10-14

Worship is mostly about obedience and service. The first commission in the Bible is to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28). In Matthew 23:13 Jesus says;

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter"

But if you read from verse 1-7 you will see why today many people focus on the outward action of demonstrating worship and not on having a ife of worship.

A LESSON OF LOVE

One of the most effective strategy of the devil is that of offence and perceived offence. If I were to point my finger at the most popular reason people stop going to church or stop praying or stop believing in God, it would be this, taking offence. It has been used against us since the time of the Garden of Eden.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’ ” Genesis 3:1

"but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” Genesis 3:3

God was and is always right. We now understand that it was spiritual death that God spoke of, but at that time Eve did not know of this. She did not understand sin either and how it corrupts and erodes one's life. Neither Adam nor Eve had experience with sin and death. The serpent told her a half truth. He saw an opportunity to get into her thinking and her emotions and plant doubt. His approach is usually similar to this day.

Many people sound like they care and want to teach or mentor but they are really planning to pull us away from the church by causing doubt and hurt based on an offence that does not even exist. Think about it. How many people do you know stop going to church because the pastor preached a message on giving tithes? 

In fact, I have seen many instances where recruiters for terrorism or Islam would enter chats or comment on Christian YouTube channels and use this same strategy. They use hooks to bait the ones who do not the word of God, those who are weak minded and not focused on God.

Some people don't go to church because they cannot sit where they want to. There are many things that are used to create the negative feelings that affect our decision-making. Tithes belong to God. If the pastor cares he will teach on it. It is not a pastor's decision to say, 'Don't give the tithes' because the money belongs to God not him/her. Offering is different. The pastor is not greedy. God will not bless your money if you don't give tithes. It is an act of obedience to God not the pastor. 

What is offence? It is when we feel that we are treated less than what we are worth. Sometimes that would be, less than human. In order for the devil to tempt Eve he started with this approach. Firstly, the Bible says he was crafty.

His lead up was what we know as FOMO (the fear of missing out) a marketing principle of making people feel left out and excluded. The way the question was asked, was casual and deceptive enough to cast doubt. He made Eve think that maybe God did not mean for her to be excluded. He was suggesting that she was not included. This is where Eve had a perceived offence. 

She thought she had the right to feel disrespected or treated differently. The concept of "perceived" is that it is not real but understood to be true. God's intentions in warning her was not to exclude her, but to keep her pure and holy. He knew man could not handle it. 

When we are offended it is usually because we take our eyes away from the principles of living in a kingdom. The kingdom is God's kingdom. Jesus is Lord over the kingdoms of the earth. He is coming to rule with a rod of iron. He is not gentle and merciful alone. He is also judge and King of Kings. 

Before you take offence or think about yourself, think about the word of God. What does it say? Of all the fruits of The Spirit who lives in you, humility is key. It is as important as all other fruits. There can be no fault found with humility.

It is unfortunate that so many of us feel offended and not forgiving. We should repent of those feelings that pull us away and separates us from the love of God. Adam and Eve were separated from the perfect will or perfect life offered in the garden. They were living in the abundance and did not know it. When we feel offended or perceive offence, we separate or isolate ourselves. This allows the enemy, the devil, to put us out of the abundance of God.  

A lesson of love is also a lesson on offence or perceived offence. We are supposed to show love because God first loved us. We are to forgive because Jesus gave His life for us. By being offended or hurt without forgiving or without repentance we rob ourselves of God being able to judge the situation for us. We rob ourselves of the blessings of God. We rob ourselves of His forgiveness. "Lord, forgive us as we forgive those who have offended us".

I pray you are encouraged in the ways of Almighty God. That you have the strength, courage and boldness needed in this time to keep walking in His word. I pray you are able to put all offences and hurt at the feet of God who is our Father in heaven, in Jesus name.

 Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be. Guide me in these times so I can be used by you to help others in Jesus name I pray. Thank you Father.

 

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