"We resemble what we revere for ruin or restoration." This is the premise of G. K. Beale's book entitled, We Become What we Worship. In it, Beale argues that the idolatrous Israelites were indicted by God as resembling, to their shame, the unbecoming characteristics of the lifeless idols which they reverenced.
Beginning with the Isaiah 6 account in which Isaiah is confronted with the glory of God, Beale argues that Israel had become spiritually deaf and blind just as the idols had "eyes but do not see" and "ears but do not hear." Isaiah stands in contrast to the unbelieving Israelites because he saw God in his temple and heard and attended to the voice of the Lord.
Beale ends the book by turning his theology of idolatry on end and arguing that a worshiper of the true God also has the capacity of reflecting Whom he reveres for his own restoration.
The premise of this book is compelling. I believe it helps us understand the passages in the Old Testament in which the people of God were deaf to His message. It was a result of their own sin of idolatry and rejection of God that their hearts were hardened toward God; and in the same way, our hearts can be hardened when we reach out to things that set themselves up as idols in our lives. We stop resembling God and begin to resemble the things that we value or hope in the most.
But when we worship God, valuing Him above all else, we actually begin to reflect who He is in his glorious moral purity and loveliness. This is sanctification; we partake in the Divine nature through Christ!
"Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2 (HCSB)
Thanks for the recommendation. Not having read Beale's book yet, I don't know exactly what imagery he has in mind with regard to worship. In later years I have become increasingly suspicious that we regard worship in terms of a "service." In fact I have even read statements to the effect that the church's reason for existence is worship and, therefore, the Sunday service is its most important function. I am more and more of the opinion that worship happens Monday-Saturday and is either enhanced or interrupted on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThank you soooo much for posting again. I always enjoy your thoughts...and wish there could be more of them :-)
Ran across your picture recently as Judy and I were looking at the pictures of Andrew and Itacyara's wedding back in 2000.
To be a little clearer, Beale's book is specifically a theology of idolatry in which he argues that the idol worshiper begins to resemble (spiritually) the lifeless idols he/she worships.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your observations and agree with your idea of worship. Worship happens in the individual heart during the entirety of his/her life. If one doesn't worship God during the week, he won't suddenly worship God when he comes to church.
...and yes, I need to be more consistent in posting! Hopefully that will happen soon. :)
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