Spiritual HYPOCRISY In WORSHIP

[WISDOM]

This is a subject that many of us in our FATHER's family don't like to discuss. Fortunately the HOLY SPIRIT makes us come face-to-face with the reality of it. The concept of worship is a dominant theme throughout the Bible. In the very first book we find that GOD created Adam and Eve for fellowship AND worship. A short time later, after the FALL, we read of CAIN and ABEL's bringing offerings to the LORD as acts of worship (Genesis 4:3-4). At least 13 other times in the Book of Genesis we find someone either building an altar to the LORD or making an offering to HIM.

In the last book of the Bible we see that all of history (HIS-Story) culminates in an eternal worshipping of the Living GOD (Revelation 5:11-14). From Genesis through Revelation WORSHIP is presented as the ultimate priority for Believers of ALL time. Our FATHER/LORD/SAVIOUR is NOT simply to be worshipped, but HE is to be worshipped a certain way. For example.....the Tabernacle was designed expressly for worship. It was the place where GOD met HIS people, and to use it for ANYTHING EXCEPT worship was considered a horrible sin.

GOD uses 16 chapters (Exodus 25-40) to give a detailed description of the place where HE was to be worshipped. Nothing else I've found in the Bible is described in such detail. Not only did our heavenly FATHER spell out exactly how the place of worship was to be designed, but in the first seven chapters of Leviticus HE gave specific instructions about the way HE wanted to be worshipped. Many persons clothe themselves with certain outward actions connected with "holy devotion", and the world believes that they are truly devout and spiritual, whereas they are IN FACT nothing but "copies and phantoms" of worship and devotion.

The English word "worship" comes from the two words "worth" and "ship". WORTH means that quality of a person or thing that lends importance, value, merit, etc." SHIP refers to rank or office, such as "kingship, governorship", and in the case of GOD, "LORDSHIP". So, in worship YOU and I recognize our FATHER/LORD/SAVIOUR's Holiness and HIS divine status.

The Hebrew word for worship is SEGAD, which means "to bow down". The Greek word translated worship is PROSKUNEO, which means "to kiss toward", and also refers to an act of homage or reverence. The idea of worship, then, is to come before GOD with a heart of love, showing HIM respect, reverence, and homage. It IS NOT to be the result of fear or coercion, nor because of what we think HE might give us in return. Worship is a consuming DESIRE to GIVE to GOD, and it involves the giving of ourselves, our attitudes, AND our possessions.

What keeps us from taking GOD seriously in true worship? One obstacle....perhaps our greatest, judging from the numbers of times JESUS denounced it......HYPOCRISY! We all do it at some time or another during our Christian walk, and if YOU claim you don't...well, my friend, YOU are only fooling yourself. This is a temptation we must overcome again, and again....and again!

As spiritual hypocrites we look like we're worshiping GOD, but in reality it is OURSELVES we are putting forward. But our FATHER WHO sees our hearts is never impressed. And we have a bad habit of putting much of the blame on our Christian leaders. Now, I'm not a Christian pastor/minister or leader...just a simple layman, but that doesn't let me (or YOU) off the hook! There's probably a bit of a Pharisee in each of us (Luke 18:9-14). Many Christians play the game of "looking good". Social pressure and the desire for admiration lead to "religious" practice that is ONLY "skin deep" and NOT from the heart.

Some of us relate to the church as a secular organization, with rules and rewards to pursue, where we climb the rungs to "greater recognition". We may feel virtuous. We may even be applauded. But meanwhile, we lose sight of the LORD! In time we come to believe in our own "righteousness". Hey, even if we don't put it in words, our whole attitude says to our FATHER: "Heyyyy, look at me! I'm a pretty good person. Look at ALL I've done for YOU. YOU're pretty lucky to have such a talented son/daughter".

How could we so easily forget that EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING we have comes from HIM???? ALL our talents, our material goods, our relationships, our time, our very bodies.....EVERYTHING flows from HIS throne. HE is our reality!! And even MORE important, HE is behind ANY degree of success that we experience. It ALL emanates from our FATHER. YOU and I are NOT that good!! Our FATHER seeks our worship through everything we do for HIM.

