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Praise And Worship
The phrase praise and worship
is a new one, probably only about 20 to 25 years old. It is not found in the Bible. Certainly Christians ought to praise God and to worship Him, but there are ramifications that need to be explored before this or any fad is accepted into ecclesiastical worship.
It is interesting to note that there are seven hebrew words for worship, and each describes an attitude that believers take when approaching God. Some of these words involve singing, some speak of exhuberant praise, and some describe bowing to the ground in humility before God while in deep prayer. However, it is commonly taught today that there are only two words, and that they both involve music: praise
(fast songs, sometimes making references about God) and worship
(slow songs, with the singer speaking to God, supposedly in adoration).
While popular, these two definitions are not supported by Scripture. For instance, biblical praise need not involve music, and most instances of bowing before God in the Old Testament occurred during times of deep consecration following some appearance by God or strong revelation given to one of the patriarchs or prophets, without music, of course. Today's limited choices of acceptable
methods of worship afforded the Christian stifle his relationship with God, in my opinion.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
— John 4:23-24
An old prophecy: the day will come when Christians will praise a God they no longer pray to
.
What about the old hymns? They sang about redemption, justifcation, sanctification, deliverance. They preached to us the wonders of heaven, the hopelessness and finality of hell.
Today's music ignores the precious blood of Calvary, praising God for everything but the one thing that actually helps mankind. This should not be so. In fact, God rejects such worship: Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
— Isaiah 1:13