Do you know what an irreversible binomial is? I didn’t either. It is a word pair used in a specific unchanging sequence as an idiomatic expression.
For example, macaroni and cheese, short and sweet, rock and roll, mix and match, and wear and tear. You won't hear cheese and macaroni, sweet and short, roll and rock, etc. Wikipedia lists hundreds of other combinations.1
I suggest a sometimes-reversible binomial—worship and serve or serve and worship. The two are paired more than 20 times in the Scriptures.
We must not separate what God has joined together. Twice in the Gospels, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 (Matthew 4:10, Luke 4:8). “Jesus replied, ‘The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him’” (Luke 4:8 NLT).
Let’s look at Deuteronomy 6:13. “You must fear the Lord your God and serve him. When you take an oath, you must use only his name” (Deuteronomy 6:13 NLT).
The New American Standard translated this verse, "You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.”
Worship and serve are interchangeable terms. Those who worship God serve Him. Labor, work energy, effort, and more are involved. We see the more in Romans 12:1.
Do mountains worship God better than we do? Almost certainly. They worship God by unfailingly carrying out His purpose (Psalm 148:9).
We worship and serve God best by fulfilling our purpose. Given all God has done for us, presenting our bodies to serve Him as living and holy sacrifices is the essence of true worship (Romans 12:1).
That is the initial daily step in seeking His Kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Here I am. What do you want me to do?
Many professing Christians in the U.S. think God is satisfied with church attendance. Many others believe sporadic attendance will do.
Pew Research classified church involvement for those in various denominations. Church members who attend religious services at least weekly, and a prayer or Bible group weekly or monthly have a “high” level of involvement.
Non-members who seldom or never attend religious services, and small group prayer or Bible groups are in the “low” category. All others have a “medium” level of congregational involvement.
Forty-three percent of Evangelical Protestants had a high level of involvement. Only twenty percent of mainline Protestants and sixteen percent of Catholics were highly involved.2
Church life is like a soccer game where thousands of spectators needing exercise watch a few people on the field needing rest. Many are watching the few who are serving.
Serving/worshiping God is far more than regularly sitting in a pew, chair, or small group session. Hebrews 10:24 spells out the purpose of our church meetings. “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (NLT).
Labor, work, energy, effort, and more are involved. We meet together to encourage and spur each other to be better servants of God.
As in many spheres of life, the Pareto Principle applies. About 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes.3 It applies to church finances and service. About 20 percent of the congregation does most of the work and gives most of the money.
About 80 percent don’t regularly serve God and others. They come to have their own needs met. They come to be blessed.
If that isn’t happening, they church hop and look elsewhere for their needs to be met. They are religious consumers. They forget that God blesses them to bless others. Worshiping God includes serving Him and striving to be like Jesus. See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians. #freediscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources
See free spiritual growth resources for Christians at https://www.christiangrowthresources.com
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