Worship is a sacred thing! God is glorious in holiness and fearful in praises! In conversation with a Samaritan woman Jesus disclosed the acceptable worship must be in spirit and in truth. Let’s look into it further!
The scripture unequivocally declares that worship is reserved solely for God. This divine directive lays the foundation for a worship that is sincere, genuine, and centered on the Almighty.
“Then God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me.'” (Exodus 20:1-5)
Psalmist provides us with a clear standard for acceptable worship. It outlines the characteristics of a worshiper who walks with integrity, works righteousness, and speaks truth from the heart. This Psalm sets the criteria for an honorable and pleasing worship before God.
“O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.” (Psalm 15:1-5)
Jesus condemns vain worship, highlighting the discrepancy between lip service and genuine heart devotion. This emphasises the importance of authenticity in our worship, moving beyond superficial expressions.
“And He said to them, ‘Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.“‘ Mark 7:6
John 4:22 emphasises the necessity of knowledge in worship, reminding us that true worship involves understanding who God is. The bible further stresses the danger of worshiping in ignorance, urging us to seek a deep knowledge of the Almighty in our worship.
“You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” (Acts 17:22-23)
Colossians 2:20-23 warns against willful or self-imposed worship, emphasising the need to align our desires with God’s instructions. This passage encourages us to let go of personal will and embrace God’s divine guidance in our worship.
“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’ (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.“
The tragic consequence of unauthorised worship is illustrated in Leviticus 10:1-2 through the account of Nadab and Abihu. This narrative serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of adhering to God’s specific instructions in our worship.
“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.“
Jesus instructs that acceptable worship transcends physical locations and rituals. It requires a genuine connection with God in spirit and truth, emphasising a profound and authentic spiritual engagement.
“Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship… But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:20-24
Psalm 96:9 adds a layer of holiness to acceptable worship, calling for a reverence towards the Lord. Acts 24:16 directs us to maintain a heart void of offense towards God and others, underscoring the importance of sincerity and purity in our worship.
“Worship the Lord in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.“
Finally, Hebrews 11:4 draws a parallel between acceptable worship and the faith demonstrated by Abel. Abel’s sacrifice, rooted in faith, serves as a timeless example of worship characterised by deep and genuine faith.
“By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.“
In a nutshell, the scripture provides a comprehensive guide for worship, outlining the attributes, attitudes, and knowledge required for acceptable worship. It calls us to approach God with sincerity, authenticity, and unwavering faith, mirroring the exemplar set by those who worshipped in spirit and truth throughout biblical history.
note – bible passages in brackets are not fully cited though the extracts are accurate.
Author
kay.alli@legalview.co.uk