A Compelling Testimony: Maintaining a Disciplined Walk, Christlike Character, and Godly Relationships as God's Servant

Ses s i on 6: Cu l t i vat i ng Our Commun i t y : The “Corporate” Di sc i p l i nes 253

effective, then, praise must be massive, continuous, a fixed habit, a full-time occupation, a diligently pursued vocation, a total way of life. This principle is emphasized in Ps. 57.7: “My hearted is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise.” This suggests a premeditated and predetermined habit of praise. “My heart is FIXED.” This kind of praise depends on something more than temporary euphoria. ~ Paul Billheimer. Destined for the Throne . Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1975. pp. 121-22.

A. The biblical witness

1. Definition of worship: The word most commonly translated “worship” in the New Testament is “ proskuneo .” It means to do reverence, or homage, by prostration; to pay Divine homage, to worship and adore. . . . In Matt. 2.2, 11, the wise men are recorded as saying: “‘Where is He that is born King of the Jews? . . . we are come to worship Him’ . . . And when they saw the young child, they fell down and worshiped Him.” The same word is used in describing Christ’s reply to Satan’s temptation: “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve” (Matt. 4.10). Again it is used in John 4.24, where our Lord declares: “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (A.P. Gibbs, Worship: The Christian’s Highest Occupation . Kansas City: Walterick Publishers, 2000. p. 18).

2. Worship is understood in a number of ways in the biblical record.

a. Worship as spiritual inquiry ( darash ), Ezra 4.2, 6.21

b. Worship as reverent obedience ( yare ), Exod. 14.31; Deut. 31.12-13