Relationship vs. Command

First of all I would like to say that I like the reading so far!  Before Carson actually got to the definition of worship I wondered the whole time whether or not he was talking about worship as a means of music or as another means.  At first I thought it was by a means of music because he kept bringing up contemporary verses traditional music (drums vs. organ).  And I just want to go ahead and say on this note that I would disagree on one of the points of traditional vs. contemporary music.  When Carson says that traditional ‘no longer feels’ and the contemporaries are ’so hyped on experience they care not for a whit for truth let alone beauty’ (p 12 line 1,2) was way off.  I know that sometimes contemporary is based off of experience and feelings but it is not far from truth (lyrically).  I think that lyrically there is no difference in the way someone can fault in truth when it comes to music.  And traditional music is not based off only truth and no feeling.  I think that feeling is also brought up in the melodies of maybe some hymns.  That in itself is feeling and experience. 

Sorry I had to get that out of my head.  The thing I do want to talk about is something that is mentioned near the end of the assigned reading.  I could be far from what is really said and if I am please don’t hate me .  So when Carson talks about ‘worship’ being a command to the angels Carson never really cites where he get’s this in scripture (p. 26 para. 4 line 5)  I don’t know exactly how I feel about this.  I guess I see worship as a response to God (which could be just the contemporary side of me speaking ) But, when/if God commands us to worship Him doesn’t that in itself go against God’s character?  The fact that God gives us free will to choose him makes it so that we can have a relationship with Him.  Wouldn’t this in the same way apply to us worshipping Him?  And if we are truly saved how is it that we wouldn’t worship God?  I know that Carson brings up God commanding the covenant community to “worship the Lord your God” (2 Kings 17:39).  I know I am probably jumping around but going back to the command to the angels I wanted to bring up the question of how could the angels not worship God after being in His presence and there from the day He created them and is still with Him now and see Him?  The reason I think this applies is that by saying worship is a command makes worship itself something other than a response to God and His glory; it makes it an order and therefore very impersonal which is against His character, which is shown by our choice in salvation.

Carson (Please tell me I spelled that correctly)

Carson made the point that worship does not consist primarily of what we enjoy, but rather of what God has deemed is our proper response.  So true this is.  But the flip side is that we must not get stuck in the thought that God is a celestial meanie who doesn’t want us to have fun or enjoy ourselves.  When we are willing to give ourselves in worship to God no matter the cost, we will often find ourselves enjoying life and worship immensely.  Let’s start with the assumption that if our congregational worship is truly honoring to God, it will most likely be quite enjoyable as well.  Then we can say that if church is boring, something in the way we are worshipping should probably change (emphasis on the word probably).  Setting the fact aside that one of the main focuses of corporate worship should be community transformation, in what ways can we expect corporate worship to be enjoyable?

the challenge to use words

“We should not begin by asking whether or not we enjoy “worship,” but by asking, “What is it that God expects of us?” (Carson 29, para 2)  I love this thought.  I do enjoy worship, it feeds my soul as I build relationship with God, but that is not the reason I worship, it is the outcome.  When I hear people choosing churches based on the accent of the pastor, or the great band, or the coolness factor, or the “real” worship because it is bells and smells, I hear them missing the point.  “Church” is about more than the 11 am service, and worship is about more than what I get out of it. 

When Carson talked about how we go about finding what it is that God expects, that struck some chord in me.  I have thought about Old Testament and New Testament worship – is that how we should go about it?  But it always seems like following some sort of magic spell to get to God.  Perhaps, people with different personalities and backgrounds use tools from various other sources and cultures to enhance their ability to express honor to God in worship.  Can we say that methods are not necessarily good or bad, it depends on the particular body of believers God put together (I’m not saying, incorporate worship elements from other religions or other heresy)?