Pure Worship… What is It… What is It Not?
Theme Scripture
Pure Worship from a biblical standpoint. “Create a pure heart in me, O God, and put a new and loyal spirit in me” (Psalm 51:10, the GNT). In this scripture, and with very few words, Jehovah highlights exactly what Pure Worship to Him really is.
We’ll often be referring back to this ‘pure heart’ and ‘loyal spirit’ because they provide pure worshipers today with a clear picture of what God demands of us. Therefore, a pure heart signifies sincerity, integrity, and moral cleanliness in our thoughts and actions. Moreover, a loyal spirit represents unwavering faithfulness and dedication to Jehovah. Together, they form the foundation of pure worship, aligning our inner selves with Jehovah’s righteous standards and ensuring our worship is acceptable and pleasing to Him.
This Article
In this article we’ll look at some genuine Pure Worshipers, and some that were not so genuine in their worship of God, throughout the history of mankind as written in the Holy Scriptures. We’ll try to discover what qualities they had that caused God to love them, and approve of them, in spite of their human imperfections. By so doing, it will teach us what Pure Worship is, and what it is not. But first this reminder.
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Pure Worship – Religion
People today do not realize this, but religion in general, or even claiming to be a Christian, often has little in common with the pure worship of God. How can we say this? Because many who say they are Christian or belong to a religion do not really understand what pure worship is. Also, consider this…
Adam and Eve, or Cain and Abel, for example, were not part of any ‘religious organization.’ Yet, one of these individuals served God in pure worship his whole life. Can you guess which one? Each had their own form of worship to God. So, let’s see how the pattern of pure worship was set from the very beginning of man’s history here on this earth.
Pure Worship, Adam and Eve
Pure Worship: Lessons from the Lives of Adam and Eve
We learn a lot about worship to God from our first human pair, Adam and Eve. If we could point to one couple and say, “This couple had it all!”, it would be them. They lacked nothing. Additionally, they never had tears of sorrow running from their eyes, they didn’t wake up older from one day to the next. Because of this, they never knew sickness or death, neither did they suffer, mourning, nor outcry, nor pain. Why? Because their loving God and Father, their life giver, Jehovah, was looking after all of their needs.
He had placed them in the paradise of Eden, giving them everything they needed for a very happy and fulfilling life. Genesis 2:15-17 highlights their initial state of Pure Worship:
Read
Genesis 2:15-17, The Bible states, “Jehovah God took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to take care of it. Jehovah God also gave this command to the man: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.“
From this, we see that pure worship to God would continually bring Adam and Eve everlasting happiness through the blessings from their happy heavenly Father. As 1 Timothy 1:11 describes Jehovah as “. . . the happy God . . .” indicating that His commands and arrangements are designed to bring happiness to those with a ‘pure heart’ and ‘loyal spirit’ toward Him.
The Essence of Pure Worship: Obedience
But, like us, their everlasting happiness depended on one thing: obedience to their God and Father. Therefore, we learn from our first set of grandparents that the first and foremost thing God demands of our pure worship is our obedience to Him.
Unlike us humans today, Adam and Eve were perfect creations of God. Furthermore, they had no sin or imperfection within them, making obedience to God a natural and straightforward task. And unlike humans today, their having perfection meant that they had the full capacity to follow Jehovah’s commandments without the hindrances of sin or imperfection. However, we do not possess this ability; in fact, it is impossible for us not to sin against God on a regular basis. This is why we need the blood of Jesus. Through Him, we can seek forgiveness for our Adamic sin— the sin we inherited from this couple.
Adam and Eve, Their Test of Pure Worship
However, Adam and Eve’s ‘pure heart’ and ‘loyal spirit’ toward God would be put to the test. The account in Genesis 3 shows how Satan, in the form of a serpent, introduced doubt. Yes, doubt about God being a good provider. Satan also made the claim that God was holding something back. Something that would be very desirable for them. Yes, something that would make them ‘god-like’ and enable them to decide for themselves what was good or bad. However, pursuing this course of action would mean disobedience. Their pure heart and loyal spirit to their loving God and Father would be broken. Something they had never even considered doing before. (Genesis 3:1-5).
