Selecting Worship Music | Does God Care What Method I Use?

How we worship is important. But, does God care about our methodology in how we use and select worship music today? This is a question that we often do not ponder upon enough or dismiss quickly since we erroneously tend to assume that the Bible does not answer this question. Christians are all too eager to embrace the new and relevant in order to reach the lost, while not giving much consideration to the heartbeat of the local church; worship.

The Heartbeat of the Local Church | Worship

Worship comes from an old Anglo-saxon word, weorthscipe, which conveys giving worth, respect, and reverence to the object of one’s worship which for a true believer is God. There are 110 verses in the OT and 72 verses in the NT where some form of the word worship is used.

It should be noted that in most of these passages, no specific mention of or even an ambiguous reference to music can be found. Rather, the crux of these passages seems to on obedience, humble submission, praise, prayer, and pleasure toward the object of our worship, God.

The focus on worship should be on giving to God and not on getting from God. It must be understood that worship is not merely an event; it is a lifestyle. Thus, worship is both corporate and personal. Therefore, our greatest need is to know God intimately and accurately so that every area of our lives (including our worship) would reflect an accurate view of God according to His Word (Jer. 9:23, 24; Eph. 3:19).

Dr. Michael Barrett correctly concludes, “True worship, therefore, arises from the knowledge of God. The greater the knowledge of God, the greater will be the exercise of true worship.”[i] Therefore, the knowledge of God is essential in understanding how to worship Him. Ron Owens is correct in his premises that “we must know who God is if we are going to worship Him as He desires.”[ii]

God Is Particular About Our Methods of Worship

Now, it would be wise to look at God’s concern for the methods that we use in our worship of Him. In perhaps the earliest worship scenario recorded in scripture, God certainly is particular to how He is to be worshipped (Gen. 4:3-5). When Abel brought “the firstling of his flock” to God (Gen. 4:4a), we see that the “the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering” (Gen 4:4b). However, when Cain “brought of the fruit of the ground and offering unto the LORD” (Gen. 4:3b), it is recorded that “unto Cain and to his offering he (God) had no respect” (Gen. 4:5a).

Since the scripture explicitly states that it was both Cain and his offering that God was displeased with, this  that both his heart and his method of worship were wrong. Although some may say that the problem was not with Cain’s method but rather his heart, the Bible clearly states that “by faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…” (Heb. 11:4).[iii]

Furthermore, we see God’s concern for the right methodology of worship in the situation regarding the transportation of the ark of God (II Sam. 6:1-11). In this scene, David and the people of Israel “set the ark of God upon a new cart” (II Sam. 6:3a). They genuinely desired to demonstrate honor and reverence to God by putting His ark upon a new cart. However, this action disobeyed God’s commandment to carry His ark “upon their shoulders” only (Num. 7:9b).

It also resulted into having the ark nearly upset by the oxen which led to Uzzah reaching over to save it (II Sa. 6:6). This led to the second disobedience since only the priests were authorized to touch the sacred ark (Num. 4:15). As a result of this sin, God killed Uzzah (II Sam. 6:7-8).

In both of these worship situations, we see that God is particular about the methods that we are to use in our worship of Him and that disobedience to His instructions brings disastrous results.

In Christ’s most explicit worship instructions in the NT (Jn. 4:22-24), He begins by contrasting the Old Covenant worship with the New Covenant worship (Jn. 4:22). Under the Mosaic Law, worship was restricted to a specific place (II Chron. 6:6), time (Exod. 30:10), animals (Deut. 16:2), and reserved for a specific nation, Israel (Lev. 26:46).

However, under the New Covenant, worship is no longer restricted to a specific place, time, or race (Jn. 4:23). It is now available to all who have a saving relationship with Christ (Heb. 8:10-13). After contrasting the worship of the Old and New Covenants, Christ then tells us how we are to worship Him; namely, in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23-24).

