In recent days my wife’s caregiver has been playing “worship songs” sung by a lady singer. The songs have the flavor of modern love songs – in the style of songs our new generation sings to their beloved one.
On the surface, these “praise” songs (as they are also called) proclaim the glory and majesty of God as everlasting Creator, loving Savior from sin and death, sure Guide of our way, Hope in our dark days, etc. They all sound Okay and legit.
But, as I continue to listen to these songs, in back of my mind I ask, “Is this type of worship really acceptable to God? Is He really pleased with hearing them?” Or would the words of Amos 5:23-24 thunder above the crescendo of these praise songs? –
Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.”
Instead, God demands:
But let justice run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.
During His earthly ministry Jesus confronted the hollow worship of the Jewish religious leaders of His day – the Pharisees. He considered their worship as Amos did Israel’s worship in his day. Quoting Isaiah 28:13, Jesus said, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:6-7). Psalm 119:173 plainly says that “All the commandments of God are righteousness.” In this particular instance, Jesus was reacting to the Jews’ “tradition of men” which they observed strictly, but in doing so they were actually “laying aside the commandment of God” (Mark 7:8).
We could make a similar comment on the contemporary evangelical churches, which promote the type of “praise” songs such as those I hear often played by our caregiver. While these churches sing these “love songs” to God or to Jesus, do they also “lay aside the commandment of God”?
For one thing, most of these churches sing these praise songs during their religious services, which are usually held on Sunday, which they erroneously call “the Lord’s day.”
But this is camouflaging a great transgression of God’s plain commandment in regard to the day of worship He has made: the holy Sabbath day – the seventh day of the week, which most call “Saturday” (Exodus 20:8-11).
Evangelicals reason that the day does not matter, as long as one worships from the heart. But they forget from whose heart their worship on Sundays has arisen. Sunday worship was ordained by the Roman Catholic Church, in direct opposition to the Sabbath of God! [See: “Changing the Times and Law” and “Protestants and Sunday Keeping.”]
The same comment can be made of the evangelicals’ observance of holidays different from the holy days and feasts which God Himself commanded His people to observe (Leviticus 23). [See: https://www.herbert-armstrong.org, click ENTER HERE, select “Books & Booklets,” and scroll down to the booklets titled “God’s Holy Days or Pagan Holidays – Which?” and “Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?”]
Another “doctrine” or “commandment of men” which evangelicals follow and teach is that regarding the kinds of animal flesh we are to eat as God’s holy people. [See: “Did Christ Cleanse All Meats?”]
Some evangelicals have also been at the forefront in promoting the LGBTQ+ community’s agenda. [See: “The Rainbow Connection” and “The Conversion Therapy Controversy.”]
We need to reflect on Jesus’ words concerning true worship: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:22-24). [See: “True Worship.”]
Jesus said, “Your [God’s] word is truth” (John 17:17). He also said, “The words I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:13).
May all of us learn to worship God acceptably – in spirit and truth!
Pedro R. Meléndez, Jr.
15022026/25042026