The Form of Worship

By Principal Breed

Parts of the Service.

It has already been noticed that worship has two aspects, the inward and the outward. The former consists of the feelings of love, admiration, and submission to the Deity as the Supreme Being. The latter consists in the manifestations of the former in speech, posture and action. Thus our Lord in times of worship, "lifted up his eyes," John 17 verse 1: "kneeled down," Luke 22 verses 41: "fell on his face," Matthew 26 verse 39. These actions were all outward manifestations of His inward adoration of God.

Whenever the inner spirit of worship exists, some outer "form" of worship will accompany it. No one form of worship can be laid down as alone right. Spirituality is to remain the principle characteristic, and no form which obscures that fact can be acknowledged. Aesthetic emotion stirred by outer conditions is not to be mistaken for spiritual fervour. If true spirituality is present, the form of worship will be reverent and fitting. Neither the Bible, nor the Reformed Faith hangs a "form" like a halter about the neck of the worshipper. The form of worship is governed by the examples of Scripture, and by the general injunction of 1st Corinthians 14 verses 26 and 40, "... when ye come together ... let all things be done unto edifying ... let all things be done decently and in order," (literally – according to arrangement.)

The parts of true worship are not left to the fancy of men, but are shown in the Scriptures. In this connection five essentials can be traced in the New Testament.

On a wider view there could be added, Observance of the Lord's Day, and a duly appointed ministry. Acts 20 verse 7, "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them ..." And in 1st Corinthians 16 verse 2, "Upon the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come." Acts 14 verse 23, "And when they had ordained them elders in every church ...;" Titus 1 verse 5, "for this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee."

It is evident, then, that the church must give attention to all the foregoing. Not that every one of these parts must be present on every occasion, but that each must receive due regard in church life and worship. The amount of attention given to any of the parts of worship will depend upon circumstance, and the prompting of the Spirit. Jesus sometimes spent a whole night in prayer, and Paul spent a whole night in preaching. In times of special stress, prayer becomes more desired. In times of ignorance, as at the Reformation, instruction and preaching must be emphasised. Always must thanksgiving abound. Note Mark 14 verse 26, "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives;" 2 Corinthians 4 verse 15, "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many rebound to the glory of God;" Philippians 4 verse 6, "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God;" Colossians 4 verse 2, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving."

Spiritually-minded persons, who are walking in the fellowship of the Lord, know almost instinctively when the outward form of their worship is suited to their spiritual attitude, and pleasing to the great Head of the Church.

Posture of Worshippers.

Everything relating to the form of worship is to be governed by the nature of worship. This has already been determined as spiritual. If the nature of worship is right, the form of worship will be right also. Where there is spirituality there will also be reverent and suitable posture. There is, however, no one form prescribed in Holy Scripture. Various postures of the worshippers are noted in the Scriptures in various circumstances. The chief of these are: -

It will be remembered that our Lord stood up to read the Scriptures, and then sat down to expound them, Luke 14 verse 16, + verses 20 and 21.

Also that the following gestures are mentioned in particular circumstances: stretching forth the hands, bowing the head, weeping, and falling upon the face. It is manifest that these gestures and postures are not unconnected with custom and temperament. The removal of the shoes from the feet in the East corresponds to the removal of the hat from the head in the West, although these two gestures are by no means identical in significance.

A comparison and analysis of the foregoing Scriptures seems to justify the following comments. The posture of standing may be taken as expressive of alertness and readiness in worship; kneeling of humility and intercession; sitting of expectancy and waiting before God. God's children are free in these matters so long as spirituality is steadfastly maintained.

Exercise.

Imagine the following: a Nonconformist service, with the Minister in prayer. Some members of the congregation with closed eyes and bowed heads, sincerely entering into prayer. Others searching with their eyes for the origin of a draught; others counting the company; others in various attitudes of repose. What does God think of it all as He looks down upon the scene? What will God do about it?

Participation of the Worshippers.

Public worship should mean worship rendered by the public of the assembled congregation. This is expressed by the term "congregational worship". A form of worship in which the assembled people have little or no part is not congregational worship. From the nature of the case, it is impossible for worship to be rendered by proxy.

The New Testament Scriptures demonstrate the original simplicity of Christian worship, and indicate that the worshippers had a general participation in the service. Of the first local church in Jerusalem it is said, "they continued steadfastly ... doctrine, and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers," Acts 2 verse 42.

A similar congregational order of service existed in the church after apostolic times. When Pliny the Younger entered upon his proconsulship of Bithynia in A.D. 110, he found the number of the Christians so great, and the heathen worship seriously undermined, that he exerted himself to suppress the new religion. Under the application of torture he could find nothing worse about the Christians than that they were accustomed to meet together, before dawn, to sing hymns to Christ as their God, to pledge themselves to abstain from every form of evil, to commit no adultery or theft, to falsify no word, and to betray no trust. Later in the day, they met together for a harmless supper.

Justin Martyr A.D. 165, in his first Apology says that on the day called Sunday, all the Christians in a neighbourhood meet together in one place, and listened to the reading of the Scriptures and to a sermon exhorting them to holy living. Prayers are offered to which the people respond with audible "Amens," and the Supper is observed.

Quite early in the Christian era, however, the simplicity of worship began to be lost. With the passage of the years, the Supper became the central point of the worship, and around this an ornate ritual grew up, so that the ordinance became less and less a service for the people.

Again, church singing was at first an exercise in which all took part. This was elaborated into choral singing which, like that at Milan, became, in the judgement of Augustine, too artificial and dramatic. The effect of this change was to exclude people from taking part, and thus congregational singing perished.

By the time of the Reformation, worship was hardly more than a religious performance witnessed by the people. Preaching was almost non-existent; prayers were gabbled in Latin; and responses sung by a choir – while the people looked on at what was scarcely different from a "sacred concert". The reformation was from this point of view, a return to a simpler and more congregational form of worship, and the separating from the Church of England of the "Dissenters," in the sixteenth century, was a similar movement.

But old influence are at work! There is always a tendency for churches to elaborate their worship, and this always results in a departure from the congregational principle. Let all worshippers remember that no one can worship for them. If they are to worship at all, they must personally worship. Even the part taken by the minister is not really his alone. The people can enter feelingly into the reading and exposition of the Scriptures. So also with public prayer. Worshippers must realise that they are not present merely to be prayed for, but to pray with their minister, as he leads their thoughts in suitable petitions.

The highest kind of worship possible, is the worship of the saints above, and that is congregational worship.