Simply put, we must worship God with our whole being and according to His Word! Although, the methodology in worship has changed, the object and nature of true worship have never changed (Exod 20:1-5; Deut. 6:4-8; Matt. 22:37; Heb. 8:5; Heb. 13:8).

The Object and Nature of True Worship Are Timeless

Since the object and nature of true worship are timeless, we can still learn important worship principles from the OT today.

• Remember, the entirety of God’s Word is sufficient and profitable for doctrine (absolute truth of God), reproof (conviction of sin), correction (Christ-likeness), and instruction in righteousness (child rearing in the right way) (II Tim. 3:16-17).
• We must be in the Truth in order to know and to apply truth! (Jn. 17:17b). This certainly requires much work; however, discipline is necessary for godly living. Our God-given responsibility is to apply timeless truths in a changing culture (Ps. 119:89; Jn. 15:10. I Jn. 2:15-17). This is not legalism; rather, it is obedience out of a love for God (Jn. 14:15).[iv]

Thus, God’s Word is enough in understanding and applying certain essential truths regarding methodology in our worship today.

Our Own Methods of Worship Should Be Rejected

Lev. 10:1-3 helps us understand the truth that God wants us to reject our own methods of worship.

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

In verse one; we see that man has the tendency to worship God his own way (1). Coincidently, Nadab and Abihu worshipped God their own way (1a). They both offered a “strange” or an unauthorized fire to the Lord. Some possibilities of this strange fire may have been going into an unauthorized place in the sanctuary, offering certain coals that were from outside the temple, offering the incense at the wrong time of day, or using their own ingredients for the incense for their own purposes.[v]

Although both men seemed sincere in their worship, a sincere heart still falls short of an obedient heart which God wants from each one of us (I Sam. 15:22). Nadab and Abihu also disobeyed God in their worship. They “offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not to do” (1b).

In Exodus 30:9, 34-38, God clearly commands Aaron and his sons to follow His exact ingredients and regulations. It is also clear that they are not to offer strange incense to Him made by human creativity. God also explicitly states the consequence of the offender who disobeys His command “will be cut off from his people” (Exod. 30:38b).

 Lev. 10:2-3 displays God’s displeasure with man’s own methods in his worship of God. We see that God brought punishment upon Nadab and Abihu for using their own methods (2). God certainly is not impressed with our offerings as He is with our obedience (Amos 5:21-23).

Furthermore, God wants our complete obedience and desires us to worship Him the way that He commands us to in His Word. If not, He will punish us for our disobedience regardless of the success of our worship methods.

God Desires to Receive All of the Praise and Glory

Finally, God desires to receive all of the glory in worship none to be received by the individual. In verse three; we see that God desires to be set apart and unique from all else. He is holy and there is none like Him. We must give God the holiness due to His name by obeying and worshiping Him His way. As a result, God will be glorified. In every situation of life including our worship methods, God desires to receive all of the praise and glory (I Cor. 10:31; I Pet. 2:9).

Read part two of this article concerning God’s view of selecting music for worship.

[i] Michael P. V. Barrett, The Beauty of Holiness: A Guide to Biblical Worship (Greenville, SC: Amassador-Emerald International, 2006), 59.

[ii] Ron Owens, Return to Worship: A God-centered Approach (Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1999), 10.

[iii] There is an idea that since Cain was a farmer, God allowed him to bring the best of his produce. However, nowhere is this indicated in scripture. Although some may debate on this issue, it is clear from the Scripture that this text illustrates God’s concern for methodology in worship.

[iv] Often times, applying timeless truths in obedience to God is confused with legalism. However, applying truth is a God given mandate for every believer. A true love for God should result into genuine obedience to Him. Whereas, legalism is in essence a work based method of earning God’s merit in either salvation (Pharisaism) or sanctification (performance based Christianity).

[v] Mark F. Rooker, vol. 3A, Leviticus, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c2000), 157.