The Beauty of Holiness
by Laurence Windham

Worship is central to the Christian life, so important that proper worship is constantly illustrated and defined by God Himself. As we search the Scriptures we find that while Abel's offering was accepted, Cain's was rejected. When Solomon built the temple, each section was fashioned and then put into place so that the sound of tools was not heard. The priests' garments were an important enough detail for God Himself to design them. Handling holy items in the wrong way was punished by death.

Do any of these, propriety, soberness, attire, and reverence, have anything to do with worship today? Some think not. Individuality and casualness mark their idea of worship. They like to refer to the gospel narratives where the disciple, John, leaned on Jesus. What they fail to remember is that this same John, upon seeing the glorified Christ in the book of Revelation, fell at His feet as if he were dead. Consider Psalm 96:9 "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Doesn't that make sense? I mean really, how else should the Lord be worshiped? When you read and consider the admonitions of the Psalmist, beauty and holiness, you have something special going on here. Beauty would naturally suggest the very best that we can do. Holiness would narrow our corporate worship by making it necessarily different than anything else in our lives. But I'm not being an accurate exegete am I? Psalm 96 doesn't separate the terms but uses one to modify, to explain the other. We are to worship the Lord in holiness, and holiness is beautiful. This would require that our gathering should be one of pomp and circumstance, incorporating the best music that we are able to perform. Our approach should be reverent, our attitude respectful, our hearts prepared. Our clothing should be much more formal than casual, and definitely not distracting.

Here at the Highlands Study Center, as we examine the different paradigms of worship from a historical and biblical perspective, we see a great departure from not only beauty but also orthodoxy. Worship services that are utilized for political reasons, for the social life of a congregation, for patriotic celebrations, for inter-faith dialogues, etc. are in and of themselves not worship. On the other hand, when we see a picture of worship described in the Scriptures, as we follow what God has given, we have beauty and orthodoxy. Consider again Psalm 96. What is the content of the songs that are to be sung? Verses 1-3 answer, (1) "Bless His name" How is this done? I doubt singing the words Bless-the-Lord twenty times in a row gets the job done. This is singing the instructions instead of following them. (2) "Proclaim the good news/Declare His glory" Again, what does this mean? Verses 4-13 answer, the content of our songs is to include God's greatness as opposed to the idols of men. He is to be feared. He is to be revered. Awe as well as praise is a proper response. He is the Creator of the world and the Righteous Judge to whom the whole earth will answer. This is news that causes trembling, prompts surrender of life, and yet also includes rejoicing. This is the inspired way that worship is prescribed. It is holy, beautiful, and therefore orthodox. Because it follows the Word of God.

Now some would argue that beauty is subjective. But that's just because they want to wear tank tops and flip-flops to church. If beauty is subjective then holiness must be also. And we know that according to our text, that is just not so. I would argue from the Scriptures that in every vision and theophany of the Most High that we have I see no casualness or cavalier attitude. No one takes a flippant stance in the face of the appearance of God. I see pomp and circumstance, fear and trembling, confession and adoration, and, and beauty! How hard is this? Just follow the bouncing ball —worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. This is the same as saying, "Get your ideas of worship from the Scriptures rather than from the well intended and sincere." Truth stands by itself and has no obligation to those who think they are right.

I was talking with a couple of guys from another church about this once when they accused me of putting God in a box. When you think about it, God has boxed Himself in regarding His nature and character. He cannot lie, die, or change. He keeps His word, and He wants to be worshiped in beauty—the beauty of holiness. Which, when you examine it, you find it synonymous with worshiping in spirit and in truth. No, I haven't put God in a box. I've let God be God. He will be nothing else, and nothing else will be He. But from what 1 have seen and heard in many "worship" services, they have made the congregation the audience, preaching into propaganda, the pulpit center stage at the variety show, God a celestial fire escape, the "presence of the Holy Spirit" into internal emotions, and Jesus their girlfriend.