Most people who worship God are sincere.
They may genuinely love God.
They may honestly believe that what they are doing pleases Him.
But Scripture raises an important question:
IS SINCERITY ENOUGH TO MAKE WORSHIP ACCEPTABLE TO GOD?
Jesus said:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
(John 4:24, KJV)
Notice the word:
MUST.
Jesus did not say that worship is acceptable merely because the worshipper is sincere.
He said worship must be:
IN SPIRIT
and
IN TRUTH.
TRUTH IS GOD’S WORD
Jesus prayed to the Father:
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
(John 17:17, KJV)
Put the passages together:
GOD MUST BE WORSHIPPED IN TRUTH
↓
GOD’S WORD IS TRUTH
↓
OUR WORSHIP MUST BE GOVERNED BY GOD’S WORD
Sincerity matters.
But sincerity cannot replace truth.
CAIN WORSHIPPED GOD
Cain was not an atheist.
He brought an offering:
“And Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.”
(Genesis 4:3, KJV)
Abel also brought an offering.
But Scripture tells us:
“And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
“But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect…”
(Genesis 4:4–5, KJV)
Both men worshipped.
Both brought offerings.
But God did not accept both offerings.
Hebrews explains something important about Abel:
“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…”
(Hebrews 11:4, KJV)
And Scripture tells us:
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
(Romans 10:17, KJV)
Biblical faith responds to what God has revealed.
NADAB AND ABIHU WORSHIPPED GOD
Nadab and Abihu were priests.
They were engaged in religious activity.
Yet Scripture says:
“And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.”
(Leviticus 10:1, KJV)
Notice the problem:
WHICH HE COMMANDED THEM NOT.
They were not condemned because they refused to worship.
They were condemned while worshipping.
Why?
They offered something God had not authorized.
Then:
“And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.”
(Leviticus 10:2, KJV)
God had revealed how He was to be approached.
Their sincerity could not authorize something God had not commanded.
JESUS WARNED ABOUT VAIN WORSHIP
Jesus spoke of people who worshipped Him.
But He said:
“But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
(Matthew 15:9, KJV)
Think carefully about that statement.
They were:
WORSHIPPING JESUS.
Yet Jesus called their worship:
VAIN.
Why?
Because human teaching had been substituted for divine authority.
That means the question cannot merely be:
ARE WE WORSHIPPING?
We must also ask:
ARE WE WORSHIPPING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD?
“I FEEL CLOSER TO GOD” IS NOT THE STANDARD
Something can feel meaningful and still lack biblical authority.
Something can produce strong emotion and still not be authorized by Christ.
Something can attract thousands of people and still not be found in the New Testament.
Something can have been practiced for hundreds of years and still originate with men rather than God.
Our feelings cannot determine what constitutes acceptable worship.
God does.
THE FIRST CHRISTIANS FOLLOWED A PATTERN
After approximately three thousand people obeyed the gospel on Pentecost, Scripture tells us:
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
(Acts 2:42, KJV)
They continued in:
THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE.
They did not continually redesign worship according to changing cultures.
They followed what had been revealed.
EVERYTHING MUST HAVE CHRIST’S AUTHORITY
Paul wrote:
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”
(Colossians 3:17, KJV)
Therefore, when we worship, the question should not begin with:
WHAT WOULD WE ENJOY?
It should begin with:
WHAT HAS CHRIST AUTHORIZED?
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
GOD SEEKS WORSHIPPERS
↓
WE MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
John 4:23–24
↓
GOD’S WORD IS TRUTH
John 17:17
↓
FAITH COMES BY HEARING GOD’S WORD
Romans 10:17
↓
HUMAN COMMANDMENTS CAN PRODUCE VAIN WORSHIP
Matthew 15:9
↓
THE FIRST CHRISTIANS CONTINUED IN THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
Acts 2:42
↓
EVERYTHING MUST BE DONE BY CHRIST’S AUTHORITY
Colossians 3:17
↓
THEREFORE:
WORSHIP GOD ACCORDING TO HIS WORD.
Sincerity is important.
But sincerity by itself does not determine truth.
Cain worshipped.
Nadab and Abihu worshipped.
The people Jesus condemned in Matthew 15 worshipped.
The question is not simply:
AM I SINCERE WHEN I WORSHIP GOD?
We must also ask:
HAS GOD AUTHORIZED THE WORSHIP I AM OFFERING HIM?
Jesus said:
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
(John 4:24, KJV)
Don’t accept that conclusion merely because it is written here.
Open your Bible.
Read Genesis 4.
Read Leviticus 10.
Read Matthew 15.
Read John 4.
Read Acts 2.
Read Colossians 3.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Then examine your own worship by the Word of God.
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 