Worship

The Order of Adam has a clear pattern of worship. Adam was taught one order by God, and the patriarchs lived that same order.

The exact wording and manner of these rites are not fixed. God reveals the details to each father as He wills. However the pattern itself is clear and does not change.

God gave authority to Adam as the first father to administer these rites, and that stewardship belongs to the fathers of families among the sons of Adam.

The ideal is families living from the land, close to one another in shared community and away from the cities, as Adam and the patriarchs did. Most of us are not living that fully yet. However God works with us as we move toward it.

I share some of what follows as I am learning to live this order with my family. The pattern is one, even while each father must seek God for the details.

Communicating with God

Communication with God comes first. Prayer is a rite of direct communication with God. This is where everything begins.

What I have come to understand about communicating with God is that He is concerned with the person. Are they sincere in their approach. Are they willing to do what He asks. That is really the key, not ritual itself.

God speaks to His children through His Spirit which is conveyed by angels or Himself. It comes by impressions, thoughts, or words that we feel more than hear. Angels and God also appear in person, sometimes looking like a normal human and other times in glory. Coming into the presence of God as Enoch, Noah, Abraham and others did is possible. It has always been possible.

Most people who begin to seek God directly, struggle with three questions. Is this God? Is this me? Is the Devil trying to deceive me?

I have found that when it is me there is usually something selfish in it. When it is the Devil there is always some darkness in it no matter how good it sounds. When it is God it is clear, easy to understand, and does not contradict itself.

I am not concerned that I may get it wrong. The times I have got it wrong have taught me by experience the difference between what is of God and what is not, and that has helped me recognize the right more clearly. This is one of the blessings of the Messiah, that when we get things wrong we can be forgiven and continue on, as long as we remain humble and keep seeking God.

Breaking Bread and Drinking Wine

Breaking bread and drinking wine is a regular family rite of remembrance in the Order of Adam. It is family worship, administered by the father for his household and those close to the family.

This sacred act is older than the institutions that later claimed to govern worship. Melchizedek brought bread and wine to Abraham, and the Messiah gave this again to His followers.

The bread remembers the word and commandments of God, and the wine remembers the blood the Messiah shed so that the children of God may be saved from sin, overcome death, and return to the Father.

There is no condition that a person must first be baptized in order to partake. The family comes together to remember the deliverance the Messiah provides, to remember the commandments of God, and to keep their hearts turned toward the Father.

The Holy Days

The holy days belong to the Order of Adam and are family observances. They are simpler and older than the Israelite forms that came later. There are no fixed dates, because they follow the seasons and may look different from year to year and family to family.

The Holy Days of Deliverance begin with an evening meal, usually lamb, and continue for seven days with the family. In those days the family remembers the deliverance the Messiah provides from the effects of the Fall, and also the deliverance God provides through the experiences of this life.

The Holy Day of Thankfulness comes at first harvest. It is one day with the family, set apart to give thanks to God for the abundance He provides.

The Holy Days of Sojourning come before winter. For about a week family and close friends remember that we are visitors on the earth, that we came to this earth and will go on to another place, that God is our Father and we are part of His family, and that this life is given so we may learn to become more like Him and live so that He would visit with us here on earth.

In all three holy days the meals should be simple and the family should slow down. They are not for overeating, drinking, decorations, presents, media, entertainment, or display. They are for remembering, giving thanks, resting together, and speaking of what God has done and what He has provided.

Baptism

Baptism is the outward act of covenanting with God to live the Order of Adam. It is entered into when a person is ready to make or renew that covenant.

It is administered by their father or by the father of a family with whom they are joined in trust and closeness.

The Altar

At the altar worship reaches its most sacred expression before God. It is a place where God comes to His people.

An altar should be on higher ground, preferably in a garden or grove of trees, and set apart from the daily life of the world. It stands at the center of the garden and should be made of stones not cut by man. It is not a place for casual play or common use, but a place set apart for prayer, sacrifice, and covenant before God.

There is much symbolism in this. The garden or grove calls to mind the Garden of Eden, God's preferred resting place on earth. The altar in the center speaks of the tree of life, the life God gives to His children. The stones, not cut by man, honor the beauty of God's creation. One should remove their shoes, because this is sacred ground.

At the altar a patriarch may approach God in prayer or offer sacrifice of the flock or the fruit of the ground. The purpose is to make covenants with God as He directs.