"Worship Isn't What We Do, It's Who We Are" By Terry Fullam

When you think of the societal changes that have been wrought in the last half-century, it comes as no surprise that much Scriptural understanding has been lost to generations of those who call themselves Christians. This is especially true when it comes to an understanding of what worship is supposed to be. Most people equate church attendance with worship — and that is by no means the whole story.

I want to focus on three things that Paul mentions in Philippians, which might not seem to be related at first, but which are inseparable for those who believe: working, walking, and worship. I refer to Philippians 2:12-17:   “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life — in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.” 

Work is the first key word: "Work out your salvation . . . for God is at work in you both to will and to work." Look carefully. Paul does not say we are to work for our salvation, but work it out.   If the Bible makes anything clear, it is that we do not obtain standing with God on the basis of anything we do. "Salvation" speaks of total and complete wholeness.

In that sense, not one of us is fully saved! Our salvation is a process; God, in His grace, takes our broken lives and begins to work within us, to make us whole. The salvation process is ours to work out — we work out what God works in. As the author of our salvation, He sustains the process and brings it to completion. We work out, in the acts of our everyday lives, that which God seeks to work in us by continually appropriating His grace, and we do that by faith.

"By faith? Paul says we do it with fear and trembling!" you might say. But that "fear and trembling" is not the cringing fear a miscreant has, anticipating the punishment about to be levelled upon him. It is holy fear. It comes from the knowledge of our inability to bring our lives into order, and the fear of our actions wounding God, because of His great love for us. It’s good for us to realize that!  The fear with which we are to work out our salvation is the fear of failing to comprehend and appropriate what God has for us because of our own weakness. This is a gift. Unless we have a lively sense of our own weakness, we are blind to our need for God! Once we come to faith, we know both our need and God’s love, so we fear being out of His will. So the apostle says to work out your salvation in your everyday life, being completely aware of your need and God’s love, so that you might flee to Him for His grace and help.

Walking amidst a generation
Why will we need to do this? Because we walk amidst a crooked and depraved generation. We are not to retreat from the world, but to walk in it and be light in its darkness. Look about you under the illumination of the Word of God, and you will see that the generation of which we are a part is as crooked and depraved as they all have been since Paul first wrote those words. The world seeks to bend the thoughts of the Christian so that what is abnormal seems normal.

Christians who depend on the grace of God submit all questions to his authority, and act accordingly. And, Paul notes, to do it without grumbling or questions, do all things without grumbling or questioning! If ever there was one sin that we all share, it’s grumbling.

The Greek word for grumbling is dialogismos, from which we get the word, "dialogue." We maintain an inner dialogue with the authority of the Word of God when we should be holding fast to it! We question: "Do we have to . . .?" "Why can’t I . . .?" We disobey, we murmur.   It’s human, it’s natural, and it’s sinful in the eyes of God. Questioning God proceeds from unbelief - do we really believe that in all things God works for good toward us? We display our unbelief when we complain, and so are not living lives that are blameless and innocent. Now, blameless does not mean sinless. We can’t be sinless, but we can live our lives in such a way that others can’t find fault in us.

We are to live as innocents, those against whom no charge can be proven, "without blemish," as were the lambs that were sacrificed before the Lord. We can be without blemish if we are truly penitent and seek His mercy and grace to correct whatever is wrong in our lives. God cleans us up so that His glory can shine through, so that we can be lights, so that others can derive from our example something of the will and purpose of God for the world.

That is our preparation for worship. Paul says in verse 17 that worship is more than going through a ritual, the reading of Scripture and saying of prayers. It’s more than the singing of songs, even lots of them! Paul knew so very well that nothing else done in an act of worship is worthwhile without the added dimension of the personal offering of one’s life to the Lord.  Worship arises the moment when you say for the first or thousandth time, "Lord, my life is yours, all of it, weaknesses and strengths, sorrows and joys, defeats and victories." Paul had made that sacrifice over and over again, and was prepared for anything: for life or death, and he rejoiced in either as God’s will for him.

Worship isn’t what we do, it’s who we are. When renewed people gather to worship corporately, we gather as God’s people working out our salvation, in lives that are poured out before Him and others for inspection. Those lives are to be free of questions against God’s authority, shining as bright examples in the midst of our world. As He works His wholeness and completeness in us through obedience to His Word, it will give hope to others.