Worship

Lesson 10

The religions that we have studied thus far all have their own peculiar worship. In this lesson we will explore their worship and compare it to what the Bible teaches concerning Christian worship today.

The worship service of the Catholics and Episcopalians are so similar that we will single out the Catholics only because the Episcopal church borrowed the Roman Catholic order of worship.

The worship service of the R.C.C. is centered around the mass. Daily mass is observed and usually required as a "perpetual sacrifice of Christ's blood". Better known as Holy Eucharist. To the Catholics, the bread becomes the actual body of Christ and the wine His actual blood. This is known as "Transubstantiation". (Adopted by the church in the Council of Lateran 1215).

Their worship is highly ritualistic and ceremonial. There are many spoken formulas, symbols and vestments for the priest, burning of incense, etc. Instrumental music, primarily the organ, is used. As you enter in a Catholic building, you see the candle lighting, the burning of incense and the reciting of prayers using a rosary.

Their worship is similar to the Catholics in that their worship is centered around the altar. Their teaching on the Lord's Supper is distinctively peculiar. They believe in "Consubstantiation". Martin Luther started out to oppose the doctrine of "transubstantiation" and out of it grew the doctrine of "consubstantiation". The sacraments are true sacraments (Christ's body and blood being really present in the Lord's Supper). (Lutheran Cyclopedia, pg. 425). When the catholic priest prays over the bread and wine, it becomes flesh and blood, but the Lutherans teach that when the Lutheran priest blesses the bread, that "in with and under the bread is the body of Christ". They say that the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are under the bread and wine. They also use instruments of music for their worship along with their prayers as well.

There are four basic orders of worship which include the following: the call to worship, a hymn, the prayer of confession, the silent meditation, the words of assurance, the Lord's prayer, the anthem or chant, the responsive reading, the Gloria Patri (an ascription of praise to the Holy Trinity), the affirmation of faith, the lesson from the Holy Scriptures, the pastoral prayer, the invitation to Christian discipleship, the benediction, the silent prayer, and the postlude. As can be seen from above, the Methodist church includes more ritual and ceremony than most denominations. They likewise use instruments of music, choirs, and soloists in their services. The Lord's Supper is taken once a quarter. They do allow women preachers and some allow homosexuals as preachers.

In their worship, they do not practice rituals and ceremonies as the Catholics. Their worship is rather simple. They sing with the accompaniment of instruments, pray, study the Bible, give (they believe in tithing) and partake of the Lord's Supper. They believe in closed communion. Only those who have been voted into the church can take the communion. They do not offer the Lord's Supper upon every first day of the week (Olle pg. 23-24).

Their worship is based upon the Book of Common Worship which sets forth generally the plan of worship to be followed. It includes song accompanied with instruments of music, prayers, sermons, communion and giving. Their offering is to be systematic and in proportion to the individuals prosperity. Their taking of the Lord's Supper is usually every quarter (The Westminister Shorter Catechism, pg. 20). A brief meditation usually precedes the administration of the sacrament and is followed by a prayer of thanksgiving, penitence, and dedication. A collection for the "poor" is associated with the observance of the Lord's Supper. (The Westminister Shorter Catechism, pg. 20)

This group meets weekly at their local "Kingdom Hall" for Bible study, singing and praying. They use taped musical instruments to accompany their singing. No collection is taken during these services, but donations by members are strongly encouraged. The Lord's Supper is taken once a year after sundown on the "exact day" of the year Christ died. Unleavened bread and fermented wine are used for the communion, and only those of the "heavenly elect" (144,000) can partake of the Lord's Supper (Truth pg. 147; You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth pg. 201).

Mormons meet on Sunday for worship which includes weekly observance of the Lord's Supper. They use light bread and water instead of unleavened bread and grape juice (Doctrine and Covenants 27:2). Tithing is taught, and instruments of music are used in their worship. juice (Doctrine and Covenants 27:2-8)

Their worship service is held on the Sabbath which begins Friday at sundown and lasts until Saturday at sundown. They have a set order of worship: prayers, songs with instruments of music, collections and sermons. The Lord's Supper is usually observed once a quarter and always preceded by the observance of foot-washing. Tithing is required and sent to their national headquarters.

The only thing different about this religious group from the others is in their observance of the Lord's Supper. The minister is to invite "all those who have with true repentance forsaken their sins and have believed in Christ for salvation" to take communion. They also have women preachers and use instruments in their worship.(Manual pp.22-27)

The unique teaching that separates the pentecostals from other religious bodies is their divine healing that supposedly takes place while they partake of the Lord's Supper. They believe that the communion is a quickening life of Christ for their healing (Riggs pgs. 118-119). They use instruments in their worship and women preachers.

