It’s an interesting question, but one that has been asked, in one form or another, by several people. Last week, we published a blog post that celebrated God’s desire to win glory for Himself. Admittedly, this concept of seeking glory for oneself can sound far from good and virtuous—selfish even. However, when God who seeks glory for Himself, it is a very good thing. We’ve pulled up an article from the BLB FAQ archives that addresses this subject.
(The following is adapted from the Blue Letter Bible FAQ pages)
Question:
Isn’t God prideful to demand that we worship him?
Answer:
Often, in my youth, I thought smugly to myself, “Sure, God’s big and perfect and everything, but isn’t it rather arrogant of Him to send us to hell for not worshipping Him?” It was an honest question. Ignorant to be sure, but honest just the same. So then why is it okay for God to require we revere Him? It may be best to look at the reasons behind why the same would be wrong of us.
The sin of pride is only a sin because it involves raising the perception of our value above that which it truly is. For man, this is a fairly common event; we are constantly elevating ourselves in our own estimation. We, being corrupt and petty, have an almost insatiable appetite for valuing ourselves more highly than we ought. And this is impossible for God to do.
God, being the non-metaphorical model of perfection cannot be better than He is. In fact, nothing can—for one cannot improve upon perfection. Since God is perfect, there is neither anything wrong with His acknowledging such nor any reason He should not require our worship.
God is infinitely worthy of both our honor and glory. He is the only being who deserves our praise. For Him to allow that anything else can be praised in His place would demonstrate Him to be less than perfect. It would be as if He were to say, “Yes, I truly am the only thing in all existence that is worthy of exaltation; but ‘No,’ I do not mind that you exalt a reddish-brown brick over Me.” Now that would just be silly, wouldn’t it?
For these reasons, we do not call God arrogant or prideful when He demands worship.
Anton says
October 10, 2011 at 6:13 amDear Sir/Madam,
I apologize for posting here but I could not find any other way of contacting you. Do you need a Contact Us page on the website?
I tried to donate to BLB but the credit card form gives me an error related to by email address. The problem is with the suffix (.info). Can you change the validation on the email field to accept .info addresses please.
Keep well,
Anton.
Stherling M. Chonay says
October 10, 2011 at 11:02 amI agree with God not being arrogant by demanding our worship. However, much more than a demand, the worship that comes from our hearts should be out of gratefulness. If we really look at it, a grateful heart is whiling to demonstrate that worship everywhere! Real worship not from the lips but from the heart., the type of worship that one wont mind to appear as a fool to others but is whiling to pray aloud, dance around, and talk about God in every aspect of ones life. If we have a grateful heart we will see past the demand of worship and thank God for every day; From the simple fact of us opening our eyes to the light of a new day, to him heeling our minds and bodies. That type of worship for his faithfulness, regardless if we are unfaithful, for his unconditional love even if we have conditions at times, for his mercy falling upon us washing out our sins even when we didn’t deserve it. That type of worship that we are whiling to pour out our hearts and souls and we are capable of saying “Glory to God, Thus far the Lord has helped us”
Dion says
October 10, 2011 at 1:18 pmMost Christians come to God because He is Truth and they have had the scales from their eyes removed to be able to discern and see in new ways. I say this because the truth is, an all-powerful God of heaven has no equal. The truth is, for Him to allow us to worship anything outside of His glory would be a lie and not only fruitless, but an act void of all validity. A God of love would not condone someone living a lie or wasting their days lost in confusion. It’s not an act of arrogance to demand worship, it’s simply calling all creation to abide in the truth and not wanting your creation to appear foolish or lack true purpose!
Rob says
October 10, 2011 at 2:34 pmI was looking at the phraase used here in your article”he sends us to hell” and got me thinking how it is so commonly used by those who are ignorant of the things of the spirit,heaven hell,God etc. This may be off topic but I would like to say that I think it is a misconception to imply or believe that God sends us to hell. I think it makes God sound like a hedious being,that would not even be worthy of our devotion and worship. I think the universal /spiritual laws that are instituted and govern by God, not to mention the decisions and indecisions we make, are major factors that set our eternal destiny. Hell was never prepared for humans,only the devil and angels and I think by that, God is worthy of glory honour and praise because he is governing that which he created and the laws that are meant to maintain order, are also instituted to maintain justice and penalty. In conclusion,it’s already set that if you keep the laws of God, you live and if you don’t, you die, which ultimately means separation from God. The volition is ours,we dictate our eternal destiny in the end by our choices,words,thoughts and actions. Sorry for the off topic response.
Susan says
October 10, 2011 at 3:18 pmRob, God is the God of Love and that is why he must some day punish offenders. You speak out of love and immaturity because you don’t know how far down it goes. Bless you that you don’t know. If God let the Bene Ha Elohim and others who follow continue on forever we would all go there. Heaven is a long, long time.
