How important is the worship of God to you? There are many beliefs about worship. Some view it as important on Sunday morning and not Sunday evening. There are multitudes who believe that the worship of God is not important at all. Yet, a golden thread going through the Bible is the acceptable worship and adoration of God. In the New Testament there are four types of worship.
First, there is vain worship. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mat. 15:9). Vain worship is empty, useless because it is according to the standards of men and not authorized by the Lord. Vain worship is worthless, going no higher than the ceiling, unacceptable to God.
Second, there is will worship. “Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh” (Col. 2:23). Will worship is self-imposed religion. It is nothing but an exhibition of wisdom, a mere invention and misrepresentation of men. It is man satisfying man’s will and craving, not God’s.
Third, there is ignorant worship. “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you” (Acts 17:23). Ignorant worship is void of true knowledge of God and is not the worship authorized by God. It is unacceptable to God.
Fourth, there is true worship. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). True worship consists of the proper attitude, reverence toward God, and is directed by God’s Word which is truth. It is written, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). This is the worship that God accepts. It is according to His standard and not man’s.
When men worship God, they must understand that it is God centered and not man centered. It is God who we should please and not ourselves. It is not enough simply to worship, one must worship in spirit and truth.
- Paul Vaughn; via the Belvedere Beacon, the weekly bulletin of the Belvedere Church of Christ, Belvedere, SC. Ken Chumbley preaches for this congregation, and he may be contacted at their website: http://www.belvederechurchofchrist.org
No comments:
Post a Comment