Lesson Two - The Worshipper
Of all of God's creation, there is just one that can worship him and that is mankind. God created man not with just a body but with a soul and an intellect. With intelligence then man is able to make decisions. He can therefore decide to worship his creator or he can decide that he will not. When man chooses to worship God then it is that he is truly praised and honored.
Man is basically a worshipful being. He is going to worship something or someone. He has always done this and will always do so as long as time shall stand. In both the past and present man has been known to bow down to every imaginable thing. This includes the moon, the stars, stones, rivers, and every form of nature. He has also bowed to all sorts of man-made images made out of stone, wood, and metal. But if man is to worship then he needs to be pointed to the God that made him and encouraged to worship him. Actually, God seeks such to worship him.
Jesus taught, [John 4:23 - 24 (KJV) 23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. ] So it is not enough for a person to worship, but if his worship is to be acceptable then it must be directed to the right one andit must be done in spirit and in truth. Let us think on what this implies and necessitates.
1. All may know of the true and living God -- all of creation points to a maker. This is inescapable, and all intelligent human beings, when accepting the facts of the case, will be forced to come to this conclusion. Of course we know that the one true and living God is this creator (Genesis 1:1).
2. If God is the creator of all things, and would have man to obey him, then surely he has revealed his will to man. And he has. He has done this through the Bible. We are told that things that are written concerning Christ have been written that we might believe. (John 20:30, 31). Furthermore, all scripture have given by the inspiration of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
3.Since God has spoken, and it has been recorded and made available through the pages of the Bible, then it is possible for man to come in contact with it, learn it, and obey it. Christ commanded the apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15, 16). Not only so, but those who are hungry and thirsty for the righteousness of God shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6). Again, we are told that those who have a desire to receive the Lord that he will give them the power or the opportunity to become sons of God. (John 1:12).
4. Once one reads and studies the word of God, then faith is produced in his heart. (Romans 10:17). From knowledge and faith, then he is led to obey the commands of the Lord that brings salvation. (Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30; Hebrews 11:6).
5. Through obedience he is saved and added to the Lord's church where he is now a Christian. (Acts 2:47; Acts 11:26).
6. As a member of the church and as a Christian then one is prepared to worship the Lord as he directed. Before this time one could not scriptually worship. We read, [John 9:31 (KJV) 31Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. ] Note, two conditions were laid down before one could hope to be heard of the Lord: First, he had to be a worshipper of God, and second, of course, based on the fact that he was a doer of the Lord's word. This amounts to that of being in the proper relationship with God, or the son and Father relationship, or being a Christian and member of the Lord's church.
7. As a Christian and member of the Lord's church, there is still the necessity of worshipping God in spirit and in truth for the worship to be accepted. That means that the worship then must be engaged in the right frame of mind. That is, it must be done from the heart, in all humility, in all sincerity and reverence. Such would require purity of heart, and concentration of one's thoughts on what he is engaging in. The worshipper cannot coldly and formally go through worship without any thought of what he is doing. This would be mockery. Then finally, the worship should be engaged in all truth. This means that it should be in harmony with the teaching of God's word. Now the question is what has the Lord taught? As we continue our studies we are going to find that this includes Bible Study, Prayer, Singing, The Lord's Supper, and Giving of our means. Furthermore, it would require that it be on the day that the Lord has stipulated. Now it makes no difference how sincere an individual might be unless his worship is according to the truth then it is all in vain. Again, even if one follows the Lord's teaching to the letter when it comes to the acts of worship, if his worship is not in spirit or with the understanding, then it is in vain. God has specified how he wants the individual to worship him and it must be complied with explicitly.
8. The worshipper has to be in the right place (the Lord's church), engaging in the acts of worship that the Lord has specified, and with the right people, for his worship to be acceptable.
Fellowship here is very important. The true Christian cannot worship with the various denominational churches or other religious organizations, because their worship is quite different from that which has just been described. The true Christian, and member of the Lord's church, cannot worship God scriptually on Saturday. He cannot worship with those who study according to the creeds of men, who sing with mechanical music, who pray for all "churches", who do not have the Lord's Supper every Sunday, and who's "tithes and offerings" are given to promote error. Paul said, [ Ephesians 5:11 (KJV) 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. ] John wrote, concerning false teachers: [2 John 1:11 (KJV) 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. ]
9. The worshipper himself - Although the worshipper is not perfect, that does not give him the license to live as he pleases. If he is to worship the Lord then he should rid himself of all of his bad habits and practices (James 517), and strive to approach the Lord in worship with a pure heart, a clean body, and a humble spirit.
What kind of worshipper are you? When do you worship? How often do you worship? Why do you worship? Who do you worship? There are many worshippers, but few true worshippers. The majority either worship the wrong one or worship in the wrong way. Be sure that if you are going to worship that it is directed to the right one and in the right way and that you are the kind of person that the Lord would want to worship him.
Lesson Two, The Worshipper
Questions for thought and learning:
1. Who is the only one of all of God's creation who can worship his creator?
2. How did God create man?
3. What is man able to decide?
4. When is God really honored?
5. What is man basically?
6. List some of the things that man has worshipped in the past.
7. Who does God seek to worship him?
8. Read John 4:23, 24 and explain it.
9. Who points to God?
10. Quote Genesis 1:1.
11. Has God revealed his will to man?
12. How has he done this?
13. Read John 20:30, 31 and 2 Timothy 3:16,17.
14. Why does God want man to know his will?
15. Is it possible for man to know his will?
16. Who will the Lord give power to become children of God?
17. How is faith produced in one's heart?
18. Through what is one saved?
19. Who is prepared to worship the Lord?
20. Does God hear sinners? Why not?
21. What is one's proper relationship with God?
22. What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth?
23. Where must an individual be to worship the Lord?
24. Why is fellowship so important?
25. List some things that a true Christian cannot practice.
26. How must the worshipper approach the Lord?
27. Are there many true worshippers?
28. Are you a true worshipper?