Eternal Gospel part 3

For the last 2 days I have been writing about the eternal gospel (Rev 14:7) which contains these three phrases; Fear God, Give Him Glory, and Worship God (the true God our Creator). I wrote about the first element, Fear God, and the second, Give Him Glory. I will conclude with the third element, Worship God. There are many saints who are more qualified than I am to write about what worship should look like. Please read their material if you want to know more about this subject. I will share with you what part the Lord gave me.

Worship of God should be present in our hearts on a daily basis. It comes as an expression of having our affections set on Him. Jesus shared this love with His heavenly Father (Jn 15:9) and described it as abiding in each other, and concerning the saints, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”(Jn 17:21) This “oneness” or “unity” is what our affections should produce, and is the purpose of worship. When our hearts are set on Jesus, we “live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness “(which is a form of worship) (Col 2:6-7). The oneness that results from our heart of worship towards God reveals His glory in us also (Col 3:1-4).

We have opposition from our flesh, our heart and our enemy, satan, who seeks to turn our hearts away from oneness with God. If our affections are set on the things of this life, we will not be able to worship God. John writes “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 Jn 2:15). John breaks the “love of the world” down into “cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does.” (1 Jn 2:16).

Satan tempted Jesus to set His desires on the world. He said to Jesus “All this I will give you . . . if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus replied “Away from me, satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” (Mt 4:9-10). Jesus showed that His love of God was directly linked to worship and service. The worship of God will result in love and service to our fellow man, and so fulfill the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mk 12:30-31).

Love of God brings unity through our worship of Him. Love of the world separates us from God and inhibits true worship. In the end times, which I believe we are now living in, the dragon, who is satan, will have find people to give “power and his throne and great authority” to (Rev 13:2). The temptation is the same. Unlike Jesus, some will set their affections on their own advancement and what they can gain in this life. Men will worship both the dragon, and this spirit called the beast (Rev 13:4). Though the interpretation of Revelation may be controversial, we see a repeated theme in the 13th chapter; wrong worship! This must be the reason why we read about the angel with the eternal gospel in the next chapter, proclaiming, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” (Rev 14:7).

Yes, let us worship God, and set our affections on Him, setting aside the world for service to Him who is eternal. Amen.