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Chapter 5 - Worship in Spirit (Contrast of Religious and Christian Worship)
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Herein
lies the great difference between religious worship and true Christian
worship: Religious worship originates in the flesh, or in the outer
man. Christian worship originates in the Spirit, or in the innermost
man. Religious worship is based on human performance. Christian worship
is a work of the grace of God in the heart of man. Religious worship
attempts to build an inward relationship with God by outward works.
Christina worship is a result of an inward relationship with God where
the Spirit of God freely flows outward, producing works of God's
righteousness. Religious worship honors the worshiper. Christian
worship honors the One worshipped. Religious worship compares itself to
the worship of others. Christian worship sees only the glory of Jesus.
True worship, then, is the "supernaturally" natural flow of the Spirit of God through our entire being. The Holy Spirit is released from our innermost being because of the freedom of the will. The will of man has now been opened to the will of God.
The human will is probably the most important area of our lives in relation to the flow of spiritual worship from our hearts. The will of man is liberated to love, worship, and obey Jesus Christ. There are two things, however, that this new freedom does not mean. First, it doesn't mean we have a license to sin. Quite the opposite. It means we've been given freedom from the power and bondage of sin. Second, it doesn't mean we're now perfect, that we will never again choose to do wrong. It means we now have the power and ability to choose that which is right and to glorify God. We're no longer slaves who are mastered and controlled by ego gratification. Now we can freely choose to glorify God. But we must make that choice day by day and moment by moment.
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