“An hour is
coming and now is,
when the
true worshippers shall
worship the
Father in spirit and truth;
for such
people the Father seeks to be His worshippers”
(John
4:23)
It’s a
worship from within, in Spirit, tapping into this inexplicable knowledge,
truth, a deep form of intuition that goes beyond intuition and into knowledge
of truth.
Next, Yeshua says something revealing: “God is Spirit”
(John 4:24). While this statement does
complement the traditional concept of the Trinity, it doesn’t fit into our
popular concept of God. Yeshua’s own
depiction of God as “Father” fits the way we perceive God as a much larger and
far grander version of us humans. But,
here, Yeshua clarifies that the Father uses the names Father, God, is
“spirit.” In verses 4:21-24, Yeshua uses
the names Father and God interchangeably as He who is worshipped in spirit and
truth, so Father = God = Spirit.
“God is
spirit,
and those
who worship Him
must
worship in spirit and truth”
(John
4:24)
In the full statement, Yeshua suggests we cannot worship God unless we worship “in spirit and truth.” Religion is not worship. Rituals are not worship. Adherence to doctrines is not worship. Going to church is not worship. These things can be done, and perhaps they’ll
be of some benefit, but they are not “worship.”
If we consider this full discourse, with living water “springing up to
eternal life” in the one who receives
it and worship “in spirit and truth,” then it seems “worship” is more akin to
deep prayer and meditation than most of our usual concepts of “worship.” It can take place corporately, but likely
cannot occur unless it also, and most importantly, takes place privately.
©
2014 by Karina Jacobson. All rights reserved. Please use
only with permission from the author.
