(All scripture references taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.)
In my previous article entitled Praise and Worship: What it Isn’t and What it Is, I attempted to contrast a biblical description of praise with what is commonly called “praise and worship” music. The basic dictionary definition of the word praise is the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship. This begs the question: What is worship? Let us begin with a basic dictionary definition once again - reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred. So we can clearly see that worship begins with a condition of the heart; it cannot be done casually or in a nonchalant manner.
Worship Predicated on Humility
When we look at worship in the Old Testament we often see that it was accompanied by a bowing posture. This posture denotes a humble attitude of submission to God. Throughout the gospels, beginning with the three magi, we see that Jesus was worshipped in this same manner. Paul he assumed this posture when praying for the believers at Ephesus, saying, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:14).
Because worship is predicated on humility, it is impossible for a proud person to worship God. The act of bowing in itself does not constitute worship unless it is a heartfelt act of adoration and honor to God. It is impossible to honor God with a proud heart. Pride is of satanic origin; it was pride that motivated Lucifer to exalt himself above the Most High.
In Spirit and Truth
When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, there is an indication that he addressed cultural pride when speaking about worship. When we read the account in John 4 it is evident that there was ethnic tension between the Samaritans and the Jews. The Samaritan woman and Jesus’ disciples were taken aback by the fact that Jesus would even speak to a Samaritan (John 4:9, 27). Pay close attention to this exchange:
19The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
20″ Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people [Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”
21Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
22″ You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23″But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.
24″God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Even though the woman knew Jesus was a prophet, she immediately wanted to turn the conversation into a debate about the proper place to worship. Why did she bring this up when Jesus was clearly speaking about something else altogether – namely her sinful lifestyle? I believe this response demonstrates her proud allegiance to the Samaritan religious tradition.
Jesus told this woman that the “true worshipers” must worship the Father in spirit and truth. In other words, Jesus was nullifying the validity of the idea that God had to be worshipped only in certain places. God is a spirit whose residence is not limited to a mountain.
What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth? First, I believe it has to do with an emphasis on the condition of the heart in relation to the born again experience rather than rituals that were carried out under the Law of Moses. When we take into account the specific reference Jesus made to God as Father, and examine the conversation he had with the woman about living water, we see that he was speaking of the new birth. Water is a type of the Spirit. Through the new birth sons and daughters of God, the true worshipers, are born of the Spirit.
The phrase “in truth” denotes knowledge of the one being worshiped. Also, this statement about worshiping God in spirit and truth is predicated on what Jesus said in verse 22: “You worship what you do not know…” Many people “ignorantly worship” a God that is really unknown to them, as did the people at Mars’ Hill in Acts 17. This kind of worship does not please the Father because there is not sufficient knowledge present to constitute truth.
Beyond simply knowing God, worshiping in truth must involve acting in accordance with what is known. In other words, there must be no contradiction between what one knows and how he acts. We are to be doers of the word (truth), rather than hearers only. Those who receive truth through the word, and refuse to allow their actions to be in agreement with it are self-deluded (James 1:22). Basically these people are lying to themselves. This is not truth.
Worship and Renewal of the Mind
Because New Testament worship is to be done in spirit and in truth, I think it is reasonable to conclude that in addition to the new birth being central to this process, so also is the renewal of the mind. When a person is born again they receive a new nature, the nature of God. This love nature is poured into the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit, changing his spiritual makeup (Romans 5:5). However, although he becomes a new creation spiritually, he must renew his mind in order to walk in the light of the truth of his relationship with God. This is the mental transformation that is necessary to make the benefits of the spiritual transformation fully realized.
It is for this reason that songs sung in praise to God reflect the New Covenant realities of revealed in God’s word. It is not enough that the songs sung reveal a truth but should reflect the Truth, Christ himself. Some have argued, for instance, that songs which emphasize the weakness of the flesh are perfectly acceptable to sing in a worship setting. I disagree. It’s not that a song should not mention such things at all; however, human weakness apart from God should not be the central theme of any song. The result of singing such songs is the unholy magnification of the flesh, which administers death rather than life. In Romans 8, Paul contrasts the carnal mindset that accompanied those under the Law with the spiritual mindset that empowers those under grace:
5For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
In order to appreciate the power of Christ that is sufficient to enable a person become the yielded instrument of God, he must become spiritually minded. This involves deliberate meditation of things pertaining to the grace of God, rather than the flesh of man. Only then can someone worship both in spirit and in truth.
The Fear of the Lord
Knowledge of who God is naturally produces a capacity to reverence God. Those who cannot appreciate how awesome God is simply do not know God. Reverential fear of God is necessary in order to enter into true worship.
“Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28).
As a son or daughter of God, Christians are to offer worship to God that is based on reverence. Just as biblical principles teach that children should be in submission to their earthly parents out of respect, the same thing applies to our relationship with God.
9Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:9-11).
Again, this respect is based on knowing who our Father is; from this knowledge we are enabled to give him the proper place in our lives. To put it another way, without knowledge there can be no respect; without respect there can be no reverence, and without reverence there can be no worship. Even Jesus, who possessed more knowledge of God than any man, reverenced God. The ultimate expression of this reverence was marked by his submission in laying down his own life.
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (Hebrews 5:7 [NIV])
Reverencing God Through Other People
Although this may be a difficult concept for people to grasp, it is impossible to reverence God without respecting people. The supreme commandment of the New Testament is love. How can you love God, whom you have not seen, if you cannot love your brother whom you have seen? Anyone who says he loves God and hates his brother is a liar (I John 4:20). And remember, God must be worshiped in spirit and truth. It is required that all Christians be loving and forgiving people; there are no exceptions to this. In fact, Jesus implied that the offering of an unforgiving person would not be accepted by God. Look at this passage from Matthew 5:
22″But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
23″Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.
