Worship
Giving Honor to God
Worship is acknowledging that God has worth. Because God is infinitely great, He is worthy of supreme honor. He is truly worthy to receive praise.
How should God be honored? As mere creations, we are not adequate to decide how God should be honored. How can we, as lowly creatures, honor such an exalted being as our Creator? Any ideas people construct on their own cannot be adequate or appropriate. To honor God, we must seek and accept His instructions for what is proper from humans for honoring His greatness.
To try to give honor based on one's own ideas or desires is to honor self, not God. [This is similar to not asking what your spouse wants, then giving your spouse a gift you will use.] To base the giving of honor on what is familiar to us is to honor self, not God. The giving of honor must be completely in obedience to God's prescriptions. Thus, worship that seeks to identify with a culture, a generation, societal tastes, consumer fads, or church tradition, is directed toward people - not toward God. Worship, by definition, must be completely God-ward. ("Worship the Father ... worship Him" Jn 4:21-23)
Honor Given in Truth
Worship must be in truth and in spirit (Jn 4:24). Worship in 'truth' is giving honor to God according to His prescriptions - that which correctly honors God. Worshipping God in one's spirit must be combined with truth - worship done according to God's instructions. All that is said in worship, all that is done in worship, and the manner in which honor is given must accurately reflect God's character. The message and the actions must convey truth.
'Truth worship,' then, must involve one's mind, as well as one's heart and actions. To know God's instructions, nature, and His works involves the mental functions as well as the spirit. The mind is involved in praising God for His holiness: unfailing love, flawless justice, complete knowledge, absolute power, perfect wisdom, and super-abundant grace.
Honor Given by the Human Spirit
However, worship cannot be merely mental; it is more than academic knowledge of facts about God. Worship must include these facts, but it must also come from the inner part of one's being; worship must come from a submissive, grateful, appreciative, and obedient awareness and belief in God's impeccable greatness - a creature giving proper praise to honor the Creator. Along with giving honor in truth, one must give honor with one's spirit. Worship must come from one's spirit to God, who is Spirit.
Improper Worship
Attempts at worship that are not in spirit and in truth are unacceptable to God. God is not pleased at such endeavors - even if they are done with great conviction, intense emotion, sincere purpose, and heart-felt endeavors. The requirement that worship must be in spirit and truth eliminates services designed to entertain, appease opinions, make people feel comfortable, 'tickle ears,' suit the fancy, fulfill self-desires, avoid problems, attract people through manipulation, conform to culture, honor a person(s), increase financial giving, simulate the body, manipulate thoughts or actions, or enliven emotions.
Worship in spirit and truth is not possible from an unbeliever. A person who does not trust in Jesus and His work on the cross as God's only provision for forgiveness of sin, salvation from sin and its penalty, and reconciliation to God is not honoring God; thus he cannot worship God. Giving up efforts of making it to heaven through self-merit or self-effort and turning ownership and direction of one's life over to Jesus Christ is the first attitude toward honoring God. Belief in Jesus Christ is the first attitude of worship. Worship can only be done by true worshippers (Jn 4:23).
Prescriptions for Group Worship
The above applies to both private and group worship. In addition, God has given prescriptions designed specifically for group worship. (One aspect of honoring God is to search His Word to see what He says concerning worship.) Those who worship must have right relationships with others (Matt 5:23-24). Cooperate worship requires mutual participation, not individual urges or subjective actions (doing 'your own thing'). Worship must be led only by qualified male leaders (1 Cor 14:34). The Word of God must be central to worship. Instead of using Scripture as a springboard to express one's own ideas, messages must be accurate explanations, proclamations, and applications of God's Word (2 Tim 2:15). The message of songs used in worship must teach God's Word and encourage godly living (Col 3:16). The kind of music (and all activities) must be appropriate for the Biblical message and directed toward God (Col 1:17; Eph 5:19) rather than directed toward one's own feelings. [Not all music is created equal.] Instead of pointing to individuals (1 Cor 14:26, 30-32), worship must be directed towards God.
"He may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, ... by way of visible representations, or by any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures." Baptist Confession of Faith, 1689
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." 1 Timothy 1:17
