Here is what I would consider an excellent overview of the main worship service in the Orthodox Christian Church, the Divine Liturgy.
Our Lord, at the Last Supper, said "Do this in remembrance of Me." As can be seen, in the Divine Liturgy we commemorate many of His acts toward our salvation, from his incarnation in Bethlehem to His second and glorious coming.
I know that for many of my Protestant brethren, this worship service may seem to be very strange and elaborate. But I would contend that the Divine Liturgy and other services of the Orthodox Church are in fact Biblical.
For just one example, most Protestants eschew the burning of incense. But the Prophet Malachi foretold in Malachi 1:11
"For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts."
Incense was used in worship in the Old Testament, above the Prophet states that the Gentiles will also use it to worship God, and in Revelation we read that it is also used in heavenly worship. At no place in Scripture are we ever told to abandon using incense in worship, yet many Protestants have done so, IMHO simply just because the Roman Church used it and when they Protested against the Roman Church they also IMHO abandoned some completely Biblical practices merely because they reminded them of the Roman Church which they had left.
I know that for many of my Protestant brethren, this worship service may seem to be very strange and elaborate.
Yes it's overly elaborate -- I've been party to many Catholic services. That said, do your thing. Frankly, the Lord will know your heart.
So what comprises proper worship of God?
The truth is, "proper worship" is a far more simple matter than some believe it is.
Giving glory to the Father and the Son, building on a personal relationship, love of fellow man, maintaining a fellowship in or out of God's House, forgiveness, sharing the Gospel, refraining from putting the World before the Lord....
IMHO, making the criteria and requisites for acceptance into Heaven so heavily ensconced in rituals is making too many who WANT to believe give up completely.
I know that for many of my Protestant brethren, this worship service may seem to be very strange and elaborate.
Yes it's overly elaborate -- I've been party to many Catholic swervices. That said, do your thing. Frankly, the Lord will know your heart.
So what comprises proper worship of God?
The truth is, "proper worship" is a far more simple matter than some believe it is.
Giving glory to the Father and the Son, building on a personal relationship, love of fellow man, maintaining a fellowship in or out of God's House, forgiveness, sharing the Gospel, refraining from putting the World before the Lord....
IMHO, making the criteria and requisites for acceptance into Heaven so heavily ensconced in rituals is making too many who WANT to believe give up completely.
The assertion that beautiful Church services are actually detrimental, causing people to give up completely, is rather new to me.
I would agree completely that what matters most is what is in our heart and our actual personal relationship with God. A ceremony will not save you. However, in my experience, the Church in her wisdom has maintained worship that helps to draw in the believer into a deeper relationship with God. One historical example from non-believers being drawn to Christ by the Liturgy is the account of when St. Vladimir sent envoys to learn of the different religions of different nations and report back to him what they discovered:
"The envoys reported: "When we journeyed among the Bulgars, we beheld how they worship in their temple, called a mosque, while they stand ungirt. The Bulgarian bows, sits down, looks hither and thither like one possessed, and there is no happiness among them, but instead only sorrow and a dreadful stench. Their religion is not good... Then we went on to Greece, and the Greeks led us to the edifices where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendour or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We know only that God dwells there among men, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations. For we cannot forget that beauty. Every man, after tasting something sweet, is afterward unwilling to accept that which is bitter, and therefore we cannot dwell longer here.""
-- And what about my earlier question concerning incense in worship? It is completely Biblical, yet I have lost count of the number of times in the past that Protestant friends and acquaintances have spoken of it as though it were something evil. Liturgical Churches are often accused of following "the traditions of men", but what is the reason that most Protestants have abandoned the use of incense in worship -- other than that their predecessors didn't use it and so it has become their own "tradition" to avoid it completely?
The assertion that beautiful Church services are actually detrimental, causing people to give up completely, is rather new to me.
HERE is my actual quote:
"IMHO, making the criteria and requisites for acceptance into Heaven so heavily ensconced in rituals is making too many who WANT to believe give up completely."
A bit different than your interpretation, no?
I would agree completely that what matters most is what is in our heart and our actual personal relationship with God. A ceremony will not save you.
And that's ALL that matters. Even better that we agree on this.
However, in my experience, the Church in her wisdom has maintained worship that helps to draw in the believer into a deeper relationship with God.
I guess that may be a possibility for some worshipers.
