Playing Church
“Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” - Hebrews 10:11
Most people who go to church, and many who do not, are familiar with the phrase, “playing church”.
No doubt it has a broad range of definition in the minds of those who use it and those who hear.
It clearly has a negative connotation, something none of us want where we assemble. How would you define it?
The verse from Hebrews 10 points to the various sacrifices made because of sins under the first covenant.
The tabernacle, and later the temple, was where the people, thru the priests, made offerings because of their sins.
It was their sins that had to be dealt with again and again. In this regard, we are no different than they.
Because we continue to sin, our sins must be dealt with again and again. Jesus' blood is the fountain for our repeated cleansing.
Since it is our ongoing sins that must be cleansed, what does that suggest about the meaning of “playing church”?
Those who take seriously any of the 12 step programs soon learn about our common tendency to self-deception and our typical reluctance to confess wrongs. They learn that it is our pride that keeps us from seeing our failures and admitting them.
The 12 step meetings are where the more mature open themselves to guide the younger who are beginning to walk the walk.
In 12 step meetings, failures are confessed.
James 5:16 says Christians are to confess our sins one to another. This is simply not practiced in most churches .
The result is people “playing church”. Because we conceal our sins, we cannot experience ongoing transformation.
Jesus' Death is sufficient to forgive any sin. It is our pride that keeps us from the peace of his cross, and the joy of being set free. The grace of Christ Jesus was never intended for the sins we refuse to confess.
At the bottom of this is the reality that many, in many churches, have never received his life by the birth from above.
They have obeyed a church's formula, but they have never been pricked in their heart to surrender themselves to their Redeemer.
They are still lifeless and insensitive to the need for ongoing confession that transforms those who are called out from the dead.
Their pride is their lord. Jesus is not their Savior. Without surrender, they cannot sing.
We must reconsider his death upon the cross. Only his death can prick our hearts. Only his resurrection can give us hope.
Only our pride keeps us from surrendering our life to receive his. When anyone surrenders their whole heart to the Lord,
they receive a new heart from him, an authentic desire to please him in all things. Appearances are no longer important.
How does real church begin? It begins by obeying his word -- by examining ourselves and confessing our sins to one another.
God is always faithful. Others will see his gift of life to us and we will declare with countless others – “ the Lord has set me free!”
Without confessing our sins, all of our other service, “can never take away sins.”
Near the end of his life, John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9