Pensees: Vicarious Humanity

Vicarious Humanity

I unwittingly touched off a firestorm recently when I suggested that one method of approaching worship demonstrated what I perceived as a “low view” of God. Unfortunately for me, the dots were connected and individuals who felt themselves the target of my statement responded accordingly.

To be clear, I do not charge anyone with insincerity, but I do wonder why some who have built their case on the premise that anyone who worships differently than they do must have a low view of God should be offended that the suggestion be made that perhaps they are the ones with the low view.

But “low view” is harsh. I retract that. However, I wonder if some don’t have an incomplete view of God because they do not have a Gospel-centered worship. The Gospel is where God is most glorified.

I think that too many people (even when they refute decisionism) view the Gospel as a past event and not something that is currently in action, being fleshed out, in and through the Church. They think of worship as a human response to a holy God. This, in my opinion, would intensify the burden to offer only the very best at all times because the value of the worship hinges entirely on the quality of the human response. This would necessitate a classical education!! Yet. . .

Whatever else our faith is, it is a response to a Response already made for us and continually being made for us in Christ

I have seen very few people articulate this with such clarity as has Dan Cruver in his two articles, Gospel-centered Worship, Part One and Part Two.