Essentials of Religion (xii)

Memorial Ceremonies

Another rite in the Christian religion is what is called "The Lord's Supper," "Communion," or the "Eucharist." It is similar to the Jewish Passover. Jesus instituted it the night of his betrayal during a celebration of the Passover with the twelve original apostles. He used the same unleavened bread and "fruit of the vine" (wine) that was used in the Passover to institute his Supper. The main passages describing this institution are these: Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:14-20, and from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Let us cite the latter passage.

"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes." (I Cor. 11: 23-26 nkjv)

This shows that the Lord's Supper was a ritual that was ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ to be a memorial of his sacrificial death. It was also intended to "proclaim the Lord's death." Both water baptism and the Lord's Supper teach Gospel truth by symbols and figures. However, water baptism is more of an initiation ritual rather than a memorial. Jesus said:

"Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” (John 6: 26-27 nkjv)

Here Jesus speaks of eating a food that does not perish and which gives and assures the one eating of eternal life. This imperishable food is set in contrast to "the loaves" of bread that Christ miraculously fed the multitude with previously and which bread was physical. In the old testament we read of where Elijah the prophet was supplied with food by an angel and that "he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God." (I Kings 19: 8 nkjv) The bread of Christ however lasts forever.

The food or bread which Jesus urges the people to pursue obtaining and eating is one which is not of the same kind, being spiritual food. Said Jesus further:

"Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (30-35)

Jesus says that he is the bread of life for the hungry and the superior drink for the thirsty. So, how does one eat Christ? That is the chief question. Said Jesus further:

"I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (48-51)

This eating of Christ is not a reference to partaking of the ritual of the Lord's Supper for that had not even been instituted as yet when Christ spoke these words. A person partakes of Christ when he receives him and the story of him into his heart and mind so that he, like food, becomes part of that person. This is done when a person believes in Christ and trusts him for salvation. Christ is taken into the soul and spirit as food is taken into the stomach. Jesus continued:

"52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.” (52-58)

Yes indeed, how do we eat Christ, eat his flesh, or body, and how do we drink in Christ, drink his blood? Certainly not literally for this would be cannibalism. Rather, it is metaphorical. Christ is received with the heart and mind and not with the mouth. The Lord's Supper that would be later instituted by Christ would become a picture or symbolic representation of this receiving of Christ into the soul. "The words design a spiritual eating of Christ by faith" (Gill's commentary). 

Eating the unleavened bread in the Lord's Supper is a picture and representation of a soul partaking of the flesh and body of Christ by faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Drinking the wine of the Supper is a picture of a soul partaking of the blood of Christ by faith in the blood. So the apostle Paul says - " Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood" (Rom. 3: 25 kjv). Faith in the blood is a receiving of the blood, of experiencing the effects of the blood, of the blood being applied and appropriated. So we read of those who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7: 14 nkjv) This is metaphorical of course. 

Recall how I referred to this text: "For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast..." (I Cor. 5: 7-8 nkjv) We keep the feast by daily feasting in our minds upon the sacrifice of Christ for our atonement for sin and reconciliation with God. Recall also how when we spoke of the Christian altar that we cited Hebrews 13: 10 where the apostle says emphatically "we have an altar" and speaks of Christians becoming "partakers of the altar."

By drinking in the words of God and of the gospel message and what they declare of Christ we eat Christ. Similarly we read where the prophet Jeremiah said: "Your words were found, and I ate them" (Jer. 15: 16 nkjv). Again, this is obviously a metaphor for we cannot imagine that he means that he ate the paper upon which were written the words of God.

Though Christians eat literal bread and drink literal wine in the Lord's Supper they only analogically eat the body of Christ and drink his blood. We see this exemplified in these words of Paul:

"Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food,  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness." (I Cor. 10: 1-5 nkjv)

The food and drink that the Jews who were redeemed from bondage ate and drank was literal and yet it was also "spiritual" because it was a metaphor, the natural being emblematic of the spiritual. So too when Christians literally partake of the sacrifice of Christ, of his body and blood, they also are partaking of what is spiritual and only the inner spirit and mind of a man can eat what is spiritual. 

Solomon said: "he who is of a cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Prove. 15: 15) So does the Christian for he eats the word of God and of the true bread of life. Said the risen Lord: "if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Rev. 3: 20 kjv) This inner feast takes place in the heart and mind, in the thoughts of every true believer. What a blessed feast is this!

Water baptism and the Lord's Supper are the leading two rituals of Christianity. They exceed in glory and significance in comparison to the rituals of all other religions. 

Essentials of Religion (xi)

In this chapter we will focus on another essential of religion, which is number nine on our original list, i.e. "Rites and Ceremonies." 

Most religions have Rites and Ceremonies. Christianity is no exception, although it has fewer rites than other religions, including what rites and ceremonies God ordained in the old testament (Judaism). What is the purpose of these rites and ceremonies? Many religions have an abundance of rituals and ceremonies. They have so many that they have become burdensome to the worshipers, especially if we add "religious traditions" to the category. In the old covenant that Jehovah made with the Israelites through Moses in the Torah there are numerous laws, statutes, ordinances, rituals, etc. But the Jewish leadership added numerous traditions to the religion God ordained and these often served to undermine the religion. Said Jesus to these leaders:

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." (Mark 7: 8-9,13 nkjv)

On the other hand, there are legitimate traditions. Wrote the apostle Paul:

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." (II Thess. 2: 15 nkjv)

Christianity has traditions such as praying before meals, women praying with head coverings and men praying without them (I Cor. 11), greeting fellow believers with an embrace or "holy kiss" (Rom. 16: 16; etc.), "laying on of hands" (Heb. 6: 2), giving benedictions, etc. Catholics have other traditions, such as giving the sign of the cross on their breasts when praying. The danger with any religion is that there perhaps occurs a proliferation of such traditions which leads people to think that the essence of religion consists in these things. There is also the danger that numerous regulations will lead to people becoming legalistic and nitpicking. Jesus had much to say against the Pharisees for this very thing.

"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments...Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" (Matt. 23: 4-5; 23-24 nkjv)

In the early church there were some who thought that the Gentile believers should be circumcised and keep the old covenant's many traditions, and there was even a church council held in the Jerusalem church over the question and Peter gave what would become the general sentiment of the assembled apostles and elders. He asked: 

"Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" (Acts 15: 10 kjv)

That "yoke" was the observance of all the old testament's rules and regulations, and of the numerous traditions that men added to the divine instructions. 

In Christianity there is no proliferation of rules, for that would be contrary to "the simplicity" of it, as we have previously stated. (II Cor. 11: 3) We have seen where the apostle John said that the commandments of the Lord Jesus in the new covenant are not burdensome or grievous. Christ said that his "yoke is easy and his burden light." (Matt. 11: 30) That was in contrast to the Jew's religion in the time of Christ when the religious leaders did "bind heavy burdens" that are "hard to bear" on the worshipers. 

Other more major traditions or rites are water baptism, the Lord's Supper, meeting on the first day of the week for corporate worship, and the things done when assembled, such as singing, preaching, praying, and giving, etc. Some Christians also practice feet washing.  There are also ordination ceremonies for elders, bishops, deacons, etc. 

