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Christian Worship
In his conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, Jesus said, "God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). To worship in spirit is to worship with the proper attitude of heart; soul and mind. It means a sincere worship, from a heart whose every desire, affection, love and purpose are in subjection to the infinite Spirit of God. To worship in truth is to worship according to the manner God has revealed in his Holy Word, for Jesus said, "Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). One might be ever so sincere, and yet worship in vain if his worship were not according to the will of God. Thus Jesus said of the Pharisees, "In vain do they worship me, teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men" (Matt. 15:9). On the other hand, one might follow the New Testament form of worship meticulously, and still worship in vain if his worship were not from the heart. We must be careful therefore to worship God both in spirit and in truth.
Let us first consider the items of worship set forth in the New Testament. No particular order or form of worship is given. The instructions are clear, however, concerning the items to be included in the worship of the church. We can never worship God acceptably, either in spirit or in truth, If we fail to observe these items. The three thousand who were added to the church on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ-the day the church began-"continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. . . praising God" (Acts 2:42, 47). From this passage we learn that from the very beginning the church in Jerusalem continued steadfastly in the five items of Christian worship. Let us note them carefully.
- "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching." The only instruction they received were the words of the apostles spoken by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Thus, a part of their worship consisted of hearing and meditating upon the word of God.
- "They continued steadfastly. . . in fellowship." The term "fellowship" denotes their joint participation in religious privileges. As an item of worship it signifies the contribution.
- "They continued steadfastly . . . in the breaking of bread." This refers to the observance of the Lord's supper.
- The prayers, in which they also steadfastly continued, are the public prayers in the congregation.
- "They continued. . . praising God:' The text does not tell us the manner in which they praised God, but in Eph. 5:19 we find that it was by "singing and making melody with (their) heart to the Lord." There are numerous other references in the New Testament to these items of Christian worship, but there is never a reference to any other. Concerning the reading of God's word in the assembly, Paul exhorted the Colossians to read together the epistle addressed to them and then cause it to be read in the church of the Laodiceans; and they in turn were to read the epistle from Laodicea (Col. 4:16). in the first Thessalonian letter he says, "I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the brethren" (I Thess. 5:27). That the presentation of God's word is a part of the Lord's day worship is clearly shown by verse seven of the twentieth chapter of Acts, "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight." Not only is it a part of Christian worship to read the word of God, but it is essential to our Christian growth that we study it diligently. Thus Paul said to Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15). Likewise the apostle Peter said, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (I Peter 2:2).
When the early Christians assembled for worship, they also prayed and sang together. In his first letter to the Corinthian church Paul gave these instructions concerning praying and singing in public: "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also" (I Cor. 14:15). To pray and sing with the spirit and the understanding is essential to worshiping God in spirit and truth. If our prayers and songs are not sincere, scriptural and understandable, they will neither edify us nor glorify God. The apostle Paul further admonishes us to "let all things be done decently and in order" (I Cor. 14:40). Hence, our worship is to be characterized by a spirit of orderliness and reverence, free from confusion and empty formality. It should never be done merely to be seen of men. When we pray with the spirit and the understanding, we offer up from the heart sincere supplications and thanksgiving to the Lord, avoiding vain repetitions and superfluity of words in this connection that "every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work" (II Tim. 3:16, 17). Thus, taking our instruction from the inspired scriptures, which furnish completely unto every good work, we are simply to speak "one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord" (Eph. 5:19). Again, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God" (Col. 3:16). Please note that no mention is made of musical instruments. They were unknown in the worship of the New Testament church. The singing was entirely vocal, unhampered by the use of manmade instruments. God did not authorize their use in the worship. For this reason it is sinful for man to use them in worshiping God. Paul said, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17); and again, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). Since the word of God says nothing about the use of instruments in Christian worship, and since faith comes by hearing God's word, the practice cannot be of faith; therefore it is sin.
The reading of God's word, praying and singing are all a part of the Lord's day worship as revealed in the New Testament. However, it is well to do these things at any time, on the first or any other day of the week. The Bible does not reserve these items of worship exclusively for the Lord's day as it does the contribution and the Lord's supper.
One of the great problems of the religious world is the question of raising money to carry on the affairs of the church. God has a plan for it which man cannot improve upon. It is to be done by free will offerings made on the first day of the week when the saints assemble to worship God. Thus we read, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him" (I Cor. 16:2). The time, the first day of the week; the manner, as God has prospered us. It should also be done with some plan and forethought. "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver" (II Cor. 9:7). When this plan is followed, with every member giving cheerfully and conscientiously, the church never lacks for means of support. God's ways are always right.
As we are to contribute of our means on the Lord's day, we are likewise to partake of the Lord's Supper upon the first day of the week. Before the Law of Moses came to an end with the death of Christ, the people of God observed the sabbath, or the last day of the week, as a day of rest. They were simply commanded to remember the sabbath to keep it holy (Ex. 20:8). They understood this to mean every sabbath-the seventh day of every week. In the New Testament we read where the disciples came together to break bread upon the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). The same terminology as that used in reference to the sabbath infers the first day of every week. We commonly say we celebrate the Fourth of July as our Independence Day. We have no difficulty in understanding the meaning as every Fourth of July. Indeed, if the scriptures do not necessitate the observance of the Lord's supper upon the first day of every week, then there is no scriptural basis for its observance at any time.
Please note that both the Lord's supper and the contribution are to be observed on the first day of the week. There is no scriptural authority for their observance at any other time. Yet those who would have us believe that the Lord's supper becomes commonplace if taken the first day of every week never seem to tire of taking up a collection. Whereas they contend that there are only three or four or a dozen days during the year when the Lord's supper should be taken, they would take up a collection three hundred sixty-five days a year if they met that often. The author has never attended a service of any of the denominations, regardless of the day of the week or the length of time elapsing since the last meeting, that a collection was not taken. There is not a sect or denomination in existence today which is consistent with the word of God upon this point.
In summary, the Lord's day worship consists of reading God's word, praying, singing, contributing of our means, and partaking of the Lord's supper. Christians should be diligent in doing these things upon the~ first day of every week. It is our Christian duty to meet with the people of God whenever they assemble for worship, "not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh" (Heb. 10:25). A great many people have the erroneous idea that if they attend the Sunday morning service from eleven to twelve, they have satisfied all the requirements of God, and may use the remainder of the Lord's day as well as the rest of the week for their own selfish interests. Nothing could be further from the true spirit of Christian worship. The Bible says nothing about the Lord's hour; it is the Lord's day. It has been sanctified for the edification of the saints and the glorification of God. Therefore it is the duty of every Christian, who can possibly attend, to be present for all the services, especially on the Lord's day, and at all other times when the congregation assembles to study the word of God, to pray together and to sing praises to him.
Not only is it our solemn duty to attend the services, but to worship God is the greatest privilege accorded to man. Because the church in Corinth had partaken unworthily of the Lord's supper, Paul said, "For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep" (I Cor. 11:30). Indeed, many today are spiritually weak and asleep because they do not steadfastly worship God in spirit and in truth. Our greatest source of spiritual strength is the worship of God with fellow-Christians. Hundreds, yea thousands, of our bravest young men have given their lives that we might enjoy this privilege. For this reason alone, if for no other, it should behoove each of us to use well that sacred right. Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20). He is present in spirit whenever and wherever Christians come together to worship him. And yet, many slight his invitation, spurn his love and forsake his presence by staying away from the services of the Lord. Let us remain faithful, not only to the items of worship, but to the spirit, the privilege and the necessity of worshiping God in spirit and in truth.
The singing is to be done in like manner. Please note