The word “worship” gets used roughly 180-300 times in most English Bible translations. But nowhere is the word “worship” seemingly more misunderstood and misused than in churches. “Worship” does not mean some vainly repetitious emotion-stoking pep rally music where men are forced to gayly sing, “Jesus is my boyfriend!” The word originates from Old English and is a combination of worth + ship and as a noun it indicates the “condition of being worthy or having value”. The word “worship” also quickly got turned into a verb, meaning: to ascribe or grant worth-ship to. Worship is most clearly evident in what or to whom we grant the worthiness to be hearkened to, served, and obeyed.
Who or what you listen to, serve, and obey is who or what you worship.
God has asked us that we worship no others before Him. Meaning that we heed no words contrary to God’s words, that we serve nothing or none other more devotedly than we serve God, and that we always obey God above all others.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
So, as you can see worship goes on like microtransactions all throughout our waking hours as we invest our time and energy into what we value. It is usually not wrong to value or ascribe worth to other things or people or entities. God’s insistence is that He be the most valued, and ascribed the highest worth, as evidenced by our words and deeds, not just at some religious gathering, but throughout all of our time and in all of our efforts.
You might ask, “But my job takes most of my day! Is that a problem?” Most likely not.
Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God; 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
OK, so then what’s the problem?
Well, the problem first started with Eve hearkening to and obeying the serpent above both God and her husband, and Adam hearkening to and obeying the woman above God. Which is why God’s first commandment was to put no others before Him.
The problem is that we are granting people and things the undeserved worthiness to overrule God’s commands, unopposed by us. Even churches do this, especially regarding women:
Does your church command women to remain silent in church?
God does! (1 Corinthians 14:34, 1 Timothy 2:11-12)
Does your church boldly command women to submit to their husbands?
God does! (Ephesians 5:22-24, Colossians 3:18, Titus 2:4-5, 1 Peter 3:1-2)
Does your church command women to wear a head covering when they pray?
God does! (1 Corinthians 11:5-6)
Does your church forbid women to refuse their husbands sex?
God does! (1 Corinthians 7:2-5)
It readily becomes apparent that when offered the choice between hearkening to and obeying God or hearkening to and pleasing women, the churches systematically worship women above God. Any time you’re compromising God’s command to suit a woman, she is being worshipped above God who commanded it. You might just as well let her slap a trinity bikini over her three lady parts and make the men all bow down to her, because the men of that church are already worshipping women above God there. They are worshipping the creature above their own Creator.
Romans 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God has given them over to a reprobate mind. Don’t expect to make much progress reasoning with those woman-worshipping fools. Just separate yourself from them before they drag you along into their Feminist idolatry. God already knows that your true worship is comprised of what you’re doing and saying all week long, not whatever act you put on at a church. If you’ve come here seeking God’s truth, or to share it, then you’re already worshipping God by seeking out an online gathering of faithful believers, where women are always welcome to ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in our assembly.
“But my job takes most of my day! Is that a problem?”
Toiling for food is part of your rehabilitation program. Don’t worry about it. (Gen 3:17)
I’ve removed a comment by edward kennedy. I’m not sure how his comments still get through. And it was better than most of his previous comments, but I’ve removed it because I’m trying to get it to where his comments don’t immediately appear. I will however respond to some parts of it.
In response to the biblical command for women to be silent in the “ekklēsiais” (church, assembly, congregation), Edward relays the anecdote of a “… minister’s wife teaches a youth group that … has had a huge impact to the good …”.
To me a youth group is sort of a gray area, not knowing exactly at what point the boys actually become men, at which point a godly woman should not usurp to teach them. And there is no telling if a man wouldn’t have led the group better. We are told never to do evil that good may come of it. So, an anecdote about good coming from something proves little if anything.
Romans 3:8(NET) And why not say, “Let us do evil so that good may come of it”?—as some who slander us allege that we say. (Their condemnation is deserved!)
I’d say you’re most likely better off having men lead a youth group.
In response to the biblical command about women covering their heads when they pray, he says, “… in the church I attend the minister and men are the ones who pray.” LOL I’ve certainly never heard that argument before.
In response to the biblical command forbidding women from refusing their husbands sex, edward kennedy correctly says: “I would point out that NT scriptures clearly ask the same for husbands and forbid husbands to deny sexual interaction desired by their wives so it is a two way street for sure. To deny that is called defrauding the other of your body.”
But then he descended into his typical worshipful praise of womankind and his amazing platonic lady friends.
“I would point out that NT scriptures clearly ask the same for husbands and forbid husbands to deny sexual interaction desired by their wives so it is a two way street for sure.“
“Oh yeah? Well husbands have to put out for their wives too!”
Okay, ‘mister’. Well played.
Note: Sharkly, you don’t need my permission, but you have my blessing to dump my comments if they’re inappropriate to the blog.
I missed the EK comment. Maybe he’s doing a shtick like GBFM and thinks it’s funny. It is actually starting to be humorous. However, if he has read the previous comments here and still relied on anecdotes then I hope you invite him to post a comment on why he relies on stories instead of the Bible. Maybe he doesn’t think the Bible is the inerrant Word of God?
Maybe he thinks we should look at fruits and then work backwards to gain wisdom, instead of using the Bible first?
What is worship? I know this, my church neither buys Derek’s authority-minimized unity view, and definitely not an authority view. In the abstract, we are complementarian, but in practice we lay milestones on husband’s necks and provide little opportunity for women to grow or mature due to our failure to call them account to sin, and just the very soft and white collar manner.
My pastor is the cook in the house and jumps on men for examples of ugly sin, but never women. The one female sin he talks about, once per year, sometimes less, is abortion. You better believe he does so with exquisite sensitivity.
Millstones, not milestones.