As we continue through our lessons on how to give honor to Christ, we should remember the lesson on fashioning ourselves after the New Testament pattern. This lesson will focus on what the New Testament teaches about worship.
To honor Christ means to follow his word concerning worship. We must learn what the church did in the 1st century for worship. Jesus, when talking to the Samaritan woman at the well, says “God is a spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John4:24). Worship has to be done “in spirit” which is our spirit, which means the sincerity of our soul being prompted by proper desires. Our sincere desire should be to do that which pleases God. In other words, much different than that of the Old Testament, this would be spiritual worship.
The problem that is present today, as well as in the days of Jesus, is that many believe they can worship God in any way or fashion they want. However, worship is God-regulated and not man-regulated. Worship is praise, adoration, homage paid to God above, and not to man. It is evident from the last part of the verse that it is not left up to us to decide what makes God pleased with us. He has already given us command and examples of how we are to worship Him. “In truth” simply means according to His word.
This tells us that we honor Christ by following the New Testament. We are authorized to worship in the following avenues:
1. Singing (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19; Heb. 13:15) – They were commanded to sing.
2. Giving (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:12; Rom. 12:1, 8) – They were commanded to give weekly, willingly, proportionally, liberally, and sacrificially.
3. Partaking of the Lord’s Supper (communion) (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 11:26-29; Acts 20:7) – Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and commanded his disciples to partake in the kingdom. We have their example and Jesus’ command to partake.
4. Prayer (Mt. 6:9-13; John 17; Luke 23:34; Phil. 1:9-11; 4:6-8) – Jesus taught his disciples to pray, and we are commanded to pray, as well.
5. Teaching (2 Tim. 2:2, 15; 3:15; 4:2) – Paul said this to the young preacher Timothy. Those who desire Heaven want to be taught the Lord’s will (Ps. 143:10).
These are authorized by the New Testament and must be adhered to in order to give honor to Christ.
Wayne Rodgers
