Is nothing Sacred any more??

Is nothing sacred anymore?” is a phrase heard quite often, when some important issue is trampled upon. Everything from the American flag being desecrated, to the name of some laudable individual being mocked. It is nothing to turn on the Television and see a preacher or politician being mocked. Nor is it anything to see the father of a home being made to look like a dope, an uninformed, behind the times lout. Of course, all that is done in the name of “humour” as opposed to it being considered a lack of sacredness.

The truth is, there are sacred things. A better question might be, “Why do we not treat sacred things as sacred anymore?” We have bought into the idea that everything has to be “common” or it should not be accepted. Just look at the worship services in a typical church. In order to avoid the appearance of “sacredness” churches have gone to the greatest extreme to avoid looking sacred. In fact, you have folks dress and act in a way opposite of how they act any other day. Their dress is often times worse than they would wear on the job Monday morning.

Everything from flip-flops to cut-off jeans, and it is all in the name of reducing the separation between the sacred and the profane. Don’t believe me? Ask the average individual who holds to the “casual” worship service “Why do you do this?” and the answer is universal. It may take on different wording but the bottom line is always this: “Because the lost, pagan society is comfortable in casual clothing, we dress in a way to make them comfortable when they attend services. We are trying to become all things to all men, that we might win some.”

On the outset, that sounds like such a great, sacrificial move on the part of Christendom to reach the world. But the truth is, moving away from sacredness does a couple of things.

First, it puts us in the position of making something holy, common. God has declared our worship to him sacred, or holy. The priests always dressed differently when they ministered. They always cleaned themselves in a particular manner. They always approached worship carefully. They realized worship was in fact a sacred thing. Until the past generation, particular attention was given to the “best” of clothing reserved for the day of worship. Even the pagan world recognizes that you don’t approach, even their false gods, without special paints on their bodies, or feathers in their hair.

Secondly, it tells society, there is nothing Holy about what we do here. It is as common as going to the park, if you don’t believe us, just come to church. We play your music, we wear your clothing, why, we even act like the world. May God help us. Let us live Holy before God.
Pastor