True worship, which is homage that pleases God, is to be in truth, as well as in spirit. Jesus said in John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” What does it mean, then, to worship in truth? First, it would be prudent to define "truth." Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" The answer to that question is revealed in the prayer of Jesus in John 17:17, "Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth." The psalmist in Psalm 119:142 wrote, "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is the truth." So when we speak of the objective truth, the truth of the Bible, we speak of God's word or His law.
Worship in spirit involves doing those acts that please God with the right attitude. It is possible for one to be physically present at a worship service and not be worshipping God because one’s attitude toward worship may not be correct. Thus, one is not worshipping God in spirit. So it is vitally important that we understand the characteristics of worship that is truly in spirit.
Worship in spirit must be with understanding. Paul taught this is 1 Corinthians 14:15: "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." To worship with understanding, we must be able to comprehend what is said and done. We must appreciate the significance of each act of worship and think about what we are doing as we worship. For instance, we cannot be talking, daydreaming or sleeping during a prayer, sermon or song and be worshipping with understanding.
The phrase “in spirit” in John 4:24 indicated a mental, conscious, thought-out effort to offer something to God. If a person is not thinking about what is being done, that is, is NOT intending to make this offer to God, then it is not in spirit and it is not worship.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:11 urges us to be "fervent in spirit." This means we are to have an attitude of zeal. To worship God in spirit is to do so with the right attitude or from the heart. In the Bible the heart is our mind and includes our intellect, our volition, our conscience and our emotions. One's whole heart must be engaged in worship for it to be acceptable to God. In other words, one’s entire being. This is why Jesus said in Mark 12:30 that the greatest of all commandments was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” As the psalmist sweetly sang, "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation" (Psalms 111:1). It is my hope and prayer that we do no less ourselves.
May God bless you!
Worship in spirit involves doing those acts that please God with the right attitude. It is possible for one to be physically present at a worship service and not be worshipping God because one’s attitude toward worship may not be correct. Thus, one is not worshipping God in spirit. So it is vitally important that we understand the characteristics of worship that is truly in spirit.
Worship in spirit must be with understanding. Paul taught this is 1 Corinthians 14:15: "I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also." To worship with understanding, we must be able to comprehend what is said and done. We must appreciate the significance of each act of worship and think about what we are doing as we worship. For instance, we cannot be talking, daydreaming or sleeping during a prayer, sermon or song and be worshipping with understanding.
The phrase “in spirit” in John 4:24 indicated a mental, conscious, thought-out effort to offer something to God. If a person is not thinking about what is being done, that is, is NOT intending to make this offer to God, then it is not in spirit and it is not worship.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:11 urges us to be "fervent in spirit." This means we are to have an attitude of zeal. To worship God in spirit is to do so with the right attitude or from the heart. In the Bible the heart is our mind and includes our intellect, our volition, our conscience and our emotions. One's whole heart must be engaged in worship for it to be acceptable to God. In other words, one’s entire being. This is why Jesus said in Mark 12:30 that the greatest of all commandments was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” As the psalmist sweetly sang, "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation" (Psalms 111:1). It is my hope and prayer that we do no less ourselves.
May God bless you!
2 comments:
Good post, David. What about worshipping God in spirit and truth outside the "worship service"? Do you believe John 4:24 just applies to when we are gathered together or to all the worship we offer God every day?
Thank you for your comment. I do not believe God makes a distinction between "formal" and "informal" worship, so anytime one is worshipping I believe one should always worship in spirit and in truth. If not, then one is offering vain worship.
However, I do not believe as some do that Romans 12:1 teaches that one worships in everything one does 24/7/365 days a year. I do not believe that is possible this side of eternity and Heaven. I see a distinction between living a life of service to God, and engaging in worship of God.
Thanks again for your post.
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