Views: 2<\/p>
\u00a0Christian worship involves reverent acts of homage paid to God and\/ or Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament is the inspired revelation of God, its authority perished with the death of Christ (Col. 2:14). The only source of information for worship that pleases God and His Son is the New Testament. No man knows anything about what pleases God without learning it from its twenty-seven \u201cbooks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Is God somehow \u201cobligated\u201d to accept whatever men may wish to offer to Him in the name of \u201cworship\u201d? A great number of people seem to believe so as indicated by the wide variety of worship practices. They did not get this variety from the Bible.<\/span><\/p>\n Although we do not live under Old Testament authority in the Christian age, its records of God\u2019s attitude toward worship are nonetheless instructive. In case after case, God expressed His certain wrath against those who disobeyed Him regarding worship (e.g., Cain, Nadab, Abihu, King Saul, Uzziah, Israel, Judah, et al.). While the worship practices in the New Testament differ greatly from those in the Old, God\u2019s attitude toward those who disregard His will concerning worship remains the same. All that we do or say must be by His authority (Col. 3:17).<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The New Testament mentions some \u201ckinds\u201d of worship that are displeasing to God. Jesus condemned the worship of the Jewish leaders as \u201cvain\u201d (i.e., to no purpose) (Mat. 15:8). It was such because human rather than Divine doctrines and precepts were its basis (v. 9). The only acceptable worship of God and His Son is that which Divine precept authorizes.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paul condemned some in the Colossian church who engaged in \u201cwill-worship\u201d\u2014practices that satisfied their own wills rather than seeking and conforming to God\u2019s will (Col. 2:23). The context identifies these acts with \u201cthe precepts and doctrines of men\u201d (v. 22). So much of what people do in religious assemblies today is to please themselves and involves nothing less than entertainment in the name of religion. Our worship must seek to please God, not ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus identified \u201ctrue worshippers\u201d as those who worship God \u201cin spirit and truth\u201d (which implies that all other worship is \u201cfalse worship\u201d) (John 4:23\u201324). \u201cTrue worship\u201d requires the sincere involvement of our hearts (\u201cin spirit\u201d) and adherence to God\u2019s will concerning worship (\u201cin truth\u201d). Sincerity is not enough if we ignore God\u2019s Word. Nor is it enough to outwardly do what God requires when our hearts are not in it. True worship requires one\u2019s sincere compliance with Truth.<\/span><\/p>\n [Note:<\/strong> I wrote this article for and it appeared in the Denton Record-Chronicle, <\/em>Denton, TX, May 11,2007].<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution:<\/strong> From www.thescripturecache.com<\/em>; Dub McClish, proprietor, curator, and administrator.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Views: 2 [Note: \u00a0This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 3 \u00a0page.] \u00a0Christian worship involves reverent acts of homage paid to God and\/ or Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament is the inspired revelation of God, its authority perished with the…<\/p>\n