Christians have lots of different ideas about the best way to worship. Catholics, for example, are divided over whether the traditional Tridentine (Latin) mass should be used or the newer mass in the vernacular. Protestants also have difficulties over traditional and contemporary forms. Much contemporary Protestant worship has moved away from traditional forms and sought freshness in new musical styles and entertaining formats. These changes are objectionable to some, welcome to others, and simply accepted by most. Charismatics insist that (what they consider to be) speaking in tongues and prophecy/interpretation of prophecy be incorporated into worship as manifestations of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
But beyond all the controversy over its forms, just what is this “worship” that most Christians agree should take place in Sunday morning services throughout the evangelical world?
The English word worship is derived from worthship—the worth or worthiness of someone to be honored. The Hebrew word for worship is shachah—meaning to bow down, display reverence, prostrate oneself before. The Greek word for worship, proskuneo, may be even stronger in its emphasis on humility and submission. In fact, the term is probably derived from the Greek word for dog, kuon, having in mind the manner a dog takes when submissively licking its master’s hand.
So according to the basic meaning of the word worship, its essence is displaying reverence to God in humility and submission. But if the basic meaning of worship involves displaying reverence to God in humility and submission, is the outer form of bowing down before God the main issue? How closely are the forms of worship—including their aesthetic beauty, symbolic elegance, and dramatic power—related to the expression of reverence to God in humility and submission?
When we read the Old Testament regulations regarding worship or when we listen to the Psalms, we can see that beauty and careful expression of symbolism are present. However, while beauty (aesthetics) and symbolism are appropriate to worship, the Scripture makes it clear that the worthiness or unworthiness of worship isn’t primarily based on aesthetics or symbolism but on the sincerity and integrity of the worshipers. Numerous Old Testament passages strongly express what God is seeking in worship:
“The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17).
“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18).
“He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors Me; to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God!” (Psalm 50:23).
“For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite’ ” (Isaiah 57:15).
Jesus Himself made it clear that humility and integrity are the most important aspects of worship when He responded to the Samaritan woman’s comment about the proper place for worship (John 4:19-20).
“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).
The fact that God wants us to be people of integrity makes it clear that the last thing we should be doing in worship is trying to soothe guilty consciences through an outward display of symbolic loyalty and praise, or perhaps even worse by looking for the kind of aesthetic or emotional experience we could get at a musical concert or political rally.
“This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:8-9).
“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 men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5 NIV).
The primary New Testament ritual of worship is the Lord’s Supper, established by Jesus Himself (Matthew 26:26-30). In his instructions for the Lord’s Supper, Paul makes it clear that integrity is the key issue:
“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself” (1 Corinthians 11:23-29).
Since Scripture makes it overwhelmingly clear that the only worship that is meaningful to God proceeds from humble and truth-seeking hearts, the forms worshipers bring to ritual are honoring to God only when their hearts are right. If we focus on aesthetics, drama, personality, and performance with little concern for justice, truth, and righteousness, we are worshiping ourselves, not the Lord. Such “worship” brings condemnation, not blessing.
“Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts My soul hates. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:13-15 NIV).
“I hate, I despise your feast days and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream” (Amos 5:21-22 NKJV).
“While all the people were listening, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.’ ” (Luke 20:45-47 NIV).
Romans 12:1-2 states that offering our bodies as living sacrifices is the appropriate, spiritual act of worship. When we prepare ourselves for worship throughout the week by consciously cultivating self-examination and integrity in the way we interact with the world around us, the worship we bring to God on Sunday will be honoring to Him, even if it lacks outward beauty. What better way is there to praise God in an unbelieving world than by seeking integrity every day? Our behavior during the week either affirms the truths we aesthetically and symbolically express on Sunday or repudiates them.
*Scripture taken from the Revised Standard Version, unless otherwise noted.
