JDL - Direction Fifteen - Worship: Doctrine determines Practice and Practice determines Doctrine

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:42 (ESV))

One important area of concern when considering living a Jesus-directed life is the area of worship or divine service. One attends church in order to worship or be in the divine service of the Lord. Where one attends depends on one’s understanding of God, and where one attends also determines one’s understanding of God. Thus, if you worship in a way in which the importance is placed on what you as a worshiper is doing, then you belief system, your theology, will grow into a theology in which you will need to do something for God, rather a works righteousness theology. And, at the same time, if you have a works righteousness theology, then you will gravitate toward a church which has a service wherein that is emphasized.

As was stated earlier, there are really two views of worship. One view of worship is that we need to do for God. This type of worship flows out of a theology of works. The second view of worship is that we come to be given by God, and this type of worship flows out of a theology of grace. The main emphasis is this: the way we worship flows out of what we believe. And the way we worship is either connected to or disjointed from the past, present and future.

Unfortunately, there have been many who have attempted with great success to set opposed what is often called traditional worship against what is called contemporary worship. The impression given is that traditional worship is old and no good and contemporary worship is best because it speaks to today. Again, this is unfortunate because at the heart of this misnomer is a confusion of what is traditional and what it means to be contemporary.

Tradition can be and is a good thing when it has a good Biblical foundation and when it flows out from a good thing. In other words, to make the sign of the cross as a remembrance of one’s baptism is a good tradition. To not eat fish on Friday because it was important to help the fishing industry years ago is not as good a tradition. When traditions flow out of and point us to the Word, even to the Word made flesh, these are good.

Contemporary means set in or with the present time. Contemporary is here today and gone tomorrow. It is disjointed in terms of flowing out of the past and into the future. And, unfortunately, contemporary usually means an inculcation of the present culture into the church where it is not always in harmony. Too often, and even more often than not, the church stands against the culture for many and various reasons depending on the subject.

When it comes to traditional versus contemporary, we must always keep in mind that God’s Word is always contemporary. God’s Word is for today no matter when today is because God’s Word is not time or culture bound. Perhaps the best worship then may be called contemporary worship in a traditional setting.

The Old Testament church had a very liturgical system especially when it came to the sacrifices in the temple. There were parts that the people bringing the sacrifice performed, and there were parts the priest performed. In a like manner, these practices have been passed down from generation to generation, and though we do not have animal sacrifices today, there are parts of worship wherein there is clergy and laity responding back and forth.

Our style of worship is what sets us apart from the style of worship of others. Each worships in their own way as a response to their own theology; thus, we can attend a service of worship and identify one’s theology. How wonderful it is to have a type of worship which flows out of the past even out of the Old Testament into the New Testament and from generation to generation down to today, and we know it will continue on tomorrow. There is just something about this worship which transcends time and which reminds us that we are in this time worshiping with all the saints who have gone on before us and will continue on after us.

A few years back the statement was made that the medium is the message. Today we would translate that in the context of worship as the substance is the style, that is the substance of the theology and doctrine shapes the way one worships. And yet, we continue to remind ourselves that the style also then shapes the substance. There is the teaching part of worship. Not many people sat down and memorized the Lord’s Prayer or the Apostles’ Creed, yet we all know them by heart. Why? We know them because we said them Sunday after Sunday after Sunday until we know them by heart. And so we realized that these were important parts of worship.

Thus, worship is important. How we worship, what we worship, who we worship is important. The ebb and flow of worship of God coming to us and our responding to Him is important. The meeting of God in His Word is important because that is where He comes to us to give us His good gifts and blessings, faith, forgiveness, life, and salvation. And that is where He comes to direct us in our lives.

Think About
What does the style of worship you enjoy teach you about what your church believes, teaches, and confesses? Is your Sunday morning experience more worship and doing for God or more divine service and being given to by God?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for my past, my history and my lineage. Forgive me when I attempt to separate my past from my present and my future. Help me to better see You through Your divine service to me, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.