The Bible has a lot to say about whether or not we should worship Jesus. To properly understand this topic, we first need to understand who Jesus is according to the scriptures. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He is fully God and fully man (John 1:1, 14). As the Son of God, Jesus is divine and worthy of our worship.
Here are some key biblical reasons why we should worship Jesus:
- Jesus claimed equality with God – In John 5:17-18 Jesus claimed God as His Father, making Himself equal with God. For this claim the Jews sought to kill Him.
- Jesus accepted worship – On several occasions Jesus openly accepted worship from people (Matthew 14:33, 28:9).
- Jesus forgave sins – The scribes were right to say that only God can forgive sins (Luke 5:21). Jesus demonstrated He was God by forgiving sins.
- Jesus performed miracles – Jesus’ miracles over nature, sickness, death and demons showed His divine power over creation (John 11:38-44).
- Jesus was worshipped by angels – Angels also worshipped Jesus, something reserved only for God (Hebrews 1:6).
- Jesus is the Creator – The Father created all things through Jesus. As Creator, Jesus deserves our worship (John 1:3).
- Jesus rose from the dead – Jesus predicted His resurrection and accomplished it. His victory over death displayed His divinity (1 Cor. 15:3-8).
- Jesus received prayer – Stephen prayed to Jesus and Saul prayed to Christ, acts of worship (Acts 7:59, 9:14).
- Jesus is called God – Thomas’ confession “my Lord and my God” was validated by Jesus (John 20:28).
The Bible is clear that only God is deserving of our worship. Yet Jesus boldly claimed authority and honor belonging to God alone. The scriptures affirm Him as Lord and God. As the divine Son of God, Jesus is worthy of our worship.
However, some groups who consider themselves Christians do not believe Jesus should be worshipped. Groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians believe Jesus is a created being, not truly divine. They say Jesus should not be worshipped.
But this view contradicts the overwhelming biblical evidence that Jesus is God and deserving of worship. It diminishes Christ’s identity, mission and authority. The scriptures teach we should worship Jesus for these reasons:
- The Father commands us to worship Jesus – “Let all God’s angels worship Him” (Hebrews 1:6).
- Jesus possesses the attributes of God – Jesus exhibits divine qualities like omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, self-existence, immutability (Hebrews 13:8).
- Jesus does the works of God – Redeeming from sin, resurrecting the dead, answering prayer, creating all things (Colossians 1:13-20).
- Worship belongs to God alone – Scripture forbids worshipping anything or anyone other than God (Exodus 20:1-6). To refuse worship to Jesus is to fail to honor Him as God.
- Eternal life depends on honoring Jesus – “That all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:23).
- Every knee will bow to Jesus – All will ultimately worship Christ as Lord, either willingly or forcibly (Philippians 2:10-11).
Jesus accepted worship during His earthly ministry. After His resurrection, the disciples worshipped Him again (Matthew 28:17). The book of Revelation portrays heavenly worship of both the Father and the Lamb – Jesus (Revelation 5:13). Scripture records early Christians worshipping Jesus as God in song, prayer and offering (Acts 7:59, 1 Corinthians 1:2).
Worship is more than praise and singing. True worship means revering God above all else. It involves submitting to His lordship and obeying His Word. Worshipping Jesus means aligning our beliefs, priorities, values, ethics, relationships, habits and pursuits with Him. He transforms us through true worship.
Worshipping Jesus expresses our love, gratitude, reverence, allegiance and surrender to our Lord and Savior. We exalt His matchless name and majestic nature. Lifting our voices in song, prayer and praise honors Christ. But worship moves beyond words to demonstrated obedience.
Jesus affirmed that those who love Him obey His commands (John 14:15). Our lives should reflect His character and priorities. This brings glory to God. The Father seeks worshippers who’ll worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).
The Bible contains many examples of worship we should emulate:
- The Magi – These wise men worshipped Jesus at His birth, laying treasures before Him (Matthew 2:11). We too should give Jesus our very best.
- A sinful woman – She reverently anointed Jesus’ feet with costly perfume (Luke 7:36-38). Her adoration provides a model for us.
- Peter – After witnessing Jesus’ glory, Peter said “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). We must humble ourselves before His holiness.
- A leper – Though told to obey the Law, this leper worshipped Christ first (Matthew 8:2). We should put worship of Jesus above other duties.
- A synagogue ruler – Upon losing his daughter, he worshipped Jesus desperately (Matthew 9:18). We should rely on Christ in every crisis and pain.
- The blind man – After Jesus restored his sight, he worshipped Christ (John 9:38). We too should praise Jesus for every blessing and healing.
- Thomas – He responded to the risen Savior: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). May we also acclaim the deity of Jesus.
- The early church – They consistently responded to persecution with praise and worship of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:25).
The book of Revelation provides glorious scenes of future worship around God’s throne. Saints, angels, creatures and elders will forever praise the worthy Lamb – proclaiming “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him!” (Revelation 5:13).
One day “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).
Will we eagerly worship Jesus now? Or will we bow under compulsion later? Our willingness to exalt Christ today impacts our experience of eternity. The redeemed will share His glory. The unrepentant will face His justice.
Jesus merits our constant heartfelt worship. He is infinitely worthy as the beloved Son of God, the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of His nature (Hebrews 1:3). Through Christ, God displayed His boundless love for us. Will we respond with boundless love and worship for our Savior?
The Bible compels us to glorify, exalt, honor and worship Jesus Christ. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16)! We reject Him to our eternal loss. Embracing Him as Lord brings everlasting gain. The scriptures leave no doubt – we should fervently and wholeheartedly worship Jesus.