A brief entry this time, again on the subject of worship. An oft-quoted couplet of verses is found in Hosea 6:6,7:
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
Here, God speaks through Hosea the clear truth that it is not in the mechanisms of worship that acceptance is granted to us. Our worship must be, as Christ noted to the Samaritan woman, "in Spirit and in Truth". God is not pleased when we go through the motions of his prescribed worship - for it is not in those motions that his pleasure arises - rather it is in the commitment of the heart.
Calvin notes a careful caveat to be taken note of in the reading of these verses, however:
This seems very strange; but the Prophet directed his discourse to the ungodly, who then abused the whole outward worship prescribed by the law: no wonder then that he thus spake of sacrifices. In the same manner also ought many other passages to be explained, which frequently occur in the Prophets. We now then see that God does not simply reject sacrifices, as far as he has enjoined them, but only condemns the abuse of them. And hence what I have already said ought to be remembered, that the Prophet here sets external rites in opposition to piety and faith, because hypocrites tear asunder things which are, as it were, inseparable: it is an impious divorce, when any one only obtrudes ceremonies on God, while he himself is void of piety. But as this disease commonly prevails among men, the Prophet adds a contrast between this fictitious worship and true religion.
In other words, we are NOT to take these verses as meaning that we simply dispense with any form at all and worship however we desire. We must still be bound by what Scripture says about worship (which is admittedly not much, but more than MANY are willing to be bound by). Let us take care to offer right worship to our God, in spirit and truth indeed.
Calvin closes each of his lectures (which comprise his commentaries) with a prayer, and I include here the prayer that is appended to this section in his commentary on Hosea.
Grant, Almighty God, that as we are prone to every kind of wickedness, and are so easily led away to imitate it, when there is any excuse for going astray and any opportunity is offered, - O grant, that being strengthened by the help of thy Spirit, we may continue in purity of faith, and that what we have learnt concerning thee, that thou art a Spirit, may so profit us, that we may worship thee in spirit and with a sincere heart, and never turn aside after the corruptions of the world, nor think that we can deceive thee; but may we so devote our souls and bodies to thee, that our life may in every part of it testify, that we are a pure and holy sacrifice to thee in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.Posted by toddpedlar at August 9, 2004 07:09 AM | TrackBack