What is a healthy doctrine of worship?
Ever thought deeply about worship? Why do we, as Christians, do what we do on Sundays? We call our meetings "worship services" but what do we mean? Are we really worshipping in the biblical sense? Are we really giving God our hearts as the expression of praise that he deserves?
It's easy to see worship as a "pattern" to be replicated. It's easy, takes very little effort, and it doesn't engage our hearts. In fact, the NT never asks us to replicate the early Christian's worship services. It simply calls us to see ourselves as they saw themselves - as recipients of the grace of God in Christ who are now indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Ideally, worship will automatically flow out of this union like streams of living water. Worship is meant to reinforce this living relationship rooted in our faith in Christ's accomplished work of redemption.
Identity: Healthy worship is an encounter with God that blesses us, blesses God's work in Christ, is Spirit-led, and removes all judgment, egotism, arrogance, or pride from our sinful human hearts. There is no room for comparison and competition in true worship. Worship reminds us of our creatureliness and reinforces God as the Creator. Authentic worship is a momentary glimpse of and experience of heaven. Worship is when God says, "I Am" and "you are mine."
Character: We are to draw strength from that relationship for each week's battles. Worship prepares us to go into the world to make disciples (Matt 28:19-20), and to deal with the troubles of the world (John 16:33). Worship is also ethical as it informs our values, reminds us of who and whose we are, and calls us to a higher righteousness reflected in holy living (1 Pet 1:13-16; 2:9-12).
Freedom: Worship reminds us that we are not God and we don't set the agendas of our lives. So too, we don't set the agenda of worship. Granted, we are free to worship and express our love for God within the bounds set in Scripture (in both OT and NT). So, we are not locked into a "pattern" hidden somewhere within the pages of only the NT. There is more freedom in worship than we have been willing to see. As Paul contrasts Law and Spirit he writes, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom" (2 Cor 3:17).
Finally, I love what John Calvin said, "Worship lifts us up into the throne room of God."