Worship that is non-hypocritical is both enthusiastic and truthful. It is not just a matter of being in the right place at the right time with the right music. It begins on the inside of YOU. Our FATHER is not interested in external sacrifices (Psalm 51:16-17), HE is interested in a broken Spirit AND a contrite (repentant) heart. True worship is humbly coming before the CREATOR of the Universe just as you are without a "veil". HE knows YOU and everything about YOU already!

True worship is also an overflow of love and reverence that is ALWAYS triggered by contemplating GOD and HIS attributes. Meditate on HIM and HIS Word. This is the key to true worship. Now, how about the cure for hypocrisy? Self-Knowledge! The beginning of the spiritual life, someone once said, is to KNOW who YOU are, and to KNOW WHO GOD is. That knowledge, which can ONLY come from our FATHER, keeps things in perspective. Without it, we will set ourselves up as "little hypocritial gods", fashioning a "religion" in our own image, in which our own virtues shine out in comparison to other people's failures.

Without self-knowledge, we will fail to worship our LORD in the right manner. (Psalm 139:23-24) Worship HIM daily. Don't be a "one-day-a-week" Christian. Don't be a devout person who fast, although YOUR heart is filled with hatred. Don't be the "Super Sobriety Man/Woman", who wouldn't dare touch alcohol, yet won't hesitate to "drink" YOUR neighbor's "blood" by detraction/calumny!! Don't be the Christian who daily recites a vast number of prayers, but after saying them utters the most disagreeable, arrogant, and harmful/evil words at home and among neighbors/friends/associates.

Don't gladly take a coin out of YOUR pocket/purse and give to the poor/needy, but can't extract kindness from YOUR heart and forgive YOUR enemies or pay YOUR creditors unless compelled to do so by force of law!

No....WORSHIP our FATHER/LORD/SAVIOUR in Spirit and in Truth!!

[Fewarechosen7F]

Thank you, Wisdom.

May every member who posts here remember how important it is, for their own sakes, to remember what you have said here.

[sagz4Christ]

Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service.

Service -- 2999 (Strongs #)

Word -- Latreia

Phonetic Spelling -- lat-ri'-ah

1. service rendered for hire

2. any service or ministration: the service of God

a. the service and worship of God according to the requirements of the Levitical law

3. to perform sacred services

Translated Words

KJV (5) - divine service, 1; service, 4;

NAS (5) - divine worship, 2; service, 2; service of worship, 1;

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just to add to the importance of it!!

GREAT POST!

~your humble servant in Christ

[traveller]

WISDOM, I have been blessed through this post, even though you made me cry again. What an awesome message. What a correct message. I

[WISDOM]

Thank you, Wisdom.

May every member who posts here remember how important it is, for their own sakes, to remember what you have said here.

Thank you for those simple, yet POWERFUL words. I couldn't agree with you more.

Afterall....it's ALL about HIM, Not about us!!

[WISDOM]

Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your resonable service.

Service -- 2999 (Strongs #)

Word -- Latreia

Phonetic Spelling -- lat-ri'-ah

1. service rendered for hire

2. any service or ministration: the service of God

a. the service and worship of God according to the requirements of the Levitical law

3. to perform sacred services

Translated Words

KJV (5) - divine service, 1; service, 4;

NAS (5) - divine worship, 2; service, 2; service of worship, 1;

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just to add to the importance of it!!

GREAT POST!

~your humble servant in Christ

And I thank you for the additional info!! *two thumbs up*

As Christians and bro/sis in the same family of GOD, we're ALL in this thing together. Each "additional charcoal" keeps the "fire" hot and burning..Hear what the SPIRIT speaks.....

[WISDOM]

WISDOM, I have been blessed through this post, even though you made me cry again. What an awesome message. What a correct message. I

[Adstar]

Good meat there Wisdom

When one knows themselves one knows that one needs to be forgiven and when one knows God one is forgiven

John 8

13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."

14Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."

19Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?"

Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."

All praise The Ancient Of Days

[WISDOM]

Good meat there Wisdom

When one knows themselves one knows that one needs to be forgiven and when one knows God one is forgiven

John 8

13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, "You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true."

14Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."

19Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?"

Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."

All praise The Ancient Of Days

Adstar, I see you're still spouting out those sweet words of wisdom from down under! *smile*

TYVM for the kind words, bruh. I appreciate you and all the others here more and more each and every day. We're gonna have a good time once we get "Home"!!