Worship #4

Why do you think the writers of the New Testament generally avoid using the terminology of worship to describe what Christians do when they gather together?

At the heart of the matter, the New Testament writers want to show that worship is all of life, not just in one place or at one time. It is no longer something connected with set feasts or set places or set priests. It is for all the people of God at all times and places (Carson).

Mark Strom writes: 'The temple, priesthood, sacrifices and kingship could no longer serve as Israel's focal point. At best, they had been symbols of great truths about the Lord and His ways; at worst, they had distracted the people's attention from the One who stood behind the symbols. But now, in Jesus, the perfection, reality and person behind the symbols had appeared'.

Jesus replaced the set place (the temple) and the set priests with Himself- He became the sacrifice and the sacrifice-offerer. He became the way which humans can approach God. And after His ascension He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in all those who call on His Name. In this way all Christians become a temple (1 Cor 3:16).

Therefore, for the NT writers to refer to Christian gatherings as worship would perhaps mislead people, particularly those of a Jewish background, to believe that the way we approach God is through ritual and only in a certain place at a certain time. In another sense, that approach to worship fails to recognise that true worship manifests itself in all of our living, 24/7. As Carson points out, we worship in both adoration and action.

'Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise- the fruit of lips that confess His Name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.' Heb 13:15-16

Therefore, the NT writers use the word 'ekklesia' for church, which 'inherited the meaning of Israel's great assemblies without any of the "religious" connotations of worship, priests or rituals. The churches were simply God's people meeting together in homes to encourage each other in the gospel... Thus the word was tailor-made for conveying the simplicity and people-centredness which the New Testament wanted to emphasise.' (Strom)

'Ekklesia' could be translated as 'a regular assembly of citizens' (Banks) and in this way, Paul looked forward to a great assembly at the Lord's return (1 Thess 4:15-17) and wrote that all Christians are citizens of heaven (Phil 3:19-20).

Banks writes that 'each of the various local churches are tangible expressions of the heavenly church, manifestations in time and space of that which is essentially eternal and infinite in character.'

'Ekklesia' comprehensively encapsulates several key concepts about the Christian church:
1. It is a universal fraterntiy (voluntary association)
2. It is a place like a household unit where personal identity and intimacy can be found
3. It provides both community and immortality (Strom)

This is why the images for the church used in the New Testament (Body, Household, Building) moved away from traditional terminology (which had strong cultic connotations) and emphasised the church as God's people meeting together as a family, united in Christ.