Ron Halbrook has preached the gospel for over 50 years and has worked with the Hebron Ln. church of Christ in Shepherdsville, KY since August 1997. Halbrook@twc.com.
Does God really care how we worship, or does He accept all forms and expressions of worship as valid? Will anyone be lost for worshiping in a manner which God does not authorize and approve? Yes, it matters how we worship, and, yes, we can be lost in hell for worshiping God in the wrong way. Worship which does not conform to God's will dishonors God in the name of honoring Him.
The Samaritan woman whom Jesus taught at Jacob's well asked which worship was right: Samaritan worship or Jewish worship centered in Jerusalem. Jesus answered, "Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But 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" (John 4:22-23). When she said the promised Messiah would teach all such things, He answered, "I that speak unto thee am he" (John 4:25-26). Jesus teaches the new and true way to worship God. No one will be saved in heaven who does not obey Him.
Jesus Christ said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." In other words, there is only one right way to be saved and it is by submitting to Jesus Christ. Jesus said that His teaching will judge us on the final Judgment Day (John 12:48). Souls who submit to His teaching will arise unto eternal life and souls who reject and deviate from His teaching will arise unto eternal punishment (John 5:28-29; Matt. 25:46).
"But," someone objects, "surely all men who worship Jesus as Lord in different ways will be saved." Jesus Himself said the answer is, "No!" In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus answered this objection directly,
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Worship must conform to God's revealed will rather than to the will of man which is lawlessness or iniquity. Jesus warned, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:8-9). Worship by people promoting the doctrines and commandments of men is vain or not valid in God's sight.
If Jesus is truly the Son of God and the Savior of the world, and He is, we must worship in obedience to His instructions or be lost.
New, True Worship vs. False, Vain Worship
Lord's Supper. In the new and true worship, Jesus ordained the Lord's Supper as a memorial of His death for the remission of our sins. He promised to share in fellowship with His saints who take it as citizens of His kingdom. All of His disciples are instructed to eat unleavened bread to remember His body and to drink fruit of the vine to remember His blood (Matt. 26:17, 26-29).
Yet, false and vain worship abounds. The Jehovah's Witnesses religion assembles to contemplate but not to eat the elements of the Supper. The Mormon religion uses ordinary loaf bread and water for the elements. The Diocesan Bishop in the Catholic religion has the power to allow worshipers to drink the fruit of the vine, but long established tradition limits the cup to the priest conducting the Mass in most places. Liberal Protestant churches have offered hamburger and coke as the Lord's Supper, and some calling themselves churches of Christ offer a full meal! 1 Corinthians 11:34 says, "And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation." Perverting God's instructions for worship results in condemnation.
Collection. In the new and true worship, Paul taught "every where in every church" that the saints should contribute funds according to the measure of each person's love and ability in order to finance the work of the local church (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 4:17; 2 Cor. 9:7). Each person's gift originates in the heart, is brought in the hand, and passes into the common treasury as an expression of our fellowship with God and each other in serving Him (Acts 2:42, 44-45).
False, vain traditions include such practices as soliciting funds from sinners in the world, binding the Old Testament measure of tithing, and conducting all sorts of sales and auctions. Churches sponsor fairs and festivals of various sorts with raffles, bingo parties, casino games, fish fries, pancake breakfasts, and even alcohol sales! While raising piles of cash, all such practices ignore the instructions revealed by Christ and thus they dishonor God.
Sunday worship. In the new and true worship, Christians are taught to assemble to worship on "the first day of the week" or Sunday (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). Just as God's command to "remember the Sabbath day" meant every Sabbath day, the New Testament church met "on the first day of every week" (1 Cor. 16:2 RSV, NIV, ESV). The Apostles taught Christians to share the Lord's Supper and the collection on this day. Christ authorized no other day.
The practices of false, vain worship are an endless progression with various Old Testament observances (the Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost, etc.) and post-biblical observances (Lent, Easter, All Saints' Day, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas, etc.). Most churches take a collection every Sunday but observe the Lord's Supper quarterly or annually, not every Sunday. Catholic cathedrals conduct Masses every day of the week. Churches meeting during the weekdays to pray, study, or sing often take additional collections on those days without Biblical instructions to do so.
Prayer. In the new and true worship, men lead the saints in prayers of praise, supplication, and thanksgiving to God (Acts 2:42; 12:5; 1 Cor. 10:16; 1 Tim. 2:1, 7). Prayers petition God, not the souls of the dead (Matt. 6:13; Eph. 1:3). Women do not lead the mixed assembly in prayer or in other ways: "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence" is what the apostle Paul wrote (1 Tim. 2:12).
False, vain worship leads men to pray to Mary and to certain dead "saints" elevated by the Catholic hierarchy. Men kneel and pray before idols, icons, statues, crosses, and other objects in spite of God's direct command to "keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21). Prayer beads, wheels, cloths, amulets, and burning incense or candles supposedly enhance prayer, but God's Word does not authorize such practices. Women lead prayers in the mixed assembly in direct violation of God's command.
Preach and Teach. In the new and true worship, God's Word is read, proclaimed, explained, and applied to our lives (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 4:17; Col. 4:16). "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein" (Rev. 1:3). This Word is the perfect standard for the faith and practice of the church and for our daily lives (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
False, vain worship fills the hearts of people with human theories, philosophies, theologies, doctrines, and commandments. Men imagine they are doing God service by developing their own doctrines, but the Lord considers all such to be anathema or accursed (Gal. 1:8). Human doctrines are concocted by adding to and subtracting from God's Word, thus bringing down God's wrath on those who do so (Rev. 22:18-19). Preaching politics, social theories, pop psychology, jokes, emotional tales, and positive platitudes is not gospel preaching, but lulls souls in sin by making them feel comfortable and "uplifted."
Singing. In the new and true worship, saints sing spiritual songs which rise up from their souls in adoration of God and admonition to each other (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). All the saints assembled participate in this reciprocal simultaneous expression of worship from the heart. The purpose is to please God not man. Our hearts echo the heavenly hosts who are praising our Lord and Savior, "saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Rev. 5:12).
False, vain worship focuses on pleasing and entertaining people in the name of worshiping God. These performances include solos, quartets, choirs, and "praise teams" trying to compete with the modern entertainment industry. All sorts of mechanical instruments and even high-tech mixers fill the air with melodious sounds and loud cacophonies. Dancing and choreography enhance the entertainment. The people love to have it so and clap to signify their approval.
We find fellowship with God in the new and true worship revealed by His Son. The Father seeks souls who will worship Him in submission to the instructions of Christ (John 4:23-24). Tragically, precious souls are deluded by Satan's sleight of hand. Men expecting to enter Heaven who engaged in the false, vain worship will hear their judgment pronounced by Christ, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matt. 7:23).