RITUALS IN CHRISTIANITY - A ritual is a set form of worship. Having a procedure to follow is not wrong. A church can be so liturgical and its structure so rigid that the Holy Spirit is not able to operate freely.

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Rituals In Christianity

Are there supposed to be any rituals in Christianity?

In religious contexts, a ritual is a set form of worship.

Rituals involve symbolic physical actions; some examples of rituals are genuflecting before entering a pew, making the sign of the cross, and lifting aloft the Host during the Catholic Mass.

Religion can be defined as “belief in a deity, expressed in conduct and ritual.”

The two most common ingredients in religion thus defined are rules and rituals.

To be a faithful adherent of Judaism or Islam, for example, a person must observe lists of do’s and don’ts.

Ritual-based religion is most prominently displayed in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant, liturgical High Church services, but it is also a mainstay of Buddhism and Hinduism.

The Mosaic Law prescribed a set of rituals for Israel’s worship of God. There were many ceremonial laws for them to observe.

Some of those laws were very specific and involved the sprinkling of water, the sprinkling of blood, the waving of grain, or the washing of clothes.

The Mosaic Law was fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 5:17).

The rituals of the Old Testament were never intended to be a permanent part of worship, as Scripture clearly teaches: “[The gifts and sacrifices] are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10, emphasis added).

The “external regulations” are not binding on us today.

There is no New Testament mandate to include recitations, ceremonial objects, or symbolic physical gestures in our worship today.

Our devotion is to the Lord Jesus, not to various rituals or liturgies.

True Christianity, as derived from accurate interpretation of the Bible, is not rules-based or ritual-based.

Rather, it is relationship-based. The living God through Jesus has made those who believe in Christ His own children (John 1:12).

The only “rites” the New Testament church is commanded to observe are the ordinances:

- baptism by immersion (Matthew 28:19) and

- communion (1 Corinthians 11:25).

But, even then, no details are given to regulate the exact methods to use.

Baptism, of course, requires water, and communion requires bread and “the cup.”

Churches are free to baptize people in baptismals, lakes, swimming pools, or horse troughs.

For communion, the Bible does not specify the frequency of the meal, the type of bread to use, the alcohol content in “the cup.”

Scriptures are not exactly clear who should administer the ordinance. Churches are allowed some freedom in these matters.

All churches have a format that they typically follow, and this can be thought of as a “ritual.”

Of course, having a procedure to follow is not wrong. It is good for everything to be done “in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

But, if a church is so liturgical and its structure so rigid that the Holy Spirit is not able to operate freely, liturgy has gone too far.

And a church can be so liturgical and its structure so rigid that the Holy Spirit is not able to operate freely.

Liturgies or rituals designed by men are fallible and are often unscriptural.

It is even possible to “nullify the word of God” with the traditions of men (Mark 7:13).

Jesus warned against “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7).

Many rituals held in churches today are just that.

Repetitious prayers or creeds or songs can, over time, lead to dullness in worship rather than the free expression of one’s heart, mind, and soul before God (Matthew 22:34-40).

Are rituals wrong? No, not inherently. 

Empty ritual is wrong, as is any ritual that replaces, obscures, or detracts from a vibrant relationship with Christ.

Are rituals commanded in the church? No, except for baptism and communion. 

Rituals can be beneficial, but external rites should never be allowed to replace inner devotion.

God sees the heart, and He seeks those who worship Him “in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

God reveals Himself to mankind in the role of a Father in several contexts. The most important is that of a spiritual Father.

Thus, Christians experience a God who expresses all the qualities of a loving Father.

- He gives us life (John 3:3);

- He loves us (John 3:16);

- He rewards our efforts (Hebrews 11:6);

- He communicates with us through His Word – the Bible (John 17:17; Ephesians 1:13; Colossians 1:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13);

- He corrects us lovingly (Hebrews 12:3-11).

God will grant us the ultimate gift, eternal life in His Kingdom through His grace if we repent of our sins and obey His commands.

To experience God as a personal, caring, loving Father, you have to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. You will become a child of God and begin the fulfillment of the reason you were created by God.

Say the following prayer:

“Father God, I confess I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from You.

I am truly sorry. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and live a new life pleasing to You.

Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again.

I believe that Your Son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer.

I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Thank You that according to Your Word, I am now Your child, and I am born again.

Please send Your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. I promise to study Your Word – the Bible.

Please use me for Your glory.

In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.”

https://www.gotquestions.org/rituals-in-Christianity.html