Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

The first myth about worship is that it’s something for Christians. It’s not. It’s something for living human beings. Everyone worships. The Christian and the non-Christian are made in the image and likeness of God, and we’re continuously pouring out our money, energy, time, and resources for someone or something.

Some people worship at the golf course. Some people worship at the strip club. Some people worship at the restaurant. Some people worship at the casino. Some people worship at work. Some people worship at church.

People have enthusiastic, religious zeal for all kinds of things. It’s not bad to have hobbies and interests, to love tasty food, or to work hard, but when we put a good thing in God’s place, we have a problem.

In this section of Romans, Paul implores us to examine the things and people we make sacrifices for—time, money, energy, and resources—and what we think about first thing when we wake up or last thing before we go to bed. That’s how we’ll determine what’s most important to us.

Many years ago, I was a young pastor. I ministered to many college students and urban singles. After one service, a young woman came up to me and told me she had given her heart to Jesus but was living with and sleeping with her boyfriend. Her argument and justification were, “We’re two consenting adults, and no one’s getting hurt. What’s the big deal?” I told her, “There are two men in your life—your boyfriend and Jesus. Which one is the most important? Which one is in the glory position?” She replied, “Jesus.”

I then asked this young woman several questions:

“Does Jesus want you to live with your boyfriend?” “Does Jesus want you to sleep with your boyfriend? “Is your boyfriend a Christian?”

“Does Jesus want you to date your boyfriend?”

Her answer to these questions was, of course, “No.”

I had to share the tough truth with this young woman that God was not in the glory position in her life—her boyfriend was. She had picked the boyfriend in the choice between Jesus and the boyfriend. I said, “Jesus sees your bed as an altar, and you’re offering your body as a living sacrifice. You’ve created a cult. Your boyfriend is the high priest, you are the sacrifice, and the apartment is the temple.” Even though she didn’t see it that way, God did.

We worship our way into trouble, and we worship our way out of trouble. Take alcohol, for example. If you drink too often, then what are you going to sacrifice? Your liver, your health, your job, your income, your family, and your future. An alcoholic is a worshipper who passionately worships the bottle. The bottle always lies and says it’ll make things better, but it never does.

If you worship the Creator, can you enjoy a glass of wine? Yes. Jesus did. Some people will say they can never drink because alcohol is undefeated in their lives. If they touch alcohol, it takes over their lives and replaces God. Someone in that position needs to abstain out of worship to God. But for many people, having a glass of wine is not a sin.

Our worship becomes skewed when we move what can be a good thing (or a bad thing) into God’s place. If we keep God in the glory position in our lives, in the position of what gets the most glory and attention, then we have freedom in Christ to enjoy certain things this world provides us.

Today’s Reflection

What or who is in the glory position in your life?