Did you know that God’s forgiveness is conditional for believers? It is conditional on whether you will forgive other people. A choice not to forgive another person is a choice not to receive forgiveness from God. Listen to what Jesus said in Mark 11:
25″Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.
26[”But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]
Respect of Persons
One of the easiest ways to dishonor God is to ascribe more or less value to people on the basis of appearance, education, wealth, status, power, or influence. God looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). God is no respecter of persons (II Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25). Not only is this explicitly stated many times in the Bible, it is evident by the accounts we have of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He chose what we might assume to be the most unlikely people to be his disciples. Nevertheless, whatever they were before he found them he told them they were made clean by the words he had spoken to them (John 15:3). Their worth was not in what they made themselves to be, but what he made them to be. How do you think God feels when a person he redeemed is unfairly judged by other believers, simply because he fails to measure up to human standards? I can assure you he is not pleased. James called such people “judges with evil motives” (James 2:4).
The Living Sacrifice
Worship has always involved sacrifice, but we understand that under the New Covenant animal sacrifices are no longer accepted; Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice whose blood was sufficient payment for the sins of the world. However, God does require of us a sacrifice – our bodies.
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1)
Keep in mind that this is not a sacrifice we make in order to attain righteousness with God. Jesus did that on our behalf. This sacrifice is an act of worship enables us to become instruments of righteousness such that we can be useful to the kingdom of God, thus producing the fruits of righteousness. Consider these two verses from Romans 6:
13And do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
16Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?
Worship in the Church Service
To many people the word worship is synonymous with church services. But although God may be worshiped on Sunday morning, it is incomplete to limit our concept of worship to a weekly gathering. However, when people gather together, they are the sum of their individual attitudes toward God. Their personal concepts of God and fellowship with God constitute the corporate worship of him in the church gathering. If the congregation is made up of people who reverence God in their daily lives, submitting to his word and considering his thoughts toward their activities, the resulting worship service will be acceptable to God. But where you have a group of irreverent people who fail to esteem God throughout the week, but rather think of Jesus as someone to be thought about in a strictly nostalgic or religious sense, their collective worship will amount to very little. Although they may praise God with their lips, their hearts are far from him (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 5:8).
Thank you, Chris, for this article. It covered a lot of ground and IMO, should have been cut into two or three articles (like a separate article on forgiveness, for example).
I’ve always chafed at the use of the word “worship” to refer to what goes on in a building on Sunday morning. Even calling that “corporate worship” isn’t really accurate, because many people participate physically but not in spirit or in truth. (But, I realize that words have multiple meanings, so we just have to accept the fact that the word “worship” can mean a time that has no real worship in it!
Other comments are running through my head, but perhaps are too personal for this venue. But thanks for giving me something to think about.
Yeah, I agree that this could have been broken up into multiple articles. It never really occurred to me at the time. I was just following up on the praise article I had written. Once I got into it, I believe I received further illumination on the “spirit and truth” part. So I went with it. I wanted to look at worship from a more circular perspective, including some aspects that might be overlooked.
When you’ve had time to collect your thoughts, I’d appreciate any more input you’d like to contribute on the subject.
Thank you both. In our “praise and worship” service, we aim for quicker songs, with the original purpose 18 months ago to draw in youth and young adults. The message is the same for the P&W service as it is for the “traditional” service. As “worship leader” for the early service, I strive to find an even balance; we actually have several of our elderly members now attending the early service. Several have admitted that they first began attending the earlier service because they get up early anyway and if they could “get church” out of the way early, then they had more of their Sunday to visit with family, friends, go out to dinner, etc. Now, all these months later, most of these same elders say they actually choose the P&W service over the traditional because it means more to them, and they even insist that family in town to see them come to the early service. What they say they have discovered is that they can close their eyes, relax, and really meet with God one-on-one, even in the midst of a gathering; then, they say they anticipate the preacher’s sermon with joy, desire to hear and learn more, etc.
After saying all of the above, the purpose of my response is this: I try to balance what the young and old alike would like to sing/hear each Sunday before the Message. This upcoming Sunday may be a disappointment to our congregation because the songs we are singing are slower, require reflection, do not have a driving drum/bass beat, and make the worshiper come face-to-face with his/her relationship with Christ. For me personally, worship is directed solely to Jesus, with Him receiving all the glory and praise; it means losing my place in a song because I am so caught up in worship; it means leading young people to openly worship without being afraid if they know the song(s), if they can sing on key or pitch, if they sound like a frog or an angel which hopefully leads to appropriate concerns of if they have the right haircut, the right shoes, the right cell phone, living in the right part of town, hang out with the right group.
So please pray for our service this Sunday, because in slowing things down this week, my prayer is that more of our church will shed their chains and follow our Lord - not because it’s the “cool” thing to do right now, but because they truly understand and feel the presence of God, a presence that is with them 24/7.
momma ladybug,
I will pray for your service.
Thank you so much for this article It certainly cleared up a lot for me. I love God so much and want to definetly go to heaven. There are things that I know hinder me but the things that hinder me that I am not aware of are important. Knowing how to worship in spirit and truth is most important for me right now. Thanks and may our God continue to bless you. Please pray for me and my strength in the Lord.Aretha
Aretha, I’m glad the article helped you. May you be forever enriched in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning your strength in the Lord, here is a prayer you might consider praying for yourself as I pray it for you:
16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:16-21