2 John 1:8 (ESV)
⁸ Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

Most people who worship God do not realize that they must be careful about how they do it. They do not seem to understand that there is a wrong way to worship. The truth is there are many ways that we can do so. Jesus taught us how to worship God correctly; thus, by necessary inference, we learn how to worship God incorrectly as well. Listen to Jesus:

John 4:24 (KJV)
²⁴ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Since Jesus said that the Word of God is truth (John 17:17), to worship God in truth is to worship Him according to His Word. Unfortunately, most people, even those who are sincere, fail to do this. Denominational doctrines and manmade theories are the culprits behind this. Such is nothing new. Jesus condemned the Jewish leaders for doing this very thing.

Matthew 15:8-9 (ESV)
⁸ “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; ⁹ in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”

If we are to worship God acceptably, we must keep watch on how we do it, making sure we have book, chapter, and verse for everything that we do. When we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we do so on the first day of the week because that is what we are told to do in scripture (Acts 20:7). When we give, we do so as we have prospered because that is what Paul commanded the church to do (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). When we make music to the praise of God, we simply sing, because, once again, that is what the Bible says. How many churches today do only what God commands? It is our job as individuals to make sure that we are attending a church that only worships God according to the truth. Do not do something just because the majority believes that it is okay. Make sure what you are doing is right by comparing it with the truth.

According to Jesus, we must also worship God in spirit, meaning with the right disposition or attitude. This is very important for us to understand. Some people worship God according to His Word, but they do not do so with the right spirit. This is especially applicable to those of us who are members of the Lord’s church. Sometimes we think that just because we have book, chapter, and verse for everything that we do, that our worship is acceptable. This is not always true. If your heart is not focused on what you are doing when you are worshiping God, then you are worshiping in vain.

Do you ever find yourself just going through the motions when worshiping God? If so, that is vain worship. We must be mentally and emotionally engaged when we worship God. Paul said, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” The word spiritual here is logikos, meaning that our worship must be “intelligent, in contrast to those offered by ritual and compulsion” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). In other words, our worship must be from the heart. Be sure to keep watch on this whenever you take part in worship.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things