By Bob W. Lovelace
It is self-evident that the New Testament
"items" of worship are offered "to God" and not just done
thinking about God. God has always been aware of man's sacrifice offered to Him
(Cp. Cain and Abel, Gen. 4). Concerning Jesus, Luke says, "And it came to
pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all
night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12). Moreover He spoke of "truthful" worshippers when He
said, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him" (John 4:23). Are you such a person? To this Jesus added,
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and
truth" (John 4:24). Above all, Paul said that Christians have been filled
with the fruit of righteousness that
comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God (Philip. 1:11).
"Praise" is laudation. Thus
"fruits" of worship such as singing and prayer are not just unto the
glory and praise of God, but actually offered to Him and accepted by Him. The
singular point of our brief study is that our worship is offered "to
God" as we draw near to God and offer it in such a way that it is a
sacrifice He accepts and is pleased with.
Our
Worship is offered (to God) with the understanding that God is "worthy"
to receive honor and glory. Consider John’s statement: “Thou art worthy, O
Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things,
and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Rev. 4:11). The word
"worthy" means deserving, fitting to. In this vein we notice that our
singing is offered in praise to God:
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom
teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Col. 3:16). It is
evident here that the thankfulness is in the heart and the singing is to God.
Consider
praying as described in Col. 1:3: "We give thanks to God, the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you." Again it is evident that
the thankfulness is in the heart and the prayer is “to God.”
In neither
of these are those speaking or participating "just" thinking about
God. We do have a general statement that says, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men" (Col. 3:23), but when it comes to a specific item
of worship such as our prayers we find that they are “to God” (I Th. 1:2; 2 Th. 2:13; Acts 8:24;
Rom. 15:30. The singing and prayer are offered "to God" and accepted
by God! This is a fact. Peter says, "you also, as living stones, are being
built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (I Peter 2:5). These
spiritual sacrifices when done in spirit and in truth are well received. The
word “acceptable” is euprosdektos, Greek 2144,
yoo-pros'-dek-tos; from Greek 2095 (eu) and a derivative of Greek 4327
prosdechomai); well-received, i.e. approved, favorable :- acceptable (-ted)
(Strong’s Help).
With our
worship we draw near to God through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yes, we actually
draw near to Him! Consider Hebrews 7:19 "For the law made nothing perfect,
but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto
God." The idea of drawing nigh is that of
“approaching" ~ NASB Dict. Help: eggizo, Greek 1448, NASB eggizo;
from Greek 1451 (eggus); to make near, reflexive to come near :-
approached(10), approaching(7), at hand (12), came close(1), came up(1), come
near(3), comes near(2), coming near(1), draw near(3), drawing near(2).
This
wonderful privilege is made possible through Christ. The Hebrew writer says,
"Hence, also, He is able to save forever those who draw near to God
through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb.
7:25). “Draw near” ~ "Strong's Help proserchomai, Greek 4334; from Greek
4314 (pros) and Greek 2064 (erchomai) (including its alternate); to approach,
i.e. (literal) come near, visit, or (figurative) worship, assent to :- (as soon
as he) come (unto), come thereunto, consent, draw near, go (near, to, unto).
Much could
be said about Jesus as the one mediator between God and man ( I Tim. 2:5), but
we have established by scripture the fact that our worship is to God and
accepted by God as we draw near unto Him. One place that Christians did such,
of course, was in their assemblies together as a church (Heb. 10:22, 25,
13:15). Both praise to God and giving thanks to His name are sacrifices offered
as worship from the standpoint of
"offering up," or "bringing" it as a sacrifice to
Him (Heb. 13:15). Our singing is not just to one another; nor is the singing
just about thankfulness. It is a profession of our thanks. Singing as worship
goes all the way to God! The Psalmist said, “Let my prayer be set forth before
thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice”
(Psalm 141:2). Hosea proclaimed, “Take with you words, and turn to the Lord:
say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we
render the calves of our lips” (Hosea 14:12).
Moreover
we are warned about our worship being "unworthy." The assembly for
the Lord's Supper "in remembrance of" Christ must not be done in an
unworthy manner, Paul said (I Cor.
11:28-29). Strong’s definition of “unworthy” is: anaxios, Greek 371; adverb
from Greek 370 (anaxios); irreverently :- unworthily.” You see! Worship can be
done unworthily. What is wrong with people who think they are free to laugh
while talking and thinking about other things? —– what they will be doing that
afternoon, who they will be doing them with, and perhaps their minds dwell upon
why they will not even back for worship that evening although the could be.
Never view proper conduct in worship as "solely" out of respect for
the people present, which is certainly a part of this.
It is
entirely possible that “reverence” be taught by man’s precepts and not God’s.
Hear Isaiah, "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near
me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their
heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of
men:" (Isa. 29:13). The precepts of men will not do for worship! (Cp.
Matt. 15:7-9). When fear for God is taught by man’s precepts acceptable worship
flies out the window and anything goes!
As one
reads Eph. 5:19-20 there is no doubt the worshipful items are to be offered
"to the Lord," and "unto God." To do this successfully the
thanksgiving (and praise) is addressed to the proper person, God. Why? So that
God might be pleased and man might be edified (I Cor. 14:40, 33). Let us take
great care here. Brethren, are we now beginning down the road that takes the
reverence and fear of God from worship?
Do presentation “skills” include all too often cute stories designed to
make us laugh and put the audience in a good mood? Did Paul not say,
“...subjecting themselves to one another in the fear of the Lord”? How does our
"reverence" to the Lord apply to our worship together? Is it this?
That our reverence lends to the order as well as to controlled conduct during
these acts of worship. I certainly believe so. It seems to me that the being
filled with the Spirit produces the following activities: speaking, singing,
making melody, giving thanks, and subjecting yourselves to one another in the
fear of the Lord. One should never dismiss the importance of structure and
order by trite statements such as "it is not God who needs the edification
but us."
All
acceptable worship is regulated by God’s Word (Cp. Col. 3:16). Moreover God’s
Word produces reverence (Prov. 1:7-9; 15:33).
Our fear of the Lord means that we will control our conduct in worship
(Eccl. 5:1; I Cor. 14:35, 37). What in
the world has happened in a church when adults, both young and older, set in
church manifesting disruptive attitudes and actions that ranging all the way
through such acts as laughing, grumbling, day dreaming and indifference? Where
are you headed when you turn to see the one doing the taping in the back
nodding off? What kind of reverence do young mothers show when they gather in
the nursery for their own good “time” while worship takes place in the
assembly? Just how many times do adults in worship have to observe young women
pulling their hair out in a long strand with one hand, and then bringing it
around in front of their eyes and stroking it with the other hand, and that for
minutes upon end during worship before they say something? And yes let us
desist in intentionally looking the other way when we are well aware a
problem
has developed. Are not such things as giggling, note writing and even making
faces the responsibility of all who make up the “one another” responsible for
conducting worship in the fear of the Lord? Why some even give the appearance
of hoping that brethren and teachers or preachers will see them — thus daring
them to say something!
Beloved
when such as the above is done before God in worship step forward, speak up,
give counsel and do not put the sole burden of having to deal with it on the
ones who stand before all and lead. Let
all of God’s children whom the Father seeks to worship Him in truth help out
and join together in a concerted effort to repel the present attack upon
worship today. The parents need to help
out with their own children. And please
stop being upset if a caring brother or sister in the church loves you and them
enough to correct your own! Do not be the kind of parent whose reaction to such
is an unacceptable as the conduct of their child was! Often churches have
members who know the “truth” part of worship but their spirits lack the heart
to manifest it and enforce it.