Zeal For Truth

(All scripture references taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.)

In my previous article entitled Praise and Worship: What it Isn’t and What it Is, I attempted to contrast a biblical description of praise with what is commonly called “praise and worship” music. The basic dictionary definition of the word praise is the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship. This begs the question: What is worship? Let us begin with a basic dictionary definition once again - reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred. So we can clearly see that worship begins with a condition of the heart; it cannot be done casually or in a nonchalant manner.

Worship Predicated on Humility
When we look at worship in the Old Testament we often see that it was accompanied by a bowing posture. This posture denotes a humble attitude of submission to God. Throughout the gospels, beginning with the three magi, we see that Jesus was worshipped in this same manner. Paul he assumed this posture when praying for the believers at Ephesus, saying, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:14).

Because worship is predicated on humility, it is impossible for a proud person to worship God. The act of bowing in itself does not constitute worship unless it is a heartfelt act of adoration and honor to God. It is impossible to honor God with a proud heart. Pride is of satanic origin; it was pride that motivated Lucifer to exalt himself above the Most High.

In Spirit and Truth
When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, there is an indication that he addressed cultural pride when speaking about worship. When we read the account in John 4 it is evident that there was ethnic tension between the Samaritans and the Jews. The Samaritan woman and Jesus’ disciples were taken aback by the fact that Jesus would even speak to a Samaritan (John 4:9, 27). Pay close attention to this exchange:

19The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

20″ Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people [Jews] say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

21Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.

22″ You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

23″But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

24″God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Even though the woman knew Jesus was a prophet, she immediately wanted to turn the conversation into a debate about the proper place to worship. Why did she bring this up when Jesus was clearly speaking about something else altogether – namely her sinful lifestyle? I believe this response demonstrates her proud allegiance to the Samaritan religious tradition.

Jesus told this woman that the “true worshipers” must worship the Father in spirit and truth. In other words, Jesus was nullifying the validity of the idea that God had to be worshipped only in certain places. God is a spirit whose residence is not limited to a mountain.

What does it mean to worship God in spirit and in truth? First, I believe it has to do with an emphasis on the condition of the heart in relation to the born again experience rather than rituals that were carried out under the Law of Moses. When we take into account the specific reference Jesus made to God as Father, and examine the conversation he had with the woman about living water, we see that he was speaking of the new birth. Water is a type of the Spirit. Through the new birth sons and daughters of God, the true worshipers, are born of the Spirit.

The phrase “in truth” denotes knowledge of the one being worshiped. Also, this statement about worshiping God in spirit and truth is predicated on what Jesus said in verse 22: “You worship what you do not know…” Many people “ignorantly worship” a God that is really unknown to them, as did the people at Mars’ Hill in Acts 17. This kind of worship does not please the Father because there is not sufficient knowledge present to constitute truth.

Beyond simply knowing God, worshiping in truth must involve acting in accordance with what is known. In other words, there must be no contradiction between what one knows and how he acts. We are to be doers of the word (truth), rather than hearers only. Those who receive truth through the word, and refuse to allow their actions to be in agreement with it are self-deluded (James 1:22). Basically these people are lying to themselves. This is not truth.
Continue reading ‘What is Worship?’