As we continue to discuss aspects of the New Testament church, we will strive to answer the question—what function do individual church members serve in the church and the community? Last week, we saw that because God desires and deserves to be worshiped, it is man’s responsibility to facilitate proper worship to God (John 4:23-24). So, to help us understand our function, the question for today is—how do we facilitate proper worship to God?

God has never left His people without instructions on how to be obedient to Him. We know this from Jesus’ statement, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). If we demonstrate our love for God by keeping His commandments, then it is evident that if God loves us, He would make them known to us. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments...For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:2- 4).

Since we have God’s commandments, we know how to be approved of by Him. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). John points out that one must be born of God to overcome the world and be approved of by Him. This is what Jesus instructed Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus’ words confused Nicodemus. “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into His mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4).

Nicodemus had to put his trust and faith in the words of Christ. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). If Nicodemus desired to be approved of by God, he must have faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Heb. 11:6a). Nicodemus had to get over his confusion and be baptized in obedience to the Lord’s commandments to show His love for God and overcome the world by his faith.

The first step in facilitating worship to God is obedience. If one is in defiance of God, he cannot facilitate His worship. This is shown by the example of Nadab and Abihu when they defied God and brought “profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them” in a vain attempt of worship (Lev. 10:1). The result of this disobedience was death. “So, fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD” (Lev. 10:2).

Thus, if one is in disobedience to the gospel, he does not have faith and has never been born of God, so he cannot facilitate worship to God because of sin (Rom. 6:1-23). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). If one desires to draw near to God in His house, which is the church (1 Tim. 3:15), as Nadab and Abihu attempted to draw near and were destroyed, they must regard God as holy (Lev. 10:3).

In order to regard Him as holy, one must be obedient to Him. Therefore, the first step in facilitating His worship is to do all in the name of the Lord (be obedient). “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col. 3:17a). This means we must have Christ’s authority for everything we do. Therefore, if Luke, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said to be added to the church by the Lord, you must be saved (Acts 2:47), and Jesus said the saved are those who believe and are baptized (Mark 16:16), then only those who believe and are baptized are added to the church. Only those who have been obedient to Him can facilitate His worship.

Just something to consider.