Christians Can Worship Religiously or Spiritually: It's a Personal Choice
by Sammy Tippit

Many Christians have tasted the joy of spiritual worship. Yet, since that time, they've lost the freshness of their worship. Much worship today among Christians is religious but not spiritual. The worshipper goes through the outward motions of worship but has lost the free flow of the Spirit of God through his life.

Recently, when my wife and I were on the way to church we had a disagreement, and I spoke harshly to her. I knew I'd blocked the flow of God's Spirit in my life. There was a sense of grieving deep within me. Yet I was unrepentant. When we arrived at church, I tried to worship, but I was miserable. I had difficulty focusing on the loveliness of the Lord Jesus. Every time I attempted to look to Jesus, the Holy Spirit convicted me of my sin.

I had a choice to make. I could repent and restore my fellowship with God and my wife, or I could fake worship. I did the latter. I had a reputation to maintain. I was an international evangelist and Christian author. How would it look for someone in my position to go to the altar in repentance? I sang all the songs, said the "amens," and smiled and greeted all of my Christian friends. However, I did not worship Jesus Christ. I went through the outward motions, but I did not worship in spirit. True worship wasn't restored to my life until I made things right with God and my wife. It was only then that I was able to experience the joy of worship that originated from the release of the Spirit of God in my life.