For we ourselves were once foolish.

Suppose that at some point in history God insisted that believers be required to build great monuments in his honor. For them, the building of such monuments would be part of their "proper response" precisely because it would have been mandated by God. Once the Mosiac covenant was in place, the people of Israel were mandated to go up to the central tabernacle/temple three times a year: this was part of their proper response. What this means for members of the new covenant is that our response to God in worship should begin carefully and reflectively examining what God requires of us under the terms of this covenant. We should not begin by asking whether or not we enjoy "worship", but by asking, "What is it that God expects of us?" That will be our proper response.

D.A. Carson (from Worship by the Book)

Labels: christianity