In our current series we’ve been going through an old list of questions and answers contained in the Westminster Larger Catechism published in 1648. In the last few weeks I’ve been showing where the Bible teaches that God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are equal with God the Father. We’ve seen that they are both called ‘God’, share some of the Father’s attributes and do things that only God does. This week I want to show that the Son and Spirit are worshiped as God.
Worship is an activity that is for God alone. We can and do worship things that are not God, such as idols, animals, celebrities etc. But such activities of worship should not be performed. God alone is to be worshiped. We see this in Peter’s abhorrence to the idea of being worshiped: ‘When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man”’ (Acts 10:25-26). The angel in revelation does the same thing when John tries to worship him: ‘At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!’ (Revelation 19:10). So worship is an activity that is only for God.
Thus when Jesus receives worship he is showing that he is God. But is Jesus worshiped? Yes. When Jesus has walked on the water the disciples worship him: ‘And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God”’ (Matthew 14:32-33). The Magi also worship Jesus when he is an infant: ‘In coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him’ (Matthew 2:11).
But is the Holy Spirit worshiped? We don’t have verses that explicitly say that the Holy Spirit is worshiped like we do with Jesus. But we do have verses that give divine honour to the Spirit, such as Paul writing: ‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all’ (2 Corinthians 13:14). To include the Holy Spirit in such a benediction shows worship toward him, indicating he is God.
Do you worship Jesus and the Holy Spirit as God because you recognise that they are worshiped?
Joel Radford.
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