LESSON 11
Acts Of Worship Are Specified
In The New Testament?
One Must Honor God with Prayer From The Heart
Prayer can be defined as “a spiritual child of God talking
to his heavenly Father.” Just as it is important to let God speak to us through
His word, it is likewise essential for us to speak to Him through prayer. When
the church began in the first century, prayer was a vital part of their worship
and honor to God. Luke records: “And they continued steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Prayer was as essential
to their spiritual life as food was to their physical bodies. They needed to
continually communicate with God in prayer, and this is still needed by all
Christians today.
Prayer
was a major part of Paul’s life, and he prayed from his spirit in worship. He
wrote: “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the
spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the
spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:15).
How
often did Paul pray? He commanded the Christians at Thessalonica to ”pray
without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Paul wanted prayer to be continually a part of
his life and the lives of others. To his friend Philemon he wrote: “I thank
my God, making mention of you always in my prayers” (Philemon 1:4).
The
apostle Peter also felt that prayer was a daily experience with God, and that
God was there to listen. “For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and
His
ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against
those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).
Therefore,
in our personal lives and in our worship to God, prayer is a part of God’s
truth in worship. To neglect praying is to neglect what God has commanded.
Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs From the
Heart
The
same New Testament pattern that specifies prayer as one of the acceptable
experiences of worship, also lists singing. In the same verse observed earlier
about praying with the spirit, Paul said, “I will sing with the spirit, and
I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:15). You may notice that Paul
did not say, “I will play a mechanical instrument.” It was hundreds of years
later before men added this kind of instrument to worship.
The
ONLY instrument mentioned in New Testament worship is the human heart. Paul specified the kind
of music that God approves. “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
“(Ephesians 5:19). The mechanical instrument does not have a heart or feelings. God
has not commanded for the church to praise Him from a machine! He wants a heart
that can feel, worship in spirit, while making a melody to God.
Paul
repeated this same instruction to the church at Colossi. “Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). Not only are we
commanded to make melody in our hearts as we worship, but even the kinds of
songs are specified. They must be spiritual in nature to the point that we
teach each other as we worship God!
The
New Testament blueprint for the Lord’s church does not authorize the use of a
mechanical instrument in worship to God. Therefore, one cannot worship in
truth and
use a mechanical instrument.
One Must Remember The Lord’s Death
By Taking The Lord’s Supper On Sunday,
The First Day Of The Week
Before Jesus went to the
cross, He instituted the Lord’s Supper to remember His death. Just as God had
commanded the Jews to keep the Feast of the Passover to remember when He passed
over their houses to save their firstborn, Jesus wanted a memorial for
Christians to remember His death. Therefore, when the church began, partaking
of the Lord’s Supper became an essential part of their worship. Sometimes it
was referred to as breaking of bread. In the same chapter of Acts that records
the beginning of Christ’s church we can find breaking of bread mentioned. “And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking
of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).
How often did they eat and drink this memorial?
First of all, the verse just quoted mentions that they “continued steadfastly in the
apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayer.” There are those today
who evidently consider “steadfastly” as being monthly, quarterly, or even a
longer time. However, if steadfastly means monthly for breaking of bread, it
means monthly for prayer. Surely praying only once each month would not be
sufficient!
How
do we know how often they took the Lord’s Supper? We have a New Testament
example. Consider these words: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples
came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them
and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7). The example is on the
first day of the week. Since every week has a first day, and the Bible does not
specify monthly or quarterly, the example suggests every first day of the week.
History (outside the Bible) verifies that they remembered the Lord’s death every week.
How
can anyone worship on the first day of the week without having communion with
the blood and body of Jesus? Paul wrote: ”The cup of blessing which we
bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we
break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). Most religions would
not dare conduct a worship service without praying, singing, giving money, and
preaching. These are important, but are they more important than remembering
the body and blood of Jesus offered for the sins of the world? Again, Paul
writes: “For as often as you eat this
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes” (1
Corinthians 11:26).
Those
who refuse to remember His death in their worship on the first day of the week,
neglect the most precious gift ever known to the human race.
