Interesting Question Regarding Worship?

Question

My girlfriend recently asked me an interesting question regarding worship and I wasn't sure what to say. Just thought I'd see what everyone else has to say about it. It was something along the following lines.

"If God is all perfect, humble, etc., why does he want everyone to worship and praise him for creating mankind and sending his son as a sacrifice? That just seems kind of contradictory and self-centered."

Answer 1

Hmmmm....contradictions in christianity eh?Surely not.

Answer 2

Because men have set up God so that they may glorify themselves and create large religious foundations the reflect glory onto the individuals and groups within the church. A common mistake is to confuse what Man wants and what God wants. If Man created God, then God, like Man, would need acknowledgement to remain valid. If God created Man, then God exists outside Man and does not require worship in order to survive. So the question might be reframed as "does God need Man, or does Man need God?" And this begs the question of whether the Bible has an inherent bias that undermines the idea of God.

Answer 3

God is not described as humble. Completely the opposite sometimes. If you think of him as a spiritual father, then consider your own father (or you with your kids). Your father wanted you to obey him and listen to him only and not some stranger. A stranger may or may not have your best interests in mind, but a loving father would always have your best interests as a priority (even when he punishes you for disobedience). Now relate that to God, since God is the god and there is no god above him (basically the Father of fathers) then He would want you to obey him and not some other lesser father. But just like your relationship with your earthly father is not all about following the rules (slave and master), your relationship with God is not just about following rules. That is where praise and worship and prayer come into the picture. We do those things to get closer to Him and express our gratitude to Him.

If you find a Scripture that says God is a humble god, let me know. If you dont think of God as humble, then you see that there is no contradiction.

Answer 4

Where in the Bible does it say that God is all "humble" in the sense that humans regard humility?

People don't understand humility today. They have this idiotic idea that it means that we don't accept the fact that we can do good things.

True humility, as I have heard it well put, is to recognize one's strengths and weaknesses; to cultivate the former and to transform the latter.

Humility is not being dismissive of a compliment. Rather it acknowledges this compliment with a "thank you". True humility is taking responsibility for that which one does, good or bad.

If a God created everything, it wouldn't be humility for this god to say "Aw shucks, it really wasn't that good". That's not humility. Humans do this when they wish to have praise heaped on them. It is false humility.

Nor do many people understand honor and respect. But that's another story.

Answer 5

We need to advance in our knowledge, and understanding of God. God is the universal spirit or force, that binds the universe together as one functioning oganism, sort of like the soul or spirit of the huge body, the universe. But, it is hard for humans to make a connection with such a spirit directly. So man creates images of God, that when a lot of people believe in these images, become intermediary spirits in the spiritual realm, to connecting with God. In ancient times when we had little science or technology, people had little knowledge or control over their world. When thing went wrong, as often happen, they thought an angry God was to blame, and that they must have committed sins, or not listen to, or honored God enough. So the image of God they created, reflected this state of their mind regarding God. In this world, we may have these intermediaries to help connect us with God, but they do vary in effectiveness, based on how close they are to the true nature of God.

Answer 6

If God didn't say that he was amazing and perfect and wonderful and want us to worship him then he wouldn't be God because God doesn't lie. God isn't being big headed and self-centered when he says how amazing he is, he is telling the truth.

Answer 7

I don't know the answer to that question... but it would appear you can not require worship and at the same time be humble.

That would be like giving money to charity just so others can go around saying how generous or caring you are.

True acts of kindness and generosity require nothing in return -and certainly not worship!

Answer 8

He does not require worship and praise... those are things we do because of our love, honor and respect for who He is and what He has done for us.

It's a relationship with God that you do not clearly understand.
We love Him, because He loves us.

Answer 9

God GIVES each of us a special gift in order to HELP His plan. Once we step over AND USE our GIFTS to help others... WELL, you can NOT HELP BUT GIVE HIM PRAISE!
My particular gift is in STEPPING out to take it on the chin by TELLING GODS plan to all. A gift of having been on the recieving end of trauma with OUT HAVING said ANYTHING about GOD... gives me an understanding of HUMAN pain, of suffering by ALL and any that with life was better. What I and other mature Christians "know" is an understanding of what others call coincidences...we see as OUR clue/hint or BONK on the head to take action. I do NOT want my posts to be taken as pompous... I just do NOT know HOW to make YOU or other doubters"know" what WE see.

Let me try it this way.
It is similar to being told WHAT THE winning lottery ticket numbers were going to be, a week or even a day in advance. TAKING the chance that the INFORMATION is T R U E~ THEN BUYING a ticket.
THEN , doubting that LIFE could be SOOOOO generous, but BUYING another ticket anyways.... THEN GIVING ALLLLLLLL: YOUR capable of and BUYING ALL THE TICKETS!
Then dear one, YOU BELIEVE because YOU HAVE NOOOOO CHOICE! SO, YOU/ WE share the WEALTH WITH EVERY ONE we meet. BECAUSE IT FEELS right.

THEN because we are part of PLAN we get and atre reminded of the MANY REWARDS WE have already AND THEY ARE mUlTiPlIeD beyond belief again! SO....
we keep living better, NOT FOR OURSELVES but out OF PUUUUUURE JOY that WE have HELPED bring others UP>
(c: IN Jesus PRECIOUS name I know that this person WILL resist THIS post a bit, THEY wILLLL have fear and anger at MY boldness, BUT THIS DEAR GOD is WHAT you will have Christians POST and DO for YOU. We GIVE GOD the GLORY, and tell THESE readers THAT the opposition WILL bonk them with misery while they see the NEW way of speaking that YOU give them. I vow DEAR GOD to GIVE YOU the GLORY for what YOU put on my heart to share this morning and I GIVE Thanks for the "coincidences" that PLACE ME IN YOUR SERVICE>\Amen

Answer 10

Yahweh seeks a relationship from his "wife". His "wife" is the believers. This 'worship' is the 'love' manifesting in their relationship. It is mutual. This is where the 'wife' and the 'husband' become 'ONE'.
This is also why Yahweh is 'jealous'. This 'wife' goes 'whoring' around alot by not staying true to the husbands wishes.
Jer 3:1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Yahweh.
Jer 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith Yahweh; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

Answer 11

Neither God nor Jesus ever demanded it. Man usually cowers on his own.

The things you speak of are God's gifts to man, but man doesn't always seem to be very appreciative of those gifts!