BENEFITS OF SALVATION | WORSHIP (2)

1. Benefits of Salvation

a) We are reconciled by the blood of Jesus. All fear is taken away. We are now free to come into God's presence. We also have a High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ. So we can "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith", Hebrews 10:19-22.

2. What is Worship?

a) When the saints or true believers come together to remember the Lord, they may really worship. But a believer can lift up his heart to God and worship at any time and in any place. He is...

i) Blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3.

b) One sin of the heathen is that they do not give thanks to God, Romans 1:21. Yet, His kindness to all can be plainly seen, Acts 14:17; 17:25.

c) Praise includes the thought of thanksgiving, but is greater. When I praise God I tell Him I love Him and think He is wonderful in all His ways. I may praise Him for what He does, or for what He is in Himself. To praise Him for what He is is more important because God is greater than His gifts.

d) Adoration is about the same as praising God just for what He is in Himself. We can adore God without saying a word, or going to any special place or kneeling or anything of that sort. All we need is a heart full of love to God, and a mind that thinks about all the wonderful things about Him.

e) In some ways Communion is the greatest of all. Communion means sharing. To have communion with God means to share His thoughts and desires. Does God think highly of Christ? I can share these thoughts and thus have communion with God. Does Christ love the church? When I share in this love, I have communion with the Son of God.

f) Let us never become unthankful. The nine lepers were cleansed but did not return to thank the Lord, and the Lord was grieved, Luke 17:17. But when we really know God, there are activities which are higher than thanksgiving: worship, adoration, and communion. There is noting more wonderful for the human heart, alone with God!