Thank you for the question on worship, “According to the Bible, how should we purify ourselves before prayer and worship?”
As one ponders this question, there is a difference between preparing and purifying oneself before prayer and worship. For one’s consideration, here are some thoughts on preparing and purifying oneself.
A. Believers can’t purify oneself of sin but can only confess their sins to God.
The idea of purifying implies that one must do something to atone so as to remove sin from one’s life. The believer can’t wash himself of his/her sins.
The Apostle John writes in I John 1:9 that if a believer confesses his sins before God that God will forgive that person and will purify that person from even unknown sins. Purification of sin is ultimately a work of God, not that s/he can do anything to remove or atone for sin. To confess is to admit one’s wrong doing.
B. Believers can repent of one’s sins, having a sense of deep sorrow for one’s sin(s) and seeking by God’s grace and strength to walk in paths of righteousness than in paths of sins. It is asking the Spirit of God to bring to our consciousness our sinful attitudes and actions that is contrary to Scripture.
It is comforting to know no what sins one has committed, God will forgive if that person is genuinely sorry for his/her attitude or actions. God doesn’t hold anything against the one who confesses and forsake the sins in his/her life.
C. Jesus declared that God is Spirit and the person who worships him must worship him in Spirit/spirit and in truth.
John 4 says this, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (NIV).
True worship is not necessarily reflected in the location or physical posture of that person. A person may knee in church but is thinking about what one is going to do after the church service. It is a heart attitude toward God.
To worship in the Spirit means walking in the light of God’s Word and walking in the Spirit. It is being in fellowship with God by having nothing in between oneself and God. It is being absolute honest and transparent with God without any hypocrisy. It is having a clear conscience before God. Thus to worship God in the Spirit means to being Spirit filled.
Ephesians 5 says this, “18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NIV).
The emphasis in Ephesian 5 of praising and praying to God comes from within that person. It’s not just one’s own emotion, but a thoughtful expression of love toward God and others. The Spirit of God will reflect through that person’s thoughts and emotions what the Spirit wants to communicate through that person. No matter the circumstances one knows that God is watching over them and is confident that God will guide them. Thus one can pray or praise in the name of Lord Jesus Christ.
SUMMARY: When a believer is filled with the Spirit of God, the prayers and praises to God are acceptable to God through the Holy Spirit.
For more perspectives: