In John 4:23, what did Jesus mean when he said to the Samaritan woman:
"But the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way."
Exactly what does it mean to worship God in Spirit and in truth and what does it mean to be a true worshipper of God? What does a true worshipper look like? This is one of those passages where the meaning completely escapes my understanding and I need a little clarification. Thanks.
2007-02-17 11:03:23 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
To worship is to show honor, esteem, praise, respect, and reverence.
To worship in spirit is to worship in a way that has meaning. You are not just going through the actions, but your are thinking about the meaning of your actions and the purpose, and your mind is centered on the one who is being worshiped. You are sincere.
To worship according to truth, you are worshiping according instructions of truth. This involves placing God's will above ones own. This involves doing what God said to do, in the way he said to do it!
Both worshiping in spirit and worshiping in truth are required for worship to be acceptable to God.
In Romans 10:1-3 there were some who had a "zeal for God". They were worshiping in spirit, but they were not worshiping in truth. They had a lack of knowledge. Even though they had a lot of spirit, it was Paul's desire "that they might be saved". They were lost.
In Revelation 3:16, the church was "lukewarm". There is no condemnation that they were practicing any error (as some of the other churches were rebuked for), but their problem was they did not have zeal. They were not worshiping in spirit, and this repulsed God.
We should worship in both spirit and truth!
Joshua 24:14 says it in this way, "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth".
2007-02-17 12:27:56 · answer #1 · answered by JoeBama 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Indeed there are already many good answers here, but I wish to add more of a side note.
If you read from the beginning of the account the Samaritan (considered by Jews as unclean) was not pleased to be speaking with Jesus and surprised he was willing to speak with her. As the story progresses and Jesus ends up offering this "unclean" woman the free gift of life.
Even her adulterous lifestyle does not stop Jesus. So she attacks the belief of where one should worship. Jesus lets her know that the day has arrived when location of worship is secondary to worship. But, the worshiper must be sincere and understanding of what they are doing.
Therefore a true worshiper looks like anyone who knows the truth and worships God as that truth. Location and past are secondary. Jesus then lets her know that he is the Messiah and another sinful child is forgiven and enters the kingdom.
It almost brings me to tears when I read this account. Legalism is dead in Christ, location is secondary, background is mute and motive makes the difference. I hope I helped and did not confuse you, but if you need more clarification email me and I will try again from the beginning.
2007-02-17 11:26:02 · answer #2 · answered by crimthann69 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christians Worship With Spirit and Truth
“God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”—JOHN 4:24.
JEHOVAH’S only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, left no doubt about worship that pleases his heavenly Father. While giving a heartwarming witness to a Samaritan woman at a well near the city of Sychar, Jesus said: “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation originates with the Jews. Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for suchlike ones to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.” (John 4:22-24) How are we to understand those words?
2 The Samaritans had false religious views. They accepted as inspired only the first five books of the Holy Scriptures—and these just in their own recension, called the Samaritan Pentateuch. Whereas the Samaritans did not really know God, the Jews had been entrusted with Scriptural knowledge. (Romans 3:1, 2) It was possible for faithful Jews and others to enjoy Jehovah’s favor. But what would this require of them?
3 To please Jehovah, what did Jews, Samaritans, and others of the past have to do? They had to worship him “with spirit and truth.” So must we. Although service to God must be spirited, or zealous, and motivated by a heart filled with love and faith, worshiping God with spirit especially requires that we have his holy spirit resting upon us and allow ourselves to be guided by it. Through study and application of God’s Word, our spirit, or mental disposition, must be attuned to his. (1 Corinthians 2:8-12) For our worship to be acceptable to Jehovah, it must also be rendered to him with truth. It must conform to what God’s Word, the Bible, reveals about him and his purposes.
2007-02-17 11:08:29 · answer #3 · answered by gary d 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The words of Jesus clearly showed that true worship would not depend upon the presence or use of visible things and geographic locations. Instead of relying on sight or touch, the true worshiper exercises faith and, regardless of the place or things about him, maintains a worshipful attitude. Thus he worships, not with the aid of something that he can see or touch, but with spirit. Since he has the truth as revealed by God, his worship is in agreement with the truth. Having become acquainted with God through the Bible and evidence of the operation of God’s spirit in his life, the person who worships with spirit and truth definitely ‘knows what he is worshiping.’
2007-02-17 11:17:20 · answer #4 · answered by BJ 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ahh, The Samaritan Woman is a great story in the Bible! To worship in spirit and in truth means to worship God (praying, singing, etc.) in a true way. Don't pretend to be a Christian just to be "cool" or to impress someone. Pray to impress God, really spend your time in truth and with good spirit. God really knows who you are...like he did with the Samaritan Woman! Good Luck!
2007-02-17 11:09:20 · answer #5 · answered by ashkb93 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
John 3:3 says, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus was confused because he wasn't referring to the Bible. God promised Adam and Eve that the day they ate that fruit from that forbidden tree, that they would die. Adam's body lives another 900+ years. What died? His spirit! We see this in the shift from "walking in the cool of the evening" with Him in chapter 3 to offering sacrifices to be able to hear from Him in chapter 4. Their ability to communicate with God, their spirits, are D-E-D dead. The Messiah comes and clarifies for us that unless one's spirit is reborn, one has no capacity to hear from nor talk to God, so one can forget about pleasing Him.
Thus, to worship God, one must have a live spirit and worship Him in that live spirit (made alive by the Holy Spirit.) "And in truth" refers, of course, to "the way, the truth, and the life," Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, thru the finished work of Jesus Christ, can anyone worship the Father.
Oh, and there's your "trinity."
2007-02-17 11:12:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
True faith, and salvation comes from Scripture. No organized religion is close. There is a heavenly father YHVH. There is a divine/human Savior YAHOSHUA. The Seventh day "Saturday" is the special day for rest and worship. How does it look so far? do I need to go on? Eternal life is only available by grace received through faith. I give Him my sins, and He gives me eternal life. If I stay attached to my sins, I will end up where they will, which is the lake of fire in which sin and sinners will be destroyed!
2007-02-17 11:07:29 · answer #7 · answered by hasse_john 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For our worship to be ideal to God, it would comply with the actuality printed in the pages of the Bible and it would possibly be guided via the holy spirit. John 17:17 says: Gods word is fact. the actuality is discovered in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:sixteen,17 highlights that Gods words inspired via His Holy Spirit.
2016-10-02 07:44:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spirit is the world you contact God in and truth is bringing to remembrance the Words of God (the Bible).
You have five senses to contact the earth with or the body
1.see 1.Prophet
2.ear 2.minister or priest
3.touch 3. Apostles
4.taste 4.evanglist
5smell 5.teacher
second five are hand of God in the world.
Also you have five senses to contact spirit world---here is where you worship God
1.reason
2.Affections
3.memory
4.Imagination
5.consiousness
These are what you use to learn and remember the Bible
and any time you have a decision to make you bring this before the throne of your heart---NOT YOUR HEAD---as mankind says; Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.Matthew 9:4
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
and decisions are made in your SOUL---before the throne of GOD either by FAITH which is our 6th sense, or by unbelief which is your head or doubting or SIN and leads to Satan and his ways.
2007-02-17 11:08:28 · answer #9 · answered by sirromo4u 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well to worship God in spirit and thruth to me it means that people who worship God should worship him wiht all his/ her heart, not just from his lips and out. Worshiping God is more than just saying something you have to really feel it and have faith. A true worshiper is he or she who really loves God and puts him first in everything he/she does, and best of all gives praises his name with all his/her heart.
2007-02-17 11:22:37 · answer #10 · answered by Cinthia 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