Does It Matter How We Worship God?

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Does It Matter How We Worship God?
“RELIGION is deeply rooted in human nature.” So says Professor Alister Hardy in the book The Spiritual Nature of Man. The results of a recent survey appear to support this conclusion. It found that about 86 percent of the world’s population profess some form of religious affiliation.
The survey also found that the believers belong to 19 major religions and that those who claim to be Christians belong to an astonishing 37,000 different denominations. Does this not make you wonder if all these different ways of worship are equally acceptable to God? In fact, does it matter how we worship him?
In this vital issue, it stands to reason that we cannot simply go by personal feelings or opinions. Logically, we need to find out what God’s own view is on the matter. For this we should turn to God’s Word, the Bible. Why? Because Jesus Christ himself said in prayer to God: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) And the faithful apostle Paul testified: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.”—2 Timothy 3:16.
 
I believe worship is to be true, from the heart, sincere. If we are moved to worship, led by the Holy Spirit then I think God welcomes it. Worship that is rote, practiced, done out of duty or required is not worship at all. My church is starting a Lenten study this week on The Lord's Prayer. Everyone knows it but memorizing it and repeating it when told to doesn't seem like worshipping or really praying. God knows our hearts and we can't fake it.
 
This is a question I have worked on for years! It is clear that God works with precision, there is nothing wishy-washy in any scripture. God operates the world with such precision we base our telling of time on God's work. When we have disagreements about what a scripture means, it is almost always because someone is adding their human reasoning to it.

Yet, when the apostles took scripture to the gentiles, they made room for differences in worship.

1Co_9:20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law--though I myself am not under the law--to win those under the law.

Of course, if we are under law, that means not under Christ for salvation but under law for salvation, as the gentiles were.

The entire history of our organized church, from the beginning has centered on this problem. It talks of it in Acts. Our earliest Fathers of the church spoke of this problem. The Nicene Council was called to sort it out, and many ideas were decided on to unite worship, but it was also decided that anything Jewish had to go, even to creating a new holiday to replace a Jewish one.

There is a movement that started with the finding of the deep sea scrolls saying the roots of bible must be included more vibrantly and understanding as the base of Christ, and we should all be together in one scripture. Most established denominations calls this movement a cult, and some within the movement seem to go too far with the idea so OT is made more of than NT, so there is still an imbalance. The idea is to see all united, scripture as all of one God with one purpose.

Scripture seems to say there are two marks of the true church: One is accepting Christ as Savior and the other is expressing love among the members. Yet every single day on cc there is a thread about some people or denomination that is condemned by other criteria marking it as not right with the Lord.

As an example, scripture tells us not to try to make an image of God out of human materials, yet it is always done by the Catholic Church. In this church I see love for each other and acceptance of Christ as Savior. ????????????
 
RedTent said:
As an example, scripture tells us not to try to make an image of God out of human materials, yet it is always done by the Catholic Church. In this church I see love for each other and acceptance of Christ as Savior. ????????????
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I am not catholic, but eastern orthodox christian, and the same question has been asked regarding the icons (gr. eikon means image). So, I will answer in respect of icons and not statues.
The icon has its basis on the verse "and the Word became flesh". Christianism is essentially visual, iconical: God shows Himself, reveals Himself in Jesus Christ. So, the first icon (not made by man) is Jesus Christ Himself.
God forbids people to make images of Himself because the jews were very inclined to a pantheistic idolatry and they would limit the unlimited God to zoomorphic statues or other objects of worship. The orthodox icon does not represent the unseen and unlimited God, but the incarnation of God - Jesus Christ.
Also, not any representation of Jesus Christ is an icon. An icon is an image that must send you to the proto-type, an image that must have a theandric (divine+human) dimension.
 
Yes....God is Spirit and they that worship him MUST worship him in spirit and in truth.....NOTHING ELSE is acceptable!
 
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True worshiping is when a person speak highly of someone or thing or put them before others. The people of those times didn't know what was to worship, they were doing it without knowing that they were. They were idolizing someone or things like jewelry and or someone that they love.
 
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." - John 4:23-24 NASB

Yes I believe it's important how we worship, the verse above tells us how we ought to worship.
 
Spokenpassage said:
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." - John 4:23-24 NASB

Yes I believe it's important how we worship, the verse above tells us how we ought to worship.
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We are shown over and over how this is so, even with illustrations, like the man Jesus pictured thinking that he was fasting properly and showing us how he wasn't doing it properly.

But I watch so many people who rely on this completely, they say it is only through faith not realizing that faith that doesn't include action is completely dead. It is even so that the action, according to scripture is better at showing faith.

James_2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.

So if we have God's spirit with us, and we know all the truth, it also includes our acting on this spirit and truth.
 
RedTent said:
We are shown over and over how this is so, even with illustrations, like the man Jesus pictured thinking that he was fasting properly and showing us how he wasn't doing it properly.

But I watch so many people who rely on this completely, they say it is only through faith not realizing that faith that doesn't include action is completely dead. It is even so that the action, according to scripture is better at showing faith.

James_2:18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works.

So if we have God's spirit with us, and we know all the truth, it also includes our acting on this spirit and truth.
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By grace through faith we are saved, nothing from our own hands (Ephesians 2:8).

Faith without works is dead faith (James 2:17)

In the bible, people think that Paul and James were contradicting themselves, when really they were agreeing with each other.

