07 – Gratefully Sing His Wonderful Love: Worshipping God with All of Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength

Intro

Worship is Holistic

The Shema – Deuteronomy 6
The Greatest Commandment – Mark 12
The Woman at the Well – John 4
Living Sacrifices – Romans 12

Four vehicles of worship

We can worship God with our thoughts, with our deeds, with our attitudes, and with our devotion. There is a complex overlapping of these vehicles (much like the overlapping of red, green, and blue light to create all possible colors of light). All worship practices originate from heart, soul, mind, and strength.

However, when any of these vehicles is used intentionally much more than the others, it will lead toward unhealthy worship practices.

The Antinomian view of worship

The view that God’s love for us is of utmost importance. The idea that we should primarily focus on what God has done for me. Valuing declared love over true obedience.

The Charismatic view of worship

The view that feelings are of utmost importance. The idea that we should primarily focus on achieving a closeness to God. Valuing personal experience over actual spiritual growth.

The Legalistic view of worship

The view that action is of utmost importance. The idea that we should primarily focus on our work for God. Valuing the letter of the law over the spirit of the law.

The Gnostic view of worship

The view that knowledge is of utmost importance. The idea that we should primarily focus on learning and understanding God. Valuing knowing about God over knowing God.

All four of these views of worship are idolatrous and worship the vehicle rather than use the vehicle to worship God. However, when God remains the focus of worship, while the worshipper may be inclined toward one vehicle, he will be drawn to seek God through the others as well.

Show Links

Join the conversation on Slack! http://slack.techreformation.com
The Lightest Form of Flogging – Translation episode
Mark Lowry – Seat of the Emotions
The Bible Project – The Shema
Praise Songs about Love
Babylon Bee – Power Of God Waits In Church Foyer Until Chorus Of ‘Holy Spirit’
The Heidelblog – Your Honor, The Prosecution Rests

Thanks for listening

The Balm of Gilead podcast is a member of the Tech Reformation family of podcasts. If you enjoy the show, please share it with others. We enjoy hearing from you, so join us on our Discord and let us know what you’re thinking. If email is more your thing, write to us at thereis <at> balmcast <dot> com. Thanks again and we’ll see you next time, Lord willing.

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