What Kind of Worship God Desires From His People ?

'Worship is not an addendum to life, it is at life’s core. You see, the people who worship God acceptably enter into eternal life, but the people who do not worship God acceptably enter into eternal death. Worship, then, becomes the core. Time and eternity are determined by the nature of a person’s worship.

Now, there are only two kinds of worship that can be offered-acceptable or unacceptable worship. The majority of the world offers unacceptable worship, and God will not accept it. The Bible is explicit on this. There are people today who say that ultimately everybody is going to be saved, but that is not true. The Bible does not say that. But it does say that there are only two kinds of worship - acceptable or unacceptable worship.' True Worship by John MacArthur, Jr.

In this embedded sermon, Pastor John Macarthur explained what is unacceptable worship:

1. The worship of false gods of any kind
   


2. The worship of the true God in a wrong form


3. The worship of the true God in a self-styled way


4. The worship of the true God in a wrong attitude or heart

True worship that is acceptable to God must not be conformed to this world. It is a form of worship from a worshiper that is reflective of the heart of a believer that has been transformed by God's power and from a mind that has been renewed.


'I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.' Rom 12:1-12

There is a right way to worship God, it is the only kind of acceptable worship that God desires.

'Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.' Psalms 24:3-4

There is a place for corporate worship in the lives of believers. Believers to be found gathering to worship by honoring and praising God through Jesus Christ.

'Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.' Hebrews 13:15-16

Reflections on the Doctrine of the Trinity

The Trinity being of the One and only living God is something a finite creature, which man is, cannot fully grasped or explained. It is the very being of the One everlasting and ever existing God, who is The Creator. How can we fully grasp or explain it ? However, the scriptures are abundantly clear that God has revealed Himself as such. To worship God in spirit and truth, in exercising our biblical faith, we need to know God as fully as He has chosen to reveal Himself, our reliance must be based on His written Word.

What do we mean when we say the Bible declare that God is incomprehensible? When the Bible states that God is incomprehensible, we mean God through scripture is saying that there is much about Him that is still mysterious. God is simply beyond our understanding and comprehension. Augustine of Hippo was trying and struggling hard to understand the Trinity nature of God without success until he recognized the humbling fact that as a finite creature he was merely trying “to cram the ocean of God’s truth about Himself into his little box of brains”.

"There is nothing that the Father is that the Son is not, except that the Son is not the Father." * Quote from Notes on Hebrews 1:1-4 by David Linden

There is nothing that the Father is and the Son is that the Holy Spirit is not, except that the Holy Spirit is not the Father and the Holy Spirit is not the Son.

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Mat 3:16-17

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Cor 13:14

In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. (Of God, and of the Holy Trinity. Chapter 2 - III. THE WESTMINSTER CONFESSION OF FAITH -1646)

Here is a sermon by Pastor Alistair Begg expounding the Trinity truth based on the teachings as revealed in the bible.

The Breath of the Almighty: The Holy Spirit

The Breath of the Almighty: The Holy Spirit

By Pastor Dr. Alistair Begg

at the Ligonier Ministries 2009 National Conference: “The Holiness of God”

Update: Embedded Video "Alistair Begg - “The Breath of the Almighty: The Holy Spirit” is no longer available on YouTube as at 24 June 2009

Please visit Ligonier Ministry's site to download the MP3 or get the full its DVD on the 2009 National Conference: “The Holiness of God”

For a good blog post on notes taken from this sermon.