However, being ‘god-like’ must have been very appealing to both of them. Therefore, Eve obviously developed a strong, powerful desire for this god-like ability. Yes, the serpent’s words were indeed cunning, but Eve knew what she was doing when she ate the fruit and gave some to Adam, who also ate it. This act of disobedience was a pivotal moment in human history, ending perfect human life on earth until the time of Jesus.
This account illustrates how deviation from pure worship by a perfect human can have catastrophic consequences for themselves and their descendants. Let’s look at the consequences of their action.
Consequences of Disobedience
The immediate consequences of their disobedience were profound. They realized their nakedness and felt shame, emotions they had never experienced before (Genesis 3:7). They tried to hide from Jehovah, indicating a broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3:8-10). Ultimately, they were expelled from Eden, losing their perfect home and their good friendship with God (Genesis 3:23-24).
Read:
Genesis 3:7 “And as they ate it, suddenly they became aware of their nakedness, and were embarrassed. So they strung fig leaves together to cover themselves around the hips.” (the TLB Bible)
Genesis 3:23-24 “So God expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they’d been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of-Life” (the TLB Bible)
Supplemental Information — Suddenly Aware of Their Nakedness
In Genesis 3:7, the phrase “suddenly they became aware of their nakedness” indicates a significant change in Adam and Eve’s perception and self-awareness. It made them both feel as if something inside them had died. Their deep emotional response might be likened to that of a virgin who has just lost their virginity. Some women have reported feelings of deep emptiness, self-awareness, or vulnerability after such an experience. No doubt, Adam and Eve experienced similar feelings. However, this cannot be confused with repentance, as neither Adam nor Eve took responsibility for their actions, instead blaming others for their sin (Genesis 3:12-13).
Read:
Genesis 3:12-13, “The man said: ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, so I ate.’ Jehovah God then said to the woman: ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied: ‘The serpent deceived me, so I ate.’”
After Eating the Forbidden Fruit
Therefore, after eating the forbidden fruit, their newfound awareness of their nakedness seems to represent several key changes:
- Loss of Innocence: Before eating the fruit, Adam and Eve were in a state of innocence. Their nakedness was natural and pure, and they had no concept of shame or guilt. After their disobedience, they became aware of their nakedness in a way that introduced feelings of shame and embarrassment.
- Moral Awareness: Eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad granted them a new moral awareness. They now understood the difference between good and evil. This included recognizing their nakedness as something to be covered.
- Self-Consciousness: This new awareness led to self-consciousness and the realization that they were exposed. Their reaction to cover themselves with fig leaves demonstrates their desire to hide their vulnerability and shame.
- Spiritual Consequences: The act of covering themselves with fig leaves also symbolizes the beginning of humanity’s attempts to deal with sin and its consequences on their own, rather than relying on God.
All this illustrates the profound change in the human condition brought about by disobedience. It also marked the loss of innocence and the introduction of guilt and shame into human experience.
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How Adam and Eve Passed on Sin and Death to The Entire Human Race
Their actions brought sin and imperfection into the human experience, affecting all their descendants. This teaches us that pure worship requires strict adherence to Jehovah’s commands. And that deviation from this path leads to alienation from God and loss of His blessings.
Lessons on Pure Worship
From the account of Adam and Eve, we learn several key lessons about pure worship:
- Obedience to Jehovah’s Commands: Pure worship requires strict adherence to Jehovah’s instructions. Adam and Eve’s failure underscores the importance of obedience in maintaining a pure relationship with God.
- Faith in Jehovah’s Word: Pure worship is rooted in unwavering faith in Jehovah and His promises. Doubt and lack of trust, as exhibited by Eve, lead to actions that corrupt worship.
- Dependence on Jehovah: True worshipers recognize their dependence on Jehovah for guidance, sustenance, and moral direction. Adam and Eve’s attempt to gain knowledge and autonomy apart from Jehovah resulted in their downfall.
- Consequences of False Worship: The negative consequences that followed Adam and Eve’s disobedience serve as a cautionary tale. Straying from pure worship brings spiritual, emotional, and physical repercussions.
