Worship God alone

[Faber]

Worship is properly due unto God alone. This will be addressed shortly in the following points below.
Lord willing in the future I will address many passages in the Bible in which the Lord Jesus is the proper recipient of worship which proves He is God. For the sake of brevity I will attempt to cite no more than a maximum of 4 sources for my assertions. Some may have more while others may have less.
This 'worship' that I mentioned at the very beginning is no to be diluted in the sense of respect or simply honor (although of course it will include these) but supreme worship which is properly due only unto God.
A major component of worship is prayer.
1. A. E. Burn: It has been well said that ‘for...the early Christian brotherhood the whole of life was a continuous worship, and the one great feature of that worship was prayer’ (Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, Worship).
http://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/ ... cgi?n=2948


A. Scholarly sources
1. James Dunn: at the time of Jesus...prayers of adoration, of penitence and confession, of petition and intercession, all indicating the dependence of the inferior (creature) upon the all-powerful Creator, Saviour and Lord. (Did the First Christians Worship Jesus?, page 30).
2. H. Schonweiss: In prayer we are never to forget whom we are addressing: the living God, the almighty one with whom nothing is impossible, and from whom therefore all things may be expected (NIDNTT 2:857, Prayer).
3. P. A. Verhoef: To pray is an act of faith in the almighty and gracious God who responds to the prayers of his people (NIDOTTE 4:1062, Prayer).
4. Samuel E. Balentine: In sum, both the OT and the NT portray prayer as a principal means by which Creator and creature are bound together in an ongoing, vital, and mutually important partnership (Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, Prayer, page 1079).


B. The Heart-knower of all (kardiogn�stēs) = Omniscience
Because only God fully knows the hearts of all He alone is the proper recipient of prayer. Every prayer is heard by God based on the fact that He fully knows the hearts of all people at all times.
1 Kings 8:38-39
whatever prayer...is made...then hear in heaven...for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men. (NASB)
The proper recipient of prayer (Romans 8:26) is to "He who searches the hearts" (Romans 8:27).
Romans 8:26-27
(26) In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
(27) and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (NASB)
That God is the "Heart-Knower" of all is the same thing as saying He is omniscient.
1. T. Sorg: The fact that God sees, tests and searches the hidden depths of the human heart is commonly stated in both the OT and the NT (1 Sam. 16:7; Jer. 11:20; 17:9f.; Lk. 16:15; Rom. 8:27; 1 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 2:23). This belief in the omniscience of God is expressed succinctly by the adj. kardiogn�stēs (NIDNTT 2:183, Heart).
2. J. Behm: The designation of God as ho kardiogn�stēs, "the One who knows the heart," expresses in a single term (Ac. 1:24; 15:8) something which is familiar to both the NT and OT piety...namely that the omniscient God knows the innermost being of every man where the decision is made either for Him or against Him (TDNT 3:613, kardiogn�stēs).
3. Other groups agree with the above:
Roman Catholicism
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops affirms that "Ben Sira contemplates God’s...omniscience (42:18-20)" in that He fully knows the hearts of all (v. 20).
http://www.usccb.org/bible/sirach/42
18 He sees into the oceans and into the human heart, and he knows the secrets of both.
The Most High knows everything that can be known and understands the signs of the ages.
19 He knows all that has ever been and all that ever will be; he uncovers the deepest of mysteries.
20 He takes notice of our every thought and hears our every word.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=GNT
The Mormons
Under "God, Omniscience of" the Mormons cite the following:
I the Lord search the heart: Jer. 17:10. (Rev. 2:23.)
https://www.lds.org/scriptures/tg/god-o ... f?lang=eng
The Jehovah's Witnesses
viewtopic.php?t=32458
4. It is important to understand that although the Bible records that certain individuals had more insight than others (cf. 1 Kings 14:5; 2 Kings 6:12; 8:11-12; Acts 5:3-5) they were never said to be able to know the totality of the hearts of all people let alone the totality of just one of them (2 Kings 4:27). Only God has this knowledge (omniscience).


C. "The Hearer of prayer" is an appellation which belongs only to God.
Psalm 65:2
O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. (KJV)
1. Daniel Whedon: Thou that hearest prayer—A recognition of deity which gratitude dictates and experience attests.
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ ... ms-65.html
2. Allen Ross: the verse begins by addressing God as one who hears prayer, meaning one who answers prayer (s.v. Ps. 45:10). The use of the participle stresses that this is a characteristic of God - he is a prayer-answering God (A Commentary on the Psalms, Volume 2, page 413).
3. In His omniscience the Hearer of Prayer already fully understands the heart from which the words ascend even before one prays (Psalm 139:4; cf. Genesis 24:45).


