What is Worship?
Everyone worships something. Some worship money. Others worship success, pleasure, or power. The Bible teaches that worship belongs to God alone.
When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He answered,
"You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve." (Matthew 4:10)
Worship begins by recognizing who God is. He is our Creator, our Savior, and our King. Worship is our response to His greatness, His holiness, and His love.
Many people think of worship as something that happens only for an hour on Sunday morning. The New Testament presents a much broader picture. Paul wrote,
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Romans 12:1)
Our daily lives are to honor God. Every act of obedience is an act of worship.
At the same time, the New Testament also speaks of Christians assembling together. When the church gathers, it prays, sings, remembers the Lord's death, gives, studies God's Word, and encourages one another. Those assemblies are an important expression of our worship, but they are not the whole of it.
This distinction is important.
A Christian should worship God every day by the way he lives.
The church worships together when it assembles.
The New Testament speaks about both.
As we study Christian worship, we must be careful not to confuse these two ideas. Some passages describe a life devoted to God. Others describe what Christians did when they came together as a church. Both are important, but they are not always discussing the same thing.
Throughout this course we'll keep asking the same question we've asked from the beginning:
What does the text actually say?
Rather than beginning with traditions or modern practices, we'll begin with Scripture and allow it to shape our understanding of Christian worship.
Continue Your Study
If Christians worship God every day, why did the New Testament place such importance on the church assembling together?
What happened when believers gathered?
And what can we learn from their example?
Related Bible Studies
Why Does Authority Matter?
How Do We Build Sound Doctrine?
What Does the Bible Teach About Silence?
Companion Video
What Is Worship?
Read First. Conclude Later.