Purification Rituals

The only purification ritual in Christianity is water baptism. In Christian doctrine there is the visible symbol of moral and spiritual cleansing and the invisible. The invisible does not depend upon the visible, that is, one may be clean in spirit and mind without having been ceremoniously cleansed in water baptism. However, there is not complete agreement among Christians about baptism, some believing that it is essential for actual cleansing from sin while others think not, believing rather that it was intended to be a sign or symbol of salvation. The debate over how water baptism purifies from sin goes back to the day when John the Baptist (baptizer) began this rite. So we read:

"Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. For John had not yet been thrown into prison. Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification." (John 3: 23-25 nkjv)

Baptism has something to do with purification. The question is, however, "what is that something?" Some Christians believe that water baptism is the act wherein a sinner is cleansed of sin and guilt, but that is an error. The Orthodox view, however, says that water baptism is a rite that symbolizes that cleansing, and that it occurred prior to baptism when the sinner believed and repented. However, having said this we can say that water baptism does purify penitent sinners ceremoniously. What do we mean by that? Notice this text:

"Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1: 40-44 nkjv)

When Jesus told the leper who he had cleansed by his word to go and "offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded" he obviously does not mean that the man had to do those things in order to obtain his actual cleansing for he was already cleansed when Christ gave him this exhortation. So, it was a ceremonial cleansing. So too is water baptism a ceremonial cleansing, an outward sign of what had already occurred inwardly. It was a visible representation of what had occurred invisibly in the mind, soul, and spirit. That is what is meant in Jesus' telling the cleansed leper to go and offer for his cleansing "as a testimony." We see this in the case of the conversion of persecuting Saul who became the apostle Paul. So we read:

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'" (Acts 22: 16 nkjv)

Baptism washes away sin pictorially and ceremonially. It is a memorial rite. The apostle Peter wrote:

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 3: 21 kjv)

Baptism is not a bath to cleanse the body of dirt, but is a "like figure" of the internal cleansing of the soul, mind, and spirit that occurs in "the washing of regeneration" (Titus 3: 5) when a sinner believes and repents. It is a ceremonial cleansing designed to be a memorial or outward sign of inward grace. 

Water baptism serves several purposes. It is intended to symbolize and formalize a soul's salvation. It is a picture of that mystical washing of both the blood of Christ and of the word of God. Water baptism is a picture of being baptized in the spirit by the Holy Spirit. But it is also a "rite of passage" or rite of initiation. It is a way for the believer to publicly identify with Christ and his people.

Initiation Rites

Baptism represents a new beginning. Jesus himself was baptized, which fact shows that water baptism was not intended to wash away sins nor to make someone a child of God. Christ was already the Son of God before his baptism, but baptism did openly manifest or declare this fact. Baptism marks the formal beginning of the Christian life and is therefore an initiation rather than a graduation ceremony. With only a very few exceptions, such as with the Quakers, water baptism is practiced. 

Got Questions web page (See here) says this (emphasis mine):

"Historically, baptism has been used as a rite of initiation, showing the inductee’s entrance into a new belief or observance. Baptism in the church is also a token of the forgiveness of sins we experience at salvation—in much the same way that Pilate attempted to show his innocence by washing his hands with water (Matthew 27:24), Christians show they are cleansed by Christ when they are baptized by water."

Water baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, which is the core teaching of Christianity and of the Gospel. (Rom. 6: 3-6) When a believer is baptized he makes public the fact that he identifies with Christ, and believes in, the good news. This is why infants are not to be baptized. They are not able to publicly believe, repent, or confess their sins or their faith. There is not a single instance or command in the new testament for baptizing any but believers, certainly no infants. 

The Jews in the old testament had many purification rituals and baptisms. So Paul in Hebrews speaks of the ritualistic religion of the old testament, saying that it was "concerned only with foods and drinks, and various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation." (Heb. 9: 10 nkjv) These purification rituals are no longer practiced under the new covenant. However, Paul does speak of the Christian faith as including a plurality of baptisms. Wrote Paul:

"Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits." (Heb. 6: 1-3 nkjv)

Barnes' Notes on the Bible writes the following on the words "Of the doctrine of baptisms": 

"This is mentioned as the third element or principle of the Christian religion. The Jews made much of various kinds of "washings," which were called "baptisms;" see the note on Mark 7:4. It is supposed also, that they were in the practice of baptizing proselytes to their religion; see the note on Matthew 3:6. Since they made so much of various kinds of ablution, it was important that the true doctrine on the subject should be stated as one of the elements of the Christian religion, that they might be recalled from superstition, and that they might enjoy the benefits of what was designed to be an important aid to piety - the true doctrine of baptisms. It will be observed that the plural form is used here - "baptisms." There are two baptisms whose necessity is taught by the Christian religion - baptism by water, and by the Holy Spirit; the first of which is an emblem of the second."

I also think that by "the doctrine of baptisms" is a reference to the fact that in Christianity and in the new covenant is the reality to which all old covenant baptisms and washings and purification rituals pointed to. All external washings, whether of the old covenant or the new, are pictorial representations of internal washings. This internal cleansing is effected by "the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5: 26), and by the mystical application of the blood of Christ, or an invisible baptism in blood. John the apostle spoke of confessing sinners and saints being cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ. (I John 1: 7) 

There are few rites and ceremonies in Christianity so that we may say that it is not a highly ritualistic religion. It has more than Islam, but far less than in Hinduism and many polytheistic religions. 

In the next chapter we will look at other rites and ceremonies in Christianity.

Essentials of Religion (x)

In this chapter we will speak of the seventh and tenth items in our original list of the essentials of religion, which are related, dealing with Religious Rules and Regulations and Oracles and Sacred Writings and will show how Christianity has the preeminence in this area. This would include a set of core beliefs or doctrine, inspired writings or holy books, and instruction concerning God and how to please him and how to find salvation and eternal life. It seems appropriate that in concluding this series that we should also lump together the other essentials of religion along with the two mentioned above, for again, they are all related. Those other essentials were Sacrifices, Rites and Ceremonies,  Holy or Feast Days, Religious Duties (religious life), Creed or Confession of Faith, and Belief and religious feelings. This will take a few chapters to address.

Such rules and regulations contain a moral code of conduct, statutes and laws, with their prescribed punishments. Included also is each religion's theology, or body of divinity, derived from accepted holy scriptures and from the teachings of the founders or representatives of each religion. For instance, in Christianity the ten commandments of the old testament form the basis of the new testament's code of conduct. On top of this are the teachings of Christ and his apostles. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, and the Hadith, which contain the Prophet Muhammad's sayings and actions, serve as foundational texts for Islamic ethics and morality. 

"Hindu codes of conduct, or ethics, are drawn from a wide range of sacred texts, with the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, and Ramayana being among the most prominent. These texts provide guidance on various aspects of life, including moral behavior, social practices, and spiritual principles." (AI) 

We could expand on the survey of the world's leading religions, but will focus on the Christian religion and on seeing how again Christianity is superior in its ethics, philosophy, theology, knowledge, wisdom, doctrine, laws, ideals, hopes and promises, and its visions of a better world.