D. God alone is supremely holy so God alone is to be supremely worshiped (Revelation 15:3-4).
All Scripture citations are from the English Standard Version (ESV).
Revelation 15:3-4
(3) And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
(4) Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.�
Revelation 15:4 teaches that God “alone� is holy. The same Greek word for “holy� (ὅσιος) is also used in Titus 1:8 as a noble quality of what people (overseers) are to aspire to so what Revelation 15:4 is teaching (based on the very next clause) is that because God alone is absolutely holy He alone is to be supremely worshiped. His absolute holiness forms the basis for this worship that is to be ascribed unto Him. Rendering supreme worship to anyone/anything other than God is to ascribe the holiness that He “alone� possesses to a creature.
1. Adam Clarke: Who shall not fear thee - That is, All should fear and worship this true God, because he is just and true and holy; and his saints should love and obey him, because he is their King; and they and all men should acknowledge his judgments, because they are made manifest.
http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/view.cgi?bk=65&ch=15
2. Otto Procksch: When God's deity is revealed to man in the majesty of worship (cf. Is. 6:3), then God is sanctified to him. The cultic element is here absorbed in the adoration in which God's deity is felt in contrast to all creatureliness (TDNT: 1:111, hagiaz�).
3. William Mounce: God is the only entity in his class; he has no peers (cf. Jn. 5:44; 17:3; Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 6:15; Jude 4; Rev. 15:4) (Mounce's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Only, page 487).
4. Notice the parallels in Revelation 15 with Nehemiah 9, Psalm 86 and Jeremiah 10 concerning the fact that worship is due only unto God.
You alone are holy (Revelation 15:4).
You are the LORD, you alone (Nehemiah 9:6).
There is none like you among the gods, O Lord (Psalm 86:8).
There is none like you, O LORD (Jeremiah 10:6).

King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord...For you alone are holy (Revelation 15:3-4).
You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them (Nehemiah 9:6).
For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God...unite my heart to fear your name (Psalm 86:10-11).
Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?...there is none like you (Jeremiah 10:7).

King of the nations!...All nations will come and worship you (Revelation 15:3-4).
the host of heaven worships you (Nehemiah 9:6).
All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord (Psalm 86:9).
But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King...the nations cannot endure his indignation (Jeremiah 10:10).


E. The Jewish Encyclopedia (1901)
1. Prayers should not be considered as a set task, but as petitions to Omnipotence for mercy (Abot 2:18) (Prayer, see "Prayer Substituted for Sacrifice").
http://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias ... rayer.html
2. "God is not less omniscient because we are taught to pray to Him..." (Leeser, "Discourses," 10:30). (See "Significance of Prayer").
http://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias ... rayer.html
3. To pray is the same thing as offering latreu�. Also under "Prayer" it reads:
"Ye shall serve the Lord your God" (Exodus 23:25) is understood as "Ye shall worship God in prayer" (see "In Rabbinical Literature").
http://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias ... rayer.html
The Greek word in the above passage for "serve" is latreu� in the LXX. In agreement with point #3 the following are noted:
a. Richard N. Longenecker: There is no commandment in the Jewish Scriptures that says simply "Thou shalt pray!" Rather, what one finds is a verse like Deut 11:13, which calls on Israel "to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul." The rabbis of the Talmud asked about this verse: "What kind of service is it that takes place in the heart"? And they answered their own question: "It is prayer!" (b. Ta' anith 2a) (Studies in Paul, Exegetical and Theological, page 33).
b. Moisés Silva: The meaning of worship has been perpetuated in the synagogue. But it is used also of the inner worship of the heart. So it is said that to serve God means prayer (with ref. to Deut 11:13 and Dan 6:11, 16; cf. Str-B 3:26) (NIDNTTE 3:95, latreu�).


F. Worshiping anyone and/or anything else besides God alone is forbidden because:
1. "Prayer" as properly defined in the scholarly sources cited clearly teaches it is absolute worship due only unto God (see "A").
2. Doing so attributes omniscience unto the creature which impugns the Omniscient God (see "B").
3. Doing so robs God of His holy appellation as the "Hearer of Prayer" (see "C").
4. Doing so attributes absolute holiness unto the creature which denigrates the absolute holiness of the Creator (see "D").
5. "Prayer" as properly defined in "The Jewish Encyclopedia (1901)" associates it with God's omnipotence and omniscience (see "E").

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

(Disclaimer, I am not calling you or any Jesus-worshiper an idolator, that is for the Almighty to ultimately determine.)

Once again, because your sources and some Bible sources consider Jesus the "proper recipient of prayer" (and worship) does not make it so.

Especially when said sources contradict Jesus himself, and other Bible sources/passages.

[Faber]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

Your reasoning is circular. You cite the fact that some indicate Jesus is the proper recipient of worship/prayer as evidence that Jesus IS the proper recipient of worship/prayer, ie God.

You cite your premise as proof of your hypothesis. A fallacy.

Also, the "appeal to authority" fallacy. Bringing their similarly flawed arguments (your "scholars") into play.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

And hadn't you ought to prove that the Lord Jesus is "God" before you make that claim?

I don't think you have done so yet.

I do agree, however, that worshiping idols is sinful.

[Faber]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

Your reasoning is circular. You cite the fact that some indicate Jesus is the proper recipient of worship/prayer as evidence that Jesus IS the proper recipient of worship/prayer, ie God.

