Has God Advised Us How to Worship Him?

Did He consider that we wouldn’t know how to go about doing that? Yes

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Last week, we dove into the first question of the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession of Faith which is “What Is the Chief End of Man?”. The answer to that was we are to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But how do we do that? Did He consider that we wouldn’t know how to go about doing that? Yes.

All Scripture concerns itself with the unveiling of who God is and His plan for us as believers. The best way to read and study Scripture is with a clear mind and calm heart. Desiring to know what it says to us is the most powerful way to approach God’s Word. Jesus teaches that reading Scripture is the way to know what God desires from us.

He has designed us from the beginning to pair off and support each other. First, as the basic unit of husband and wife so that we assist each other with living a graceful spiritual life. He also directed us to immerse ourselves in His written word. He wants us to know that He obeyed his Father, setting the example for us to follow.

To immerse ourselves in His written word

The words of the prophets and the apostles are our guidebook to knowing God. Our understanding may be imperfect. It will be as perfect as we can grasp in this present existence. Our full understanding will blaze forth in the afterlife. We will have our resurrection bodies to render us capable of exposure to the Holiness of God.

The Holy Spirit gave them the words to write

Gleaning an understanding from the Spirit-infused Scripture is possible. It is possible because those words breathed out by the Spirit. He taught them to the individual writers from Genesis through The Revelation of John. Peter preached in his letters that no prophecy was ever produced through the will of humans.

The Holy Spirit gave them the words to write. Remember how the prophets “foretold” the coming of the Messiah. One of our great tasks is to use discernment, especially when reading and hearing the Word. We have to maintain that level of discernment because there are those who seek to twist it to their own means. Through diligent study, we recognize what is Spirit-led and what stems from Hell.

Knowing the Word, we are also warned against adding to it or taking away from it. Many translations are available. Some of them done by committees to avoid the single opinion of translation. Though they do not all agree one hundred percent on wording, the meaning and flavor make themselves known by thorough reflection.

Through diligent study can we recognize what is Spirit-led

Psalm 19: 7–9 taken from the English Standard Version tells us The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

Teaching that is different from this understanding of the Word leads down a dark road. John wrote that Jesus did many things not recorded. Why?

They were writing their Gospels not to produce a biography of Jesus or all the details of His ministry. They wrote their books and letters as witnesses, or from talking with witnesses. They wrote from a perspective intending their testimonies for different audiences.

Our model for worshiping our God

These men saw the power, love, and compassion of the Christ as a live personal event. Their letters to different churches established throughout the Mediterranean instructed and expressed their joy.

That joy was at being emissaries of the Kingdom of God. They wanted the readers and hearers of their writing to feel the joy they had felt.

That’s our model for worshiping our God. We are to love our church families. We are to love the people to whom we witness. We are to love ourselves as His creation and return all that love to Him.

That is how our joy may be complete and how we turn that joy back to Him who made us whole and fit for every good work.

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