“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” – Romans 12:1
When we think of worship, we have a tendency to think of the songs we sing during the worship portion of the Sunday morning service. This is what we commonly refer to as ‘worship.’ However, the Scripture portrays a much wider definition than a few songs sung once a week. Romans 12:1 states, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” The words act of worship here are really only one Greek word – latreia. Latreia is defined by Thayer as “1) service rendered for hire 2) the service and worship of God according to the requirements of the Levitical law 3) to perform sacred services.” 1
This helps our understanding immensely. An act of worship is a service rendered to God, a service which is done in holy and sacrificial manner. The implication is that our lives are the sacrifice and service God desires. All that we do is to be our worship unto Him. There is to be no separation between the holy and unholy in our lives. All that we do should be a holy, pleasing sacrifice to God. As Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to god the Father through Him.” Again in 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul affirms, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” This reminds me of the Westminster Catechism’s answer to the question “What is the Chief aim of man? The Chief aim of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”2 Here is the essence of worship. Continual acts of worship, acts of service, devoted to God.
Author and Apologist Ravi Zacharias gives the following definition for worship:
“Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God: the quickening of conscience by His holiness, nourishment of mind by His truth, purifying of imagination by His beauty, opening of the heart to His love, submission of the will to His purpose, all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human expressions.” 3
So we come to see worship is a lifestyle not a thirty-minute once a week church experience. Worship encompasses the way we live our lives and should influence the why behind what we do. Worship is the motive for our actions. “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” – Romans 11:36
The same root word meaning serve is used in Luke 4:7-8 where Satan was trying tempt Jesus, “‘So if you worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’” The word Worship here means to bow down and kiss the ground before someone.4 & 5 So we have two different ideas here, honor (reverence and awe) and service. When we understand who God is (eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, transcendent, merciful, loving, gracious, just, etc) and what He has done for us (redemption, salvation, forgivness, sanctification, love, joy, peace, etc) then the honor and service of Him should become our way of life. This reverential honor and service become the basis for a lifestyle of worship – continual acts of worship. While we do the laundry, make the bed, deliver the product, make the widget, meet with the boss, eat, mow the lawn, all we do becomes an opportunity to serve and honor God. It is our inner attitude that makes the difference. “If my life is not consistent with my actions on Sunday morning then I am not worshipping. Worship is an entire life focus uniting every aspect of life with meaning. Worship service on Sunday morning is the point to which all of my life converges and the fount from which all of my life emerges. Two hundred people are not coming to the sanctuary to worship, but two hundred sanctuaries are coming to the building to join together in corporate worship.” 6 What we have been doing all week prepares us to come together on Sunday and join together in worship to Almighty God.
Lord, help us not to just worship, but to be worshippers in all that we do!
Footnotes
1 Thayer, Joseph. "Latreia." Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Hendrickson, 1996.
2 "Westminster Shorter Catechism." Web. 18 May 2010. <http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC.html>.
3 Zacharias, Ravi. “Let My People Think.” Podcast. “Leadership Seminar Workshop.” http://www.rzim.org/resources/listen/letmypeoplethink.aspx. 22 July 2009.
4 Zacharias, Ravi. Ibid.
5 Thayer, Joseph. "Proskuneō." Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Hendrickson, 1996.
6 Zacharias, Ravi. “Let My People Think.” Podcast. “Leadership Seminar Workshop.” http://www.rzim.org/resources/listen/letmypeoplethink.aspx. 22 July 2009.
References
All Scriptures not specified are quoted from Life in the Spirit Study Bible (NIV). Stamps, Donald C., and John Wesley Adams. Life in the Spirit Study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003. Print.
