My Dear _______:
Having considered the question, 'Where is our
place of worship?' we may now proceed to that of worship itself. The
Scriptures are very full of instruction upon this subject; and yet, I
venture to say, there is scarcely one concerning which there is so much
indifference, and even ignorance, amongst professing Christians. I
might even go further, and affirm, that its real character is scarcely
understood by believers outside of those who are gathered out to the
name of Christ. I do not mean, of course, that there are not
individuals in all denominations whose joy it is to be found in
adoration before God; such have ever existed throughout the history of
the Church. But what I contend is, that the collective worship of the
saints --or, what it is to worship in the assembly -- is almost utterly
unknown in any of the many denominations of Christendom.
For
example, in a book, which has obtained a very wide circulation, written
by one of the most popular preachers of the day, it is said, in the
discussion of this very subject, that listening to sermons is one of
the highest forms of worship. The writer supports this extraordinary
statement by the allegation that preaching tends to beget the exercise
of the holiest desires and aspirations of the soul. That the
presentation of truth may lead to worship no one could deny; but a
child would easily perceive the difference between the act of worship
and listening to the truth. In preaching-if indeed it be God's truth
that is being delivered-the servant comes with a message from God to
those who listen; in worship, saints are led into the presence of God
to present their adoration and praise. The two things are therefore of
an entirely and essentially different character. Nor is prayer worship.
This will at once be seen if I say that a suppliant is not a
worshipper. Thus if I go to the King with a petition, I am presented
before him in that character; but if I am admitted into his presence to
render homage, I am no longer a petitioner. So when I unite with other
believers in prayer and intercession, we are before God as those who
are seeking special blessings; but when we bow before Him in worship,
we give rather than receive; we are before Him wanting nothing, but
with full hearts overflowing in adoration at His feet.
Thanksgiving
is very intimately connected with, if not of the essence of, worship.
For thanksgiving is the consequence of blessings received, whether in
providence or in redemption. The sense of God's goodness and grace in
thus ministering to us, in blessing us with all spiritual blessings in
heavenly places in Christ, constrains us to pour out our thanksgivings,
in His presence; and then, necessarily, we are led to reflect upon the
character and attributes of the God who thus delights to surround us
with the tokens of His love and care; and consequently thanksgiving
passes over into worship.
But in worship considered, in and by
itself, in the proper significance of the act-we lose sight of
ourselves and our blessings, and are occupied with what God is in
Himself, and what He is for us as revealed in Christ. Led by the Holy
Spirit, we rise above ourselves, and contemplate God in all His varied
attributes and glories (for while "no man hath seen God at any time,
the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath
declared Him" - John 1: 18); and, overwhelmed by the display of His
holiness, majesty, love, mercy, and grace, we cannot but bow at His
feet, as we render, in and through our Lord Jesus Christ, the homage of
our hearts.
This will be seen more clearly if we turn to the
teaching of the Scriptures. The woman of Samaria questioned our Lord
concerning this subject, or rather as to the place of worship; and in
His reply, He vouchsafed to go far beyond the limits of her question.
"Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall
neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye
worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of
the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh
such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must
worship Him in spirit and in truth" (John 4: 21-24). In the first
place, our Lord here plainly teaches that there would be henceforward
no special place of worship on earth. Jerusalem had been the sacred
place where the temple of God had stood-the place to which His people
wended year by year from all parts of the land. (See Psalm 122.) But
together with the rejection of Christ, their house, hitherto the house
of God, was left unto them desolate (Matt. 23:37-39); and never since
that time has there been a material house of God upon earth. The Church
is now the habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph. 2:22); and our
place of worship (as seen in the last letter) is now inside the rent
veil, in the immediate presence of God.
Secondly, He tells us
who can be worshippers those who shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth; and such the Father was seeking. That is, only believers,
only those whom God in His grace was seeking, such as this woman of
Samaria, whom He sought and found in the Person of the Son, and whom He
would bring into relationship with Himself as His children; such, and
such alone, could worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The
apostle affirms the same thing when he says, "We are the circumcision,
who worship God in the spirit" (or, as many read, who worship by the
Spirit of God), "and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in
the flesh," all evident characteristics of believers. Indeed, as the
epistle to the Hebrews teaches (see chap. 10), it is impossible for any
to approach God until their sins are gone from His sight; and again,
without faith (chap. 11: 6); and once more, inasmuch as none but
believers have the Spirit of God (see Romans 8: 14-16; Gal. 4: 6), none
other can worship in spirit, or by the Spirit of God.
But
evident as is this truth, and accepted widely as it is in theory, it
needs to be enforced again and again; for, as a matter of fact, in the
current "public worship" which obtains on every side, all distinction
between believers and unbelievers is either ignored or obliterated. All
alike, whether saved or unsaved are invited to unite in the same
prayers, and in the same songs of praise, in utter forgetfulness of
these plain words, that it is only the "true worshippers" who can
worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
Thirdly, the Lord
defines the character of worship. It must be "in spirit and in truth."
"Now to worship 'in spirit' is to worship according to the true nature
of God, and in the power of that communion which the Spirit of God
gives. Spiritual worship is thus in contrast with the forms and
ceremonies, and all the religiousness of which the flesh is capable. To
worship God 'in truth' is to worship Him according to the revelation
which He has given of Himself. The Samaritans worshipped God neither in
spirit nor in truth. The Jews worshipped God in truth, so far as this
can be said of a revelation which was imperfect; but they worshipped
Him in no respect in spirit. Now to worship God, both are needful. He
is to be worshipped according to the true revelation of Himself (that
is, 'in truth'), and according to His nature (that is, 'in spirit').
But
the revelation of God to us is in the Person, and connected with the
work of Christ; for all that God is has been manifested in and through
the cross. The death of Christ is therefore the foundation of all
Christian worship; for it is by the efficacy of His precious blood that
we are qualified to enter into the presence of God, and inasmuch as
that death is the revelation to us of all that God is, of His majesty,
His holiness, His truth, His grace, and His love, it is through the
contemplation of that wondrous sacrifice that our hearts, wrought upon
by the Spirit of God, are led out in adoration and praise. Thus worship
is connected in a very special way with the Lord's table, because it is
when we are gathered around it, as members of the body of Christ, that
we show forth His death. To quote once more the words of another, "It
is impossible to separate true spiritual worship and communion from the
perfect offering of Christ to God. The moment our worship separates
itself from its efficacy, and the consciousness of that infinite
acceptance of Jesus before the Father, it becomes carnal and either a
form or delight of the flesh.
This is the secret of the
degeneration of worship in Christendom; for wherever the Lord's Table
has lost its true character or place, the spring and motive of worship
are obscured. For what are we specially reminded of at the table of the
Lord? It is His death; and it is in that death we are enabled to see
what God is for us, and what Christ is to God, as well as the infinite
efficacy of His sacrifice in bringing us without a spot into God's
immediate presence -- in the light as He is in the light. The grace,
the eternal love of God, and the grace and the unquenchable love of
Christ, are alike displayed to our souls, as we remember the One who
glorified God in His death on the cross, where He bore our sins; and
having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, we bow and
worship before God, as we sing
"O God! Thou now hast glorified
Thy holy, blest, eternal Son;
The Nazarene, the Crucified,
Now sits exalted on Thy throne!
To Him in faith we cry aloud,
Worthy art Thou, "O Lamb of God