8/13/2019 With the Account in Genesis 3

1/2

With the account in Genesis 3 4 in mind, how are the three worship wars in Genesis 3 4evidenced in our worship practices in the 21st century?

The war between Satan and God Satan loses when he says, "Worship is all about me." I believe at the very heart of all the worship wars is a struggle with our own selfish pride. This

pride is exhibited and interwoven into these three examples of worship wars. It is very easy asworship leaders and pastors to be placed in such high esteem, while being in front of people we become prideful in enjoying the praise given to our talent and in what we have achieved. We become like Satan when our pride and ego want the adoration given to us, the talented person onthe stage. The worship service then becomes more about how we planned and performed theservice rather than worshipping God. So, our own leaders, who seek to be the ones worshiped fortheir talent, performance, and planning is evidence of this worship war in our services. Our

people then fall into following a person and their talent rather than whom the talent is directed.We were wired to worship God but somewhere in the fall we have misplaced the feeling we getfrom worship to wanting to be the one worshipped. This brings us to the next worship war withEve.

The war between Satan and Eve Mankind loses when Eve buys into Satan's argument that"Worship is all about the way we feel." Satan then tries to sell Eve on the same idea that She can

be like God and understand all that God understands. She ate the fruit to somehow feel and belike God. This is made evident in our services by the way worship makes us feel. We becomeworshipers of worship rather than worshippers of God. It is as if we need the feeling we receiverather than the focus given to God. The way we feel becomes the real end of the means ratherthan the sole purpose of worshiping God. Our worship is then solely based on our own selfishfeelings. In essence we are worshiping our own self-needs rather than giving to God out of ourneed. It is definitely a two-sided coin in trying to arrange worship services to be inviting to theworshipers and their emotions as well as engaging with God. The real purpose given to a

worship service is about God regardless how we are made to feel with the musical selection orarrangement of the service.

The war between two brothers Mankind loses when two brothers disagree over worship preferences: "Worship must be done my way." This war that occurred between Cain and Abel isone that is an incredible issue concerning our worship practices today. This issue deals with the

presentation as well as the attitude. God does not desire what is second hand given to him nordoes he desire what is given out of the wrong attitude. The styles with which we present ourservices have more t o do with our individuality rather than Gods preference. The culture we livein today displays a perception of excellence without the right heart, a lack of preparing to giveour best, or simply strong disagreement among our Christian community in what is the mostappropriate style in worship. This disagreement is displayed in what music style we sing,instrumentation we use, vocal arrangements, what day and time we meet, lighting, the arts,

preaching style, technology used, hymn books or screens, and the list continues. None of theseare bad things but they were given to us to aid in our sole purpose to express our worship toGod. We become like the two brothers dealing with the worship presentation when it all relatesto our hearts attitude. The woman at the well was told there was coming a day when we wouldworship Him in spirit and truth. A building does not contain worship nor do the things we useachieve it. Worship is given out of thankful heart longing to know the Great Creator. Psalm 50 is

8/13/2019 With the Account in Genesis 3

2/2

a reminder that God is not to be worshipped to be appeased but to be loved and adored becauseof who He is.