Articles
About Worship
(March Theme: Authority... In the Church Worship)
Ed Bragwell
https://edssermonsandthings.com/archives/2273?highlight=about%20worship
In our more used English translations, “worship,” in its various forms, is found over 100 times in the Old Testament and over 70 times in the New Testament. It is used of one directing a special act (word or deed) to express adoration to another considered to be of higher rank or power than himself. As such, it is an act forbidden by God toward any being or thing in the universe but himself. This forbids our worshiping: [1] Any of God’s creation (Rom. 1:25) — [2] Any man (Acts 10:25-26) — [3] Angels (Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10).
Worship Different from Other Obedience
Worship is a separate activity from other acts of obedience to God. Abraham was obeying God when he took Isaac and headed out toward the place God told him to sacrifice, but as he neared the mountain he told his servants, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5 NKJV) Worship was a special act he was to do “yonder” and after which he would return. Every act of the whole episode was an act of obedience, but only what he did “yonder” was called worship.
Abraham’s servant said, “And I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD” (Genesis 24:48 NKJV), showing that worship was different for other acts of obedience. It is said of Elkanah and Hannah as they left Eli, “Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD …” (1 Samuel 1:19 NKJV). This shows that worship was a special act they directed to the Lord.
The conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman also shows that “worship” is used as activity other than all life (John 4:20- 24).
Worship, Service, and Obey Are Not Synonyms
All worship is service and obedience, but not all obedience or service is worship. “Worship” and “serve” are used as separate acts in many passages “And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. (Deuteronomy 4:19 NKJV) “Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. (Deuteronomy 8:19 NKJV) “Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, (Deuteronomy 11:16 NKJV) “But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, (Deuteronomy 30:17 NKJV) “But if you or your sons at all turn from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, (1 Kings 9:6 NKJV) “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, (2 Chronicles 7:19 NKJV) ‘This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. (Jeremiah 13:10 NKJV)
‘Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you. ’(Jeremiah 25:6 NKJV)
Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! (Daniel 3:28 NKJV) Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'” (Matthew 4:10 NKJV) And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'” (Luke 4:8 NKJV)
Children should obey parents, wives should obey husbands, citizens should obey governments, servants (employees) should serve masters (employers) as service to God – but must not worship anyone but God.
The Absurdity of “All Life Is Worship”
The act of presenting the body to God as act of (service/worship) is a far cry from saying every act of the body in service to God is an act of worship. The results of this error is to equate all acts of service of a faithful Christian with worship – thus minimizing the priority of public worship. So, if I want to volunteer at a soup kitchen on Sunday rather than attend “worship” then that is ok. Helping the needy is indeed an act of service to both God and the needy and by this theory an act of worship that is at least equivalent to that done in the assembly of the saints. So, he is worshiping God just as much at those at the assembly. It is just that each has chosen a different act of worship on this day. If one prefers to go to the mall and hand out tracts at the time the church assembles, then that is ok. After all, handing out tracts is a great act of service to God. He is worshiping just as much as those who are worshiping in the assembly. So, the church has no right to question one who forsakes the assembling to do any act that he considers doing God service. Not to be crude, but to impress us with the absurdity of this kind of thinking, a couple could stay home, after a busy week at work, and obey 1 Corinthians 7:3, which is unquestionably a command of God. They would be just as pleasing to God as those assembled for worship because, after all, “all life is worship.”
