MANY OF US BELIEVE worship means praising God in song and dance. We call singing the worship portion of the service; the musician are called the worship team. For the most part, this is a harmless distinction. However, worship is much more than this. To limit the definition of worship to singing can cause us to limit or compartmentalize our worship. We can avoid this by having a full understanding of the word worship. Certainly, worship means to giving praise, glory, honor, and service to God. But, in addition to singing, we must also worship God by living in obedience to Christ, emulating His life and teachings.
Our worship, regardless of its form, must be wholehearted!
Jesus told the woman at the well, “…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). We should worship from our position in Christ. Part of taking up our cross is identifying the center cross as our cross. When we do this, we identify with Christ as our proxy; our substitute; our propitiation; the very sacrifice for our sins. Carrying this through to the end, we realize we have also been resurrected to new life in Christ.
Peter said we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, called out of darkness into His marvelous light (see 1 Pet. 2:9). As such, we are “set aside” by God to worship and serve Him. Paul tells us the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). The depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God are unsearchable. From Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Rom. 11:36). Paul writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Rom. 12:1).
In the original Greek, the phrase “your bodies” is not merely a paraphrase for the word “yourselves,” but emphatically commands that we dedicate to God the very part of us which has an occasion to sin. Moreover, Paul is speaking about our bodies, hearts, and minds. We are called to serve God with our physical capabilities and with our intellectual and spiritual faculties. I believe the phrase “living sacrifice” includes being healthy and fit for service; being a good steward of the financial resources and assets with which God has blessed us in our present circumstances. Ready to go forth in obedience to God.
In closing, our worship must be comprehensive. God loves to hear us rejoicing in song, praising His name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre (see Psa. 149). David wrote, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!” (Psa. 57:5a, 7b, 8). When we acknowledge the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Savior to His people, we pause and worship Him. We worship God when we pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Paul writes, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever” (Rom. 11:36). It is after this that he tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship.
Remember, as you go forth each day, to strive for bringing honor and glory to God in all you say and do.
Steven Barto, BS Psy, ThM
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references contained herein are from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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