THE ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP

The gospel gives many instructions about the importance of unity and fellowship among God’s people, and about the importance of serving one another. It also gives many reasons why Christians should worship God and study His word and especially attend the meetings of the church in order to participate in group worship and study activities.

One may likely want to take a deep thought concerning what worship entails. The Apostle Paul described true worship perfectly in Romans 12: 1-2 “I urge you therefore, 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. And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable, or well pleasing and perfect.”

True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise (although these things are both good, and we are told in the Bible to do them). True worship is the acknowledgement of God; all His power and all His praise and worship is obedience to Him and His Word. To do this, we must know God; we cannot be ignorant of Him (Acts 17:23). Worship is to glorify and exalt God; to show our loyalty and admiration to our Father.

True worship is God-Centered.  Worshippers tend to get caught up in where they should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how their worship looks to other people. Focusing on these things misses the point. Jesus tells us that true worshippers will worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:24). This means we worship from the heart and the way God has designed worship can include praying, reading God’s Word with an open heart, singing, participating in communion, and serving others. It is not limited to one act, but is done properly when the heart and attitude of the person are in the right place.

Romans 12: 1-2 contains all the elements of true worship. First, there is the motivation to worship: “the mercies of God.” God’s mercies are everything He has given us that we don’t deserve: eternal grace, the Holy Spirit, everlasting peace, eternal joy, saving faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honour, glory, righteousness, security, eternal life, forgiveness, reconciliation, justification, sanctification, freedom, intercession and much more. The knowledge and understanding of these incredible gifts motivates us to pour forth praise and thanksgiving- in other words, worship!

Also, in the passage is a description of the manner of our worship: “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.”  Presenting our bodies means giving to God all of ourselves. The reference to our bodies here means all our human faculties, all of our humanness (our hearts, minds, hands, thoughts, and attitudes) are to be presented to God.

Today, individuals have deviated from what true worship is and it is likened now to singing alone. Let’s learn to emulate the example of the act in the story of Cain and Abel, the first sons of Adam and Eve. They both brought gift offerings to the Lord, but He was only pleased with Abel’s. Cain brought the gift out of obligation. Abel brought his finest lambs from his flock out of true faith and admiration for God. This explains the fact that it is about the heart.