Whom Do You Serve?
Man was created with the desire to worship. This is quite evident when Gen. 4:3 is considered. After Adam and Eve bore and raised children, we find worship to God expressed. Cain brought an offering. From the next verse we see his younger brother Abel also worshipped. However, a simple observance shows that one ‘form of worship’ was accepted, while the other was not. We are also told from God Himself in Gen. 4:7a what the issue was. He admonished Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.”
What does it mean when God said “if thou doest well ”? God was not pleased with Cain’s worship. At this point, there was no written Law of God regarding worship. But we can conclude from what God asked Cain, that Cain had been told how to worship. God spoke directly to man in those days. 1Sam. 15: 1-25 is another example of this. Saul did not want to follow all of God’s Word. Verse 22b gives us the point made in both of these accounts - Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. God’s Word, whether oral (as at that time), or written as we now have it, must be followed if we are to serve, and please God.
Therefore, if we today wish to serve God acceptably there are a couple of things that must be in place. The example is given us in God’s exchange with Cain. These are: 1) Knowing what God has directed in His Word to do. 2) Doing as God Commands in His Word. If we don’t have knowledge of God’s Word and rightly divide it, we won’t do it. Even if we are familiar with God’s Commandments for us, if we aren’t fully committed to God, we are not likely to completely follow His Commandments.
Then, who is it we are serving if we aren’t serving God? According to Rom.16:18, they serve self, and in so doing, often while causing divisions and offenses, lead innocent people away from God. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. To serve one’s own belly is to serve one’s self and this excludes service to God.
When the “hearts of the simple” (the innocent and unsuspecting) are deceived, souls are at stake. When one serves self, and does not worship God, a soul is at stake as we saw with Cain’s case. By the same token, even if God is the object of worship but that worship is not according to God’s Word, it becomes vain worship. We know from Matt. 15:9, that following the doctrines of men produces vain worship and results in failed service to God. This is evidenced in Acts 17 as Paul, in the midst of Mars’ hill, observed the superstitions of the Athenians. In Acts 17:23 we read of an altar with the inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Notice the Words the Spirit gave Paul to say, and which were recorded by Luke. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. Ignorant worship is also not acceptably serving God.
It should be obvious from passages such as Rom. 6:3-5 that when one participates in baptism into Christ, they participate in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. They are to die to the love and practice of sin, are buried in the watery grave of baptism, and are then raised to walk in the newness of life. We are reminded again in Rom. 6:6 that we must put the “man of sin” to death. This passage also tells us why we are to do this. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Even during the Mosaic dispensation, Jesus told the devil this while the devil was busy tempting the Lord. In Luke 4:8b, Christ told the devil - for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. This means we are to yield only to God.
God has provided examples throughout His Word of those who served and yielded to themselves rather than God. In addition to Cain under the Patriarchal dispensation in Gen. chap. 4, we also have examples under the Mosaic system in Israel. In Exo. Chap 32, Israel had Aaron build a golden calf. Then, they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. We know they weren’t serving God, but serving their own lusts. We have the reminder from the inspired pen of Paul in 1Cor. 10:5-10. God was “not well pleased ” with them because they lusted after evil things. They were idolaters. They “sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”. They participated in fornication, tempting the Lord, and murmuring. Many were destroyed in the wilderness for their refusal to serve God and Him alone.
In the N. T. dispensation (the final period of time), the Spirit had Paul, in Rom. 6:16, ask the church of Christ at Rome a question. It was: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? In verse 17, we see that their allegiance had changed. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
In every dispensation of time, Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian (N.T.) God has required the same thing of man that desire to serve Him. That is Faith and obedience. We know from Rom. 10:17, the source of faith. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. All that is lacking on each person’s part is obedience. The question is: Do you serve God or self? Why will you not yield yourself to God? Read and study His Word. Obey His N.T. Law and serve Him daily, looking forward to eternity. Can serving yourself provide a desired eternal reward in heaven? Whom do you serve? Think about it!
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