Christianity is superior because it recognizes only the one true God, known in the old testament as Elohim, Yahweh (or Jehovah or "I Am That I Am"). In the Greek new testament he is more commonly known as "Father" ('pater'), "God" ('theos'), "Lord" ('kurios') or as the "Almighty," "Creator" or "Maker," etc. But God is also known as the "Son of God," and in a sense which makes him equal with God, or one with the Father. He too is called "God" in the new testament. (John 1:1; 20:28; Matt. 1: 23; 2 Peter 1:1; Heb. 1: 8) That does not mean, however, that Christianity believes that the Father and Son are two distinct gods. Just like a man and a woman are two and yet one, so too is Christ and the Father two and yet one. Christ said "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30), which statement provoked many of the Jews to want to stone him for supposed blasphemy. The Christian creed confesses: "for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live." (I Cor. 8: 6 nkjv)

Christianity is superior in its beliefs because God has spoken to men through his Son.

"1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." (Heb. 1: 1-4 nkjv)

The books of the new testament are the result of this coming of Christ and of the giving of new divine oracles, either by himself or through the Holy Spirit via the apostles and new testament men of God. Jesus said:

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." (John 15: 15 nkjv)

Luke the physician and historian wrote:

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen." (Acts 1: 1-2 kjv)

What greater source of faith, doctrine, ethics, and of the way of salvation is there? Muslims, though they confess that Jesus was a prophet, yet believe that Muhammad was greater and left a greater revelation. Also, though they believe Jesus revealed God's truth and will, accepting some of what is in the new testament, yet they pick and choose what they accept. Anything in the new testament books that contradicts Muslim teachings is cast aside under the pretense that the things they say that Jesus said are not actually his words, but additions to the new testament by uninspired men. They say this even though there is little historical evidence to prove their claims. There is far more reliability to the Gospel records than there is for the Quran. 

Islam, it may be argued, is but an offshoot of Christianity and has much in common with Arianism, a false doctrine that denies the deity of Christ the Son of God, and which error is believed by certain "Christian" sects such as the Unitarians and Jehovah's Witnesses. Muslims stumble at the idea that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh, and that God is a Trinity of persons. They stumble at the idea that Jesus died on the cross, and that it was as a sacrifice for sin. They also deny the bodily resurrection of Christ, although they believe in a general resurrection of all men.

If you do a Google search with the words "Islam is a schism from Christianity" you will get "no" for an answer. But, this is because AI sees in the literature that Islam does not see itself as a schism from Christianity. But, many historians will affirm that it is such. However, we may similarly ask whether Mormonism and Catholicism are not also schisms from Christianity. Though these sects have cast off several new testament teachings, yet they still hold to some of them, and were once a part of the Christian community.

Islam believes that Jesus was a prophet and yet they do not have any way to know where to find his teachings, for everything that claims to be his teachings, such as the new testament, are to them suspect and unreliable. Why would God, however, preserve Muhammad's teachings but not Jesus' teachings? When a Muslim reads the four Christian Gospels (that give the direct teachings of Jesus), whatever he thinks is in agreement with Islam he claims was really spoken by Jesus, but whatever contradicts Islam is rejected. Just because Islam rejects the idea of being an offshoot of Christianity does not mean that it is not, and the same may be said in regard to Mormonism, Catholicism, Unitarianism, etc. 

So, what are the core beliefs of Christianity? Do they practice all that was commanded in the old testament? Do they follow the ten commandments? What parts of the old testament's laws do they practice?

The ten commandments are accepted by Christians except that the way of observing the Sabbath as a holy day has changed. The apostles taught that it was no longer binding on Christians of the new covenant to keep the weekly Sabbath, yet many Christians do observe the weekly Sabbath, some on Saturday, and some on Sunday, believing that the Sabbath day was changed from the seventh day to the first day of the week. But the apostles taught that the old testament Sabbath or Sabbaths (for there were other kinds) now became something to be enjoyed and observed by the Christian every day. This is because Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. He said: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Luke 6:5) He also said "come unto me all you who labor and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11: 28), that is, give them Sabbath rest. This rest is enjoyed every day. This is the true Sabbath of which the old covenant weekly Sabbath was but an inferior type. Wrote Paul to the Hebrews: "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God." (Heb. 4: 9 niv) This Sabbath rest however is not the weekly Sabbath, as the context shows, but is what the Christian celebrates every day. 

In fact, Christians have no holy days, nor any animal sacrifices, nor any feasts, nor any special religious diets. Said Paul to the Galatians who were being tempted to go back under the old covenant: "You observe days and months and seasons and years...I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain." (Gal. 4: 10-11 nkjv) To the Colossians he said: "So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." (Col. 2: 16-17 nkjv) 

Though many Christians keep a weekly Sabbath, and observe holy days such as Christmas and Easter, these are done without any commandment to do so. Paul said that Christians have something better, affirming that those who observe such holidays only have a "shadow" of things, but do not have "the substance." Those who have the antitype (literal reality) are superior to those who only have the type (symbol). For the Christian every day is a holy day. Only the weak religionist observes days and dietary laws, the strong ones, i.e. Christians, see every day as the same. (Rom. 14: 5) This is also true in regard to religious feasts. We have already spoken of how Christians are exhorted to "keep the Passover feast" (I Cor. 5: 8) when he partakes of Christ in his inner spirit, soul and mind, when he enjoys God's presence and his Gospel. All the seven feasts God ordained to be observed by his ancient people are no longer observed for they have been superseded by the reality to which they pointed. 

In addition to keeping the ten commandments Christians believe that they are summed up in two commandments. So we read of this encounter by a lawyer with Christ:

"Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,  "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"  Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 22: 35-40 nkjv)

Jesus also summed up the old testament law and Prophets with what is called the "golden rule," given in these words:

"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 7: 12 nkjv)

As we will see, Christians do have a superior moral code as summed up in these words of Christ. They are not onerous either, although a man's depravity may make a man think they are such. The apostle John said: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." (I John 5: 3 nkjv) 

The new testament does condemn various vices and promotes various virtues. For instance, it values humility and denounces pride and hubris. It promotes heavenly wisdom and condemns worldly or devilish wisdom. It promotes knowledge, but condemns "knowledge falsely so called." (I Tim. 6: 20) It also says that knowledge without love is useless. (I Cor. 13: 2) It affirms that the knowledge of God is to be prioritized above all other knowledge. It promotes love to God and neighbor as we have seen, but it also gives us a clear definition of love. Wrote Paul by the Spirit:

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." (I Cor. 13: 4-8 nkjv)

The Christian code of conduct and system of belief are not complicated but simple. So the apostle Paul warned Christians about having their "minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (II Cor. 11: 3 nkjv)

We also see the superiority of Christ's moral code in what are called the "beatitudes." These are given in Christ's first sermon in Matthew chapter five.

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (vs. 3-12 nkjv)

What an excellent and superior code of conduct does Christianity have!

Essentials of Religion (ix)

Altar of Incense

The above picture is of the altar of incense that God, as architect, designed for use in the temple of the Jews under the old covenant. Concerning the altar of incense, Got Questions web page (See here) says this (emphasis mine):

"Aaron was instructed to burn incense on the altar each morning and at twilight, every day, as a regular offering to the Lord (Exodus 30:7–8). God gave the recipe for making the incense and stipulated that no other incense ever be burned on the altar (verses 34–38). The fire used to burn the incense was always taken from the altar of burnt offering outside the sanctuary (Leviticus 16:12). Never was the altar of incense to be used for a burnt offering, a grain offering, or a drink offering (Exodus 30:9). Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest was to put blood on the horns of the altar of incense to cleanse it. The altar of incense was called “most holy to the Lord” (verse 10)."

