What is true worship?

Worship, what is worship? I would dare to say much of the church does not understand what real worship is. To many Christians equate worship with singing songs and while the praise in song is important, and it’s a dynamic of real worship, singing is only one of the important expressions of worship.

In Romans 12 the Apostle Paul appeals to the Christians in Rome about what real worship is.

Romans 12:1-2 says: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

First Paul’s appeal is by “God’s mercy”, in other words, because God has shown you mercy, you should be a true worshiper. Paul may have been thinking of what Jesus told a woman who was confused about where and how to worship.

John 4:22-24 “You worship what you do not know… But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

Jesus laid out what real true worship is, first it’s to worship God in spirit and truth. That means you understand who God is and all about the Godhead. So real worship is more than singing songs, real worship involves what Romans says; “your body as a living sacrifice.”

Sacrifice was something first century believers understood, but sacrifices were usually killed so when Paul said “living sacrifice” he was talking about living a holy and godly life by following the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave the Spirit in order that we might be empowered to offer back our lives to God.

Paul goes on in Romans to tell us what it looks like to offer your body back to God. You no longer conform to the world. That means you march to the beat of a different drummer, the Holy Spirit who leads you to, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness and all the other things we find in Galatians five as the “fruit of the Spirit.”

Dr. Michal Youssef wrote about the result of honest worship in his book “Empowered by Praise.” Dr. Youssef says; There are five lessons from praising God. (To paraphrase his book). Worship reveals our true beliefs. Worship refocuses our thinking and feelings. Worship is the route to fellowship with God. Worship shows that God reigns in our lives. And Worship reinforces the truth about yourself and about God.

Let me close with a challenge; Are you a true worshiper? That’s the only kind God recognizes. Secondly, what do you think of the different ways we worship? Do you live godly and holy showing the world you follow Jesus? Finally, what about the expression of worship in song. Do you even join in the song service? Christians should worship God with un-abandoned hearts.

Pastor Rich Lammay of High Sierra Fellowship is a member of the Carson Valley Ministers’ Association.