Today's encouragement comes from Acts 24:14, which finds Paul saying this:
"But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets." (ESV)This (above) is a pretty bold statement made by a former super-strict phari-see, regarding the comprehensive primacy of the New Covenant church's worship, doctrine, and life. Whatever Paul still performed—in reference to the old temple and the old forms—was done, not out of the vitals of true religion, but as a civil nod to a passe, eclipsed system. He viewed New Covenant church worship as the genuine fulfillment of all the law and the prophets.
May we do the same as Paul did; and have his attitude. To lose God's wor-ship through our living faith in Jesus Christ, is to lose our souls.
[Puritan quote of the day: "God calls upon us from time to time in HIs Word. He is calling us by His written Word and by His preached Word from Sabbath to Sabbath.” —Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, entitled, "It is Well for us that God is Not as we are"]
