Worship in the Old Testament and New
God is always the object, and Jesus Christ is always the basis of true worship.
It is not unusual for Christians to have a skewed perspective about the way the Old Testament relates to the New. It’s actually this very relationship that divides Presbyterian and Reformed folks from Baptists, though different kinds of Baptists can be closer or farther away from their Protestant brethren on this matter. In this brief article, I’d like to dispel (or at least try) three common misconceptions about worship in the Bible.
My conclusion is that both the Old and New Testaments are acutely focused on the basis and object of worship, which is God through Christ.
Misconception #1: The New Testament cares more about the heart of the worshiper than the Old Testament.
The Old Testament is actually deeply concerned with the heart of worshipers. The list could be much longer, but these verses below will do well to support the point. Pay careful attention to the last citation, for it has a direct reference to the issue at hand – namely the heart of worship is emphasized strongly in the Old Testament.
God commands, “love and serve Me with all your heart and soul” (Deut. 10:12).
God commands, “Circumcise the foreskin of your heart” (Deut. 10:16).
God commands, “love the LORD you God, and serve Him with all your heart” (Deut. 11:13).
God commands, “Put away foreign gods and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel” (Joshua 24:23).
God rejects the outward displays of worship, because the heart of the worshipers is wicked. God says, “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? …I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts… When you came to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts?... When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen” (Isaiah 1:11-15).
Throughout the Old Testament, God is not only interested in calling His people to worship in the right way, He is also deeply interested in calling them to worship with the right heart.
Misconception #2: The Old Testament cares more about the practice of worship than the New Testament.
The New Testament is just as concerned with the manner of worshipers’ approach to God as the Old Testament. This list also could go on further as well, but it is likely that my point will not require much more than a few examples.
Humans are still required to approach God through propitiating sacrifice and after their sin has been covered (Romans 3:21-26).
The person and work of Christ justifies, and only through Him does any human have access to the Father (Romans 5:1-2).
Christians possess a righteousness (i.e., the ability to approach God) that has come only from Christ (Phil. 3:9).
The forms of worship change in the New Testament from those in the Old. No longer are God’s people required to approach Him on certain days, with particular sacrifices, through the appointed levitical priest. Now God’s people approach Him all day every day on the basis of the once for all sacrifice of the true high priest - Jesus Christ.
But the manner of our approach to God is exactly the same in both Testaments. We must always approach God according to His appointed means.
Misconception #3: The worshipers’ approach to God in the Old Testament is different from or separate from the approach of New Testament worshippers.
These last two misconceptions are related and similar, but this one deserves a distinct response. The overwhelming point of the Old Testament worship practices is to provide a type, shadow, or example of who and what Christ will be. Therefore, the Old Testament does and should concentrate heavily on numerous specific practices and methods for approaching the one and only Holy God of all creation.
The New Testament also concentrates heavily on Christ’s person and work, which has been displayed as the substance of these shadows, the antitype of these types, the real form of all these examples. What was concealed but promised in the Old Testament is revealed and fulfilled in the New.
In summary, both Testaments point to the methods, modes and practices. Both Testaments point to the heart of the worshipers. And both Testaments view each of these issues with great emphasis.
The Old Testament emphasizes the shadows and the heart of the worshipers in relation to their trust in the promise. The New Testament emphasizes the substance of the shadows and the heart of the worshipers in relation to their trust in the promise.
The promise in both Testaments is that God will glorify, is now sanctifying, and has redeemed and justified sinful people through His own initiative and action.
Therefore, it is critical to lift up the continuity of the Testaments concerning the basis (God-initiated mediation – ultimately Christ in both Testaments) and object (the one true God) of worship, while recognizing there is diversity in the outward practices of worship.