It was the sacrificial altar and its sacrifice that gave the altar of incense its effectiveness. So too, as we will see, does the sacrifice of Christ on the altar of Calvary give efficacy to the altar of incense, which is an altar of prayer. The blood of the sacrifice sprinkled on the altar of incense made it worthy, sanctifying it. The same source continues:

"In Scripture, incense is often associated with prayer. David prayed, “May my prayer be set before you like incense” (Psalm 141:2). In his vision of heaven, John saw that the elders around the throne “were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people” (Revelation 5:8; cf. 8:3). As Zechariah the priest was offering incense in the temple in Luke 1:10, “all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.”"

Notice the references to Revelation 5:8 and 8: 3. On those verses we will have a closer look shortly.

The same source continues:

"The altar of incense, then, can be seen as a symbol of the prayers of God’s people. Our prayers ascend to God as the smoke of the incense ascended in the sanctuary. As the incense was burned with fire from the altar of burnt offering, our prayers must be kindled with heaven’s grace. The fact that the incense was always burning means that we should always pray (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). The altar of incense was holy to the Lord and was atoned for with the blood of the sacrifice; it is the blood of Christ applied to our hearts that makes our prayers acceptable. Our prayers are holy because of Jesus’ sacrifice, and therefore they are pleasing to God."

As we pointed out in the previous chapter, Christians can say with the apostle Paul - "we have an altar." (Heb. 13: 10) This is not the same altar that the Jews in the old testament had, though it is a type of the Christian altar. Christians have an altar in their hearts by the presence of God within. When Paul says "we have an altar" he is alluding to the sacrificial altar and not the altar of incense for he says of that altar that some eat from the sacrifice upon it while others cannot eat of it. 

The same source continues:

"The altar of incense can also be seen as a picture of the intercession of Christ. Just as the altar of sacrifice in the courtyard was a type of Christ’s death on our behalf, the altar of incense in the Holy Place was a type of Christ’s mediation on our behalf—Christ’s work on earth and in heaven. The altar of incense was situated before the mercy-seat of the Ark—a picture of our Advocate’s standing in the presence of the Father (Hebrews 7:25; 9:24). The incense was to be burning continually on the altar of incense, which shows the perpetual nature of Christ’s mediation. Christ’s intercession on our behalf is a sweet-smelling savor to God."

As we will see, there is an altar in the heavenly temple. When we wrote upon the Christian temple we spoke of the temple which is in heaven. In that temple there is an altar. Christ's mediation and intercessory prayers are offered in conjunction with that altar. 

The same source continues:

"It is beautiful to know that God considers the prayers of believers to be like a sweet smell of incense. Because of Christ, we can now enter God’s holy presence by faith, with full assurance (Mark 15:38; Hebrews 4:16). We offer our prayers upon the altar, trusting in Jesus, our eternal, perfect, and faithful High Priest (Hebrews 10:19–23)."

Again, this is not a physical altar on earth but a sanctified place in the heart from which the believer may come to God in his thoughts and prayers. It is the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that creates this altar of prayer. It is also what makes the prayers of all to ascend and to be pleasing to the Lord as the sweet smell of incense. 

The Heavenly Altar

"When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held." (Rev. 6: 9 nkjv)

In the Book of Revelation, the word "altar" (Greek: "thusiasterion") appears eight times, with seven of those instances referring to the golden altar of incense. The other instance likely refers to the altar of sacrifice of burnt offering. In this place, however, the allusion seems to be to the altar of sacrifice. That seems appropriate in the context and reference to the Christian martyrs, their martyrdom being viewed as sacrifices.

This is evident in verses like Philippians 2:17 and II Timothy 4: 6, where Paul describes himself as being "poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith." This imagery of being offered up like a sacrificial offering, coupled with Paul's willingness to suffer for the sake of the gospel, points to a recognition of his death as a sacrifice for the faith. 

"Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake." (Rev. 8: 3-5 nkjv)

"The incense was to be mingled with the prayers of the saints. The incense was added to give a fragrance to the prayers of the saints, and render them acceptable before God...The whole is symbolical of the truth, that the prayers of all the saints need to be rendered acceptable by the infusion of some divine element. The best prayers of the best saints are weak, and polluted and imperfect at the best. The incense which is added to the prayers is not supplied by the angel: it is first given to him, and he then mingles it with the prayers of all saints. It is hard to forget here Him whose offering and sacrifice became a savour of sweet smell (Ephesians 5:1-2)." (Ellicott's commentary; emphasis mine) 

It is the sacrifice on the altar of sacrifice that makes all prayer and all work done for God acceptable. Thus the altar of sacrifice takes precedence over the altar of incense. Also, the mediatorial prayers of Christ are what makes the prayers of believers effectual. 

"Christ is here introduced as the high priest, advocate, and intercessor for his people, though both altars may be respected in this verse: "the altar" may design the altar of burnt offering from whence the coals were taken in the censer; and the "golden altar" the altar of incense where the coals being brought the incense was put upon them, and offered; and here he "stood" as everyone concerned in the service of the sanctuary did." (Gill's commentary)

Though the Christian religion no longer has on earth an altar of sacrifice or altar of incense, yet they do have what those old testament altars depicted or signified. As previously stated, the Christian altar of sacrifice is Christ, and the sacrificial offering is Christ' human body; And, the altar of incense is an altar of prayer, though it is not a physical altar on earth, though it is so in the heavenly temple. Notice that Gill shows that the altar of sacrifice is what gives the altar of incense its acceptableness. 

"...and there was given unto him much incense; the intercession of Christ is meant by "the incense", which, like that, is sweet and fragrant, very grateful and acceptable to God and also pure and holy; for though it is made for transgressors, yet in a way of righteousness, and consistent with the holiness and justice of God; nor is there any like it, nor should there be any besides it; the intercession of angels, and saints departed, ought to be rejected: and it is perpetual, or will be for ever..." (Gill)

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross was also sweet smelling as Paul said: "And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Eph. 5: 2) He also wrote: "For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."  (II Cor.2: 15)

"...for incense was put upon the burning coals in the censer, or upon the fire before the Lord, Leviticus 16:13, signifying that Christ's intercession proceeds upon his sufferings and death: his blood and sacrifice, from whence all his pleas and arguments are taken in favour of his people, and which always prevail..." (Gill)

This is what we discover by the heavenly scene in Revelation chapter eight. 

"...these are spiritual sacrifices, which Christ the high priest presents for the saints, perfumes with the incense of his mediation, and makes acceptable to God, being offered upon, and coming up from that altar which is before him, and which gives value to everything that is put upon it: and they are the prayers of saints..." (Gill) 

That is the main message of that heavenly scene and of the other texts that affirm these principles of truth. 

The Christian Altar

Recall that Paul said that "We have an altar." (Heb. 13: 10) 

"There is a certain militant emphasis on the words in the original, as if they were an assertion of something that had been denied. Who the deniers are is plain enough. They were the adherents of Judaism, who naturally found Christianity a strange contrast to their worship, of which altar and sacrifice were prominent features." (MacLaren's Expositions) 

Not only is it true of Jews and their religion, but also of all other religions who look upon Christianity and say "where is your temple? Where is your priesthood? Where are your altars?" Etc. Paul states it emphatically "we Christians have an altar," and that altar is superior in every way. It is upon this altar that we feast upon the sacrifice of Christ (keep the Passover feast) and offer our prayers. It is upon this altar that we confess our sins and find forgiveness and salvation.