Preaching Of God’s Word
When the early church
assembled to worship, they further honored God by hearing the preaching of
God’s word. In the same verse where the disciples met on the first day of the
week to break bread, we are also told, “Paul ready to depart the next day,
spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7). Thus, studying God’s
word and hearing it preached was a vital part of their lives. Luke records, “And
daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and
preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42).
Why
was studying and hearing the word of God preached so important? Because this was the source of their
faith in Jesus as the Christ. To the Roman Christians Paul wrote: “So then
faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). No only did the
Christians personally learn from the preaching of God’s word, but they sent
evangelists to the entire known world. Through the preaching of God’s word,
souls were converted as they obeyed the gospel.
Therefore,
in worship, through world evangelism, and in their private study, the word of
God was essential to conversions and spiritual growth. To Timothy, Paul wrote: “Be
diligent [study]
to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be
ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
As God Has Prospered
Finally, when the early
Christians assembled for worship, they gave their money for the work of the
Lord. Under the Old Testament law of the Jews, they were commanded to give a
tenth. However, under Christ, a percentage is not mentioned. Giving a tithe is
not a New Testament commandment in Christ’s church. What is commanded? They
were to give from
their hearts as they had been prospered. Please observe Paul’s instructions on giving.
“Now
concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the
churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each
one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no
collections when I come” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). You will notice that
they were commanded to give on the first day of the week. When they gathered to
worship by singing, praying, taking the Lord’s Supper, and preaching, they were
to give so that the Lord’s work could be carried out.
Giving
to the Lord under the Christian Age was not like collecting taxes, but an act
of showing love to God and His work by giving as prospered. Then Paul said, “let
each one of you lay something aside.” Each Christian has a personal responsibility for
giving. He or she is not asked to give beyond what they have prospered, but “as
he may prosper.” Then Paul wanted it to be done weekly so that the money would be
stored up ready for the saints—those in need.
Under
the Law of Moses, the giving of a tithe was compulsory, and it didn’t matter
whether or not they wanted to give. However, under the Christian Age, it was
different, and for the giver to be right with God, he or she had to possess
certain feelings and attitudes.
Paul
later taught the attitude Christians must have in their giving, “So let each
one give as
he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God
loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
From
this verse we learn that giving to the Lord was first purposed in the
heart.
When they considered the amount that they had prospered, they purposed a
specific amount to give to God. They were not to give grudgingly or of
necessity, but they were to give cheerfully to the One who had given them
everything. Love was to be the motivating force behind their giving.
Those
who give by a motivation other than these biblical principles are not
acceptable in their giving. The concept of stewardship is taught in the New
Testament. In simple terms, this means that a Christian considers that
everything he has belongs to God, and he must answer to God for the way he uses
it. As a good steward, he cheerfully gives to the work of the church by
returning to God as he has prospered. Giving is truly one of the ways that we
lift God up in honor as His work is carried out on the earth.
Therefore,
those who neglect any of these acts of worship and add things that are not
authorized are in error and will answer to God for their disobedience!
1 One of the three kinds
of songs specified for making melody (Eph. 5:19)
(a) Inspirational (b) Modern (c)
Psalms
2 When one prays and sings, he or she
must do so with this mind (1 Cor. 14:15)
(a) Enthusiasm (b) Understanding
(c) Soberness
3
On what day did the disciples come together to break bread?
(Acts 20:7)
(a) Saturday (b) Sabbath (c)
First Day
4 The New Testament instrument
specified for making melody (Eph.5:19)
(a)
Mechanical (b) Harp (c) Heart
5 A place other than the temple where the
disciples did daily teaching and preaching (Acts
5:42)
(a) House (b) Theater (c)
Cave
6 One of the four things in
this Scripture that was kept steadfastly by the early disciples (Acts 2:42)
(a) Singing (b) Apostle’s Doctrine
(c) Preaching
7 What word is associated
with the blood and body of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:16)
(a)
Passover (b) Flesh (c) Communion
8 The time of day
when Paul closed his sermon (Acts 20:7)
(a)
Sundown (b) Noon (c) Midnight
9
What is proclaimed about the Lord when eating the bread and
drinking the cup? (1 Cor. 11:26)
(a) Death (b) Resurrection
(c) Ascension
10 On whom are the eyes
of the Lord? (1 Pet. 3:12)
(a) Sinners (b) Backsliders
(c) Righteous
11 How often did Paul remember Philemon in prayer? (Philemon
1:4)
(a)
Daily (b) Always (c) Weekly
12 One of the senses used for receiving faith (Rom. 10:17)
(a)
Seeing (b)
Hearing (c) Feeling
Once You Have
Completed This Lesson, Go To Last Page For Grading Key. For Your Score, Take
From 100, 8 Points For Each One Missed.
