True Worship
is essential for salvation. It includes repentance, confession, prayer, praise, thanksgiving, good works, and obedience. It doesn’t mean that we earn salvation in exchange for these elements. But in those who surrender their life to Christ, the Holy Spirit produces these elements of adoration.
Worship is due only to God. When Satan demanded worship from Christ, the Saviour declared: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (Matthew 4:10).
When John, the prophet, was tempted to worship Gabriel, this powerful angel said to him:
“See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God” (Revelation 19:10).
E. G. White clarifies the issue when she says: “Christ, our Mediator, and the Holy Spirit are constantly interceding in man’s behalf, but the Spirit pleads not for us as does Christ, who presents His blood, shed from the foundation of the world; the Spirit works upon our hearts, drawing out prayers and penitence, praise and thanksgiving. The gratitude which flows from our lips is the result of the Spirit’s striking the cords of the soul in holy memories, awakening the music of the heart.
“The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the heavenly sanctuary, but passing through the corrupt channels of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood, they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless purity, and unless the Intercessor, who is at God’s right hand, presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not acceptable to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed with the merits of Christ’s propitiation, the incense comes up before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious answers are returned.
“Oh, that all may see that everything in obedience, in penitence, in praise and thanksgiving, must be placed upon the glowing fire of the righteousness of Christ. The fragrance of this righteousness ascends like a cloud around the mercy seat.”1
The Lord’s messenger calls these elements religious services which are produced in the hearts of true believers. However, passing through sinful human channels as we are, the entire service is polluted. Another element is essential—the intercession of Christ, who purifies everything with His precious blood, and adds the incense of His imputed righteousness. Then our worship is accepted and we receive gracious answers.
In this issue of The Reformation Herald, these important elements are presented. When we keep our communion with the Lord, the Holy Spirit produces acceptable praise, prayer, contrition, repentance, and obedience.
We have nothing of which to boast. Our full salvation depends on the Lord from the beginning to the end. Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last and the Best. Let us keep looking to Him (Hebrews 12:2).