What Constitutes Worship?

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This is an important question and John 4:23-24 is an interesting passage. Unfortunately, the worship in spirit is taken to be interchangeable with truth thus leaving the understanding that God is to be worshipped in a non-material and non-ritualistic way. Man is not free to invent true worship since it involves a relationship with God; it must be performed as per his revelation in scripture and as practiced by true historical Christianity. This is a huge topic and I will plug two books: one is shameless: “Spirit of the Liturgy” by our current Pope and “How Catholics Read the Bible” (lulu.com/content/205292) contains an article on this topic by yours truly on page 89. :rolleyes:

God Bless
 
JoeyWarren said:
What does the words used denote what Worship is:

H7812
שׁחה
shâchâh
shaw-khaw’
A primitive root; to depress, that is, prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God): - bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.

I really don’t see ‘Reading Scripture’ as part of the definition. Nor to I see “Singing Pslams” or “Singing Hymns”.

Neither does the Greek word contain these definitons:

G4352
προσκυνέω
proskuneō
pros-koo-neh’-o
From G4314 and probably a derivative of G2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand); to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): - worship.
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You sound like my Dad- and that is definitely a compliment! In any religion I completely believe that the attitude above (the image of the dog in particular) is the essence of worship- not the specific action. Whatever your hand finds to do- do all to the glory of God.
 
God told the people of the Old and New covenants to OFFER SACRIFICE. In the OT he wanted/tolerated animal sacrifice offered with sincerity of heart.

In the New Testament Jesus commanded the Apostles to OFFER SACRIFICE: "Do this in memory of me.

Sacrifice out of pure love is what the Bible is all about.

The Eucharist is our sacrifice. We (creatures) offer to the Father the best we have. Because of Jesus we have more than lambd and bulls we have His Body and Blood which we unite our spiritual sacrifices to. A.K.A. Worship.
 
Pug said:
Nope! I can ask/entreat a person for something without it requiring me to reverence/adore that person as I would God. But you know that.👍
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I know that Pug:rolleyes: …I am trying to elicit a response fromt the protestant brethren.🙂
 
rr1213 said:
…but we’re too smart to bite on that one… 😃
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ah but you did bite.
Stephen King is not God and his works, although ocassionally interesting, are not the word of God. You don’t worship God when reading Scripture? You don’t feel or understand how it brings your mind and spirit closer to the mind and spirit of God?
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Apply the same principle to Mary or any person that we believe beyond a shadow of a doubt to be in Heaven experiencing the beatific vision…
 
JoeyWarren said:
ah but you did bite.

Apply the same principle to Mary or any person that we believe beyond a shadow of a doubt to be in Heaven experiencing the beatific vision…
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Nah, the analogy doesn’t hold. But look, you guys have convinced me that asking Mary to pray for you is no different from asking any other Christian friend to pray for you. Now, if you ask something for Mary other than to put in a good word with her Son, then it becomes more problematic. (Example would be “Mary, save me!”…when we are saved by Christ and Him alone).
 
I think acknowledging something as divine constitutes worship. To recongnize Divinity, and then act accordingly is to worship, even backhanded worship exists…to rebel agaist that which is Divine, because one truly recognizes and acknowledges the divinity is a form of worship.

Different groups/cultures will act out their acknowledgement in different ways, according to their beliefs, customs and abilities, but it is the acknowledgement that constitutes true worship, without it, no acts, however generous or sacraficial are worshipful, worship begins in the heart/soul.

cheddar
 
reborn_pagan said:
i started a thread just now on what people of diffrent relgions do for worship…In my opinion, worship is some form of sacrafice, even if its taking time out of reading a book about your relgion all the way to have ritual scarfication
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Believe it or not, this is basically the Catholic view you stated here. 😃
 
JoeyWarren said:
Is reading the Bible really a form of Worship?
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Reading the Bible is a form of prayer: Lectio Divina. But I do not believe that prayer and worship are the same thing. That is why Protestants get so nuts about our interaction with the Saints, they think that praying is worshipping. Worship is more akin to adoration in my mind.
 
Back in the days of the Old Testament and beyond, it was clear to people what “worship” meant - sacrifice, bowing down, reverence. In the post-reformation era of Christianity, it appears that worship seems to be watered-down; worship became “my relationship with my Lord Jesus Christ.” - seemingly putting on par God with, say, your best friend or your neighbor.
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Some of us Christians just aren’t on our knees enough!:rolleyes:
 
Marsha_Adams said:
Reading the Bible is a form of prayer: Lectio Divina. But I do not believe that prayer and worship are the same thing. That is why Protestants get so nuts about our interaction with the Saints, they think that praying is worshipping. Worship is more akin to adoration in my mind.
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To read it aloud is to breath in the Word of God. It is to pray. This also allows us to share the Word of God with others. But no it is not worship.😃
 
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