In Luke 18:13, the tax collector's prayer, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner," can be understood in terms of propitiation. While the word "merciful" translates the Greek word "hilaskesthai," which also means "propitiate," and leads us to believe that the praying sinner is looking to the altar and its sacrifice as he prays this prayer. So too has everyone who has become a Christian. He in his thoughts kneels at the foot of the cross and says "God be propitious to me by accepting this sacrifice of Christ on the altar of Calvary in my stead." Many Christian songs speak of this, such as the song "At Calvary" the beginning lines of which say:

"Years I spent in vanity and pride, 

Caring not my Lord was crucified, 

Knowing not it was for me He died 

On Calvary. 

Mercy there was great, and grace was free;

Pardon there was multiplied to me;

There my burdened soul found liberty, 

At Calvary"

"Just as to heathen nations the ritual of Judaism, its empty shrine, and temple without a God, were a puzzle and a scoff, so to heathen and Jew, the bare, starved worship of the Church, without temple, priest, sacrifice, or altar, was a mystery and a puzzle...The writer of this letter in those words, then, in accordance with the central theme of his whole Epistle, insists that Christianity has more truly than heathenism or Judaism, altar and sacrifice...So, then, we have three things here - our Christian altar; our Christian feast on the sacrifice; and our Christian sacrifices on the altar. Let us regard these successively." (Ibid)

That sums up the whole thesis of these chapters on the Christian altar.

"‘We have,’ says the writer, with a triumphant emphasis upon the word, ‘We have an altar’; ‘though there seems none visible in our external worship..." (Ibid)

It is upon the altar of Calvary and through the altar of incense that Christians "Offer the sacrifices of righteousness" (Psa. 4: 5 kjv), and "offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy" (Psa. 27: 6 kjv), and "sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing." (Psa. 107: 22 kjv) So Paul writes:

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Heb. 13: 15-16 kjv)

Lord God said along time ago: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psa. 51: 17 kjv) And through the apostle Peter he says to Christians:

"Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." (I Peter 2: 5 kjv)

So, in conclusion we say: Yes indeed we Christians have an altar! We invite sinners to come to this altar and there find forgiveness for sins.

Weak Brothers XVI

All my previous writings on the weak and strong brothers have been on what Paul says about them to his first letter to the Corinthian believers in chapters eight and nine. All those previous writings are now all together in one place (See here) and I will post them there as well as here in the Old Baptist Test blog. Those previous writings were first published in The Baptist Gadfly blog in 2010-11 (See here for the first posting in that series). 

My thesis in those previous writings was to show that most commentators are wrong in saying that both the weak and the strong brothers in first Corinthians were Christians. I rather taught that "the strong" were the Christians and "the weak" were the lost religious polytheists. I will not repeat in this series on Romans all that I said in those fifteen chapters to prove my thesis but will offer a couple arguments from those chapters to introduce my commentary on what Paul says in his Roman epistle about these brothers. 

Argument #1

"For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." (I Cor. 9: 19-22 kjv)

This text shows that "the weak" are lost sinners who need to be gained, which is equivalent to being saved and converted. That is what the word means when Paul speaks of gaining the Jews, those under the law, and of gaining those who are not under law, as were the Gentiles, and gaining "all men" who are lost. He uses the word "gain" as an equivalent to the word "save," saying "that I might gain" and "that I might save." 

We will next give comments from two leading commentaries, from Dr. Albert Barnes and Dr. John Gill, and show how contradictory they are in their remarks on what it means to gain the weak.

Barnes in his commentary says this about verse 19: "That I might gain the more - That I might gain more to Christ; that I might be the means of saving more souls." 

Gill in his commentary writes this on the same verse:

"...his end was not to amass wealth, to gain riches and treasures of good things to himself, but many souls to Christ, who otherwise must have been lost; but being brought to the knowledge of Christ, and salvation by him through his ministry, it was profit to them, and gain to Christ..."

So, both at this point affirm that gaining souls is equivalent to saving souls, which is exactly what Paul is stating.

Now, here is what they say on verse 20, beginning with Barnes:

"That I might gain - That I might obtain their confidence and affection. That I might not outrage their feelings, excite their prejudices, and provoke them to anger; and that I might thus have access to their minds, and be the means of converting them to the Christian faith."

Dr. Gill comments:

"...that I might gain the Jews; bring them over to Christ, and off of a dependence on their own righteousness, for justification before God."

So, on both verses 19 and 20 both affirm that being saved is what is meant by being gained.

Next, on verse 21 Gill says:

"...that I might gain them that were without law; to believe in Christ for life and salvation."

Barnes does not comment at all on "that I might gain" in verse 21.

 

On verse 22 Barnes says:

"To the weak; - See the note at Romans 15:1. To those weak in faith; scrupulous in regard to certain observances; whose consciences were tender and unenlightened, and who would be offended even by things which might be in themselves lawful...That I might by all means" (πάντως pantōs). That I might use every possible endeavor that some at least might be saved."

On the same verse Gill says:

"To the weak became I as weak,.... That is, to weak Christians, who were weak in faith, and had not such clear knowledge of Gospel liberty, and therefore scrupled the eating of some sorts of meat, and particularly meats offered to idols...that I might gain the weak; promote their edification and welfare, who otherwise might be stumbled, be in danger of falling from, and laid under a temptation to desert the faith of the Gospel..."

"...that I might by all means save some; that is, that he might be the means of saving some of Jews and Gentiles, and of all sorts of men; by preaching the Gospel of salvation to them, and by directing them to Christ, the only Saviour of lost sinners; thus he explains what he means by so often saying that he might gain them."

Both these men say that gaining others in each of these verses means to save them and yet each wants to say that "the weak" are already saved and that gaining them is not a saving of them. That is highly contradictory. The fact is, "the weak" are not saved, as are the other classes of people mentioned, such as "all men," "the Jew," "those under law," and "those not under law." Further, Paul says that "gaining" men is all the same as "saving" men. 

Argument #2

“As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many), BUT to US there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (I Cor. 8: 4-6) 

This chapter is also dealing with the weak brothers. When Paul says "we know that an idol is nothing" the "we" are the Christians, or "the strong." When he says that "we know that there is none other God but one" he again is referring to Christians, all of whom confess this creedal statement. When he says "but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him," the personal pronouns "us" and "we" refer to believers in this creed. Notice how Paul speaks in the first person in these verses, speaking for himself and other Christians. Notice the next verses. 

"However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse." (verses 7-8 nkjv)

Here Paul does not speak in the first person when he says "there is not in everyone that knowledge" nor when he says "their conscience." That is because he is no longer talking about what is characteristic of believers. There is a contrast between believers in Paul's creedal statement and those who have a belief in idols. In verse six this is clear for he says "but to us there is one God..." It is also clear that when he says "there is not in everyone that knowledge" that he does not mean "there is not in every convert to Christ that knowledge," but rather "there is not in every man that (Christian) knowledge." Paul says that the weak are they who do not have this knowledge. How Barnes and Gill and others can say that the weak are weak Christians in light of these things is bewildering. That view says that one can be a Christian and yet not have the knowledge that there is one God and one Lord Jesus and that all other gods and idols are nothing. I would ask any bible teacher who holds the view that these weak brothers are Christians this question: "do you have weak members in your church who are not sure if there is only one God and one Lord Jesus Christ and that the idol gods are nothing?" And, "do you have church members who think they are better spiritually because they eat or don't eat certain foods?" 

