Worship Wars
Lex orandi, lex credendi is a Latin phrase that loosely translated means ” the law of how you worship is the law of how you believe.” It may even be argued that liturgy is not distinct from theology.* It is also used in certain circles to fuel “Worship Wars.”
The worship wars are fought on many fronts. What should be required, what is adiaphora, service length, music style, instruments used or excluded, who is allowed to read, where to read from, what is read, what constitutes “liturgy”, chanting, creed or no creed, communion how often? This is by no means an exhaustive list; just about anything on a Sunday morning can be conscripted for the war.
Jesus had something to say on the Worship Wars in John 4:
“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews insist that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204&version=EHV>
Jesus continued, “A time is coming and now is here when the real worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for those are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23 EHV) We worship, God finds us. God finds us, we worship. This is the age old “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” question. The Father seeks worshippers; real worshippers will worship the Father. This is the Divine Service: God acts, we respond. And this Devine Service is only Sunday morning?
The Sunday morning liturgy is not exclusively worship. Better said: Sunday morning is only part of worship. Jesus said, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” (Matthew 4:10 EHV) What is it to serve?
After Jesus had washed their feet and put on his outer garment, he reclined at the table again. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me Teacher and Lord. You are right, because I am. Now if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. Yes, I have given you an example so that you also would do just as I have done for you.”
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+13&version=EHV>
Serve one another, each according to the gift he has received, as good stewards of the many forms of God’s grace.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%204&version=EHV>
Serve one another through love. In fact, the whole law is summed up in this one statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
From <https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205&version=EHV>
Jesus acts, we respond. Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice—holy and pleasing to God—which is your appropriate worship. Also, do not continue to conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you test and approve what is the will of God—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. (Romans 12:1 EHV)
What do you believe? Your worship reflects it. How do you serve? It reflects your faith. In which battles will you engage? (The battle belongs to the Lord. 1 Samuel 17:47 EHV) If you engage in the Worship Wars heed St Paul (quoted above) “If you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”
Trust the Promises
Steve Skiver