By Morris Hafley
What if someone secretly took a video tape of the children in high school while they were in their classes? What would you expect to see? Of course, your child would be the perfect example of what a student should be. He would be sitting up straight and tall, have his book open to the proper page and would be busily engaged in taking notes as the teacher lectured and gave information concerning the coming exam. On the other hand, you would expect to see those not-so-perfect students. Those would be the slouchers, sleepers, whisperers, note passers, and the habitual bathroom users. Wouldn’t you like to ask this latter group the question. “Are you ready for the test? “
Now what if someone secretly took a video of the congregation where you worship, on Sunday morning? What would we find? Would it be a “revolting development”? Of course, you would be the perfect listener Bible open, sitting up straight and tall, etc. However, there would be others who got themselves nice and “comfy” in their little comer of the pew. Why some even dare to sleep and it is fairly easy to tell who they are when they begin to look like the headless horseman as their head falls into their lap. Then they have the nerve to act like the soldiers at Jesus’ tomb and act as though they know all that went on while they worshiped (?) God. How long will it be before we hear of the “lazi-boy pew”?
Next we have the “entertainer” who feels he has to make faces at and play with the babies in his area, even those a few rows in front of them. The preacher is to continue to preach while these faces are being made. Sometimes that becomes very interesting.
God tells us in Romans 15:4 that the Old Testament was written for our learning and I think if we study it just a little bit that we will see that this kind of worship will not be accepted by God and that when the final day comes we will not be “ready for the test.”
Guardian of Truth XXX: 15, p. 453
August 7, 1986