Conclusion
The story of Adam and Eve provides a foundational understanding of pure worship. It teaches us that pure worship involves dependence on God and complete trust that He would never hold anything good back from us. This gives us a ‘pure heart’ and a strong ‘loyal spirit’ within us, as it builds our trust in God.
With complete trust in God, we know that Jehovah would never ask us to do anything that would hold back something good. Therefore, we trust that all His laws are good for us. Yes, when we obey God’s laws, we can be assured that He designed them with our best interest at heart.
As we explore further examples throughout history, we will see how these principles are upheld or violated and the impact this has on worshipers’ relationship with God.
Supplemental Information — The Garden of Eden’s Serpent
Many people express doubt about the Bible due to events that seem scientifically implausible, such as the worldwide flood of Noah’s day. The account of a serpent speaking to Eve in the Garden of Eden is often cited as another reason for skepticism. Some may think that believing in such events is foolish. If that’s the case, then count me among the fools.
Why do I believe in the talking serpent? Primarily because it is recorded in the Bible. However, I recognize that this explanation might not be sufficient for everyone. Therefore, let us delve into other scriptures to understand what angels were capable of doing during the preflood period.
Before and after the flood of Noah, angels were called sons of God, sons of the true God, or sons of the Most High God, depending on which Bible you are reading (see Genesis 6:1-4; Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 38:7).
Read:
Genesis 6:1-4, “Now when men started to grow in number on the surface of the ground and daughters were born to them, the sons of the true God [angels] began to notice that the daughters of men were beautiful. So they began taking as wives all whom they chose. Then Jehovah said: “My spirit will not tolerate man indefinitely, because he is only flesh. Accordingly, his days will amount to 120 years.” The Nephilim [or offspring of these rebellious angels] were on the earth in those days and afterward. During that time the sons of the true God continued to have relations with the daughters of men, and these bore sons to them. They were the mighty ones of old times, the men of fame.” (Please, look this up in your copy of the Bible, as well as a few more until you totally understand it. Let’s look at Jude 6, it may help clarify this for us.);
Jude 6, “And the angels who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling place, he has kept in eternal bonds under deep gloom for the judgment of the great day,” (the LSB Bible; This Bible text refers back to the angels of Noah’s day);
Job 1:6, “And the day is, that sons of God [angels] come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary [Satan] in their midst.” (the YLT Bible);
Job 2:1, “Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah.” (the YLT Bible);
Job 38:7, “when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (the TLB Bible);
Before the flood, it seems these powerful angels had a lot of freedom to transform themselves into whatever beings they wished at the time. Genesis 6:1-4, for example, shows that they could transform themselves into powerful human-like beings. Why? Because they had a strong desire for the sexual pleasures that these beautiful pre-flood women could bring them here on earth.
As you read Genesis 6:1-4 again, notice that they even had the ability to father children. This teaches us that angels could scientifically create sperm that was compatible with human DNA. Yes, compatible enough to produce these powerful human-like beings known as the Nephilim, which means “fallers” or “those who cause others to fall.” The name Nephilim teaches us that they had control over men and could kill anyone who stood in their way of getting what they wanted.
Summary
Read this scripture from your own copy of the Bible.
- Ezekiel 28:11-19: Suggests Satan’s initial perfection and his role as a powerful, exalted being, often interpreted as a cherub.
- Isaiah 14:12-15: Describes the fall of a being from heaven, often linked to Satan’s pride and downfall.
- Revelation 12:7-9: Illustrates Satan’s significant influence and his battle with Michael, emphasizing his power and rebellious nature.
These passages collectively contribute to the understanding of Satan as a powerful and high-ranking angelic being, often associated with the attributes and powers of a cherub angle of God.
Does it not seem reasonable then, that if these lesser angels, who were likely not powerful cherub angels, could transform themselves into human-like beings capable of fathering children, that Satan, being more powerful, could transform himself into a serpent that could talk? This aligns with the account in Genesis, where Satan, in the form of a serpent, deceives Eve.
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Now, Pure Worship, Cain and Abel
Look for our upcoming article ‘Pure Worship Part 2’ based on Cain and Able.
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