Every creature in heaven worships God. The question is whether we do. Not whether we sing on Sundays or bow our heads before meals, but whether our hearts are genuinely captivated by who God is. God created us with the primary purpose to worship Him. We cannot pursue godliness without it. The discipline of biblical worship is essential in our pursuit for Christlikeness.
1. True worship begins with a heart focused on the infinite worth of God.
2. The Holy Spirit gives every believer the capacity to worship in spirit and truth.
3. Worship that is purely outward is hypocrisy.
4. God requires both corporate worship with His people and private worship in secret.
5. The more we worship God, the more we become like Him.
Why Must Worship Be Focused on God?
When we focus on God, we learn to appreciate His infinite worth. When we comprehend God's worth, we respond in worship. In heaven, every living creature venerates God for His excellence.
"Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!' And the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' and the elders fell down and worshiped." (Revelation 5:11–14)
When we focus on God, we grow in appreciation of His greatness, and our proper response is worship. Three witnesses testify to us His great worth: God's creation (Romans 1:20), God's written word, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21), and Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14; Hebrews 1:1–2).
Our worship should be based primarily on the Bible, God's special revelation to us. Bible reading and preaching form our basis of public worship. Bible reading and meditation form our basis of private worship.
Worship may include words and actions, but the core of worship involves the heart, soul, and mind. Focus on God is the prerequisite to biblical worship.
What Does It Mean to Worship God in Spirit and Truth?
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that God seeks a specific kind of worshiper. Not one who merely goes through the motions, but one who worships in spirit and truth. These are not optional qualities. They are requirements.
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23–24)
Why Is the Holy Spirit Essential for True Worship?
The Holy Spirit is a prerequisite to true worship. No one can worship God apart from the Spirit's work. When God's Spirit indwells every child of God in conversion, God gives Christians a new capacity to worship.
"Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says 'Jesus is accursed!' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3)
Why Does God Require Sincerity in Worship?
When we worship in spirit, we worship with sincerity. When our worship is purely an outward act, it is hypocritical and false. Worship requires the genuine involvement of our deepest longings and thoughts.
What Role Do Emotions Play in Biblical Worship?
God does not want Christians to worship out of duty. True worship is not mechanistic. When we grasp His greatness, it should stir our minds, hearts, and emotions. Meditation on God's attributes kindles our emotions and draws us to worship in spirit.
"Where feelings for God are dead, worship is dead."[1]
Even so, our emotions do not always follow our thoughts. Periodically, our worship can feel insincere, dry, and cold. However, the restoration of joy occurs within the context of true worship. Do not stop worshiping. Press on.
Why Must Worship Be Grounded in Scripture?
We must worship the true God revealed in Scripture. To worship a god not revealed in Scripture is idolatry. When we worship God in truth, there are two aspects: we worship the God revealed in Scripture, and we worship God in the manner that He prescribes in Scripture.
Songs that we sing in public and private must be saturated by the truths of Scripture. Because God gives instructions through His word on baptism and the Lord's Supper, we incorporate these elements in our public worship. Scripture reveals the God we worship, and it reveals the method by which we worship.
Why Is Corporate Worship Essential for Every Christian?
God expects His people to worship together in public. Jesus participated in public worship in the synagogue, and New Testament authors exhorted the early church Christians to meet together to worship.
"And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read." (Luke 4:16)
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24–25)
Our true worship needs to occur publicly. During the time Hebrews was written, meeting together had to occur in person. This cannot be anonymous through electronic means like the internet. It is essential we do not live our Christian lives in secret isolation.
Why Is Private Worship Necessary for Knowing God?
God gives us continuous access to Him, and He desires Christians to worship routinely in private. We cannot restrict our worship to one day a week in our local church.
Geoff Thomas states, "There is no way that those who neglect secret worship can know communion with God in the public services of the Lord's Day."[2]
How Does Worship Produce Godliness?
Worship produces godliness. The more you worship God, the more you become like God. But like other spiritual disciplines, worship needs to be cultivated.
God's ultimate purpose for redeeming His people is to create a body of true worshipers. Unlike angels, we can worship our God by declaring, "Christ is our redeemer. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Bibliography
- Mathis, David. Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2016.
- Whitney, Donald S. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Revised and updated ed. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2014.
Further Study
- Worship by the Book by D.A. Carson
- Family Worship: In the Bible, In History, and In Your Home by Donald Whitney
- True Worshippers: Seeking What Matters to God by Bob Kauflin