You don’t want this…
LADYWILLIAMS says
October 17, 2011 at 9:55 amGen 6:1-8 ¶ And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
Gen 1:1-8 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they [were] fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also [is] flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [children] to them, the same [became] mighty men which [were] of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [was] great in the earth, and [that] every imagination of the thoughts of his heart [was] only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
EJ Roy says
October 10, 2011 at 7:52 pmHow do you account for the Judgement then? We are not the ones doing the judging, and we are not the ones who condem ourselves to hell. Can we force ourselves to go to hell, given our sin nature, pride of life and our desire to live on in our own fashion? I don’t know of any child who ever spanked themselves for being disobedient. Our fathers spanked us even when they diddn’t like doing it. Many fathers have had to turn their children away from their home because they were too much of a problem or danger for the rest of the family. If our earthly fathers can do this out of love and responsibility, is our Heavenly Father less than our earthly Father? GOD cannot let disobedient and dangerous beings reside in Heaven for eternity, if HE is going to consign satan to hell in the end. Even though satan is roaming around now, like the unrepentant sinners who will suffer after they die and go before the Judgement Throne, ultimately GOD will send him to the lake of fire too. Please study the scriptures again to determine what JESUS CHRIST said about people who do not accept HIM as LORD and SAVIOR. Our personal thoughts on the subject have no validity if found wanting by the Scriptures.
RJ says
October 10, 2011 at 8:16 pmEJ,
There are two judgements. One for those who believe, to judge their works and the second is for the non believer.
Jhn 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Jhn 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Bottom Line: Your choice not to believe will send you to hell.
It’s the justice of God that executes judgement.
It’s the choice of man that decides his judgement.
Jerod says
October 12, 2011 at 8:24 pmJesus do not condemn but his word is law. The word is with God and the word was God. Jesus loves us but unrepented sin is what cannot be bought to heaven. Even though Jesus loves humanity, sin and disobedience gives the sacrificial blood of him no effect.
RJ says
October 10, 2011 at 8:05 pmRob,
You answered very mature. I think Susan did not understand your answer. God wants all to repent and to spend eternity with Him. It is true that if we look at our own lives, our choices prove to have consequences that are less desirable than what we expected. Everyone has the choice to accept Him and those that don’t are already condemned.
Dana says
October 10, 2011 at 9:11 pmIf a person says that God is worthy of honor, glory and worship, then they would be speaking the truth, for God’s word says so. For example, I Timothy 1:17 “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” and concerning worship, Matthew 4:10 “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
If a person says that God loves, then they would also be speaking the truth, for God says so in His word. For instance, I John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
However, to say that God’s love for us is based on His desire to glorify Himself they would be hard pressed to find the chapter and verse. God’s word does proclaim that HE loves. It also says that His love for us is based on His mercy and on His grace (Ephesians 2:4, 5; Titus 3:4, 5) neither of which equal desiring to speak/think highly of Himself. (Glorify/doxazo, is basically to have a high opinion of and to celebrate/proclaim it)
Denying God bases His love for us on His desire to glorify Himself would not be out of thinking it would make Him arrogant. It must be denied because His word does not teach such a thing. If one takes scripture and adds their own ideas while holding it up to the light of their thoughts, it probably won’t make their conclusion sound doctrine, but rather, private interpretation.
II Peter 1:20, 21
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.
Something is truth if God’s word says it is truth for John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
In closing, I will encourage to always do our best to accept God’s word as truth and to rid ourselves of what contradicts it. For as it says in II Corinthians 10:5: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
Kevin says
October 11, 2011 at 3:50 amGod is deserving of all our praise, glory, and honor. He cared enough for us that He walked the earth, He took the pain and abuse for us, and He sacrificed Himself. I ask the question, How many of us are willing to go through so much so that someone else could experience true life…No one but Got. A God who created the heaven and the earth by speaking things into existence, and said it was good is deserving of much more.
Pat G says
October 11, 2011 at 11:03 pmTo all,
Please explain to me and quote many scripture verses of what is “The Mercy Seat”?
I know that it is as the Arc of the Covenant as in the Old Testament… what is the greater significance (per the two judgments when we come before God)?
Still contemplating God the “I AM the…” who is the only entity who may swear truthfully upon Himself in both Testaments. The absolute authority.
The New Testament I pay particular attention when God the Son begins a declaration, “verily, verily, I say unto you… “
Pat G says
October 12, 2011 at 2:02 amNot meaning to be obtuse but what does God consider our works?
>>There are two judgements. One for those who believe, to judge their works and the second is for the non believer.<<
Pat G says
October 12, 2011 at 2:44 amDoing a quick search of KJV Bible on Blueletterbible.org
I found the Lexicon citation for the term: works.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2041&t=KJV
Here is the full search for scripture using “works”
http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?criteria=works&page=6&t=KJV
This verse seems to imply works can be positive or negative. It says ALL. Which means the saved and unsaved. “rewards” can be positive or negative also.
>>>Mat 16:27 For 1063 the Son 5207 of man 444 shall 3195 come 2064 in 1722 the glory 1391 of his 846 Father 3962 with 3326 his 846 angels 32; and 2532 then 5119 he shall reward 591 every man 1538 according 2596 to his 846 works 4234. <<<
—————–
So my question stands.
What are the works that Christ will judge us by?
Is there a "mercy seat" vs. a seat of judgmental condemnation?
Pat G says
October 12, 2011 at 3:16 amModerator only, please respond. Do not post the following please.
>>> Your comment is awaiting moderation <<<
Why?
I am not questioning anyone's faith nor comments on this blog.
I simply wonder about some deeper questions I have hoping posters will help me with in my Christian maturization.
I tend to think the word "works" may mean the Fruit of the Spirit output.
How well do we perform what the Holy Spirit leads us to do.
I apologize if I have offended anyone. I can't imagine how.
Shall I refrain from posting from now on this blog?
I find this blog a blessing and very helpful to me on my walk with Jesus.