Most of those who read this article have probably been taught that, while worship and service are both very real privileges for every believer, worship must have the first place and comes before service. However, we might be hard pressed to find a specific scripture that proves this beyond a doubt. Some spiritual truths are succinctly expressed in one or two verses, and a simple reading of these verses settles the issue. On the other hand, some truths are woven throughout the Word of God, by both precept and illustration. I would suggest that the relationship between worship and service is one of these latter truths.
Old Testament Worship
The first mention of worship in the Old Testament in our KJV is in Genesis 22:55And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. (Genesis 22:5) — “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” However, it is the same Hebrew word in Genesis 18:22And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, (Genesis 18:2) and chapter 19:1, where it is translated “bowed himself.” There are many subsequent references to worship, but in the Old Testament the word is used mostly in a ceremonial sense. Surely it was acceptable to God, if carried out with a true heart, but true worship was not known. Although some individuals (like Abraham, Moses and David) doubtless had a much deeper appreciation of the Lord than many others, it remains that Old Testament worship was largely according to an outward form. It was not until the coming of Christ that worship “in spirit and in truth” could be introduced.
However, even in the Old Testament we find worship taking the first place. In the law itself, the first commandments concerned what was due to God; then what was due to man followed. During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus summarized this same fact, showing that the first commandment concerned what was due to God, while the second brought in what was due to man.
Also, the law provided for both priests and Levites. The priests were clearly involved in worship, for they had the privilege of approaching God on behalf of the people. Their duties are mentioned first, as those who could offer the sacrifices. The Levites, on the other hand, were involved in service and were under the administration of the priests. They might even assist in offering sacrifices, but their duties were in service, not as worshippers. But all were to be directed by Aaron, a type of Christ.
When the Lord had blessed them with a good harvest in the land of Canaan, they were to bring their firstfruits unto the Lord, and this is connected with worship (Deut. 26:1-111And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; 2That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there. 3And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the country which the Lord sware unto our fathers for to give us. 4And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the Lord thy God. 5And thou shalt speak and say before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 6And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 7And when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor, and our oppression: 8And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: 9And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. 10And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O Lord, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the Lord thy God, and worship before the Lord thy God: 11And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you. (Deuteronomy 26:1‑11)). It was only after this that tithing was mentioned, and the importance of giving to the fatherless, the stranger and the widow. In all of this we see that what was due to the Lord always came before what was due to man.
New Testament Worship
In the New Testament, we find true worship introduced, in all its blessedness. It was not to be characterized by arousing people with emotion, music or ritual, but rather must be “in spirit and in truth.” Once again, we are shown the prior importance of worship, with service following as a natural thing. When Martha “was cumbered about much serving” (Luke 10:4040But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (Luke 10:40)) while Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His Word” (vs. 39), the Lord gently rebuked Martha, saying that “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (vs. 42). Later, when the same Mary anointed the Lord in Bethany, before He went to the cross, the Lord answered those who objected by reminding them that while the poor were always with them and that they could do them good whenever the opportunity presented itself, they would not always have the chance to honor Him in this world.
Worship, Then Service
This same order of worship and then service is found throughout the New Testament. In Hebrews 13:1515By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15), we are reminded to “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” Then, in the next verse, we are told “to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb. 13:1616But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:16)).
Peter tells us that we are now “a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5), while later in the same chapter, he tells us that we are “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Again, the order is first worship and then service. Other scriptures could be quoted, but these are sufficient to show the order that Scripture presents to us, in connection with worship and service.
Worship-Service
Another significant connection between worship and service occurs in Romans 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1), where the believer is exhorted to present his body “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” The word used here for “service” is used a number of times in the New Testament. Most of the time it is translated “serve” or “service,” but it has also the connotation of worship and is translated this way several times. For example, when Paul tells the Philippians that “we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit” (Phil 3:3), the word translated “worship” is the same root word as that translated “service” in Romans 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1). There is a service involved in worship, but then a service involved in ministering to man, and our bodies are to be used for both, but again, in the right order.
There are some important lessons to be learned from all this. First of all, we must recognize the intimate connection between worship and service. As another has remarked, “All service must be carried out in the spirit of worship.” A brother now with the Lord used to say, “The remembrance of the Lord has a similarity to the preaching of the gospel: In the one, we present Christ and all His glories to God the Father. In the other, we present Christ as a Saviour to the sinner.” While God gives gifts to be used in service, it is important to see that no gift is involved in worship. Likewise, worship and service are not now connected with different groups of people, as they were in the Old Testament; every believer is both a priest and a Levite in this present dispensation.
Communion With the Lord
One may set out to serve without being a worshipper, but if we are truly worshippers, we cannot help but be servants. It is the one who is in true communion with the Lord who will have not only the desire and energy for service, but also the spiritual intelligence to know the mind of the Lord.
Second, and connected with this first lesson, we see that without being a true worshipper, one cannot be an acceptable servant. Our hearts and minds may become enamored by service, especially if others are actively engaged in it, and we may suppose that we can raise our spiritual state by getting involved. Seldom does this happen; all too often it will result either in our seeking to salve our conscience with one frantic activity after another, or else in a spirit of complaint, as happened to Martha, when she felt overworked in serving. Before we can serve effectively, we must be in communion with the Lord.
The Response of Love
Third, we are reminded that the spring of both worship and service is the same — the response of love, as a result of the love of God enjoyed in the soul. Concerning Mary’s act of anointing Him, the Lord said that her action would be spoken of throughout the whole world, wherever the gospel was preached. He did not mean that Mary should be exalted, but rather that her action showed how that the love of God and the appreciation of Christ — His person and His work, enjoyed in the soul — could make a sinner love Him so much in return. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:1919The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. (John 4:19)), and true worship and service springs from the enjoyment of His love and our response to it. It is true that “the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Cor. 5:14), whether in worship or service. If our hearts are truly enjoying His love, there will be a ready response, first of all in the “sacrifice of praise” rendered in connection with the remembrance of the Lord, and then a desire to serve Him, in whatever way that He may direct us.
W. J. Prost