What Is Worship?

Instruments in Worship?

by Mario Saldana, Evangelist

As we continue in our worship series, we come to the singing. One of the most contended acts of worship in the assembly is whether or not instruments may be used. Those who argue for their use will say things like; God gave me a talent, it should be used. Another is, Moses and Kind David made instruments for use in worship. While both may be true, before we allow the use of anything in the worship assembly, we must look to Scripture for it’s authorization. If one is to argue against or for instruments in worship, they must have a Scriptural reason.

First, in Numbers 10, God commands Moses to make two trumpets of silver, these were used for the purpose of calling the nation to worship. Only the priestly sons of Aaron were to blow the trumpets. The place to worship was commanded by God at the “place where I put my name,” and at this time it was the Tabernacle.

Second, God would command King David and the commanders of the army to set apart Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, and some of their sons who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and cymbals (1 Chron. 25:1). In total they were two hundred and eighty-eight skillful players and singers. I bet they sounded great, which is why some would argue for instruments. But they were still under the requirement to play in the place where God put His name. After Solomon would build the Temple, God would put His name there (II Chron. 6:5, 6). The Promised Land was a very large area indeed, much larger than present day Israel. But even though their area was vast, they could not worship God in any of those cities, only where God put His name, now Jerusalem.

So, did it ever come to pass when the Jews could not worship God? Yes, during the captivities. In fact, the Psalmist of Psalm 137 wrote; By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion. Upon the willows in the midst of it, We hung our harps. For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” How can we sing the Lord’s song, In a foreign land? What, why would they leave their instruments behind? Because they could only play them in worship in Jerusalem. While the Israelites would break many of God’s commandments, they would not break the commandment of God concerning instruments in worship.

In the first century we find the Jews worshiping in the synagogues, further, there is no mention of instruments in any one of them. Even Paul himself, the “Hebrew of Hebrews” does not mention instruments in the worship assembly. It should be made clear, we do not have any command in Scripture, nor use through example, or use historically for instruments in the New Covenant worship assembly, nothing. Instruments do not appear till hundreds of years after the first century. Additionally, almost every major denomination originally condemned instruments in the worship assembly per Scripture.

In closing, we covered that specific instruments were used in worship, made from specific materials, played by specific people, in a specific place, and all under the Mosaic Law. Next week we will cover the commands to Christians of the New Covenant next week. We hope these studies have been beneficial to your understanding of the worship assembly. We sincerely hope you will stay with us as we continue study, What is Worship?

Worship on the Lord’s Day

by Mario Saldana, Evangelist

As we continue in our worship series, one question that seems to be asked of the Christian is, why do you worship God on Sunday? If one looks at different worship assemblies or “Denominations,” you will find different days of worship, differing modes of worship, and maybe, no worship at all. This is precisely why this question is asked. Let’s look at the word “worship.”

The Greek word more frequently used to express the idea of worship is proskuneo (προσκυνεω). Another word sometimes translated "worship" (Phil. 3:3; Heb. 9:9; 10:2) is latruo (λατρεύω). This word is more frequently translated "serve." A few other Greek words are occasionally translated "worship." However, a careful survey of all the Greek words translated as "worship" leads us to this conclusion—namely, that to worship God acceptably is to render sincere and reverential obedience to him. If we submit to God’s authority, then we will worship Him as He has instructed.

The forms of worship that must be done as an assembly, are done on the first day of the week, why? In Acts the twentieth chapter Paul is traveling from Neapolis, the seaport for the city of Philippi to Troas (Acts 16:11, 12). They left after the Days of Unleavened Bread or the Passover. In Acts 20:6, we learn that Paul and company stayed there seven days, in the next verse we see why, “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered to break bread.” Paul wanted to stay to break bread with them. Now this is very important, because even though Paul and company wanted to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost, they stayed in Troas seven days. Why is this important? Because Paul and his companions probably reached Troas after the worship assembly on the first day of the week, wanting to worship with his fellow brethren in Troas, he stayed seven days to worship with them. It was the norm for Paul to look up his fellow brethren and worship with the brethren wherever he might be, even if he had to stop his travels to wait for the first day of the week.

In addition to Scripture we have historical writings by Justyn Martyr who wrote in 140 A.D. “And on the day called Sunday, all who live in the cities or in the country gather together in one place… and bread and wine and water are brought.” Also, “Sunday is the day that we all hold our common assembly because… Jesus Christ our savior, on the same day rose from the dead.”  In the second century document called the Didache we find “On each Lord’s Day of the Lord, be gathered together and break bread.”

Therefore, we can conclude from many sources, Scriptural, example, and history, that the Christians of the New Covenant worshiped on Sunday only. Worship on any other day was not performed until centuries after the establishment of the church, all without Biblical authority.

With the day covered, we are now ready to look at the individual modes of worship. These include: Singing, Praying, Teaching, Lord’s Table, and Giving. Next week we will look at “singing,” and why not with instruments. We hope you will stay with us as we continue to look at “what is worship.”

Authority for Worship

by Mario Saldana, Evangelist

Has a police officer ever asked you to do something? He, or she may use the expression, in the name of the law. It is not by their own individual authority in which they command you, but in the name of the law. It is the law that grants them the authority to command. Is this the same principle used by God when it comes to the worship assembly? Or will God accept any form of worship? And can we worship Him however we want? Many today, and indeed throughout time have believed this to be true. If someone asked you, how is it that you worship God, what would your answer be? Because it is true that man has created many ways to worship God, in fact in the small community in which I live, one can find many places of worship, that would allow them to worship God the way they wish. But is it for us to determine how we are to worship God? Does God not care how or when, we worship Him? Even within the pages of Scripture one can find many forms of worship, but were they all accepted by God? So, how do we know which one to practice, or does it matter. To find out, let us look at a few forms of worship in the Bible.

Paul wrote to the Galatians, For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Gal.10). Paul was saying that we can preach a gospel that pleases people, one that sounds good to them. But when we do, we do not please God. In Paul’s sermon to the Athenians, he regarded them as religious, for they had many altars and idols to worship. They even worshiped an unknown God, but Paul proclaimed they worshiped in ignorance (Acts 17:23). Paul would continue to say, “God does not dwell in temples made by human hands” (Acts 17:25). Some teach that the building, and the things in it are Holy because God lives there, and they should be worshiped, but this is what Paul condemns the Athenians for doing. In the fifteenth chapter Matthew recorded these words of Jesus; “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN’” (Matt. 15:7, 8) Many things here were wrong, first, they talked like they were God’s people, but in the heart, they were not. Second, they worshiped in vain, their worship was empty. And third, they taught what men had conceived in their mind, and not the doctrine of God.

All of these people if asked believed their worship was accepted by God, but they were not. On the sermon on the Mt. Jesus would speak these words; “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Bingo, there it is, we must do what God wants us to do, not what we come up with, or think God wants. Now we know it was never up to us to decide how we worship God. As we progress in this study, we will look next week to the day of worship, or can we worship any day of the week? I hope you will continue with us, as we search to find, what is worship?