The forms and rituals of the old covenant were necessary. The old covenant, which was the schoolmaster-custodian for the purpose of introducing God's children to the perfect Lamb of the new covenant, was admittedly inferior. Its reliance on form and ritual was necessary for the time but soon would pass. Fortunately for us form and ritual were nailed to the cross. We are now "grace"motivated and not "law"motivated. Our allegiance is now to the object of the old covenant. The "schoolmaster", having delivered us into the hands of the "Physician", is now dead. Modern religionists are not, however, content to leave him buried. His rotting bones are paraded before us in the form and ritual of Sunday "worship services". It is a weakness of the flesh to require visible objects in which to place trust. This weakness is observed as far back as when Aaron was persuaded to build a visible object. In one of the famous Russian novels, a character was asked if he believed in Jesus. He honestly replied that he believed only in that which he could see, smell, or touch.

This human weakness for visible objects is acknowledged by most denominated religious organizations and, not only acknowledged but, catered unto. Modern theologians have provided the "golden calf" for their followers. They have provided visible objects to occupy the minds of their followers. They have replaced the robe attired priests of the old covenant with dandy attired pulpit ministers. They have replaced the altar of sacrifice with an elevated pulpit. They have replaced the temple with ornate, and little used, cathedrals. To these replacements they have added "necessary" rituals, and in so doing have effectively imposed old covenant form and ritual on new covenant worshipers. But, it is argued, this provides the spectators with the visible objects so vital to their faith. Visible objects, form, and ritual provide the spectator with a false sense of having entered into the holy of holies, and of having offered up worship in spirit and truth. Having been served up his full dose of Sunday religion, the spectator can leave the cathedral confident of having practiced true religion without making any application of it to his daily life. This is not good. This is not according to the Book.

Dear reader you can see the folly in all of this. Jeremiah prophesied of a new and different covenant. Jesus said, as is recorded in John chapter four, that true worship under the new covenant is not the worship that is confined to a place, but rather it would be a new kind of worship, and that is, in spirit and truth. In another place it is written that God dwells not in temples made with hands. In Romans, chapter twelve, we read that the worship God expects of us is the worship of a dedicated life (a living sacrifice). And in James, chapter one, the Holy Spirit confirms that true religion is that which takes place in the everyday courses of our lives--caring for widows and orphans, and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world. The religion of Jesus the Christ has nothing to do with form and ritual. It is a religion about living. New covenant worshipers don't need form and ritual. They don't require visible objects for they have the object of their affections in a more important place. They have Jesus dwelling in their hearts. They are done with form and ritual, and so should we be.

Please think on these things. I believe them to be true to the Word.

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