We can get lost in arguments in the Body of Christ. We can also place so much emphasis on the knowledge that we lose our ability to worship God.

Paul tells us, “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” 2 Timothy 2:23 (NIV) Paul also tells us that “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part,” I Cor.13:9 (NIV)

I will never shy away from the difficult topics in the Bible, and will not neglect the study of God’s Word, but we must understand that the first commandment is to love God above all things. That love is expressed through worship and obedience to God. The Bible is filled with verses that tell us to worship God and how our love for God is expressed in our obedience. John 14:15 tells us, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (NIV)

In John chapter four we learn about the Samaritan woman’s encounter with Jesus. John 4:21-24 tells us,

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 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)

The word Worship here is the Greek word proskunéō; meaning “To kiss, adore. To show respect, fall or prostrate before.”^[1] In Genesis 22:5 we see the word worship is mentioned in the Old Testament for the first time as Abraham is getting ready to sacrifice his son Isaac, 

He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Genesis 22:5 (NIV)

The word worship here is the Hebrew word shāchāh: “Meaning to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to crouch, to fall down, to humbly beseech, to do reverence, to worship. The primary meaning of the word is to bow down.”^[2]

God is not looking for those who know it all. God is not looking for those who think they are better than anybody. God is not looking for the best debaters. Knowledge and knowing how to defend our faith has it use but God is looking for worshipers. God wants us to keep the main thing, main thing.

^[1] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).

^[2] Warren Baker and Eugene E. Carpenter, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament(Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 1119.