by Kanok Leelahakriengkrai
True worship is the act of Christian submission to God with the response in homage to Him with a whole heart, serving Him in what He desires, and paying our respect by obedience to what the Word or His willing will be done both in one life and the Body of Christ.
Harold Best had described (Best: 2003, 77)
If we measure in statistics to find the meaning of true worship by comparing with the hours spent on Sunday musical worship and the hours in one whole life, we will find that the church worship service cannot represent true worship. We might imagine if Sunday service is 1 hour in every Sunday, altogether 7 days or 168 hours a week, worship on Sunday service would be represents only 0.59% according to the meaning of worship as life submission to God . This statistical result is not trying to dilute the important of Sunday worship service or its activities but to obviously strengthen worshipers back to the immense meaning of true worship that God expects in our life.
Life transformation will be occurred when we submit our life to God and allow Holy Spirit to work within us. It is a journey of one’s life that needs period of life time willingly following Him. So, worship God is the whole life submission to God at all times. To be engaged with God is similar to intimately relate to someone for being close friends. It needs some periods of time to learn from each other also shared experiences together so it will lead to trust each other at last. In the same way, knowing God needs some spiritual workouts by grace. We need to draw ourselves to engage deep in His love and take our life journey walking with Him.
Purpose of Christian worship is to engage our life to God. This is more important than just attending every activities on Sundays rather it is the way of life submission to God. Apostle Paul when taught about worship in Romans 12:1, he referred one life as the living sacrifices.
The first component is to homage to God. Greek, proskynein, describing the act of bending or bowing down to the most superior one with highly respect. In the New Testament the center of worship is Jesus Christ. We pay homage to Him in realizing His grace and mercy that He sacrificed for us.
Secondly, give the service to God (Heb. 12:28 Gk. latreuōmen, ‘let us serve’). In the Old Testament, we find the service of worship in the Tabernacle were in the animals’ sacrifices, singing praise, singing musical worship and reading the scripture to Israelite. In the New Testament, the purpose of Tabernacle in sin offering was completed. It was fulfilled by Jesus atonement. Worshiping in the New Testament becomes giving ones’ life as a service to Jesus in ministry of the Great Commandment and edification to the Body of Christ (Eph.4:12; 29).
Finally, the meaning of worship is reflected in respect to God in life. We respect Jesus by life obedience. We allow Holy Spirit to transform us, willingly obey the Lord. Minister the Gospel to people. Teach the Bible and train people to become His disciples and many more with genuinely respect to Jesus (Heb.13:15-16). Realize on the theological meaning of life worshiping God and engaging with Him will respond naturally in worshiping on Sunday service.
References
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| Jesus had emptied Himself out for us as the atonement |
Harold Best had described (Best: 2003, 77)
Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing God.Considering in the term of worship, worshiping expression on Sunday corporate worship service in singing even with good songs and wonderful music is not enough.
If we measure in statistics to find the meaning of true worship by comparing with the hours spent on Sunday musical worship and the hours in one whole life, we will find that the church worship service cannot represent true worship. We might imagine if Sunday service is 1 hour in every Sunday, altogether 7 days or 168 hours a week, worship on Sunday service would be represents only 0.59% according to the meaning of worship as life submission to God . This statistical result is not trying to dilute the important of Sunday worship service or its activities but to obviously strengthen worshipers back to the immense meaning of true worship that God expects in our life.
Life transformation will be occurred when we submit our life to God and allow Holy Spirit to work within us. It is a journey of one’s life that needs period of life time willingly following Him. So, worship God is the whole life submission to God at all times. To be engaged with God is similar to intimately relate to someone for being close friends. It needs some periods of time to learn from each other also shared experiences together so it will lead to trust each other at last. In the same way, knowing God needs some spiritual workouts by grace. We need to draw ourselves to engage deep in His love and take our life journey walking with Him.
Purpose of Christian worship is to engage our life to God. This is more important than just attending every activities on Sundays rather it is the way of life submission to God. Apostle Paul when taught about worship in Romans 12:1, he referred one life as the living sacrifices.
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. (Roman 12:1)Meanwhile, we honor God as a living sacrifice with our bodies, it will become a spiritual act of worship that is acceptable to God . Accordingly, David Peterson wrote in the book “Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship” Worship is a whole life submission to God explaining in 3 components of the responses of worship.
The first component is to homage to God. Greek, proskynein, describing the act of bending or bowing down to the most superior one with highly respect. In the New Testament the center of worship is Jesus Christ. We pay homage to Him in realizing His grace and mercy that He sacrificed for us.
Secondly, give the service to God (Heb. 12:28 Gk. latreuōmen, ‘let us serve’). In the Old Testament, we find the service of worship in the Tabernacle were in the animals’ sacrifices, singing praise, singing musical worship and reading the scripture to Israelite. In the New Testament, the purpose of Tabernacle in sin offering was completed. It was fulfilled by Jesus atonement. Worshiping in the New Testament becomes giving ones’ life as a service to Jesus in ministry of the Great Commandment and edification to the Body of Christ (Eph.4:12; 29).
Finally, the meaning of worship is reflected in respect to God in life. We respect Jesus by life obedience. We allow Holy Spirit to transform us, willingly obey the Lord. Minister the Gospel to people. Teach the Bible and train people to become His disciples and many more with genuinely respect to Jesus (Heb.13:15-16). Realize on the theological meaning of life worshiping God and engaging with Him will respond naturally in worshiping on Sunday service.
References
- Abba, Raymond. Principles of Christian Worship. UK: Oxford University Press, 1966.
- Cherry, Constance M. The Worship Architect: a Blueprint for Designing Culturally Relevant and Biblical Faithful Services. IL: Baker Academic, 2010.
- Daniel, Owino Ogweno. A Life of an Enthusiastic Worship. Xulon Press, 2005.
- Harold, M. Best. Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts. IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003.
- Peterson, David. Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. IL: InterVersity Press, 1992.
- Piper, John. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. MN: Multnomah, 2003.
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