Often in the old churches, the songs sung were about salvation and the walk of the believer.
Such songs as:
Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Me,
He Leadeth Me,
All the Way My Savior Leads Me,
have been relegated to rarely sung in the modern church.
Other songs such as:
Have Thine Own Way,
Come Every Soul by Sin Oppressed,
Lord, Lead Me to Some Soul, Today,
are just never to be mentioned.
Now this thread is NOT about music, but INDICATORS of a drifting taking place in presenting both the message of Salvation and the Call for Salvation.
I have (in the last 30 years) noticed that as more congregations move into a more contemporary worship style, that not just the music becomes a focus of praising.
Now there is nothing in itself wrong with the theme of praise, but it is becoming almost to the exclusion of a demand for repentance, salvation, and Lordship-submission. It is one thing to praise the Lord for being Lord, and another for the complete submission to the Lord in leading and in mission.
I have noticed that the literature of many Baptist churches are less likely to oblige one to carry their own Bible, and to search the Scripture references for themselves. Rather, the convenience (or whatever excuse used) of printed Scriptures has left many believers unable to find their place, much less be able to cite where a certain book of the Bible is even located. Just ask the typical modern church goer to find Hezekiah 3:16 where the identity of the Beast with the number 666 is revealed.
In the design of the "Sactuary" of the typical Baptist church, there was (in the old days) a table, called an altar, between the congregation and the pulpit. The pulpit was directly behind the altar with the baptistry typically behind the pulpit. Now granted there were some modifications such as the addition of "choir loft" which set either to the side or between the pulpit and baptistry and height so more could actually see the preaching. But the design was not just a matter of architecture in a Baptist church, but had implied meaning. Meaning lost in the "warehouse" stage presentation look.
The modern gathering actually sees no need to come to Christ without confession of sin, without the sacrifice of the worldly life style.
The modern gatherers get to hear the delivery of the message not from a stand in which the sacred text is placed between them and one who delivers, as a symbol that all words must be sifted through the Scriptures and that the Scriptures are the focus. If the modern preaching carries a Bible at all, it is more often laid to the side while a socialization of the word is proclaimed. The preacher becomes the focus not the Scriptures.
Comfortable places to worship has (imo) left folks desiring a comfortable presentation, a comfortable gospel, a comfortable life they think is well blessed by being comfortably enticed by a non-threatening, soft spoken, sweet intoned, well mannered, pep talk.
This thread is devoted to discerning how do you know you are saved?
It is not about salvation as one typically considers its use, but about that which demands compliance.
Does the worship place just by the appearance present salvation appropriately as needing repentance as a sinner proclaiming the Lord as not only Lord of their life, but Lord of their ways?
Does the furniture of the worship, just as the temple furniture, depict that the Word of God is honored above all, that submission before the Word results in a changed heart and newness of mind.
Does the music and the preaching present a Christ not only living in us, but through us and causes the life to be driven farther away from worldly enticements and seeking more and more that which conforms to the Kingdom of God?
How does one know they are saved if all they have is a presentation of the Gospel in which the position of God's word is not primary, in which the repentance by the Word does not lead to the symbolic death of the old and a new life lived in Him, in which the worldly has become so intwined as to make the message appealing and in doing there is no obliging to conform to the truth, in which the emotional is the primary focus?
How does one know they are saved when there is more desire to cheer ungodly athletes than to share the gospel?
How do you know you are saved if you have nothing to bring to the Savior after He has entrusted you?
Do you really know that you are saved when you consider that the Savior rejects those that bring nothing of increase or even of interest when one buries that which He has given? Matthew 25:14-30
This Sunday, who is brave enough to ask this serious question to those who claim to believe?
HOW do you know you are saved?
The Scriptures state, "By their fruits you shall know them."
