“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” - John 4:24
Contemporary worship has many different perspectives. Because worship is so closely aligned with specific denominations, it can be a sensitive subject. I will do my best to address common thoughts on worship that are unbiblical, as well as provide an outline for proper worship.
1. WORSHIP IS ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS
Notice what Jesus says: “true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:23). There is a tendency to interpret true worship as a way of connecting with God emotionally. This seems evident by contemporary worship styles placing the emphasis on feeling the presence of God. I would not dare suggest that Jesus teaches us to be non-emotional in worship: having one’s emotions fixated on God is pivotal.
The issue comes when emotion and feelings are placed as the centerpiece of worship. Mainly this is problematic because feelings constantly fluctuate. We carry all kinds of emotional baggage from our personal lives. Worship would therefore be determined by how work is going, status of relationships, progress of sports teams, and so on. Worshiping in truth means that the value of worship cannot be determined by feelings.
2. WORSHIP IS ABOUT PHYSICAL EXPRESSION
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care” (Ps 95:6-7). The point of this passage is not to require the physical act of bowing in worship, let alone other forms of expression. Rather, the point is to acknowledge God’s greatness as the one true creator and sustainer of the universe.
Type the word ‘worship’ into google search and look at the images that come up. There is an obvious common theme—hands raised. Much of contemporary worship culture sees the person kneeling on the floor or jumping with their hands in the air as “really worshiping”. In truth, the person quietly sitting down in the back of the church can be worshiping God just as much, sometimes even more so.
In fact, Jesus points out those who accentuate prayer in vain: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full” (Mt 6:5). These hypocrites do not receive any spiritual fruits.
Of course I am not suggesting that folks who raise their hands in church are hypocrites. What I am saying is that physical expression is not necessary for worship, and it can lead to hypocritical worship.
3. WORSHIP IS A WORSHIP SERVICE
This view is just patently untrue. The one who dozes off during a church service is not engaging in worship. Simply being present at church is not the act of worshiping. If it were so, worship would be impossible for followers who are unable to attend church or in places where church is unavailable. The point of Jesus’s statement on worship in John 4 is to show that foreigners do not need to go to the temple for true worship. Because God is spirit, we worship in the Spirit, independent of our location.
4. WORSHIP IS EITHER CORPORATE OR PRIVATE
Worship occurs both around other people and in secret. In fact, both are essential. True worship of members of the body of Christ involves the body itself. As brothers and sisters in Christ we are all connected through Christ. It is for mutual benefit and glory to Christ that we actively seek one another in worship. Individual worship is also essential. Without it, we forget about the personal intimacy that God desires with each one of us. Christ joins together with sinners at the table for fellowship, but He also removes Himself from His ministry and seeks solitude. True worship includes both individual and corporate forms of worship.
5. WORSHIP IS OPTIONAL
“It’s good for some people, but I just don’t have time.” This attitude displays a complete misunderstanding of the meaning of worship, and most likely reflects one or more of the four unbiblical points above. To avoid worship is to fail to see God as He truly is; it commits the mistake of placing personal needs above the glory of God. Worship is not about convenience.
THE MEANING OF TRUE WORSHIP
Instead of giving a single definition, here are three necessary points for how we are to participate in true worship:
1) Acknowledge who God is (especially His holiness).
2) Acknowledge where you stand in relation to God (redeemed by grace).
3) Acknowledge and give to God the glory, praise, and reverence that He deserves.
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