I’m especially interested in worship, and knowing what God really wants from us. So let’s take a look at a couple Bible words for worship. There are two main Greek words in the New Testament that describe Christian worship. I’ll talk about the first one in this article (Part I) and I’ll save the second word for a following article (Part II)
Romans 12:1
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
When one of Jesus’ apostles tells us, “…this is your true and proper worship”, it’s seems like that is a good place to start talking about the subject. Although the apostle Paul started many churches, he was not part of planting the church in Rome, the people this passage was written for. In fact, then he wrote what we know now as the book of Romans, it was likely intended to be an introduction to his first visit to the congregation. The first 11 chapters are a formal presentation of his understanding of spiritual truth (doctrine), then starting in Chapter 12, he begins to explain how these truths should be lived in the lives of Christ's followers.
I think it’s significant that Paul chooses “worship” as the starting point for how a Christian lives out his faith. The Greek word used in the passage above is used only once in the New Testament to describe worship. You don’t need to know Greek to understand it because the context explains it. Worship is sacrifice. The Jews had been making animal sacrifices for hundred of years as part of maintaining their covenant with God, so this is not a new concept for them. Going to the “temple” often meant bringing an animal to be sacrificed.
So when Jesus established a new covenant relationship with all mankind, the concept of sacrificing a life was carried on – but with profound changes.
The sacrifice or "true and proper worship" for all followers of God is now the voluntary sacrifice of your own life (not the slaughter of an unwilling animal) to be lived for God (not killed to atone for sin). And this is only done though a saving relationship with the Ultimate Sacrifice, Jesus, the Lamb of God. The NASB version translates this, “…your spiritual service of worship.”
We’re not just talking about what goes on in a church meeting here – even though that is small part of it The concept here is a global one, encompassing every aspect of one’s life, present and future – mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - laying it all on the alter of life to be freely given to God and used for His glory. This is vividly demonstrated in the act of baptism, which was commanded by Jesus as an initiation or starting point for our covenant walk with God. But more importantly, it is the ongoing act of making every decision, every thought, every action be an act of worship – presented to God for His pleasure and glory.
This is Worship in the big picture.
Dave Swanson
Worship Leader
Next time..., Part II: Real-time worship – our specific expressions of worship