Christian Scientists have simply eliminated the Lord's Supper from their worship. They hold so called communion services in the branch services twice a year, but on these occasions, neither bread nor wine is used (The Four Major Cults pg. 214). It is basically a type of meditation. Their services are centered around scientific mental healing.

If we follow the Bible, our worship will be plain and simple for all to participate in. Christians of the New Testament did pray together (Acts 12:5; Acts 2:42); sing together (Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:19); study together by means of teaching and preaching (Acts 20:7; Colossians 4:16); gave of their means as God had prospered them (I Corinthians l6:1-2, 12); and partook of the Lord's Supper upon the first day of every week (Acts 20:7; Acts 2:42; I Corinthians 11:17-23).

Because the Catholics teach that one receives forgiveness of sins by participating in the mass, many Protestant sects also give special power to the Lord's Supper. There is no scriptural basis for suggesting that the partaker of the communion receives some special blessing or forgiveness. It is purely a memorial done in memory of Christ's death and resurrection (I Corinthians 11:26). Forgiveness comes by one's obedience to God's will and by being baptized into Jesus' death (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3-7). Continual cleansing of His blood is by faithfulness to Christ's will (I John 1:7).

When Christ said "this bread is my body and this fruit of the vine my blood" He did not mean literally speaking. Christ also said that He was a vine (John 15:1) and a door (John 10:9). Christ stated, "For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins." The cup represented Jesus' blood that was shed to institute His will and Testament (Hebrews 9:16-17). The doctrines of Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation are of human origin and are foreign to the Bible. Jesus is no more a piece of bread than He is a door, water or a vine. The representation of the Lord's Supper as the fruit of the vine and the bread MUST be taken figuratively. If one seeks to follow the New Testament pattern, he will of course, use only the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine in the communion. These elements are specifically mentioned in Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:l9-20; I Corinthians 11:23-29. They must not be substituted.

As to the frequency of the partaking of the Lord's Supper, we have two examples where the first century church observed the Lord's Supper upon the first day of the week (Acts 2:42; 20:8). Paul also commanded them to give upon that same day, but he stated "upon every first day of the week lay by in store" (I Corinthians 16:1-2). Paul uses a Greek phrase "katamian" which means "every" first to modify "of the week". History also tells us that the early church always partook of the Lord's Supper and gave upon the first day of every week. Pliny, in his Book X, Justin Martyr in his Second Apology For the Christians and Tertullian's De Ora pg. 135, testify that it was practiced universally by congregations. Weekly assemblies have always been a part of the Christian service to God.

Priesthood and ceremonies in worship are not taught in the Bible. All Christians are spiritual priests (I Peter 2:5-9; Hebrews 13:10-16). There are no ceremonies except the observance of the Lord’s Supper. (I Corinthians 11: 17-30)

Instrumental music has long been a controversial subject. Almost all denominations use it in their worship. Both from the New Testament and history comes the same answer: THE CHURCH OF THE FIRST CENTURY USED VOCAL MUSIC ONLY. If one seeks to follow the New Testament church as a pattern, then that person will sing and not play. "Not go beyond the things that are written" (I Corinthians 4:6). Singing as a means of Christian worship is mentioned 5 times, but each time it is spoken in terms of vocal music only (Acts 16:25; I Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; James 5:13). "The primitive christians failed to adopt the use of instrumental music in their religious worship" (McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia of Biblical Literature, pg. 759). There is no warrant in the New Testament for instruments nor were they used by the first century Christians. It wasn't until 1025 AD that instruments were used to worship God.

Many denominations require tithing in Christian giving. But a Christian is exhorted to give as he has "prospered" (I Corinthians 16:2), "liberally" (II Corinthians 8:2, to show "proof of love' (II Corinthians 8:24), "bountifully" (II Corinthians 9:6), "cheerfully" (II Corinthians 9:7), and "not grudgingly nor of necessity" (II Corinthians 9:7). Giving is on a "free will" basis but is required by God to support the work of the church (I Timothy 5:8-16), to support the teaching and preaching of the gospel (I Timothy 6:17-20; II Corinthians 11:8; Philippians 1:5; 4:15-16).

The practice of women preachers is not taught in the Bible; in fact, the opposite is taught by Paul in I Corinthians 14:34-35 and I Timothy 2:8-15.

Unfortunately, through the years numerous changes have come about because many people have been dissatisfied with God's method of worship for us in the bible. However, we as Christians, must obey God and His plan for us if we are to receive our reward. The Bible teaches us that we are to "worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).