Score for Lesson
11 =
SHARING GOD’S TRUTH
LESSON 12
Is It Possible For A Saved Person
To Fall From Grace?
Christians In The New Testament Were Warned
Against Falling
There are those who teach that once a sinner is saved from sin, it
is impossible for he or she to fall. This, to them, is a very comforting
doctrine. However, one needs to ask, “Is this the teaching of God’s word?” If
it isn’t, then such comfort is false!
Let
us begin by asking, “If it is impossible for Christians to fall, why were early
Christians warned against falling? Even the apostle Paul recognized the danger
of falling. He wrote to the Christians at Corinth: “But I discipline my body
and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself
should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). Paul had the grace of
God and continual forgiveness, but he knew that he would lose this saving grace
should he allow sin to take over his life.
The
Galatian Christians were in danger of losing the grace of God because they were
turning away from Jesus by listening to false teachers. Some false teachers had
come in and taught that Old Testament law keeping was necessary to be saved. To
believe and practice this would mean that they had forsaken Jesus. Therefore,
Paul warned them: “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to
be justified by law; you have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4). If the doctrine of
“once saved, always saved” is correct (as many teach), Paul did not know about
it. For he warned them against falling!
The
author of the book of Hebrews (generally believed to be Paul), also warned the
Christians to whom he was writing, to beware of departing from the living God. “Beware,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in
departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is
called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness
of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13). What would cause these Christians to depart from God? An
evil heart of unbelief. Did this writer teach that they could depart or fall?
Absolutely so!
The
apostle Peter joins the other writers and warns against stumbling or falling.
Please observe that he is addressing brethren or Christians. “Therefore,
brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if
you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10). The Christian who is
faithful in Jesus will never fall unless he or she turns to unfaithfulness.
When they turn from faithfulness, God’s word teaches that they will fall!
The New Testament Records Examples
Of Some Who Fell
From Grace
The
New Testament not only teaches that a Christian can fall, but gives examples of
some who fell. In fact, one of Paul’s co-workers, Demas, forsook Paul and
returned to the world. “For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this
present world, and has departed for Thessalonica....” (2 Timothy 4:10). Even though Demas had
been faithful, he left it to follow the sinful ways of the world.
Another
example of one who fell away after conversion was Simon a sorcerer. He heard
the preaching of the kingdom just like the others in Samaria. We read: “Then
Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip,
and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:13).
However,
he was later tempted when he saw the receiving of the Holy Spirit. “And when
Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was
given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on
whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your
money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be
purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is
not right in the sight of God’ “ (Acts 8:18-21). Simon had fallen from
grace!
Fortunately, Simon later repented and asked for prayer to be forgiven. He was restored, but if he had continued in his sinful attitude, he would have been lost. Thus, the New Testament records this as an example of a man falling, after being saved.
Paul
wrote to Timothy about some who had fallen and even gave the names of two of
them. Why had they fallen? Because they had failed to hold on to faith and a
good conscience. Paul put it this way, “having faith and a good conscience,
which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are
Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to
blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:19-20). Did you know that Hymenaeus and Alexander were
delivered to Satan?
After Falling, One
Can Return By
Repentance And Prayer
The example given of how
Simon the sorcerer fell also shows how he returned. His example has a happy
ending. Peter told him: “‘Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray
God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that
you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.’ Then Simon answered and said, ‘Pray to
the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon
me’ ” (Acts 8:22-24). Again, if he had not repented and sought a prayer of forgiveness,
he would have lost the grace of God.
