Stipulations for genuine worship of God
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Faith Fitness
Bro. Sam Kaufman
For the Christian, praise and worship of God should consistently flow from the heart and lips. A genuine experience with Christ will produce praise.
When we know Him and follow His word, we can’t help but worship Him for all He has done. God is so deserving of our praise. There is nobody like Him.
There are, however, stipulations for genuine worship of God, according to the Bible. It has to be His way and on His terms.
Jesus told the woman at the well that God seeks people to worship Him.
John 4:23 states, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
We see from Jesus’ words that genuine worship comes from “true worshipers.” But the qualification is that God must be worshiped in spirit and truth. Those two go hand in hand. After all, the Holy Ghost will “guide you into all truth.”
Therefore, the qualifications for genuine worship of God include it being performed in spirit and truth, according to the Bible. It has to be His way and on His terms.
Jesus told the woman at the well that God the Father seeks people to worship Him. Spiritual worship of God – the Father, Word (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Ghost – can’t be obtained outside the realm of truth. True worship of God is based in the Word of God – or the truth.
There were some Jewish religious rulers in the Bible who didn’t believe in Jesus, but offered praise to God, though they were not following God’s Word. Therefore, Jesus let them know about it.
Matthew 15:8 states, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”
So these religious rulers were basically offering lip service to God. There was a reason their worship was rejected. The next verse reveals it wasn’t based in God’s Word, but rather in their own teachings.
Matthew 15:9 reads, “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
These were the same religious rulers of the day who were upset when true disciples who believed in and followed Jesus began to praise Him during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The disciples praised Jesus with loud voices, and the religious leaders of the day did not want to hear it.
Luke 19:37-39 reads, “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.”
Do you think Jesus would ever rebuke His people for praising Him? Never in a million years. God desires praise from His people. In fact, God initially created man to have someone who would worship Him out of a free will.
God desires and inhabits the praises of His people!
Jesus’s response to the Pharisees was interesting. In verse 40, he states, “And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”
We don’t want the stones taking our place in praising God. It’s easy to praise the Lord.
The 11 apostles couldn’t stop praising and worshiping God after Jesus’ resurrection. They saw Jesus after he conquered death, hell and the grave.
Luke 24:52-53 reads, “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.”
Sam Kaufman pastors The Church of God at 405 13th Ave. N in Alex City. Contact him at 432 266-0154.