FOUNDATIONS OF WORSHIP PART 4

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  We continue on the topic of worship in truth. We have seen that truth is based on God's word and who Jesus is and this is why He is called "faithful and true" (Revelation 19:11). Worship leads to repentance and builds faith when it is based on this truth. But what happens when we allow that truth to take root in us? It produces fruit. In this part, let us delve into how worship produces fruit.

THE WORD PRODUCES FRUIT

Hebrews 4:12 tells us: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” Through His word we have revelation because His Word is living. But revelation is not simply information. It produces a response. Revelation gives us more truth, and ultimately, it is all about Jesus. As a two-edged sword the word in worship cuts through to the truth and enables you to face truth starting with who He is. 

Worship in the word is truth which produces fruit. Revelation becomes fruit. 

Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Notice the connection between the Word and worship. The Word dwells in us and activates in our life. It is not dormant, it affects how we think, what we say, and ultimately how we worship and how we live. 

The Word of God is not meaningless or empty, (Isaiah 55:11).  It accomplishes what He sends it to accomplish. Once God's Word is released, it has an impact. It can produce fruit in conviction and transformation. God's word stands because it's truth.

This is why the Word matters so much in worship. 

TRUTH MUST COME FIRST

But there is something we must understand.You can be spiritually stirred without actually being with God if you are not careful. In the spiritual realm, there is God and there is His enemy, the devil. Scripture therefore tells us to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). This is why truth must come first.

The stepping stones to God is His word that you declare, meditate on, read, study and sing, when we believe in Jesus as the Son of the Living God.

When we sing songs of worship using the Word of God as the foundation, we meet with God according to His truth and we meet Him in spirit.

The Word gives us the foundation. Faith responds to the Word. Worship expresses that response. 

BELIEF IS PART OF WORSHIP

John 6:29 says: “The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.”

If we worship without believing who Jesus is, then our worship is not true worship. If we do not believe in the One we are worshipping, what exactly are we worshipping? Remember based on what we learnt in part 1, worship is work "avodah/abodah". Our first work is to build our faith.

We may sing the songs that make us emotional. We may raise our hands, we may bow our heads but worship must be connected to faith in Jesus, because Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6. 

The purpose is reconciliation - to meet with God and be reconciled to Him through Christ. Daily worship enables us to be daily reconciled to Him.

Therefore, worship in truth is not simply about what happens during a worship service. It is about what happens in us when we encounter the truth of Jesus. And if truth has truly taken root in us, something should happen next. Faith should produce action. 

FAITH MUST PRODUCE ACTION

James 2:26 says: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

Real faith is evident and can be seen in our works or actions. Our actions must show our faith in Christ. You can perform an act of kindness without showing faith in Christ. You can make a decision without faith. You can do something good for many different reasons. But action based on faith is worship because it is submitted to Him. Our actions demonstrate what we believe. Our actions prove whether we are allowing His Word to govern our lives, and allowing Him to direct our paths.

This is where worship moves beyond the song. Worship becomes a way of life.

FAITH AND OBEDIENCE

A good example of this is our giving. Suppose the Holy Spirit genuinely convicts you to give something you have, but you respond: “But Lord, how will I get home?” And you hold back because you are afraid that you will not have enough. The issue is no longer simply the money. The issue is trust.

If God has genuinely directed us to do something and we refuse because we do not believe He will provide, then our refusal is revealing unbelief. 

At the same time, Scripture teaches that giving is not to be done reluctantly or under compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7). The principle is therefore not that every believer must give everything they have whenever they feel an impulse. The principle is that when we know God is leading us, our response should be one of faith and obedience. But it should also be immediate. 

Faith is alive. Faith produces life when we trust in Jesus, who is abundant life. In fact, Hebrews 10:38–39 says: “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”

The just shall live by faith. Faith therefore cannot remain merely an idea in our heads. Faith must become visible in how we live. We live in abundance to reflect Christ. This brings us to more evidence of faith: repentace that produces fruit as worship.

REPENTANCE PRODUCES FRUIT

In Part 1 we looked at Luke 3:10–14 when John the Baptist charged the Pharisees to produce fruit. It is part of our faith walk. But let us look at it from the perspective of worship in truth. 

John is speaking about repentance. He told them: "Produce fruit, then in keeping with repentance" Luke 3:8. Their repentance had to become visible in their behaviour. John's response was practical.

The person with more than enough had to share. The tax collector had to stop exploiting people. The soldier had to stop abusing his authority.

Their actions had to demonstrate the change that had taken place in their hearts. This is worship in truth. 

Truth had produced conviction.

Conviction produced repentance.

Repentance produced changed behaviour.

Changed behaviour produced fruit. 

When we can honestly live for Christ demonstrating His goodness. We are reflecting Christ. We become a true worshipper. A disciple of Christ.