Praise or Performance? By A. C. Quinn It is an awesome experience any time one comes into the august presence of the Holy One, Almighty God! This is particularly true when the worshipper gathers in His presence to worship Him, as in the public assemblies of the Lord’s church. True worshippers know “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). There are many who do not understand this truth. Some of those are in the Lord’s church. A significant portion of the worship, when the saints gather for that purpose, is given to praise. It is at this point that there is such a misunderstanding of who the audience is and what is pleasing and acceptable to that audience. According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, praise “…denotes approbation, commendation, praise; it is used of those on account of, and by reason of, whom God’s heritage, praise is to be ascribed to God , in respect of His glory (the exhibition of His character and operation) Eph. 1:6, 12, 14. The true worshipper understands, then, that God is the audience and that his acts of praise are to be directed toward Him only, and not to the worshippers who have gathered. So, praise must be directed toward God: “…I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:12). Incidentally, that praise is an expression conveyed by the fruit of the lips unto God (Hebrews 13:15). As one observes activities which are conducted in what is called praise, it is obvious these are activities directed toward the audience gathered rather than toward God. In their design, are they not performances for the entertainment of the audience gathered? While an audience is lifted up by songs of praise to God, the worshipper must be concerned about what pleases God, not what pleases a human audience. - A. C. Quinn,West Main Church of Christ in Wolfe City, Texas.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 09:10:25 +0000
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