In Ephesians, Paul was referring to salvation, James is referring to faith. Paul is saying that faith alone saves, James is saying that kind of faith must grow. Faith alone saves, but that faith should be a growing, breathing, living faith. James and Paul are in agreement with the same message.

Paul is saying that your faith is what obtains grace, James is saying that kind of faith must grow. If your faith isn't growing, it's useless like tasteless salt. The Word of God isn't teaching that works and faith combined saves, rather it's saying that a true genuine faith saves a person.

So yes we must worship God in Spirit and truth.
 
To me worshiping God, is focusing on him, with all our mind, heart, soul, like doves eyes they just look straight, and ever see how they turn their head to look , because they are set forward, the scripture that says, oh that I would have Doves eyes, the more we know him, the more we only want to know him. There are many rib currents that pull our attention in. Then our heart, our mind, our soul. This is why it says, love the Lord your God with all your heart soul, and mind, any one of these, is an open invitation for occupation of troubles. So it does take time to grow in him, he said, we were engrafted unto him, and it does take time to grow into a branch stronge enought to hold fruit. Just my 2 cents, and I'm done now. :)
 
Worship by DEFINITION means to kneel down and pray...

It doesn't matter how you kneel down, slowly or quickly, some are older than others.
If you are not kneeling down you are not worshipping, since that is what the word means.
There are no official denominations who worship God any more, they all have some excuse why they cannot worship God, they are worshipping themselves...
To worship God without persecution I have to home worship.
 
dcontroversal said:
Yes....God is Spirit and they that worship him MUST worship him in spirit and in truth.....NOTHING ELSE is acceptable!
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Amen, We worship him with out lives, by trusting him in everything we do. Day and night 24/7. Not in a religious background, at some church on one day a week.

The meaning of worship was destroyed by the church around 300 AD
 
jkalyna said:
To me worshiping God, is focusing on him, with all our mind, heart, soul, like doves eyes they just look straight, and ever see how they turn their head to look , because they are set forward, the scripture that says, oh that I would have Doves eyes, the more we know him, the more we only want to know him. There are many rib currents that pull our attention in. Then our heart, our mind, our soul. This is why it says, love the Lord your God with all your heart soul, and mind, any one of these, is an open invitation for occupation of troubles. So it does take time to grow in him, he said, we were engrafted unto him, and it does take time to grow into a branch stronge enought to hold fruit. Just my 2 cents, and I'm done now. :)
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Your 2 cents were right on the money!
 
lookuptoseeJesus said:
Ask Uzzah . . .
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You beat me to it.

Deu 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.
Deu 12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;
Deu 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
Deu 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
Deu 12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

Seems to matter to God!
 
lookuptoseeJesus said:
Worship by DEFINITION means to kneel down and pray...

It doesn't matter how you kneel down, slowly or quickly, some are older than others.
If you are not kneeling down you are not worshipping, since that is what the word means.
There are no official denominations who worship God any more, they all have some excuse why they cannot worship God, they are worshipping themselves...
To worship God without persecution I have to home worship.
Click to expand...

Just a tidbit here, we bow one knee to the king, both knees to God.
 
CRC said:
Does It Matter How We Worship God?
“RELIGION is deeply rooted in human nature.” So says Professor Alister Hardy in the book The Spiritual Nature of Man. The results of a recent survey appear to support this conclusion. It found that about 86 percent of the world’s population profess some form of religious affiliation.
The survey also found that the believers belong to 19 major religions and that those who claim to be Christians belong to an astonishing 37,000 different denominations. Does this not make you wonder if all these different ways of worship are equally acceptable to God? In fact, does it matter how we worship him?
In this vital issue, it stands to reason that we cannot simply go by personal feelings or opinions. Logically, we need to find out what God’s own view is on the matter. For this we should turn to God’s Word, the Bible. Why? Because Jesus Christ himself said in prayer to God: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) And the faithful apostle Paul testified: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.”—2 Timothy 3:16.
Click to expand...
Yet,from every fellowship that is truly Christian,God will gather His Chosen Ones during His Secret Second Coming.It's all about where the Heart is.Even some of the hi-fi contemporary artists we might think are not worthy might go,if they were never into the circumstance that could give them Revelation to How Christianity should be applied to a person based on Holy Scripture in every ways of their life,be it eating,dressing,attitude etc.It's all about where the heart is.
So those who follow the bands than God will wind up in hell,even though these artists might get saved in the end.It's because they followed the band,and the band might have whole heartedly followed God.So instead of pointing finger or when you point finger Pray for them also.They are also God's and they should also get clear guidance to enter eternity in Heaven.When we point too much than Pray for them,we are becoming self proud.Need Holy Scripture verses? or too lazy to look?
Its' easy to wear all white and have 100% attendance in Church,known by everyone and never came to Christ but lived a life of exposing.True Christian life is lead by God's Grace,irrespective of appearance and show off.
That doesn't rule out modest and humble ways of life even in dressing, over hip-hop Christianity.But if those modest life styles are for showing off in public,and not done with Love of God its no use.
Tradition nor post modern/modern matters before God.God wants us to give our Hearts to him and follow Modest/Humble Christian doctrines and life style with Love.That's the simple truth.
Its not easy,but can be achieved by God's Grace.
 
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