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| Worship: In Spirit -- Understanding |
A singular, pure, practical allegiance allows the worship to be acceptable;
because it will allow the worship to be done from the heart, soul and mind – to
be done with the understanding.
The apostle Paul points to this important principle of understanding what you
are doing, and meaning it in his first epistle to the Corinthians:
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the
understanding also. (1 Corinthians 14:15 KJV)
The Corinthians had problems in properly using the spiritual gifts that had
been given by the Holy Spirit. They were utilizing what they perceived to be
those spiritual gifts without others being able to understand what they said, or
even being able to understand themselves. Paul thus instructs them that it
was proper and good to use the gifts of the Spirit, but that it should be done
with the understanding.
Brother Paul had already shown the indispensability of worshipping with the
understanding to the Corinthians in speaking of their corruption of the Lord’s
Supper:
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord,
unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he
that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to
himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and
sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30 KJV)
Damnation was the result of partaking of the emblems in the supper without
the proper understanding of their meaning, if it be done “unworthily.” The
proper spirit, attitude and understanding of that which was done was not
optional, it was a moral necessity.
When addressing himself to the churches of Ephesus and Colossae, the
apostle emphasizes the need for understanding in singing.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things
unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:18-21 KJV)
And,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16 KJV)
It is to be done with the understanding, from the heart, full of meaning.
This is the very point Jesus was making when He taught His disciples:
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think
that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (Matthew 6:7 KJV)
Vain repetitions are those void of meaning, those said without understanding
what it means just because it sounded good.
Without a proper understanding of what is being done, and doing it for that
reason, worship is meaningless. It cannot be worship in its true sense for
there is no attitude of the heart, mind and soul expressed in action toward
God, because it is not known whether the action engaged in expresses the
proper attitude of the heart, mind and soul or not, or even if the action is
directed toward God or some other! Without understanding there can be no
expression of the emotions or will. The actions become senseless and
reasonless. Surely, God cannot be expected to be pleased with such worship.
Conclusion
To worship “in spirit” one must have:
1) A singular allegiance – “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20).
2) A pure allegiance – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind” (Luke 10:
27; Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12).
3) A practical allegiance – “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; Malachi 1:6).
4) Understanding – “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we
worship” (John 4:22).
Each of these four components need to comprise our worship for it to be truly
“in spirit” and pleasing to the Father.
Worship: In Spirit
Worship: In Spirit -- A Singular Allegiance
Worship: In Spirit -- A Pure Allegiance
Worship: In Spirit -- A Practical Allegiance
because it will allow the worship to be done from the heart, soul and mind – to
be done with the understanding.
The apostle Paul points to this important principle of understanding what you
are doing, and meaning it in his first epistle to the Corinthians:
What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the
understanding also. (1 Corinthians 14:15 KJV)
The Corinthians had problems in properly using the spiritual gifts that had
been given by the Holy Spirit. They were utilizing what they perceived to be
those spiritual gifts without others being able to understand what they said, or
even being able to understand themselves. Paul thus instructs them that it
was proper and good to use the gifts of the Spirit, but that it should be done
with the understanding.
Brother Paul had already shown the indispensability of worshipping with the
understanding to the Corinthians in speaking of their corruption of the Lord’s
Supper:
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord,
unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he
that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to
himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and
sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:27-30 KJV)
Damnation was the result of partaking of the emblems in the supper without
the proper understanding of their meaning, if it be done “unworthily.” The
proper spirit, attitude and understanding of that which was done was not
optional, it was a moral necessity.
When addressing himself to the churches of Ephesus and Colossae, the
apostle emphasizes the need for understanding in singing.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things
unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting
yourselves one to another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:18-21 KJV)
And,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and
admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16 KJV)
It is to be done with the understanding, from the heart, full of meaning.
This is the very point Jesus was making when He taught His disciples:
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think
that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (Matthew 6:7 KJV)
Vain repetitions are those void of meaning, those said without understanding
what it means just because it sounded good.
Without a proper understanding of what is being done, and doing it for that
reason, worship is meaningless. It cannot be worship in its true sense for
there is no attitude of the heart, mind and soul expressed in action toward
God, because it is not known whether the action engaged in expresses the
proper attitude of the heart, mind and soul or not, or even if the action is
directed toward God or some other! Without understanding there can be no
expression of the emotions or will. The actions become senseless and
reasonless. Surely, God cannot be expected to be pleased with such worship.
Conclusion
To worship “in spirit” one must have:
1) A singular allegiance – “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him
only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10; Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20).
2) A pure allegiance – “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind” (Luke 10:
27; Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12).
3) A practical allegiance – “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the
things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; Malachi 1:6).
4) Understanding – “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we
worship” (John 4:22).
Each of these four components need to comprise our worship for it to be truly
“in spirit” and pleasing to the Father.
Worship: In Spirit
Worship: In Spirit -- A Singular Allegiance
Worship: In Spirit -- A Pure Allegiance
Worship: In Spirit -- A Practical Allegiance
