John piper should we enter spiritual realm

JOHN PIPER SHOULD WE ENTER SPIRITUAL REALM FULL

As they place their faith and trust in the perfect high priest, they will most likely experience a fresh awareness of GodвЂ™s nearness. So as IвЂ™m standing in front of the church, leading them in songs, Scripture reading, and prayer, my goal is not to вЂњlead them into GodвЂ™s presence,вЂќ but to help them remember and celebrate what Christ has accomplished for them through his righteous life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection. As a result, we are renewed in our awareness of GodвЂ™s love and GodвЂ™s truth, and we are encouraged to respond with adoration and actionвЂќ ( Worship by the Book, 50-51). The small corner of truth that such expressions hide (though this truth is poorly worded) is that when we come together and engage in the activities of corporate worship (including not only prayer and praise but the LordвЂ™s Supper and attentive listening to the WordвЂ¦), we encourage one another, we edify one another, and so we often feel encouraged and edified. If we ascribe to worship (meaning, in this context, our corporate praise and adoration) something of this power, it will not be long before we think of such worship as being meritorious, or efficacious, or the like. вЂњObjectively, what brings us into the presence of God is the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. HeвЂ™s commenting on the thought that вЂњworship leads us into the presence of God.вЂќ Carson shares some very helpful thoughts in this topic. Through faith in his finished work we now have the privilege of confidently drawing near to God.Д.A. But we are not leading them into the Most Holy Place.

In one sense we have the вЂњpriestly dutyвЂќ of reminding people of what God has said and done (Neh. David Peterson, in Engaging with God, says, вЂњFundamentally, then, drawing near to God means believing the gospel and making вЂpersonal appropriation of salvation.'вЂќ (240). The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers to put their faith in ChristвЂ™s finished work, not to try to duplicate it. Second, the issue is how we enter GodвЂ™s presence. In Christ, we are always in the heavenly places and are exhorted to вЂњdraw near.вЂќ Of course, we can do that at any time, although there is a particular significance when we gather as the church to express our faith in the Gospel.

JOHN PIPER SHOULD WE ENTER SPIRITUAL REALM FULL

Hebrews exhorts us to draw near to God with full assurance because we have entered the holy of holies through our union with Christ. Jesus has now вЂњentered once for all into the holy places.вЂќ We shouldnвЂ™t think of ourselves as вЂњenteringвЂќ them again because Jesus has entered them for us. We often feel like we have вЂњentered GodвЂ™s presence.вЂќ WhatвЂ™s going on?ДЇirst, in the Old Testament, the high priest entered the holy of holies once a year on behalf of Israel (Heb. Part of the reason thereвЂ™s so much confusion about worship and the presence of God is that we so often experience a new awareness of GodвЂ™s presence when we sing his praises. I donвЂ™t think anyone is вЂњway offвЂќ to ask a question like this. That being said, it seems that we as leaders in corporate worship have a kind of priestly duty to bring GodвЂ™s people into his presence, his Most Holy Place, like the Israelite musicians of old. If God is enthroned on and abides in the praises of his people, and if he is wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in his name, then it seems that there is an actual, spiritual experience of вЂњentering intoвЂќ the holy of holies when we gather and praise him. John Frame says вЂњThe Most Holy Place was opened to us at the death of Christ, when the veil of the temple was torn in twoвЂќ (In Spirit and Truth, 27). 10:1-22 call us to enter the Most Holy Place confidently. He was asking about comments IвЂ™ve made to the effect that it isnвЂ™t a worship leaderвЂ™s responsibility to lead people into GodвЂ™s presence.

My friend, West, left a question on another post. By Bob Kauflin on Jin -Defining Terms, -Spiritual Gifts, -Worship and the Spirit

John piper should we enter spiritual realm