WHOSE WORSHIP DOES GOD ACCEPT?

DOING THE WILL OF THE FATHER

Let us read Matthew 7:21-23 and see if we can isolate a crucial factor that determines whether all worship is acceptable to God. Jesus said:  "Not everyone saying to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.  Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in  your name, and expel demons [wicked spirit creatures] in your name?' And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me,you workers of lawlessness."

Acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord is essential in true worship.  But something would be missing in the worship of many of those claiming to be Jesus' disciples. He said that some would perform "powerful works," such as supposed miracle healings. However, they would fail to do what Jesus said is vital.  They would not be "doing the will of [his]Father."  If we want to please God, we must learn what the will of the Father is and then do it. 

ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE-A PROTECTION

Doing God's will requires accurate knowledge of both Jehovah God and Jesus Christ.  Such knowledge leads to everlasting life. Surely, then, all of us will want to take seriously the matter of gaining accurate knowledge from God's Word, the Bible.  Some say that there is no need for concern as long as we are sincere and zealous in our worship. Others claim, 'the less you know, the less is expected of you.'  Yet, the Bible encourages us to increase in the knowledge of God and his purposes. -Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 1:9. 

Such knowledge is a protection against contamination of our worship. The apostle Paul spoke of a certain spirit creature who pretends to be "an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14) Thus disguised, this spirit creature-Satan-tries to mislead us into doing things contrary to God's will. Other spirit creatures associated with Satan have also  been polluting people's worship, for Paul said:  "The things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God."  (1 Corinthians 10:20) Likely, many have thought they were worshiping in the right way, although they were not doing what God wanted.  They were being misled into unclean false worship.  We will learn more about Satan and the demons later, but these enemies of God have definitely been polluting mankind's worship. 

If you knew that someone had deliberately poisoned your water supply, would you go on drinking from it? Surely, you would take immediate action to find a source of safe, pure water.  Well, an accurate knowledge of God's Word equips us to identify true religion and to reject impurities that make worship acceptable to God.  

Next time: WHOSE WORSHIP DOES GOD ACCEPT?/COMMANDS OF MEN AS DOCTRINES

From the book: KNOWLEDGE That Leads to Everlasting Life