Someone brought this to my attention, and I must admit, I was ashamed of not knowing how to reply.  One of the Ten Commandments says, "Thou shalt not have any other gods before Me”, but isn't Jesus Christ a god... and wouldn't that be having a god before God?  To get to God, you have to go through Jesus Christ.  I need help on this one please.

Sincerely,
Chain Of Command

Dear Chain Of Command,

Jesus is not another god – Jesus is part of the true Godhead.  Jesus was in the beginning and is just as immortal as the Father (Jhn 1:1-3).  Jesus and the Father are one (Jhn 10:30).  It is very similar to how a husband and wife are two people… but they are also one family unit (Gen 2:24).  Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the Father are separate beings (Lk 3:21-22), but one Godhead unit.  When God commands us to not worship any other gods but Him, He is dealing with false gods that are man-made.  He isn’t trying to tell us not to worship Jesus.  God makes this very clear in 1 Cor 8:4-6.  There are idols, and then there is the true God… and His Son.

     I'm in a band with a group of guys, some of whom I worship with; others are co-workers.  We have a growing following, and we are considering taking our show on the road full-time.  It has been a true blessing to be a part of.  I'm thankful to God for this opportunity.  However, I'm conflicted.  I feel like this is a good way for me to provide for my family, and the fans love us.  But the message of the songs we sing is very neutral.  We play love songs and songs telling general life stories.  I feel that if we were able to encourage and strengthen faith through our songs, we could be an even greater blessing to our fans.  Without crossing the line into instrumental worship music, how encouraging can we be with a faith-centered focus in our music?  What words would be okay to use without crossing the line?

Sincerely,
Songwriter

Dear Songwriter,

The issue isn’t a matter of what specific words to use (after all, plenty of songs use the word ‘God’ but aren’t at all spiritual songs). The real question is: what makes a song a “worship” song?  Thankfully, the Bible defines that for us.  Eph 5:19 and Col 3:16 say that worship songs are three types: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  Though there is great overlap in these three types of songs, it also helps us to understand what types of songs should only be sung as acapella worship.

1. A ‘psalm’ is a song or form of pious poetry… in biblical context, this is most likely referring to the psalms found in the Old Testament.  It is common to find worship songs that directly or almost directly get their language from the Bible.
2. A ‘hymn’ is a song written in praise of a hero, a conqueror, or a god.  In the context of the Bible, a hymn is a song written specifically to praise the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit.  Though the language isn’t directly from the Bible like a psalm, the intent is clear – to give glory to our Creator.
3. A ‘spiritual’ song is exactly what it sounds like, a song that relates to the spiritual element.  This is the hardest type of song to pinpoint because almost every aspect of human life involves a spiritual element.  However, the general principle is that if a song’s main focus or message is on spiritual things like heaven, eternity, the relationship between man and God, salvation, etc. – it would be considered a spiritual song.

With these definitions in mind, we can see the principles behind worship songs.  Many songs can include words like ‘heaven’, ‘God’, or even ‘Jesus’ and not be considered a psalm, hymn, or spiritual song… while other songs can have none of those words and be very spiritual.  The key is to look at whatever songs your band composes and run them through the filter of “Is it a psalm or hymn or spiritual song?”

Just remember, even if your music is “neutral”… a band that is moral in its reputation and keeps the lyrics of music wholesome and pure is still a shining example in an industry that is often lacking in godliness.  We wish you the very best in your endeavors.

I heard that some churches REQUIRE you to give ten percent of your income in order to be a member of the church; do you think that's right?  This also means that you have to let people know how much you make every year (the exact amount) just to be a member!!!!!  I think that's an invasion of people's private life.  However much someone makes is none of anyone's business.

Honestly, I don't have a problem giving my tithe; I do it faithfully, but for those who don't want to give faithfully, I think that should be between them and God.  God will decide what to do with them, not us.

What do you think about this issue?  Is it right to make it a REQUIREMENT for people to give a tithe in order to be a member of a church?

Sincerely,
Not Paying For A Pew

Dear Not Paying For A Pew,

No, it isn’t right to require people to give ten percent of their income… in fact, tithing isn’t even a commandment in the New Testament.  In the New Testament (which is the law that christians follow), we are told to “give cheerfully” and “give as we have purposed” (2 Cor 9:7).  Ten percent is a good rule of thumb because we see that being the standard in the Old Testament, but it isn’t a requirement.  If any congregation teaches that you have to give ten percent to be a member of the church – it is a false church.  That kind of teaching goes beyond the Scriptures and should be condemned for its arrogance (1 Cor 4:6).  On the first day of the week (Sunday), the church should take up a collection from the christians, and each member must decide for themselves to give as they have been prospered (1 Cor 16:1-2).  The religious world is full of greedy and covetous religious leaders, and they are wrong (Tit 1:10-11).  If you would like help finding a congregation that is faithful to God’s Word in your area, please e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will do our best to help you find a church in your area.

Would Jesus approve of people today praying where others can hear them (which all churches do today)?

Below is what I find in the Bible from Jesus:

Jesus said,  "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on street corners, in order to be noticed.  I give you My word, they are already repaid."

"When you pray, go to a room, close the door, and pray to your Father alone.  And your Father who sees what no person sees, will hear your prayer and repay you."

"Do not pray like the pagans who use a lot of meaningless words in their prayers and think that God will hear them because their prayers are long.  Do not be like them."

"When you pray, keep in mind that the Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Sincerely,
Solitary Confinement

Dear Solitary Confinement,

Jesus had no problem with public prayer... He prayed publicly in front of five thousand people (Jhn 6:10-11).  Jesus only rebuked public prayer when it was done “in order to be seen by men” (Matt 6:5).  Our prayers should never be about being noticed; they should be fervently and faithfully directed at God (Jas 1:5-7).  There are times to publicly pray, especially when we are praying together for a common concern (like the christians who prayed for Peter’s freedom - Acts 12:12).

Pray with others, pray publicly… but pray sincerely and avoid showmanship and other vain behaviors (Matt 6:7).  And above all, don’t only pray publicly.  God wants to hear from you privately as well (Matt 6:6).

I have yet another question that I would like to ask.  I have been watching parts of the Jesus of Nazareth movie.  In the movie, Jesus, while on the sermon on the mount, talks about how to pray.  Jesus then says what I think is called the Lord's Prayer.  Before I go to sleep at night after saying my normal everyday prayers, I like to repeat this prayer to God.  Is this okay to do?  I feel like it is okay to do, but I am not sure if it is okay to repeat it... I do mean the words that it says in the prayer; I just wanted to know if that was okay to do.  As always, thanks for your help; God bless!

Sincerely,
The Reiterator

Dear The Reiterator,

We aren’t required to pray the exact words of the Lord’s model prayer (which is found in Matt 6:9-13), but there is nothing wrong with sincerely repeating those words… with one exception.  One of the things that Jesus prayed for in that prayer has already happened.  When Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come…”, He was praying that the church would be established.  Jesus’ kingdom, also known as the church, has already come.  That kingdom began on the day of Pentecost when three thousand people were baptized and entered Jesus’ kingdom (Acts 2:37-41).  The apostle Paul said that christians have already entered into the kingdom (Col 1:13).  Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to pray that the kingdom comes.  However, it would be appropriate to pray that the kingdom (church) would expand, grow, and be further established.

Other than that one detail, everything that Jesus said in that prayer is perfectly appropriate today for a christian to pray.