So, with this ground work laid, we will begin our study of Romans chapter 14 through 15: 1-2 in order to see if the weak brothers in that passage are likewise not Christian. I believe that in both first Corinthians and Romans that the weak brothers are non Christians, polytheists who are nevertheless inquiring into the Christian religion, and Paul is giving advice to the Christians on how to gain these folks, and is also at the same time saying things to these believers in many gods in regard to how they treat or judge Christians.

In the next chapter we will begin our commentary on Romans chapter fourteen. I have already written three chapters on some parts of Romans chapter fourteen. See here, here, and here.

Essentials of Religion (viii)

"We have an altar, 

whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle" 

(Heb. 13: 10 kjv)

With this post we will focus on how altars are an essential part of religion, and Christianity is not exempt. Christians have access to the divine altars and those altars are superior to the altars of all other religions. The above text says that Christians have an altar. That altar is the only one God accepts today. In this chapter we will describe the Christian altar and show how it is superior to the altars of all other religions.

First, we will speak of the kinds of altars and their use and significance in the world's religions. We will then speak of the Hebrew altars that were ordained of God in the old testament (covenant). Then we will speak of Christian altars and show their superiority over the altars of other religions or of the old covenant.

When doing a Google search with the words "various altars in religion" I get this AI Overview:

"Altars in religion serve as elevated surfaces or platforms used for presenting offerings, sacrifices, or for ritualistic purposes. They are found in various religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and modern paganism, often at shrines, temples, churches, or other places of worship. Different religions utilize altars in unique ways, reflecting their specific beliefs and practices."

AI under "Examples of Altars in Different Religions" and "Christianity" in the same search says:

"In many Christian denominations, the altar is central to the celebration of the Eucharist or Holy Communion, symbolizing Christ and serving as a place for sacrifice and forgiveness. Catholic churches often feature elaborate altar tables that hold relics and are used for the consecration of bread and wine. Protestant churches may have simpler altars, focusing on the sermon and the word of God."

As we proceed we will see how the biblical altars of Judaism and Christianity are superior to the altars of other religions. Thus Moses was told this about the heathen altars by the Lord: "But you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images." (Exo. 34: 13 nkjv; See also Deut. 7: 5, 12:3, etc.) Later the prophet Jeremiah writes:

“For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal." (Jer. 11: 13 nkjv)

Such altars of the false religions are rejected by God. This is because they are built to honor false gods and are not built according to God's instructions. By the prophet Amos Lord God also uttered this oracle:

“That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground." (Amos 3: 14 nkjv)

"In Buddhism, altars, like the butsudan, are used to enshrine the Gohonzon and make offerings. Common accessories include candles, incense burners, and evergreen vases." (AI)

In Hinduism AI Overview says: 

"Altars are sacred platforms or structures used for performing rituals, sacrifices, and making offerings. They are essential in Vedic practices, serving as a site for spiritual connection and divine presence during religious ceremonies." 

As we will see, Christianity's altars are also a place "for spiritual connection" of the "divine presence." 

"In Islam, the concept of an "altar" in the traditional sense of a physical table or platform for religious offerings is not present. Instead, the most significant focal point of Islamic worship is the Kaaba, which is located in Mecca. Muslims face towards the Kaaba during prayer, and it is a central site of pilgrimage. While not an altar in the Western sense, the Kaaba and its surrounding area, the Al-Haram Mosque, serve as a sacred space for worship and ritual...Mosques may have a niche (mihrab) or an enclave in the wall that indicates the direction of the Kaaba, which serves as a focal point during prayer."  (AI)

AI Overview also says: "Unlike other religions that have altars for offerings or sacrifices, Islam does not have a specific structure designated as an altar." One Muslim web page says this in agreement (See here): "There are no food offerings, nor altars in Islam."

However, I think that Islam does have an altar, though not in the same way as other religions. The Kaaba in Mecca serves as that altar. It is upon the Kaaba altar that the Muslim offers or directs his prayers, which he visualizes when he prays or presents himself to Allah. Therefore I believe that altars are an essential in religion with very few exceptions, if any. 

"In the Old Testament, altars served as places of interaction between the divine and human realms, primarily for sacrifice, worship, and communication with God. They were used by figures like Noah, Abraham, and later the Israelites in the Tabernacle and Temple. Altars were not always formal structures; they could be built from earth or unwrought stone, often in conspicuous places." (AI) 

In an article titled "Abraham's Four Altars: "Unforgettable peaks"" by R Dawes Lesmahagow (See here), we have these excellent words (emphasis mine):

"The word "altar" in Scripture means a place of slaughter and sacrifice, where blood was shed and death took place; it symbolised acknowledgement of, approach to, and appreciation of God, in other words "worship". The word first occurs in Genesis 8.20-22, where Noah sacrificed "clean" animals as burnt offerings to express his worship and a "sweet savour" arose to God. Altars had to be unpretentious and unembellished with human workmanship, but marked by utter simplicity to facilitate and encourage men to seek God (Ex 20.25; Acts 17.25; Ps 65.4). No doubt altars were used from the days of Abel, who first brought an offering by divine instruction. The later altars for the tabernacle and temple had to be constructed strictly according to divine design. They all foreshadowed the person and sacrificial work of Christ. The altar teaches us, in type, the importance of daily communion with God on the basis of the precious blood of Christ."

There were primarily two types of altars described in the Old Testament: the Altar of Burnt Offering (or sacrificial altar) and the Altar of Incense. The altar of burnt offering, also known as the Brazen Altar, was located in the courtyard of the Tabernacle and was used for animal sacrifices, central to the atonement rituals and worship practices of the Israelites. Leviticus 1: 9 states, "The priest is to burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD." The Altar of Incense was situated inside the Tabernacle, before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. It was used for burning incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people ascending to God. Exodus 30:1 instructs, "You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense." 

Altars of Sacrifice

Altars for the purpose of sacrificing animals has an ancient history. In the bible we first read of an altar by name in Genesis eight in connection with Noah. There we read: 

"And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (vs. 20 kjv)

But, in the fourth chapter of Genesis we read where Cain and Abel brought offerings "to the Lord" which I think implies some kind of altar. Abel brought a lamb with the fat, implying a "burnt offering" or sacrifice, while Cain brought of the fruit of the ground.

The altar that Noah built was for the purpose of offering a sacrifice for sin to God. Other patriarchs also built altars for sacrifice. Upon this altar the animal would be killed and its body burned on wood put onto the altar and under the animal. Abraham did this in Genesis. (See Gen. 12: 7-8) Some altars were given names by the patriarchs and became holy places or shrines. 

Altars of sacrifice could be made of various materials, including earth, unhewn stone, natural rock, bronze, acacia wood, or cedar wood, and some were overlaid with gold. Their construction followed specific instructions from God, as detailed in the Old Testament. Notice these instructions from the Lord:

"‘An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you. ‘And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. ‘Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’" (Exo. 20: 24-26 nkjv)

"You are to construct the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide—the altar is to be square—and three cubits high. Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns are of one piece with the altar, and overlay it with bronze." (Exo. 27: 1-2)

"I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick." (Isa. 65: 2-3 nkjv)

On the first passage Dr. Gill writes the following in his commentary:

"...this precept seems to suggest the plainness and simplicity in which God would be worshipped, in opposition to the pomp and gaudy show of idolaters intimated in the preceding verse." If that is true, then it condemns elaborate altars such as the Catholics have. These verses also show that the altar of sacrifice was very important to Lord God, being an essential element of his religion. Gill writes further:

"...and this altar of earth might be, as Ainsworth observes, a figure of the earthly or human nature of Christ, who is the altar, whereof believers in him have a right to eat, Hebrews 13:10."

