Last updated on February 28th, 2018 at 07:03 pm

Why do we worship and obey God?
Yes, I know that “worship and obey” is redundant. But here are 5 reasons.

We worship and obey because:

 We fear punishment.
[Dt 5:9; Nahum 1:2, Deuteronomy 28:15-68 (curses for disobedience)]

Evangelists often use this as the initial hook for unbelievers. “You are a sinner and must believe or go to hell and be a crispy critter for eternity.”

This approach has fallen out of favor in the modern church, to avoid offending sinners.

Avoiding punishment is entirely anthrocentric, but is still a valid reason for obeying God.

Deuteronomy 5:9
 You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,…

Nahum 1:2
The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.

We anticipate rewards.
[Mark 10:30; Matt 5:12; Luke 6:23; Heb 11:6; Rev 22:12, Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (blessings for obedience)]

Evangelists also use anticipated rewards as a hook. Prosperity preachers focus on the rewards in this world.

Anticipating blessings is also entirely anthrocentric, but is still a valid reason for obeying God.

Mark 10:30
30 …who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

Matthew 5:12
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Luke 6:23
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Revelation 22:12
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

We are thankful.
[1 Thess 5:18; Ps 95:2; Ps 100:4; Phil 4:6; 2 Cor 4:15; Eph 5:20; Col 3:15-16]

You would think that those who believe, recognize their sin and it’s wages, and anticipate rewards would automatically be thankful. Many are. But God also commands us to be thankful.

Being thankful moves us out of anthrocentrism into theocentrism. We recognize that He is the source, not ourselves. We become focused on the glory of God instead of our own comfort.

Many New Agers have picked up on the Attitude of Gratitude principle. However, they misdirect their gratitude to the universe, instead of to God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Psalm 95:2
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 100:4
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Philippians 4:6
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

2 Corinthians 4:15
15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

Ephesians 5:20
20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Colossians 3:15
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Bonus: You can find 21 verses about gratitude here.

It’s our duty.
[Eccl 12:13; Acts 5:29; Eph 6:6]

God commands us to keep His commandments. I find it hard to understand those whose believe God exists and that Jesus is their savior but still do not allow Him to be the Lord of their lives. These carnal Christians go on living unchanged lives. Yes, we all still sin. We are not perfect. Sanctification is a process. We, and God, expect growth.

We were once slaves to sin. Now we are bondservants of God. Bondservants obey their master.

Ecclesiastes 12:13
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Acts 5:29
29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Ephesians 6:6
6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Matthew 6:24
24 No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Romans 6:16
16 Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves to the one you obey, whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, or to obedience leading to righteousness?

He is God.
[Gen 1; John 1:1]

What can I say? He is the Creator. He began all things, He sustains all things, and, if He chooses, He can end all things.

We owe our very existence to Him. If we would understand even a small fragment of this fact, we would automatically worship and obey Him constantly.

Genesis 1:1
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.