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The Temple Worships
The Temple Worships
In the Old Testament worship could be put into these three categories:
WHERE – Temples were made from stones. Today, we are the stones, our bodies are temples, Jesus is the cornerstone, and the apostles are the foundation.
WHO – Priestly clothes were made from costly material. Today, they are spiritual actions performed by all believers because all are priests.
WHAT – Sacrifices were animals and grains. Today, we are living sacrifices. Incense is no longer burned ascending to the ceiling. Prayers from human minds and lips ascend all the way to heaven.
Notice how today in Christ the WHERE, WHO, and WHAT, are now combined into people who believe.
On this there is little disagreement. Most claiming to be followers of Christ even scripturally disagree with those who bring such Mosaical and Davidic practices into Christ’s covenant. They rightfully conclude:
• Church buildings are not ornate temples.
• There is no priestly class because all are priests.
• Worship is not found in burning incense and lighting candles.
Each of these is found in Catholic Churches, whether Roman or Eastern Orthodox. None of these is found in Christ’s covenantal worship.
Again, most would agree. Here is where I want to expand your consistency and understanding. There is one more aspect of temple worship within the Old Testament that is never found within churches worshipping under Christ’s sovereignty. It was originally introduced by the Roman Catholic Church. Protestants often rejected it until it became more acceptable. There are still many religious bodies who have not followed the Roman Catholic Church, nor followed the Old Law.
What is that practice? Instrumental music in worshipping God. Why? As stated, Christ is our King and our King has not authorized it.
But there is another reason.
If our bodies are the temple and sacrifices, if we are the priests, and and our prayers are incense, then consistency would suggest that in spiritual fulfillment, we also are the instruments.
In the Old Testament, instruments were only used in the temple worship in the temple. With us being the temple, our bodies are now the “instruments”. When we sing, our bodies vibrate like an instrument. The difference between the Old Testament instruments and the New Testament “instruments” is God designed and made our bodies, made us His temple.
This is why, in obedience to Christ, and in practicing “spiritual” religion, we sing only with our voices. We have been tranformed from worshiping in a temple, to we are the temple – and as the temple, the temple worships.e temple, the temple worships.
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