Worship: The "Right" Relationship — A Lutheran Perspective

Worship: The “Right” Relationship — A Lutheran Perspective

Charlene Yu-wen CHANG

What is ethics? Ethics is not a moral action; ethics is a “relationship”.

When Chinese talk about ethics, they are talking about “rightful” human relationships. For Chinese every relationship should be in a “right” place; ethics has something to do with roles—it is a kind of order; every relationship should develop in order . In fact, Chinese teaching about relations is totally human oriented, even when the relationships are with gods.

In Christianity one's relationship with God is always God-centered, a seeking from His perspective to develop an “orderly” relationship, which is the “right” relationship.

How did God build up these “right” relationships with His people? In the Old Testament God built up a relationship with His people through the cutting of a covenant based on circumcision and all sorts of sacrifices, ie, through worship.

In the New Testament relations between God and us are built up through worship also. It means that through Baptism God builds up a relationship with us in spirit; through His Word He builds up a relationship with us in soul; and through Holy Communion He builds up a relationship with us in body.

In worship, the only thing we need to do is to “follow” or “obey” His commands in order to enter into relationship with Him. This is our role and it is the “right” way.

We “obey” His commands by going through Baptism, and a new life and new relations begin. Through Baptism, we enter the “right” relationship with Him in spirit.

We “obey” His Word in our thought and in our life. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we understand His Word and we live the Word out and bear fruit in our daily life. Through His Word, we enter the “right” relationship with Him in soul.

We “obey” His command to receive the Holy Communion, our flesh encounters Him in bread and wine. Through Holy Communion, we enter the “right” relationship with Him in body.

Worship is ethics, worship is orderly relationship, which is the “right” relationship with God. Human beings have to know their role and their place, which is the “right” way to enter into a relationship with God. Through worship—Baptism, Word and Holy Communion—we encounter God in spirit, in soul and in body.