What Is True Worship Of God?

Mark, chapt.5, vs.1-5 tells us about a possessed maniac who was running at Jesus after cutting and abusing himself in a nearby grave yard.

While coming at Jesus in full fashion; he yelled: "What have I to do with Thee, Jesus; thou Son of the Most High God." (vs.7).

The catch is in vs. 6, when Mark says: "...he...worshipped Him."

In this act of running like a madman, and yelling this question to Jesus, the man "worshipped Him."

How can this be called "worship?"

What does it mean for us today?

Isn't "worship" when you are all quiet and holy, saying your prayers and singing hymns at church?

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"The joy of the Lord will be your strength." (Neh.8:10).

Your brother in Christ

David T. Battler

The Greek word for worship is proskineo, Pros=toward; kineo=kiss. Its literal meaning is "to kiss towards." Perhaps the demoniac was "giving honor to" Christ. Mark recorded that act as worship.

A good example of worship is what takes place in Revelation 4 and 5. All of creation is present; everyone has their role and everyone proskineos (if that is a word) God and the Lamb (who also have the 7 spirits of God with them).

Worship is the final issue in the Last Days (Rev. 14). In the great scene in heaven it would be unconscionable for one of the 4 living creature to be absent and give an excuse of "I was there on another day--every day is alike!"

God created us to worship Him and worship Him in the proper day and proper place.
How we do this is the question. I don't need to pontificate any longer. What are other people's ideas of how we can worship God? Is there any critera that can be used for something that God would bless? Is serving others a form of worship? Can we worship today like perscribed in Psalms 149 and 150?

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"He Restoreth My Soul"

Pastor Andrew

[This message has been edited by A. Marttinen (edited July 13, 2000).]

A number of times I have sat in the car with Alfie and asked him on our way home from Sabbath morning 'Worship Servce' if what we just exprienced was worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth. I have never received a positive answer from him.
I most certainly want to bring the best to our God worship. The sacrifice of praise to God from my lips, the sacrifice of loving help for the brethern, the sacrifice of submiting my mind in a willingness to absorb new truth and put it into practice or the sacrifice of my will to submerge into his Will.
<<<<<<<<Joan>>>>>>>>

You could ask 10 people what true worship is and get 20 different answers.

We should look at The Book for the answer we are seeking.

It is late, I am happy we are back online, but I need sleep, so will post another time more.
God bless, and welcome 'home', a little of the home we have waiting for us.

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Is what you're living for worth Christ dying for?

Gerry B.

[This message has been edited by Gerry Buck (edited July 20, 2000).]

Hello A. Marttinen

Two quick questions:

1) What do you mean by "pontificate?"

2) Can you offer some reason, from the Bible, why or how this text in Mark is called "worship?"

I'm not so much trying to explore a definition of the word worship, as I am the meaning of this particular text in Mark that I have referred to above.

It's 4 am Calgary time, and I just got home from work! I'll visit again soon!

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"The joy of the Lord will be your strength." (Neh.8:10).

Your brother in Christ

David T. Battler

In Mark it says 'he ran and worshipped Him',
verse 6--- verse 7 asaks the question, the inference being he had already come to Him and was asking Him what they ( those that possessed him) had to do with Him.

Matthew has the same confrontation in chapter 8 verses 28-34.

In his versionmof the meeting, there were 2 demoniacs and no mention of worship was made.

Strongs says the word translated 'worship' is proskuneo(pros-koo-neh'-o)(mean: to kiss, like a dog licking his masters hand.)to fawn or crouch to, i.e.(lit.or fig.)prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence,to adore):-worship

Sounds more to me like the demoniac was trying to act like a dog attempting to obtain something from it's master ( better).

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Is what you're living for worth Christ dying for?

Gerry B.

This text in Mark 5 does seem to indicate that the demoniacs had been, in their own demented way, trying to show honour or respect to Jesus.

With the plethora of crazy spiritual warfare & deliverance ministry we see around us today; it does behoove us to closely examine this kind of passage to see what Jesus is trying to say to His people through this Bible passage.

Let us start with a short passage from Desire Of Ages: (pg.337-338)

“With authority, He bade the unclean spirits come out of them. His Words penetrated the darkened minds of the unfortunate men. They realized dimly that the One was near Who could save them from the tormenting demons.

They fell at the Savior’s feet to worship Him; but when their lips were opened, to entreat His mercy; the demons spoke through them, crying vehemently: ‘What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son Of God Most High?

I beseech Thee, torment me not.’

“What have I to do with Thee?” This saying also appears in other texts like 2 Sam.16:10, and 19:22. It could be translated as: “What do we have in common?”

“Torment me not” This could be translated as “mind your own business.”

These demons sensed that they were about to be punished, and they used the strongest basis for an oath that they could muster; even though an appeal to God by them was quite ironic.

The really important thing to realize here is that Jesus read the unspoken cry of the heart. Sometimes in our squalor of sin and degradation; we are not capable of uttering what we really mean inside; and to all outward appearances, we are rude crude and generally up to no good. But Jesus, in His great wisdom knows where we are really at, or where that irritating person who you stay away from is at; and he reads the inner longings that rest in the minds of all those whom we see no potential in at all...

The end result being that the power of Jesus is greater than all the hosts of hell, (Rom.5:20), and sometimes we need to get off of our spiritual stilts as EG White puts it, and recognize Christ’s potential in a soul for whom we see no hope. (Luke 18:27).

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"The joy of the Lord will be your strength." (Neh.8:10).

Your brother in Christ

David T. Battler

I love Desire of Ages. It is certainly my favorite SOP book. We have to realize, as EGW points out, that we are dealing with a dual personality here, in a sense. The man, and the demons inside him. The man worshipped, the demons spoke. The worship here referred to was the act of casting himself in surrender at Jesus feet. The man desired healing. He knew Jesus was the source of healing and so he came, tortured and broken and threw himself on the Mercy seat. An act of worship; true worship. If we all came to Christ in that same spirit of surrender, of realizing we are poisoned and in need of healing, we wouldn't have to discuss worship styles.

Amen, Brother Wilson, Amen.

Bible in, Christ out, true worship will follow.

God Bless

The demoniacts acted on their faith as best they could . They unlike the unrepentant religious leaders came, fell down on their faces, tried their best under their very discouraging circumstances and Jesus supplied them with more than they hoped for.

What if I acted on my faith, fell on my face before Him, tried my best under all circumstances, and cried unto Him from my heart, do you think He might do more than I hope for ? Type "true worship" into any good SOP data base, the results are suprising. Our prayers and forms are considered secondary add on's.

If I am still a demoniac then all I can do is what they did . If I have more to bring, my worship grows beyond such simplicity or does it ? Do multiplied forms really constitute "true worship" ? I will leave it to you to word search that in Bible & SOP. I often spoon feed too much, instead of sparking intrests and suggesting good directions to go in.

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Edward F. Sutton

I believe that true worship can only come from the whole being, the whole heart. Like the demon possessed people who desired Christ in their lives but were not allowed to speak this desire because of the demons possessing them, Christ knew their HEART!! If we truly desire to worship, God knows and He glories in that kind of worship.

"For ye are neither hot nor cold. How I wish that you were hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

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Sarah Moss
*Prayer Changes Things!*

[This message has been edited by Mrs. Moss (edited August 18, 2000).]

When Jesus was talking to the Samaritan woman at the well, He told her that the time would come when men would 'worship in spirit and truth'.

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What is popular is not always right.
What is right is not always popular.
Gerry B.

Just edited a typo. Ed

[This message has been edited by Edward F. Sutton (edited August 18, 2000).]