That very well may be true. As I said in an earlier chapter on the temple, the temple or tabernacle not only was a picture of the temple in heaven, but of God, and of the incarnate Christ. On the Hebrews 13: 10 verse I will have more to say shortly, for it is an important text on the Christian altar. Gill wrote further:

 

"for if thou lift up thy tool upon it...thou hast polluted it; and so made it unfit for use: how this should be done hereby is not easy to say, no good reason seems to be assignable for it but the will and pleasure of God."

I agree that the reason for this prohibition is unclear, and so we can only speculate. God does not owe anyone an explanation for everything he commands. So Dr. Gill writes further:

"that the hands of the artificer were to abstain from the stones of the altar, lest that good which men obtain of God at the altar should be attributed to any work of theirs: though, after all, it is right what Aben Ezra, says, that it does not belong to us to search after the reasons of the commands, at least not in too curious and bold a manner, and where God is silent and has not thought fit to give any." 

These are good speculations and may be the reasons for God's prohibitions.

Leviticus 6:12-13 emphasizes the perpetual nature of the sacrificial altar's fire. Said the oracle of God to Moses:

"The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not go out."

Again, why this altar fire was never to be extinguished is not revealed and we can only speculate. Perhaps it is to teach us of the continuous efficacy of Christ' atonement. 

We find an interesting event in Israel's history in regard to the fire of God's altar. Writes Moses:

"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord." (Lev. 10: 1-2 kjv)

As we have seen, God required that the fire from the sacrificial altar be the fire used to burn incense in the altar of incense and in its censors. We will speak more about the altar of incense in the next chapter. For now our attention is mostly directed towards the altar of sacrifice. 

Altars For Sin

"Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning." (Hos. 8: 11 nkjv)

What were these altars for sin? How and why did they become such? Are there any Christian altars today that are such? John Gill in his commentary on this text says (emphasis mine):

"...these altars being erected for the sake of idols, and sacrifices offered on them to them, they sinned in so doing, and were the cause of sin in others, who were drawn into it by their example; as they were made to sin, or drawn into it, by Jeroboam their king, These altars were those set up at Dan and Bethel, and in all high places, and tops of mountains, where they sacrificed to idols; and which was contrary to the express command of God, who required sacrifice only at one place, and on one altar, Deuteronomy 12:5; typical of the one altar Christ, and his alone sacrifice, who is the only Mediator between God and man; and they are guilty of the same crime as Ephraim here, who make use of more, or neglect him."

Not only were these altars for sin because they were used to sacrifice to idols, but also because this was forbidden, and because there was to be only one altar as part of the Jerusalem Temple. Perhaps many of these altars were built contrary to the instructions given to Moses by God, of which we have already spoken. Perhaps they were made of bricks, as we have seen. Perhaps some of them were built with hewed stones with tools, which was also forbidden. Athens was full of such altars for sin when Paul was there and preached for he said these words to the Athenian polytheists: “for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD." (Acts 17: 23 nkjv)

The main thing to remember in this is that there is only one altar that God accepts, and to Christians this one altar is the place where Christ was crucified as a sacrifice for sin, and that place is Calvary or Golgotha, the elevated place outside of Jerusalem where he was slain. That altar is the place where the eye of faith is directed in prayer. So Christians sing "at the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away; It was there by faith I received my sight and now I am happy all the day." Calvary is the place of atonement for sin, the place where Christ "the Lamb of God" was slain and the people's sins were forgiven because of the imputation of their sins to Christ. Many Christian hymns speak of finding peace and salvation "at Calvary," which is the altar we have as Christians. 

In Christian churches an emblem of Calvary's altar is the table before the pulpit for upon it are the wine and unleavened bread placed for eating of the Lord's Supper. It is also the place where evangelists give what are called "altar calls," a place for lost sinners to come forward to pray for salvation, and to be prayed for, and to be counseled about how to be saved. 

Jesus spoke of “the altar that sanctifies the gift" (Matt. 23: 19 nkjv) and this is certainly true of the altar of Calvary and of the sacrifice of Christ thereupon. The apostle Paul also speaks about "those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar" (I Cor. 9: 13 nkjv). As we have seen, every true believer is a living temple and has an inner sanctuary or holy place in which he may offer prayers and gifts and sacrifices. This being so he serves at the altar of God and partakes of the sacrificial offering. He partakes of the sacrifice of Christ when by faith he receives Christ and in his heart and mind partakes of the flesh and blood of Christ. This is what Paul meant when he says "let us keep the feast," because "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." (I Cor. 5: 7-8 kjv) He also wrote: "Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?" (I Cor. 10: 18 nkjv) Generally this partaking of the burnt sacrifice was for the priests only. Moses wrote: "The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of meeting." (Lev. 6: 26 nkjv) But, as we have seen, every believer is a priest. 

This altar of Calvary is envisioned by those seeking salvation and by the Christian as he prays and seeks forgiveness, much the same way that Muslims envision the Kaaba when they pray. It is upon the altar of Calvary or Christ that the believer offers himself as a sacrifice. Wrote Paul:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." (Rom. 12: 1 nkjv)

So, what altar do believers present their bodies as sacrifices? Is it not upon altar of Calvary unto which he comes in his heart and mind?

In "A Time of Altars" by Jack Hayford (See here) we have these excellent points about altars (emphasis mine): 

"Altars represent the occasion and place where we have had a personal encounter with God. We may not always be able to make a physical altar, but there can be one established in our hearts. When we celebrate communion, we are celebrating the grandest altar of all, the Cross of Calvary." 

I am certain that this is what Paul means when he says to Christians "we have an altar," one that is superior to the altars of the old covenant, and to all heathen altars. Of this altar he says that "they who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat thereof." (Heb. 13: 10) One must be a believer in Christ and the one true God in order to eat from Calvary's altar. Of course, as many commentators affirm, Christ too may be viewed as God's altar. To come to Christ is to come to the alter for several good reasons as the following words of Hayford demonstrate: 

"Altars appear throughout the Bible in many different forms. Some of them are:

A place of encounter – The Lord met Jacob in a crisis and the next day he built an altar at that place (Genesis 28).

A place of forgiveness – The brazen altar of the tabernacle sacrifice was offered as an advance testimony that there would be a once-for-all sacrifice in God’s Son.

A place of worship – The most common altar built by people to acknowledge their praise to God was the altar of incense, the holy place where priests would offer worship to the Lord on behalf of the people and themselves.

A place of covenant – An altar was built where the covenant was made between the Lord and Abraham, and the land was sealed as a timeless promise to Abraham and his offspring (Genesis 15).

A place of intercession – The prophet Joel called for intercession by leaders on behalf of the people and their devastated economy."

Every person, whether saved or not, may come to Calvary's altar, at the foot of the cross, and pray there for salvation and for blessing. 

In the next chapter we will speak of the old testament altar of incense and see how it typifies the place of prayer in the Christian faith.

