{"id":4656,"date":"2006-03-23T20:08:23","date_gmt":"2006-03-24T02:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=4656"},"modified":"2019-07-20T09:05:07","modified_gmt":"2019-07-20T14:05:07","slug":"who-is-closer-to-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-is-closer-to-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Closer to God?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\tby Bob Pulliam\n

\"Candle<\/a>Now don’t get me wrong! This is not a contest mentality being advocated here. But the question does enter my mind. I surfed over a channel the other day where people had the lights dimmed low, all were holding candles and swaying while singing\u00a0Alleluia<\/em>. I’m not trying to poke fun at anyone … this is a serious question that I believe is worthy of consideration … Do we not get close to God with the lights on? Do we not get close to God if we do not violate Fire Marshal’s ordinances and light hundreds of candles? Do we not get close to God if we do not sway and close our eyes while we sing? I’m serious!<\/p>\n

Let me give you a simple, and realistic scenario here. Someone comes to worship with us on Sunday morning, and we sing\u00a0Alleluia<\/em>. The lights are on, eyes are open, and no one is swaying. That same visitor goes across town on Sunday evening and sings the same song with the lights off, candles lit, eyes closed, bodies swaying. The visitor goes away saying, “I felt so much closer to God this evening than I did this morning.” Are you with me on this? … I don’t like to be critical, but there is more than one vital problem here. Let me lay them out for you:<\/p>\n

\"Emotional<\/a><\/p>\n\n

    \n
  1. This person bases “closeness” to God on feelings. Would you find that in the Bible for me? Where did people in the Bible seek a relationship with God based on emotion? The Bible does speak of the heart in our service to God, but did you know that the emotions are only a fraction of what the word heart refers to in Scripture? About one-fourth to be more precise … The heart refers to the intellect of man (Matthew 9:4;\u00a0Mark 2:8); the will of man (II Corinthians 9:7;\u00a0I Corinthians 7:37); the conscience of man (Acts 2:37); and the emotions (which I doubt that we need to give Scripture for, since that seems to be all some people see in this word … but here’s one,\u00a0Psalms 33:21).<\/li>\n
  2. This person cannot “get close” to God without external stimulation. That’s not just wrong \u2014 that’s pitiful. Now you can call this judging all you want, but such does not erase the fact that this person needs external stimuli to feel close to God! I can understand how someone can be moved by external stimuli, but being moved by such does not make one closer to God. It just makes you feel closer! Buddhist monks are around darkened rooms and candles every day, but it doesn’t make them better people or closer to any so-called deity.<\/li>\n
  3. This person will not allow the true basis of being close to God as a guide for their lives. They think that basis is emotion, but the Bible says otherwise. They think that their emotions are God calling them and drawing them, and is evidence of their “knowing the Lord”. John wrote, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.<\/em>” (I John 2:3) By what do we “know Him”? The way we feel? John went on to write, “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.<\/em>” (I John 2:4) But didn’t Jesus say, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.<\/em>“? (John 6:44) We commonly hear people talk about how God was calling them in this way or that way. They will go to this verse to verify their conviction. But wait! Read the next verse: “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.<\/em>” (John 6:45). How does God draw people? By hearing and learning, not emotional feelings. Consider the conversions in Acts for a moment. Which of those cases ever involved God calling through emotions? Shouldn’t that tell you something?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The danger here is very great. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.<\/em>” (Romans 10:17). Faith, based on feelings, has these warnings to contend with: “He who trust in his own heart is a fool.<\/em>” (Proverbs 28:26). “There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.<\/em>” (Proverbs 14:12). “I know, 0 Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his own steps<\/em>.” (Jeremiah 10:23) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.<\/em>” (Proverbs 3:5) Feeling saved, or good about one’s self is a dangerous business (Matthew 7:21-23). Our feelings should be based on our faithfully fulfilling the word of God. By this, we will know that we know Him, and our joy may rest in truth, rather than subjective feelings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    by Bob Pulliam Now don’t get me wrong! This is not a contest mentality being advocated here. But the question does enter my mind. I surfed over a channel the other day where people had the lights dimmed low, all were holding candles and swaying while singing\u00a0Alleluia. I’m not trying to poke fun at anyone…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[727,84],"class_list":["post-4656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-emotionalism","tag-worship"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":62696,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-heart-felt-religion\/","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":0},"title":"A Heart-Felt Religion?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 14, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It seems many people today are struggling with the concept of worship. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Suppose a visitor comes to worship with us. We sing a song of praise to God. The lights are on, eyes are open, no one is swaying with hands in the air. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This same\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":66630,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-head-covering-be-worn-while-singing\/","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":1},"title":"Should a head covering be worn while singing?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 17, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question regarding the head covering. My current practice is to cover my head whenever praying, in or out of the worship. And I generally wear it throughout the worship period. But I do not normally cover it for singing outside of the worship. However, the question\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8647,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-i-am-just-not-able-to-get-out-can-i-worship-at-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":2},"title":"If I am just not able to get out, can I worship at home?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 6, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a very serious question. In some of your answers to others, you have pointed out that to have a worship service alone on Sunday at home is not really what is acceptable, except for when we choose to worship God by ourselves at other times during the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14318,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-okay-to-listen-to-instrumental-christian-music-outside-of-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":3},"title":"Is it okay to listen to instrumental “Christian” music outside of worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Someone asked me this question and I would like your opinion. I looked on your great web site but didn't see it addressed. A young lady asked me if it is okay to listen to \"Christian rock\" or instrumental (\"Christian\") songs outside of worship. I would appreciate your opinion.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53005,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/hymns-and-opportunity-cost\/","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":4},"title":"Hymns and Opportunity Cost","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Matthew W. Bassford As a rule, people have trouble understanding the importance of what they can't see. We prefer buying a big-screen TV to saving for retirement, so we benefit from ideas that help us to reckon with the unseen. Of these, one of my favorites is the concept\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":20629,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-we-know-that-the-songs-we-are-using-are-acceptable-to-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":4656,"position":5},"title":"How do we know that the songs we are using are acceptable to God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 24, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thank you for your\u00a0review of\u00a0Sacred Songs of the Church. Some of your comments really got me to thinking about the songs we sing in our worship services. I love God with all my heart and pray that I am doing what He commands. 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