God is Transcendent.
The word “transcendent” literally means to go beyond. So, when we apply it to the God of the Bible it means that God is so beyond us. Transcendent is not a word which can be truly used of the LDS Heavenly Father.The difference between the LDS Heavenly Father and the Biblical Heavenly Father is immense. The LDS Heavenly Father is supposedly of the same species as we. He began as a sinful human who had to obey the Gospel Principles. Having done so he evolved into one of the many Gods of the pantheon of LDS apologists. So, in a sense Heavenly Father is greater than we but more like a superman as compared to the rest of us. Both of us are created, had a beginning as a human, exist in time, are unable to escape our own thoughts, and are limited. True the LDS Heavenly Father’s limitations are not as great as our’s on earth nevertheless, there are sources outside of himself which are able to limit him.
But the transcendence of the God of the Bible is very different. The God who is described in the Bible is so beyond us, and the Heavenly Father of LDS apologists, because we are not of the same species. The essence of the God who the Bible describes is described by the term infinite (Psalms 147:5). The word infinite means that are no outside limitations which can be placed on God. Sure, there are some things which God cannot do like lie (Hebrews 6:18) or deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). But these limitations are due to God’s very nature. If God could do these things he would not be God. This is why the term infinite must accompany each word or phrase we use to describe God. As an example, God is not just holy he is infinitely holy. The God described by the Bible is infinite and this makes him so beyond us and clearly we are not of the same species.
As mentioned the God described in the Bible is the infinite being who is holy (Isaiah 6:3). This means he is way beyond sin and cannot even be tempted by sin in his normal estate. This is not true of humans who are tempted daily. The God described in the Bible is the infinite being who is alone has immortality (1 Corinthians 6:16). The word immortal means one cannot die. Immortality is given to the human body as a gift from God (2 Timothy 1:10). But in this sense mortality must proceed it. The God who the Bible describes has infinitely been Deity and therefore there has never been a time when he could die. If God can die he is not God. Paul’s point is that it is impossible for God to die. In fact, this brings us to Moses’ statement that God is from everlasting to everlasting (Psalms 90:2). Moses is saying that God has been Deity from everlasting to everlasting which means there has never been a time in the past, the present, nor will there be in the future when God has not been fully Deity. He did not begin as a human on some planet but has always been so beyond us because we are not of the same species. The Heavenly Father of LDS apologists is also said to be “from everlasting to everlasting” (D&C 20:17). But the sense in which they mean it, Heavenly Father has been from everlasting to everlasting from the point at which he became a God. This is not the way the Bible uses the term.
The Heavenly Father described by the Bible is clearly way beyond us because he is truly transcendent. This is something the Heavenly Father of LDS apologists is not. Because the God described by the Bible is transcendent he alone is worthy of our worship. My friend, do you see the difference?
How Do We Worship God?
There are a number of terms which Scripture uses to translate the word worship. In English worship means worth-ship or to give worth to one who deserves. . .The main Hebrew term translated by worship means to bow down to and refers to bow our totality to God and his provisions for us. The main Greek term refers to homage. No matter what term is used, the Bible is clear that we are to worship God with all of who we are (Matthew 22:37). We give God his worth, because he is infinite, by bow doing our heart, minds, and souls to him. You see, God expects us to worship him with the totality of who we are and not just a part of us. He wants and expects to have all of who we are and refuses any worship in which we do not give our all. But how do we worship God the Infinite?
There are two areas of worship: individual and collective. Collective worship is the gathering together of a local congregation of Christians. A local congregation is a group of Christians who either live in the same city or locality or who may be dispersed beyond the city but come together on Sunday to collective worship God the Infinite. We need to understand that God the Infinite does not need our worship as if anything we could give to God would make him more “God.” (Acts 17:25) Sure, God is pleased with, desires, and commands us to worship him. But we worship God for our benefit. The purpose of coming together is to worship is to “stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:23).
Prayer And Music.
In addition, the Bible tells us to pray and study the Scriptures when we come together as a group as well (Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 4:13). God also expects our money. . .This ought to be nothing new to anyone who has studied Scripture. God has always called upon his people to give and to give generously to support the work he expects us to do. In 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Paul tells the Corinthians that he has already order other congregations to give on the first day of the week and he expects them to do the same. This command is not new. Christians had been giving for the congregational work from the very beginning (Acts 2:44-45, 4:32). I realize that some reject this passage and believe that you can gather funds by all sorts of different means on any day. There is simply no authority for such actions. Others will argue that these funds were only to help the Christians mentioned in verse two. This conclusion is due to misunderstanding all the Scriptures have to say on this subject. The fact is, this passage is authority for the Lord’s communities in the 21st Century to command God’s people to give of their means to the local congregation. Others argue that Christians are to tithe. Tithing was commanded under the Law of Moses and we do not live under that law. Our giving today is more a free-will contribution which is based on the Lord’s sacrifice for us (2 Corinthians 8:9) and a cheerful, thankful heart for all Jesus has done for us (2 Corinthians 8:3). The heart of what we give is determined by and will determine just how much we have truly given ourselves to Jesus (2 Corinthians 8:5).
God also expects us to worship him through music. The type of music God expects under the New Covenant is accapella. It is true that Israel used instruments in their worship but they did so because they were commanded to do so (2 Chronicles 29:25). It is true that Jesus also used instruments in his worship because he lived and died under the Law (Galatians 4:4). The only reference to mechanical instruments in the New Testament is in Revelation 14:2. But this reference is about what will happen in heaven not what is to be done on earth. But there is an instrument which Christians are to use to musically worship God. It is the heart (Ephesians 5:19). It is the only instrument which God will accept in our worship. So, faithful Christians do not use mechanical instruments in their worship but the heart!
Individual Worship of God.
Individual worship is the homage a Christian gives to God throughout the week. This form of worship is described in Romans 12:1-2. Paul says; . . "Brothers and sisters, because of God’s compassion toward us, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect."
Individual worship is not conforming ourselves to the evils of this world but instead, by transforming ourselves by renewing our minds. What Paul is commanding us is that we are not to pour ourselves in the molding of the evil of this world. The apostle John calls this the lust of the eye, flesh, and pride (1 John 2:15-17). Instead, we are to change. The Greek word for change comes from metamorphosis. It is the word which is used to describe the changing of a caterpillar into a butterfly. In other words, our worship to God is changing ourselves from the old man to the new man (Colossians 2:9-10). This transformation can only take place when we are willing to take God’s word and put it into practice. God’s word is not about merely transmission of information but the transformation of lives through the use of that information.