Which you have not yet been able to refute.

I appeal to how the words of the Bible are properly defined. I don't engage in playing make believe.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

Your reasoning is circular. You cite the fact that some indicate Jesus is the proper recipient of worship/prayer as evidence that Jesus IS the proper recipient of worship/prayer, ie God.

Which you have not yet been able to refute.

I appeal to how the words of the Bible are properly defined. I don't engage in playing make believe.

You ignore the fact that the Bible contradicts itself. You can throw all the Greek at us that you want to, but that only sidesteps the fact the the Greek writers of the NT engage in contradiction as well.

Or are you telling us there is no contradiction in the original languages, but only when they are rendered into the vernacular?

I doubt it.

And now you are attempting to shift the burden of proof. You are making the extraordinary claim that a first century Jewish preacher is God-in-the-flesh.

You have yet to provide the extraordinary proof.

So tell me, who is playing "make believe"?

The claim that "Jesus is God" may well be established in your Church and there accepted as fact, but it has not been established here on this debating site.

And unless I missed it, just where are Jesus promised angels in the Transfiguration, which you cite as fulfillment of Matthew, 16. 27-28? Where is the dispensation of judgement on that occasion, rewards and punishments?

The hearers of that prediction have all since passed on, have "tasted death". The 2nd coming has yet to materialize.

If Jesus was wrong, then he cannot be God. So much for omniscience.

If the NT was wrong, there is no reason to believe Jesus is God, except for the say-so of the Church.

[Faber]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

Your reasoning is circular. You cite the fact that some indicate Jesus is the proper recipient of worship/prayer as evidence that Jesus IS the proper recipient of worship/prayer, ie God.

Which you have not yet been able to refute.

I appeal to how the words of the Bible are properly defined. I don't engage in playing make believe.

You ignore the fact that the Bible contradicts itself.

This what the people who deny the Lord Jesus is God and/or is supremely worshiped (which proves He is God) often do.

Attack the Bible.

It simply reveals their position is biblically untenable.

Take special note of the last sentence below:
"In this subforum the canon of the Bible is considered authoritative with respect to the historical consensus of the canon's content. Therefore, the 66 books contained within all canons are considered more authoritative than deuterocanonical books. The latter may be presented in argumentation, but may also be challenged as authoritative. Furthermore, theological analysis should focus primarily on the level of canonical analysis. Criticism of sources, authorship, or redaction with the intent to discredit the authority of the canon are more appropriate for the Christianity and Apologetics subforum."
viewtopic.php?t=11496

[marco]

Worship is properly due unto God alone. This will be addressed shortly in the following points below.

Latria is certainly reserved for God and honour is paid to Jesus and Mary. Throughout his ministry Jesus directed people towards God, his Father, not to himself. Through his words he saw himself as the way towards heaven, offering truth and, for those who accepted his message, life eternal.

It is not contradicting the Bible to regard Jesus as God's favoured messenger. God does not proclaim of Jesus: "This is ME; and I am well pleased with me." Instead, he directs people's attention to a man highly favoured. The apostles stumbled over what Christ might mean or who Christ might be. Jesus had ample opportunity to tell them directly that he was God. It is revealing that he never did. Because he wasn't!

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 1 by Faber]

An idol can be the "proper recipient of prayer" to the idolator. But that does not mean the idol is "God".

Worshiping an idol is sinful while worshiping the Lord Jesus is not.

Big difference.

Your reasoning is circular. You cite the fact that some indicate Jesus is the proper recipient of worship/prayer as evidence that Jesus IS the proper recipient of worship/prayer, ie God.

Which you have not yet been able to refute.

I appeal to how the words of the Bible are properly defined. I don't engage in playing make believe.

You ignore the fact that the Bible contradicts itself.

This what the people who deny the Lord Jesus is God and/or is supremely worshiped (which proves He is God) often do.

Attack the Bible.

It simply reveals their position is biblically untenable.

Take special note of the last sentence below:
"In this subforum the canon of the Bible is considered authoritative with respect to the historical consensus of the canon's content. Therefore, the 66 books contained within all canons are considered more authoritative than deuterocanonical books. The latter may be presented in argumentation, but may also be challenged as authoritative. Furthermore, theological analysis should focus primarily on the level of canonical analysis. Criticism of sources, authorship, or redaction with the intent to discredit the authority of the canon are more appropriate for the Christianity and Apologetics subforum."
viewtopic.php?t=11496

It has been ruled on this forum over and over again that "authoritative" does not mean perfect. Nor does it mean without contradiction.

The "Jesus is God" position may be unquestioned in your Church, but it is not the only one that is supported by Scripture. And certainly not the only one represented here on this debating site. Witness the thriving Jehovah's Witness participation, for example. They do a wonderful job of supporting the Biblical position that Jesus is not God.

Also, several believers here, and many well many beyond this site, take the Bible seriously without taking it literally.

So don't accuse me of "attacking" a book which gives me Spiritual inspiration and which I hold dear. There is a difference between attack and respectful critique in one's quest for Truth.