“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). Worship is a precious privilege for God’s child, and God’s children come together to worship Him!
The mighty Messiah speaks to a woman of Samaria in John 4. The woman was interested in the place of worship. The Jews worshipped only in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:5-11). The Samaritans worshipped “on this mountain”(John 4:20), i.e., Mount Gerizim. A tremendous change in worship is about to take place. The Son of God declares, “the hour is coming and now is.” Soon there would be a transition from the Old Law of Moses to the New Testament of Jesus Christ! The place would not be any designated building or structure. Wherever “true worshipers…worship the Father” results in true worship. True worshipers will worship only God the Father. We know there is true worship. Also, there is vain worship (Matthew 15:9; II John 9-11), and ignorant worship (Acts 17:23-31).
True worship is rendered to “the Father in spirit and truth.” The majority of worship in the religious world today is not offered in (1) spirit, or in (2) truth. In order for worship to be acceptable we must have the correct Object: God, the Father, and Creator (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 20:9-11). We must have the correct Attitude: in spirit, i.e., sincerely, the soul of man worships the Creator. Finally, we must have the correct Way: in Truth, i.e., in accordance with the Word of God (John 17:17; Colossians 3:17). When we worship God as a “true” worshiper this will exclude human traditions, innovations, and the commandments of men! True worship is centered on God and not on man.
God still seeks true worshipers and those “who worship Him MUST worship in spirit and truth” (emphasis mine – jw). The true worshiper of God will worship Him from the very essence of his being. (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7-ff; and Isaiah 45:18).
Let us worship God on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). We are to Sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), we are to Pray (Philippians 4:6), we are to partake of the Lord’s Supper (I Corinthians 11:20-ff), we are to give as prospered (16:1-2), and there will be the Teaching of His Word (Acts 2:42; 28:31). Let us worship God both in SPIRIT and in TRUTH!
Jess Whitlock