One of the premiere ways that man has perverted New Testament worship is by misdirection. For what purpose was worship created and demanded by God? There can be but two conclusions reached, only one of which can be right. Worship was either created and demanded by God for God or for man. Now given the nature of worship as evident through scripture a Biblically logical answer can be concluded. God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). God created man (Genesis 1:27ff). God saw fit to allow man opportunity to reconcile himself unto God (Genesis 3:15). God ensured through His providence the means through which man could reconcile himself unto God (Galatians 4:4ff). God has provided ample opportunity through His longsuffering for man to be redeemed through the blood of His Son (II Peter 3:9). However, man in general has done nothing but caused God grief (Romans 3:23). With all of this in mind, is it not abundantly clear that worship, as being something deserved, has not been prescribed for imperfect man, but for the Holy God? And because worship is to be rendered to the Holy God, it then is to be performed with only the methods commanded by the Holy God. Much of the world is guilty of making worship a self-centered activity rather than a God-centered activity. Therefore rather than misdirecting worship, man needs to go back to the Bible and realize God’s plan for worship calls for it to be directed toward Him.
Another premiere way that man has gone about to pervert New Testament worship is by misapplication. Many misapply the scriptures in order to direct worship in a way other than prescribed by God. Many misapply what it means to worship to fit a particular result they would like to see done. However, perhaps the most prominent way of misapplying worship is the purpose of it. Worship, as indicated already above, is a period in which adoration and praise can be directed from man who is the beneficiary of blessings to God who is the giver of blessings. But in the process of time it seems that man has forgotten that worship is set aside for that purpose. Often now worship is mistaken for a social hour or an opportunity to network. To the contrary, worship is designed with God and His will in mind. To misapply worship is to misapply the purpose God gave for worship and that is to give back to God the glory He is due for what He has done and continues to do for man.
Then a final way man has found to corrupt New Testament worship is by mishandling the charge given to him. It is not a new thing for man to fall short of God’s charge. In Genesis 2 God charged man with the upkeep of the garden of Eden and the avoidance of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, yet man failed in His charge. When God charged the Israelite nation to enter Canaan and inhabit it (Numbers 13) they failed in His charge. After being charged by God to forsake the corrupt idol, man again failed in His charge resulting in the consequential captivities in Assyria and Babylon. And still man continues to fail amid God’s charge. But to tamper with God’s directives regarding worship is a serious matter. Nadab and Abihu learned the hard way that worship to God was not something to be mishandled (Leviticus 10:1ff). Must man continue to learn the hard way that the only way to handle worship is by handling aright the word of truth (II Timothy 2:15 – ASV). The church has been charged with worshipping God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), according to the all-inspired scriptures (II Timothy 3:16) which contain all things that pertain unto life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). May she keep this charge that God might be glorified for all of time remaining.
It is of the greatest opportunity in the world to be able to worship God. The ability to worship God is reserved unto His faithful children who are able to appreciate all that God has done for them (I Peter 3:12). But with this blessing is a responsibility to offer these spiritual sacrifices of worship in an undefiled and pure manner that they might be a sweet smelling savor unto the God of heaven, the object of that worship. How is it that we can worship the King in an acceptable manner? The greatest of “theologians” have shuddered at the mere mention of such a question, but to the pure-hearted Christian the answer is clear. Worship is to be in a spirited and enthusiastic, but reverential nature, and according to the truth which is able to save our souls.