Comments on: Worship: Wonder and Awesome Fear

By: aly h.

aly h. — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:45:02 +0000

“…why Luke saw it as an important event for the wider church to read about in Acts. I think maybe it was a restatement that, even in this new intimacy, even in this new covenant of Grace, that the holy things of God (in this case the gifts and offering, the new covenant sacrifices) are to be handled with, if not fear and trembling, at least something like it.”

Perhaps it was not a statement about this at all; perhaps an epidemic of greed and lying was sweeping through the early church (to whom Luke was writing) and a cautionary morality tale was needed to encourage generosity and sharing. Perhaps what really ticks God off is not treating his holy stuff with disregard, but treating his people, his image-bearers with disregard. There’s a lot in Acts 4-5 to indicate it was selfishness and unwillingness to sacrifice for their brothers & sisters that sent Ananias & Saphira to early graves.

To qualify: I’m not saying God never gets angry, and I’m further NOT saying that when he does we have nothing to worry about. But I think the times when Jesus gets angry are good indicators of what we should watch out for…and those times are largely about self-sacrificial relationships with God and fellow(wo)men.

By: Morphea

Morphea — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 20:36:46 +0000

As if that last comment weren’t long enough, I do have a HOWEVER to offer. I do think that a Buddy Christ mentality has cropped up here and there throughout church history, and I think we all pigeonhole god into a nice person who shares our point of view, sometimes. Like when I’m praying to god about the way I feel about people picketing Planned Parenthood clinics, for example. I’m saying “god, help me with my attitude - I really hate those people sometimes, but I know you’re here with me and understand my feelings. Help me to be more generous with my love and understanding, even when I don’t share their opinion” but I MEAN “thank you, god, that you’re not like Them. You can’t possibly agree with those a-holes and I love you for it”. I’m a faith baby, so maybe it’s just me being that silly, but I think lots of Christians do it and THAT bugs me. It bugs me when I catch myself doing it.

Cerise

By: Morphea

Morphea — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 20:28:18 +0000

Well, I never expected my worship experience (in a congregational setting, I mean)to involve discomfort or fear of mucking something up to the point of god getting physical with me. I always figured communal worship was our offering to god, which meant we wanted it to be a fine, lovely thing. I wanted to offer my singing to god in, not comfort, but in peace and joy and certainly with reverence and respect. I thought the “I am undone” moments were unplanned - I’ve had them when talking to a friend (a paralyzing moment of, yes, fearful “God is here”), communing with god on my own, or during moments of great personal distress. I rarely felt that way during times of communal worship and truthfully didn’t think that was the aim or the object of communal worship. However, 2 things may be happening: 1. I’m all wrong about it and shouldn’t even be responding because I don’t have the biblical background and haven’t done the time in church to back up my opinion or 2. We have our wires crossed and your idea of worship and mine are totally different. Perhaps you’re not even talking so much about communal worship but more about our daily attitude towards god, in which case I agree with you in a cautious fashion. But to be fair I don’t read Revelation or set much stock by it (not right, but the way things are with me right now) and I also am unclear about what the story about Ananias and Saphira has to do with worship time at church…

Cerise

By: michael lee

michael lee — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 20:12:44 +0000

I hear what you're saying. This is the tension for me though; Christ when here on earth portrayed fear of God as a virtue, the starting place for both salvation and wisdom. Following that, the early church saw fear of God as an essential component of continuing growth for believers. Finally, in Revelation, the picture of the post-ascension Christ is awful, fearsome.

I've got to wonder why the Holy Spirit decided to strike dead Ananias and Saphira, and further why Luke saw it as an important event for the wider church to read about in Acts. I think maybe it was a restatement that, even in this new intimacy, even in this new covenant of Grace, that the holy things of God (in this case the gifts and offering, the new covenant sacrifices) are to be handled with, if not fear and trembling, at least something like it.

Actually no, I would say fear and trembling is just about right.

By: aly h.

aly h. — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 19:20:27 +0000

Have to admit I’m really uncomfortable with this concept, and am not convinced that we should mourn the days we lived “in fear, in terror that mishandling the holy things of God will cause us to be struck dead…” I agree that the comfort of the sheep has inappropriately become a goal, but I don’t see Jesus incarnating a God who would have us cower in fear, either.

The shame of recurring sin and the need for recurring repentance does not cause me to scream in terror…and I think that’s OK. It’s frustrating, and humiliating sometimes, but it does not cause me to come “undone.” (Perhaps that’s not what you’re talking about.)

I belive humility is to be sought after at all costs, but I also believe true humility is a response to great love, not great fear. Bowing in reverence and adoration is a lot different than cringing in the corner.