QUESTION:Hello pastor, what is to worship God in truth and in spirit?
Brenda
RESPONSE: We left off where we had indicated that worship is a transaction between man and his God, and the most important thing is to grasp who this God is essentially. This discussion took place within the context of Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman. During the discourse, Jesus introduced himself to the Samaritan woman as a Jew. Both Jews and Samaritans thought they worshipped the same God, but in distinct ways and from separate parts of the world (John 4:20-22).
What we have here is not religious diversity, and while the Samaritan woman would like Jesus (whom she perceives to be an extraordinary Jew at this point) to understand that both Jews and Samaritans have misunderstood the same Yahweh, Jesus insists that both Jews and Samaritans have misunderstood this Yahweh and none of them is a true worshipper. Jesus wanted to establish in this dialogue that because God is the unique and genuine object of worship, worshippers must get him right. This, therefore, leads us to another facet of sincere worship, which is:
Worshipping In Truth
‘Truth’ is another part of worship. The concept of truth was one of Jesus’ favourite themes in his speeches, and he always encouraged people to remember it. Whenever Jesus spoke, he reminded his listeners of the value of truth. Even during his trial, he remained steadfast in his belief in truth, until Pilate inquired, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). When Pilate asked Jesus what truth was, Jesus stared him in the eyes, as if he wanted Pilate to see for himself what truth was, not just be taught what truth was.
John 14:6 has the earliest biblical definition of truth. We are told that TRUTH IS A BEING and that being is God. Truth is essentially not a person, but being-ness. Truth is thus ‘What Is,’ it is ‘Reality,’ and true reality is that which was, is, and will be. Worshipping in truth, then, is ‘becoming right’ with this God who is the truth (Mathew 22:16).
As long as the wrong god is worshipped, no matter how virtuous or structured and serene the liturgy is, such worship is based on sinking sand rather than rock (Mathew 7:21-27). Truth can only be discovered in Jesus Christ and no other object or creature (Ephesians 4:21) The Greek term translated as Truth in the New Testament is ἀλήθεια (Aletheia). The semantic breadth of this word cannot be exhausted in this response, but let me provide a brief overview of the term’s use in the New Testament in three ways:
- First, as I have already demonstrated in verses like John 14:6, John 16:13, Ephesians 4:21, and Matthew 22:16, Aletheia is about essence, of what has certainty and independent validity. The truth is reality.
- The term is used in Romans 1:18 to describe the true state of affairs, especially as divinely revealed truth as opposed to myths or fabrication. In this regard, the Gospel of righteousness by grace through faith (how and from what we are saved) becomes absolute truth (2Thessolonians 2:12; Galatians 2:5, 14).
- Third, Aletheia is used to denote telling the truth as opposed to deceit or lying (Ephesians 4:25). It is simply stating facts (1Corinthians 5:8, 13:6). The truth is also contrasted with insanity. Sobriety, then, is truth (Acts 26:25). Truth, as opposed to pretence or the mere appearance of truth, is sincerity (Philippians 1:18)
Worshiping in truth, then, entails focusing our attention on God, who is the absolute reality. Truth is about getting the right God (who is God) and getting God right (his word). Truth is a being (John 14:6), and the truth is a fact that sets us free (John 14:6). (John 8:32; Mathew 22:29). To truly worship is to submit our emotions and hands to our heads. Worshipping the truth, then, is about facts rather than feelings. True worship examines rituals and liturgies. Worshipping in truth is not only good but also correct. Worshipping in truth entails true worshippers (the correct mindset), worshipping a true God (the right deity), and worshipping in truth (theology).
Worshipping in Spirit
God is Spirit (John 4:24), which means that this being we call God is beyond human verification. He is an experienced intangible being. While worshipping God in truth implies ‘knowing God in order to believe him,’ worshipping him in spirit means ‘believing him in order to know him.’ Worshipping God in Spirit reminds us as worshippers that “no one has ever seen God at any time” (John 1:18). The apostle Paul refers to him as “the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15) and “the King eternal, immortal, and invisible” (Colossians 1:16). (1Timothy 1:17).
Worshipping God in spirit entails believing God apart from natural evidence (Hebrews 11:1). God, then, is not in buildings, mountains, stones, trees, or any other idols, nor is he in geography to which we should pay reverence (Acts 7:48; 17:25). God is a reality, and thus transcends symbolism. Because God transcends nature, worshipping him in spirit means worshipping him for who he is rather than who we think he is.
A human being is made up of soul, spirit, and body (1Thessalonians 5:23), and while man worships God with his soul and body, worship in spirit occurs when man worships God with his spirit (Romans 8:16, John 4:23-24). Worship in spirit will only appeal to sincere worshippers whose spirits are tuned to the spirit-God to whom our worship is directed; worship in spirit will not make sense to all those who are limited to the carnal world. “Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged,” wrote Apostle Paul. 1 Corinthians 2:14 ASV
Finally, let me perform a quick word study on the conjunction ‘and‘ in John 4:24. The conjunction ‘and‘ appears between the phrases ‘in spirit‘ and ‘in truth.’ The Greek ‘Kai,’ which translates as ‘and,’ shows that Spirit and Truth are one and the same, and hence one cannot deal with one at the expense of the other. The word ‘kai‘ in John 4:24 refers to worship in Spirit and Truth. In other words, when you worship in spirit, you are also worshipping in truth because truth and Spirit are located in the same location (Greek preposition: ‘Ev‘ rendered as ‘in‘).
You can’t be in one and outside the other at the same time; you’re either in or out of both. That is the essence of authentic worship in spirit and truth. It is worshipping God with our hearts and our intellect (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14).
God bless you I invoke TRUTH, REASON and FAITH (2Tim 2:7)
Priest Isaiah White (+256-775 822833 for further inquiries)
Questioning to Believe, Believing to Live
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24)
iTiS Well of Worship Fellowship (John 4:24) 