Worship that is comprehensible to unbelievers?
In the documents for the special Presbytery on Worship in July there is an article by Timothy Keller on ‘Worship Wars.’ Timothy Keller makes a number of points concerning the presence of unbelievers at the Lord’s Day worship services. Consider these two points:
1. Non-believers are expected to be present in Christian worship. In Acts 2 it happens by word-of-mouth excitement. In I Corinthians 14 it is probably the result of personal invitation by Christian friends. But Paul in Corinthians 14:23 expects both "unbelievers" and "the unlearned" (literally "a seeker"-- "one who does not understand") to be present in worship.
2. Non-believers must find the praise of Christians to be comprehensible. In Acts 2 it happens by miraculous divine intervention. In I Corinthians 14 it happens by human design and effort. But it cannot be missed that Paul directly tells a local congregation to adapt its worship because of the presence of unbelievers. It is a false dichotomy to insist that if we are seeking to please God we must not ask what the unchurched feel or think about our worship.
If I understand these two points Timothy Keller is giving those who lead the congregation in public worship the task of making the praise given to God in song, prayer and preaching comprehensible to unbelievers. From a Biblical perspective can I fulfill this task? Before answering this question consider the following two passages: 1 Corinthians 2:14, ‘But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.’ 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, ‘But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.’
Unbelievers are described in these two passages as the natural man and those who are perishing. Paul says 6 things about unbelievers.
1. Unbelievers do not receive the things of the Spirit of God.
2. Unbelievers cannot know spiritual things.
3. Unbelievers do not have the capability to discerning spiritual things.
4. Unbelievers regard spiritual things as foolishness.
5. Satan keeps the minds of unbelievers in a state of darkness (blinded).
6. The Gospel is veiled to unbelievers.
These 6 things make the task of presenting praise to God in a way that is comprehensible to unbelievers impossible. All our praise to God must be filled with spiritual things – our worship service is packed with spiritual things which unbelievers do not and cannot receive, know or discern. From an unbeliever’s point of view according to these two passages spiritual things are foolishness. The mind of the unbeliever is in spiritual darkness because Satan has blinded them. How can you make spiritual things comprehensible to unbelievers? You can’t.
What does the word comprehensible mean? If you look up the word in a dictionary you will get an answer along the following lines: capable of being comprehended or understood. Comprehensive means all inclusive. An extensive mental range or grasp: comprehensive understanding. If you comprehend something you understand it, you grasp the meaning and you know the concepts. The unbeliever needs to be born again before he can comprehend spiritual truth. A babe in Christ has a grasp and understanding of spiritual truth that an unbeliever who is a genius does not have and cannot have, unless given it is given by the Holy Spirit.
The inability of unbelievers to think and grasp spiritual truth is difficult to understand because it is so clear, plain and simply to even the most immature believer. I came across this anecdote concerning Albert Einstein and found it helpful in understanding how a mind lacking spiritual light cannot see spiritual things. Here is the article about Albert Einstein -
“About a year before he died, Albert Einstein described himself in a letter to Hans Muehsam as a ‘deeply religious unbeliever’ (March 30, 1954). Einstein was fascinated with the beauty, rationality and complexity of nature. He had a Cosmic Awe for the mystery of the world he strove so mightily to understand. ‘The eternal mystery of the world.’ he once wrote, ‘is its comprehensibility.’ Einstein repudiated charges that he was an atheist, and criticized the intolerance of those whom he called ‘the fanatical atheists.’ But Einstein never attended worship services. He didn't pray. He rejected doctrines like miracles and the afterlife. When asked about claims that he believed in a personal God, he categorically rejected the idea as ‘a lie that is systematically repeated,’ even though he clearly and consistently denied it (March 24, 1954). Einstein didn't believe in a God who was in any sense personal or who, as he put it, ‘concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.’”
Albert Einstein could not see that God concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. That is extraordinary because even a dim witted believer would grasp, understand and rejoice in the spiritual truth of John 3:16, ‘For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.’ The cross of Christ declares through a megaphone that God cares about the fates and actions of human beings. The spiritual darkness of Albert Einstein was dark indeed and no matter how you tried you would never make spiritual things comprehensible to him. Making spiritual truths comprehensible to unbelievers is the work of God’s great grace.
Now I need to answer the question I put earlier - from a Biblical perspective can I fulfill this task of making the praise given to God during worship services, in song, prayer and preaching comprehensible to unbelievers? No I can’t. And thank God he has not called me to the task described by Timothy Keller.