One
of the responsibilities of a Christian is to make an effort to restore a fellow
Christian when they fall. Paul commands this to the Galatian Christians. “Brethren,
if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one
in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted”
(Galatians 6:1). If Christians cannot fall from grace, why make an effort to
restore them?
James,
in his little book for Christians, admonishes in these words: “Brethren, if
anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him
know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul
from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).
James
not only teaches that a brother or sister can wonder from the truth, but makes
it clear that if they are not turned back (restored), they will die in their
sins.
Those who teach, “once saved, always saved” are really saying that once saved it is impossible to be lost. This may be comforting to many, but such comfort comes from the doctrines of men rather than the teaching of God. Remember, God has control over those who will be saved. Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Therefore, those who return to the world are not obeying Him.
The
apostle Peter writes, “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For
it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But
it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his
own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire’ “ (2
Peter 2:20-22).
Not
only does Peter teach that one can fall from grace, but once they fall
(assuming they refuse to return), they are worse than they were before
conversion. Some say, “But they were never Christians!” Peter said they
were! He said that they had
escaped the pollutions of the world. How? “By the knowledge of the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.” When the Savior
saved them, you can be assured that they were saved.
What
happened after they were saved? They became entangled again in the pollutions
of the world. As long as they stayed entangled, they were lost. Could they have
returned? Yes, if they had chosen to repent and ask God’s forgiveness. What if
they refused to repent and had died in that condition? Peter teaches that they
would be lost.
Even
churches can fall from grace. When John was permitted to see the visions in the
book of Revelation, Jesus sent (through him) letters to the seven churches. In
these letters, Jesus called upon the ones who had gone wrong to repent.
Church at Ephesus: "Remember therefore from where you have
fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and
remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent” (Revelation 2:5).
Church at Laodicea: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
Yes,
it is possible for a saved person to fall from grace!
TRUE OR FALSE: (Circle “T” for
true; “F” for false)
T F 1. Once a sinner is saved,
it is impossible for he or she to fall.
T F 2. There are no warnings
in the New Testament against falling.
T F 3. The Galatian Christians
were in danger of falling from grace.
T F 4. If one makes his
calling and election sure, he or she will never stumble.
T F 5. Simon the Sorcerer
almost fell from grace.
T F 6. Repentance and prayer
is the way to be restored after falling.
T F 7. To help a Christian up
after falling, saves a soul from death.
T F 8. Once saved, always
saved in a comforting doctrine of men.
T F 9. Peter wrote that it is
better to never know the Lord than to know Him and fall.
T F 10. God wants all who fall
from grace to return.
MULTIPLE CHOICE: (Circle letter
for Correct answer)
1. The Galatian Christians
were in danger of falling because: (a) They turned to fleshly
lust (b) by being justified by the law (c) by false gods.
2. Each Christian must (a) make one’s calling and
election sure (b) believe that it is impossible to
fall (c) earn one’s salvation through good works.
3. Demas is an example of
one who (a) almost left Paul (b) left and returned (c) left
because he loved the world.
4. Simon the sorcerer fell
because (a) he wanted to buy power with money (b) didn’t like
the apostle Peter (c) he became tired of
Christianity.
5. Those who attempt to
restore a brother should do so (a) with authority (b) very stern
(c) with gentleness.
6. Peter compares one who
falls and refuses to repent as: (a) a backslider (b) a dog
returning to vomit (c) the chief of sinners.
7. The book of Revelation
teaches that (a) select Christians can fall (b) churches can
fall (c) churches cannot fall.
Once You Have
Completed This Lesson, Go To Last Page For Grading Key. For Your Score, Take
From 100, 6 Points For Each One Missed.
Score for Lesson 12 =
GRADING KEY
Lesson 11
Review – (1 C) – (2 B) – (3 C) – (4 C) – (5 A) –
(6 B) – (7 C) – (8 C) – (9 A) – (10 C) – (11 B) – (12 B) *
Lesson 12
True or
False – (1 F) – (2 F) – (3 T) – (4 T) – (5 T) –
(6 T) – (7 T) – (8 T) – (9 T) – (10 T)*
Multiple
Choice – (1 B) – (2 A) – (3 C) – (4 A) – (5 C) –
(6 B) – (7 B) *