What is Worship to God

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.....

After reading that Passage, one seeking true understanding of how to worship and please God would have to ask themselves when and how do we offer up the spiritual sacrifices as acts of worship, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, According to his good pleasure? Philippians 2:13, NASB: "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." As worship is not as much for us, as it is for our Father's good pleasure. We should first and foremost make sure that our worship unto God is pleasing and acceptable in His eyesight. Meaning, in accordance with his will and words of truth for these acts of worship, and as a result we discover that we now are the recipients of the Commonwealth as benefactors/heirs, and are blessed to reap the benefits of worshiping Him in Spirit and in truth. This is done by being encouraged and uplifted by one another, as we bond together as the one body in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4.

When we consider the context in which this was stated, we have to consider the fact that this is referring to a specific particular group of people. Only to those who are in Christ Jesus, as the household of God. So with that thought in mind, let us consider this one particular verse, as our primary thought for this lesson.

When we [The ekklesia of the most high] set our minds on offering up spiritual sacrifices/acts of worship acceptable to God according to his good pleasure, it is incumbent upon us, as children of God, to consult his word first and foremost. For it is where we profess our very own like faith. Therefore the spiritual sacrifices/acts of worship we can read of, that are spoken of in the scriptures, by inspired men of God who delivered his word unto us, are not only reference to our own personal denial of self, (Matthew 16:23-25) but also our acceptance of nothing short of the unadulterated uncompromised, word of God, when we consider how we are to carry out the things of God. Specifically when we offer up our sacrifices/acts of worship that are offered for the purpose of pleasing the Lord, each Lord's Day.

When we consider the Passover which is represented by the communion we take today, does that not represent the ultimate spiritual sacrifice of all. A sacrifice we remember, as we worship every Lord's day.

When we give of our means, in accordance with what we have, and based upon how God has prospered us.... is that not a God required spiritual sacrifice of giving back to God for his blessings of health and strength which allows us to maintain our living in this life?

Luke 6:38 KJV - Give, and it shall be given unto you; - Bible ...

When we offer the sacrifice of praise continually with the fruits of our lips, is that not that which God is pleased with?

Hebrews 13:15 KJV - By him therefore let us offer the - Bible ...

Is it possible to offer up prayer before all mighty God, without being prostrate in worship before Him, anywhere and at any time? Therefore is not our prayers then also a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable, as a sweet smelling savor unto the Lord?

Matthew 6:5-6 NIV - Prayer - “And when you pray, do not - Bible ...

When the word of God is opened and presented in lesson form, and in spirit and in truth, by the man of God in the assembly of God, is this not that which God is well pleased? And worthy of sacrifice as we worship Him? 1 Corinthians 1:21 ... That through the foolishness of preaching...

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Now I ask you, my dear bretheren, how is it possible for each of these acrs mentioned above not to be considered worship? When each of them can be easily found in the Scripture and considered a sacrifice unto God, holy and acceptable in his sight. These acts we find as sacrifices in scripture are there for us as His assembly, to carry out as well and we are not to offer anything unto God that he has not asked for. As we know Israel made many sacrifices to the Lord in the way of worship unto Him. We learned much from the Old Testament when it comes to worship and God's view of of how He wishes to be worshiped, and that is in spirit and in truth.

The word worship has always been used synonymously, in the Bible with sacrifices and offerings. As you remember Abraham told those traveling with him and Young Isaac that he and the lad we're going to Worship On The Mountain, and as preparation for that worship they brought everything for a sacrifice but the lamb. So when Abraham said that he was going to the mountain to worship we now know that that worship included a sacrifice unto the Lord. So as we serve God as the body of Christ we offer sacrifices holy acceptable unto him. Not only in our everyday lives but also specifically in our worship on the first day of the week.

Now mind you I made this post mainly for the naysayers amongst us, who would have you believe, these actions that we take in order to include what is known to us as the 5 acts of worship on the first day of the week, are not biblical acts of worship at all. However according to the scriptures each of them are considered sacrifices in the sight of God, which He requests, and are required for true worship. As we offer these sacrifices, worthy of acceptable worship unto Him who loved us first, in the way of self sacrifices, by offering his only begotten son as a sacrifice for us and the sins of the world! How can we not see this perfect example of sacrifice, given to us by God himself, and not see the correlation in our sacrifices in worship. So, let us consider God's offering and sacrifice for our sins as we offer of our gifts at the alter of God each Lord's day. This allow us to pay homage to and honor our God by worshiping him in no other way than in Spirit and in Truth.