My last couple of postings have highlighted the dangers of emotionalism. This has been done in a roundabout way by commenting on Brad Pitt’s religious experience and the Joel Osteen interview on 60 minutes.
Today I want to be a bit more direct by looking straight at what Scripture has to say regarding our emotions. Obviously this is not going to be a comprehensive study but more of a glimpse of what God’s Word teaches on this issue.
First, it needs to be stated that the evangelical church as a whole is experiencing a dire lack of true Spirit-induced emotion in worship. In fact, some churches – such as our own – struggle with showing any emotion and enthusiasm in worship. This is a cause for concern as well. After all, the answer to emotionalism is not lack of emotion but rather the right kind of emotion.
Jesus said in John 4:24, "But he hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Whereas some churches worship God "in spirit" but not in "truth," other churches worship God in "truth" but not "in spirit." The fact of the matter is, trying to worship God with either one of these elements without the other is not true worship at all. Genuine worship is centered on God’s truth, which is celebrated in one’s spirit. (Read that again. It’s important!)
So the question is, how can we worship God in this way? It begins by recognizing that worship is initiated by God, not us. That is to say, God is not only the object of true worship; He is also the originator of true worship! "The Father is seeking such to worship him." R.C.H. Lenski writes, "He seeks them, not as though they have already become such by efforts of their own, but as longing to make them such by His Word and his Spirit."
Since the focus of this article is on the "spirit" of worship, let’s take a closer look at the role God’s Spirit plays in influencing our inner spirit and emotions. The apostle Paul talks about this in Ephesians 5:18-20, where he says, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul says in essence: "Don’t get drunk with wine; instead, get intoxicated with the Spirit!" There is a definite parallel here. Just as a person filled with alchohol is "under the influence," so a person filled with the Spirit is under His influence! How many of us harp on the first part of that command without heeding the second part?
Note the effect that God’s Spirit has on the person whom He fills. He produces a song in his heart that fills him and flows out of him for the benefit of everybody around him! He shares the exhilarating experience of David, who exclaimed: "He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord" (Ps. 40:3).
In a day where people are constantly turning to external stimuli (e.g., motivational speakers, upbeat music, etc.) to get them into a spirit of celebration, true worshipers look to the indwelling Spirit to produce a spirit of exhilaration in their soul that no person or pop music can manufacture. That is to say, true worship begins on the inside and radiates to the outside, not vice-versa.
This means that instead of always cramming tunes into my head, or listening to speakers on the radio or watching them on television, I have to set aside time for silence and solitude. I must allow the Spirit of God to use the Word of God to produce in my heart songs to God. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).
Ah, this is true worship. Get a taste of this, and you’ll see it beats anything the world or superficial religion has to offer.
Today I want to be a bit more direct by looking straight at what Scripture has to say regarding our emotions. Obviously this is not going to be a comprehensive study but more of a glimpse of what God’s Word teaches on this issue.
First, it needs to be stated that the evangelical church as a whole is experiencing a dire lack of true Spirit-induced emotion in worship. In fact, some churches – such as our own – struggle with showing any emotion and enthusiasm in worship. This is a cause for concern as well. After all, the answer to emotionalism is not lack of emotion but rather the right kind of emotion.
Jesus said in John 4:24, "But he hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Whereas some churches worship God "in spirit" but not in "truth," other churches worship God in "truth" but not "in spirit." The fact of the matter is, trying to worship God with either one of these elements without the other is not true worship at all. Genuine worship is centered on God’s truth, which is celebrated in one’s spirit. (Read that again. It’s important!)
So the question is, how can we worship God in this way? It begins by recognizing that worship is initiated by God, not us. That is to say, God is not only the object of true worship; He is also the originator of true worship! "The Father is seeking such to worship him." R.C.H. Lenski writes, "He seeks them, not as though they have already become such by efforts of their own, but as longing to make them such by His Word and his Spirit."
Since the focus of this article is on the "spirit" of worship, let’s take a closer look at the role God’s Spirit plays in influencing our inner spirit and emotions. The apostle Paul talks about this in Ephesians 5:18-20, where he says, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul says in essence: "Don’t get drunk with wine; instead, get intoxicated with the Spirit!" There is a definite parallel here. Just as a person filled with alchohol is "under the influence," so a person filled with the Spirit is under His influence! How many of us harp on the first part of that command without heeding the second part?
Note the effect that God’s Spirit has on the person whom He fills. He produces a song in his heart that fills him and flows out of him for the benefit of everybody around him! He shares the exhilarating experience of David, who exclaimed: "He has put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord" (Ps. 40:3).
In a day where people are constantly turning to external stimuli (e.g., motivational speakers, upbeat music, etc.) to get them into a spirit of celebration, true worshipers look to the indwelling Spirit to produce a spirit of exhilaration in their soul that no person or pop music can manufacture. That is to say, true worship begins on the inside and radiates to the outside, not vice-versa.
This means that instead of always cramming tunes into my head, or listening to speakers on the radio or watching them on television, I have to set aside time for silence and solitude. I must allow the Spirit of God to use the Word of God to produce in my heart songs to God. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).
Ah, this is true worship. Get a taste of this, and you’ll see it beats anything the world or superficial religion has to offer.