SIN OF WHICH WE MUST REPENT IF WE TRULY WANT GOD TO HEAL OUR LAND By David Maddox
Today’s churches have for the most part forgotten Jesus comments on worship to the Samaritan woman at the well. He told her that “the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). The language is strong – we “must worship in spirit and truth” – “the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.” The Father must look for there are few who worship God as a “true worshiper”. Most simply sing during a part of our services that we have labeled “worship.” But is our singing Biblical worship? Is it in “spirit and truth”? Are we “true worshipers” as God defines true worship or have we missed the Biblical mark?
The unfortunate answer in most cases is “no” we are not true worshippers – not even close – for our singing is predicated on what we want and it is designed to please us – it is often a performance by the leaders and musicians – and rarely does it lead to a bowed knee or a bowed heart. If we don’t like the worship style of a particular church or service we feel free to change churches or attend a different service until we find what pleases us. In larger churches we use the world’s methods to turn that part of our service into the equivalent of a rock concert complete with large overhead screens, cameras and lighting intended (specifically designed) to evoke intense emotions. The whole event is often repulsive to the One who is to be the subject of all worship (Matthew 4:10). Consider carefully what Scripture says about worship. We will learn that singing can be a part of worship, but alone it is not worship – and the Church must repent of using music as a substitute for Biblical (true) worship if we truly want God to heal our land.
What does the Bible say about “spiritual worship” and “acceptable worship”? As we have seen, Jesus told us that real worship is in spirit and in truth. Paul tells us that spiritual worship is far beyond simply singing. It is about how we live. He writes, “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” (Romans 12:1). Let that sink in – surrender of your body as a living sacrifice “is your spiritual worship”. If your life is not surrendered as an act of worship – your singing (no matter how good or how passionate) is not Biblical worship.
Scripture defines for us what is the characteristics of acceptable worship. The author of the book of Hebrews writes, “let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). If our worship is to be true worship which is acceptable to God we must have a correct view of God and our worship must be within that view. It must be “with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming fire” – He is holy. What we are seeing is that true acceptable spiritual worship is a matter of the heart and requires surrender to God and a correct view of – and response to – God in His holiness.
Looking to the book of Revelation as the model for all Believers we see how the 24 elders who are symbols for all Believers of all ages – the 12 tribes of the Old Testament and the 12 Apostles of the New Testament – worshiped. Each instance where they worshiped God the 24 elders “fall down before Him who is seated on the throne” (Revelation 4:10, 11:16, 19:4). Like Believers throughout Scripture we find a bowing of the heart often expressed through the bowing of the knees acknowledging their surrender to the Lord – and as an expression of reverence and awe. My favorite example is Joshua when he encountered the Angel of the Lord (an Old Testament appearance of Jesus). Scripture tells us when he realized who he was standing before that he “fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to Him, ‘What does my lord say to His servant?’” (Joshua 5:14) In that moment Joshua demonstrated spiritual worship as he submitted himself as a servant – and by falling on his face he worshipped in reverence and awe. But even that was not yet acceptable worship for a true worshiper must rid him or herself of all the filth of the world which he did when he heard, “Take off your sandals from your feet for the place where you are standing is holy” (Joshua 5:15). It was holy because God was there in receipt of his worship. When was the last time in a worship service that you knew you were in the presence of a holy God and responded acceptably?
God’s word affirms what is acceptable and what is true spiritual worship when God refuses to accept what His people call worship. It begins as early as Genesis 4 when Abel’s sacrifice is accepted and Cain’s is not. The prophet Amos demonstrates how much God hates what we call worship when hearts and lives are not bowed before Him. He literally cries out, “Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen” (Amos 5:23). Is He saying that to us now? Is what we call worship not spiritual – not acceptable to the only object of that worship? Do we even ask these questions or are we satisfied because we like the style of worship offered?
Music can be – and often is a part of spiritual acceptable worship, but alone music is never worship. We have numerous New Testament examples of worship God found acceptable without music (Matthew 4:10) (Acts 13:2), but Jesus Himself concluded a time of worship with singing (Matthew 26:30). I don’t find a single example of worship solely by singing although the Old Testament teaches the importance of singers as part of worship.
Worship is not about whether you are one who sits or kneels or dances or waves a banner. All can be acceptable and true worship, but they can also be unacceptable. It is the condition of the heart and the life and what/who is the true object of your worship which determines whether it is acceptable. Today’s church has in many instances substituted form and entertainment for substance. For that we must repent and change the way we worship to include, but not be dominated solely by music and singing.
About David Maddox – After a legal career in both Texas and Arizona that spanned over 40 years as a civil litigator, God called David to leave his law practice and work full time as Discipleship Director for Time to Revive. That call is really the fruit of decades of prayer for revival and teaching God’s Word, writing discipleship materials and seeking to make disciples. David married Janet Whitehead in 1976 and they minister together from their Phoenix home. God has blessed them with four children and thus far seven grandchildren.