Essentials of Religion (vii)

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; 

And His greatness is unsearchable" 

(Psalm 145: 3 kjv)

In this chapter we will focus on praise and how it is an essential element of religion. It is especially true in the Christian religion. In church and private worship both prayer and praise are always activities of the Christian worshipers. Praise and worship by the assembly is like breathing is to a human body. It reflects the very life of a church body.

Praise occurs by means of words spoken, sung, shouted, or preached. They may also be said internally in the mind of the worshiper or said aloud in conjunction with other worshipers.

AI Overview on the praise differences in the major religions says:

"In various religions, expressions of praise differ, reflecting their unique theological frameworks and practices. While some religions emphasize specific rituals or texts, others focus on personal reflection and inner expressions. For example, in Christianity, praise is often associated with outward expressions of joy and thanksgiving, while worship can be both inward and outward, involving a deeper relationship with God. In Judaism, praise is typically expressed through traditional prayers and hymns. In Islam, praise is often connected to the recitation of the Quran and the recognition of God's attributes."

In Buddhism praise is generally confined to praises of the Buddha. But, it is not worship of the Buddha but simply a way to revere him and to express gratitude for his teachings. 

"Buddhism is a non-theistic religion, meaning it does not involve a belief in a creator god or a personal deity. It focuses on the path to enlightenment through understanding and cultivating the mind, rather than relying on faith or worship of a higher power. While some Buddhists might have personal beliefs about the existence of gods or deities, the core teachings of Buddhism do not require or endorse such beliefs." (AI) 

"In Hinduism, praising God (or a specific deity) is a central part of worship, often done through chanting mantras, singing devotional songs, and performing rituals like Aarti. Some common expressions of praise include phrases like "Namaste/Namaskar" (a respectful greeting), and phrases like "May God do good to you" or "May God's grace be upon you". Mantras, hymns, and devotional songs (like Bhajans) are used to express love and devotion." (AI)

In "Answering Islam" (See here) we have this information about praise music and singing in Islam by Roland Clarke (emphasis mine):

"In essence, praising God in Islam involves not only verbal expressions but also actions, thoughts, and a general attitude of gratitude and submission to His will." 

The same source says:

"The Qur'an, which Muslims believe to be the final scripture, mentions that the prophet David sang God's praises. We read in Surah 34:10 "O ye mountains! sing ye back the praises of God with him" (i.e. David).

While the Qur'an mentions God's praises being sung by David and even by angels (39:75, 40:7) it makes no mention of singing as an act of congregational worship. This stands out in contrast to the congregational singing of sacred songs in the Bible. Another striking contrast is seen in the Islamic regulation against singing with musical accompaniment in the mosque.

On the one hand, the Qur'an and Bible teach that godly men of ancient times, such as David, praised God with songs and instruments (in the temple), but on the other hand, Muslim authorities forbid songs accompanied by instruments in the mosque. How can sacred music, which used to be good, now be bad?"

The same source says:

"Some have tried to answer this question by saying that singing is not forbidden in the mosque. It is even suggested by some that reciting the Qur'an is like singing. This is only a partial solution because it does not explain why musical instruments are forbidden.

A second consideration which shows this solution to be inadequate is that Islamic chanting or recitation of the Qur'an is hardly comparable to the biblical songs of joy accompanied by timbrel, lyre, harp and trumpet. A key feature of any song is its tune or melody. A comparison of biblical singing with Qur'an recitations shows a clear difference especially with regard to the melody. The tune is present in the one but absent in the other."

So, why is the Christian manner of praising God absent from Islam and other religions? The same source says as an answer to this question: "What motivates singing? Psalm 81 says, "Sing for joy ..." But what inspires us to be joyful?" Can't Muslims rejoice in salvation? The same source says:

"Muslims do not believe one can know salvation (or the joy of it) before the Day of Judgment. A Muslim believes that on that Day his salvation will be determined (essentially, by a weighing up of his good and evil deeds). Therefore, he can expect to rejoice only after the final Judgment.

Although a Muslim expects to rejoice about his salvation after Judgment Day, the Qur'an makes no mention of joyous singing in response to salvation. In fact, this kind of singing is absent in the Qur'an whether before the Day of Judgment or after."

A Christian, like ancient Hebrew believers, brags or boasts in the Lord. The Psalms especially are a collection of praises, stating reasons and ways for God to be praised. This is done through praise utterances, often jubilantly expressed. It is a rejoicing in God. It is also done through the singing of praises in "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs." (Eph. 5: 19) 

So, how and why is praise to God different or superior in Christian worship? First, it is because of the God they worship. There is no God who is as great in every respect than the Hebrew God and who is the same as the Christian God, and is a God in three persons. He is not a God afar off or unapproachable. To the Athenians Paul announced the one true God, saying that all men "should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17: 27 nkjv) James said that men can draw near to God with the assurance that in so doing that God would draw near to them. (James 4: 8) But, this cannot be done apart from the Son of God or incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. God "dwells in a unapproachable light" (I Tim. 6: 16) so no one can approach him apart from Christ the Son. 

Second, this God is superb in all his attributes, more than any of the gods of the other religions. Not only is God omnipotent, omniscient, and immutable, but he is also omnibenevolent, gracious, merciful, loving, kind, good, longsuffering, forbearing, forgiving, and yet just, holy, righteous, faithful, etc. Unlike the myriads of gods in heathendom God is not like them, nor like his creatures, especially fallen creatures. (Numb. 23: 19) God says to such polytheists - "you thought that I was altogether like you" (Psa. 50: 21). Though God, according to Christianity, made man in his own image and likeness, yet such false religions attempt to make God in their own image, or as Paul stated it, they "changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man" (Rom. 1: 23 kjv). 

Considering who God is, who can fail to praise him? The psalms especially give many reasons why God is to be praised. The psalm at the heading says that one of those reasons is God's greatness. Simply put, God is to be praised because he is worthy to be praised and it would be sin not to praise him.

Third, the Hebrew Christian God is not only to be praised because of who he is, i.e. his character, nor only because of his attributes, but also for his works. This is another area where the Christian God is superior to the gods of all other religions, for none of them can equal God in the things he does. Said the Psalmist:

"Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, my soul." (Psa. 103: 22 niv)

"Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!" (Psa. 150: 2 nkjv)

"Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psa. 107: 8; This line is repeated several times in this psalm)

Men praise other men for their great works. But God's works are greater, whether they be works of creation, providence, or redemption. Therefore he deserves the highest of praises. So wrote the psalmist: "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth." (Psa. 149: 6 kjv)

The praises of Christians when given with the Spirit are superior to the worship and praise of other religions. One reason is because they are given and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Wrote the apostle Paul:

"What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." (I Cor. 14: 15 kjv)

The prayers and praise of Christians is superior because they pray to the one God, the Father, and through the mediation of his Son, the incarnate Christ, and by the aid of God the Holy Spirit. Said the Psalmist: "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." (Psa. 22: 3) To have God inhabiting the praises of Christians makes them superior. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek and means "God within." So, God is within the praises, prayers, singing, and understanding of his worshipers. Said Paul:

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Heb. 13: 15 kjv)

Giving of thanks and a sense of gratitude accompanies praise that is pleasing to God. Praise is not only done in the assembly of saints corporately, but is done by the individual believer daily. It is also not a chore but a thing delightful to do. 

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (I Peter 2: 9 nkjv)

It is because of present salvation and the hope of future salvation and eternal life that the believer praises God.