PRINCIPLES, PRESENTATION, & ATTITUDES FOR WORSHIPPING GOD

Despite popular opinion, not all religious paths lead to God. There are right ways and wrong ways to worship God. Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Proper worship goes through the High Priest’s intercession. It’s Christian worship, or it’s unacceptable to God. This time (next to last in this series), I’ll share six truths about principles that support proper worship, biblical teachings about how we present ourselves before God as worshippers, and facts about the attitudes that ought to fill our hearts and minds as we worship God. I’ll also share some things about different traditions.

Principle I: In the previous posts in this series, I’ve talked at some length about the fact God seeks worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:19-26). True worshippers must worship in spirit and truth. No need to say anything more here. 

Principle II: Treat God with Appropriate Respect.

In Malachi 1:6–14 (ESV), God speaks through the prophet, 

A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the LORD’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

If you wouldn’t think, act, or present yourself in some way before a great king, don’t think, act, or present yourself that way before God, as if He has low standards. The hymn says, “Just as I am,” and that’s true, but God expects all who have received His grace to grow and improve (Titus 2:11–12). Don’t treat God like He’s less than He is! He’s the King of Kings! 

Of course, Jesus has fulfilled and abolished the old sacrificial system (Eph 2:15; Gal 3–4; Heb 9–10). We don’t do offerings the same way the faithful did in Malachi’s time, but the principles still apply to Christian worship. God doesn’t change (Mal 3:6). 

Worship God acceptably with reverence and godly fear or awe. Hebrews 12:18-29 (ESV) says, 

For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (ESV)

Enough said.

Principle III: Worship God decently and in order.

In 1 Corinthians 14:36–40 (ESV), the apostle Paul asks,

Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order. 

What does this mean? It means anything commanded explicitly in Scripture is required. There are some fixed boundaries. Not everything is left to human opinion or preference. Still, when we’ve been faithful in ordering our worship services according to Scripture, there remains much that can and will be determined by human tradition. Christians living in different cultures worldwide can and should all observe the same requirements and limitations on their worship practices, but their services will still have cultural differences, and that’s okay. 

Autonomy. According to Scripture, each local congregation is autonomous, or self-governing, under the headship of God the Father through the mediation of Christ, His Son, in the fellowship and under the instruction of the Holy Spirit through the written word. This means you might not like the way a congregation worships and it still be right with God. Don’t cause division; God hates that (Prov 6:16–19); worship somewhere else!

Don’t cause disorder! When you come into a church, look around, and if nothing is biblically inappropriate, fall into place with established traditions. If you don’t see anyone wearing shorts or a t-shirt, it’s not the Jesus thing to do to be the maverick that takes it upon him- or herself to force change. If there’s peace, unity, decency, and good order, it’s sinful to fight it over something as fleshly as your desire to dress more casually or behave more selfishly just because you think it’s your right. The opposite is also true. If you come into an assembly and everyone is presenting more informally, don’t judge because you believe everyone should dress like a black-tie occasion. Read Romans 14 and pray for help to understand it!

Principle IV. Remember, even though the Law of Moses is no longer in force, the Old Testament Principles for worship are eternal.

A. Bring Your Best! “The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God” (Exodus 23:19 ESV).

B. Cleanliness is Next to Godliness! “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ...’ So Moses went down from the mountain to the people and consecrated the people; and they washed their garments” (Exodus 19:10–14 ESV).

Principle V: Be careful about human traditions. You’re in the realm of convictions and opinions rather than absolutes. This is where most divisions form. 

Since human traditions aren’t God’s direct commandments, practical advice is preferable to dogma. Here are five words of advice:

• The sacred assembly of the church is like coming into God’s royal court. This doesn’t mean it has to be as formal as if we were invited into an earthly king’s court (because we’re also God’s family), but it does rule out junky, trashy, beachy, and immodest. 

• Use common sense! If you’re drawing undue attention to yourself, what you’re doing is probably inappropriate for the worship assembly. Think of others before yourself (Phil 2:3–4). When you come to church, don’t just think about what you hope to get out of it; focus on God first, then others, by intentionally worshipping in ways that help others worship!

• A water bottle is acceptable almost everywhere, and some kind of easy snack food for small children is ok (while, and only while, they’re being trained to worship), but big kids and adults who can’t focus on the Lord for an hour without a snack have, at best, not been well-trained. 

• We never make guests to services feel judged or out of place if we can help it, especially if it’s clear they don’t understand our ways unless it’s clear they intend to cause a problem, in which case security should remove them. Love must be tough. Make every effort to deal with an issue as peacefully as possible (Rom 12:18).

• “Jesus loves the little children.” Crying babies and struggling small children are treasures, and we want more and more of them. Use nursery, facilities, etc., but don’t feel embarrassed if your kids act like kids. Train them but know when and how to take them out of the service. Some churches do children’s church programs, believing it’s the best thing for families, and others don’t, not because they can’t, but because of a conviction that the whole family should worship together and that that’s the best way to train children to worship God. Don’t pronounce judgment. It’s not a commandments issue. If you come into a church that practices the “other” approach, try to see the possible wisdom of it even if you remain convinced your conviction is better. 

Finally, Principle VI: Joy!

The great Levitical worship leaders, the Sons of Korah, said it perfectly in Psalm 84:2 (ESV), “My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”

Joy comes in many forms, and one of those forms is decent, orderly, reverent, modest, biblically regulated worship services offered to God from and with our very best, as is appropriate of service to a great king. When you worship God with a clean conscience according to the rules of God’s word, you will enjoy it. More importantly, God will accept it. It will accomplish all His good purposes. 

Glory to God!

---JLP

Image by Himsan via Pixabay.