And what about my earlier question concerning incense in worship? It is completely Biblical, yet I have lost count of the number of times in the past that Protestant friends and acquaintances have spoken of it as though it were something evil. Liturgical Churches are often accused of following "the traditions of men", but what is the reason that most Protestants have abandoned the use of incense in worship -- other than that their predecessors didn't use it and so it has become their own "tradition" to avoid it completely?
Look -- I'm not going to dwell on the minutiae of rituals and traditions as a matter of necessity of soul-saving. What MIGHT be considered "evil" is an obsession or belief those those rituals are requisites that supersede the simple Gospel message.
I have never claimed that traditional worship is required for salvation, so why do you keep asserting that like I have done so?
The thief on the cross was saved by Christ's mercy.
But on the other hand, I have met some Protestants who are so focused upon their acceptance of Christ as their Lord, that they tell me that they don't need to go to Church at all... ever. How in the world is that Biblical? Jesus Christ built a Church, and the Apostles in the Bible clearly led it and it clearly was the norm and expected for believers to gather together in the Church for worship.
So my question has been from the beginning of this thread -- what is proper worship? Are you saying that we shouldn't bother with worshiping God at all? If not, and then we indeed are called to worship together in Church, then my original question stands -- what is Biblical worship of God? Is it just a lecture at an auditorium? When God described what He wanted for worship, it was quite ceremonial and elaborate, both in the Old Covenant Temple and what we read the worship in heaven is like in Revelation.
So why is it wrong to pattern Christian worship after what is described in the Bible? Is there some verse that I missed that says to just talk about God and that's enough?
I have never claimed that traditional worship is required for salvation, so why do you keep asserting that like I have done so?
I NEVER made this personal. So why are you? I'm just attempting to address your concerns/question of generality and of the opinions of Protestants, specifically.
But on the other hand, I have met some Protestants who are so focused upon their acceptance of Christ as their Lord, that they tell me that they don't need to go to Church at all... ever. How in the world is that Biblical?
Well, we are commanded to share a fellowship with our brethren. Are we not doing so NOW? Our "church" is where ever we share that with others. We do not need a brick and mortar building to fellowship, worship, or to speak to the Lord directly...or is THAT "un-Biblical"?
We indeed are called to worship together in Church, then my original question stands -- what is Biblical worship of God? Is it just a lecture at an auditorium?
Just answered: Our "FELLOWSHIP" is a "Church." Can it be a brick and mortar building? Of course.
So why is it wrong to pattern Christian worship after what is described in the Bible?
It's not. But let's not confuse "Biblical" with "tradition." They are often NOT one and the same.
Just answered: Our "FELLOWSHIP" is a "Church." Can it be a brick and mortar building? Of course.
I'm sorry if anything came across as a personal criticism, it was not intended to be so.
Of course a Church is not simply a building, but do you actually meet together physically with other Christians? I can understand in some extreme cases sometimes that might not be possible because of illness or other situations.
One thing that I did not remember in my post in regard to seating is that in Coptic Churches usually the men and women sit on different sides of the Church. It isn't a rigidly enforced rule, but I figured I would mention it in case anyone visited a Coptic Church in the future, sat down without paying attention and then later felt like they may have committed some minor embarrassment.
On the occasions I have visited a Coptic Church in the past, they were always extremely loving and friendly. I got to visit a service one time when the recently departed Pope Shenouda III was presiding, and they were courteous enough to send altar boys out to sit next to visitors with English translations of the service and point to each phrase as it was being sung, chanted or said.
My understanding is that their custom (and they would acknowledge that it is just a custom, there is no dogma behind it) is just a holdover from the very conservative Jewish practices from the early days of the Church.
Here's a video that has a few photos of congregations where you can see that particular custom:
And, for the info of any readers unfamiliar with the situation; the Copts, Ethiopian Orthodox, Indian Orthodox, Assyrian Orthodox and a few other Churches are what are often referred to in English as Oriental Orthodox rather than Eastern Orthodox. The Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches are not in full communion with each other due to the Oriental Churches not accepting the Council of Chalcedon. But relations are currently very warm and improving between the two Church families as leading theologians of both sides believe that a chief contributor towards the split was that the Oriental Churches were all from regions that did not speak Greek and the Council was conducted in that language. Some of the translations that have been found and compared appear to have been faulty and so may have contributed to the split.
Currently, many Eastern and Oriental Churches have made agreements to help each other out -- when members of their flocks cannot find a Church of their jurisdiction the other Churches have agreed to have their clergy assist in any pastoral needs that may arise.
