WORSHIP

WORSHIP

The Samaritan woman said to Jesus: “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is Jerusalem. Jesus declared, ‘Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship we we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and now has come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth’” (Jn. 4:20-24).

The Greek word translated as “worship” in our text is “proskuneo”. It comes from “pros” (towards) and “kuneo” (to kiss). Strong in his Exhaustive Concordance states that worship is “like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, i.e. (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore) – worship”. While our worship may cause us to kneel before God, worship begins in our spirit. Since God is “Spirit” we cannot physically touch Him in any way. Our contact with God is “spiritual”.

• To better understand worship let us go back to the very beginning:
• “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Gen. 1:1-2).
• Note! It was the “Spirit of God hovering over the waters”.
• God’s creation is marvelous and “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Ps. 19:1).
• While the heavens declare His “glory”, only man is created in His “image”. Out of all creation only man was created in the “image” of God. Please note: “Then God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Gen. 1:26-28).
• Remember! “GOD IS SPIRIT” AND MAN WAS CREATED IN “HIS IMAGE”. MAN ALSO HAS A SPIRIT!
• Also remember that our contact with God is through His Spirit, therefore “HIS WORSHIPERS MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH”.
• Of all the “earthly” creatures God created, only man has a “spirit”. Only man was created in the “image” of God. Therefore of all the “creatures on earth” only man can worship God.
• We have stressed “earthly” creatures because angels are not “earthly creatures”. Angels are heavenly “spirits” (Heb. 1:14) and can also “worship” God if they chose to do so (Heb. 1:6). Angels, however, are still not created in the “image” of God. One obvious difference is that God consistently pictures Himself as married to Israel and angels do not marry (Matt. 22:30).
• We will consider marriage in greater detail a little later.
• Animals have a physical body and physical life, but they do not have a “spirit”. Therefore, even though animals obey God, as does all of nature, neither animals nor nature can “worship” God.
• Man, in God’s “image”, is to “rule over” and “subdue” every other creature (Gen. 1:26-28).
• Animals are only two dimensional. They have both a “physical body” and “physical life”. Man, however, is unique in that he is three dimensional. He not only has a “physical body” and “physical life”, he also has a “spirit”. Man is obviously superior to animals (Matt. 12:12).
• When a man dies two dimensions of his life disappear. First. he ceases to breathe and secondly, his body returns to the dust of the earth. His “spirit”, however, does not die but returns to God Who gave it (Eccl. 12:7).
• Paul knew that man has three dimensions and wrote: “May God himself, the God of peace sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (1 Thess. 5:23-24).
• Note that “spirit” is mentioned first as it is the most important.
• Note also that our “spirit” never dies. Even though our bodies die they will be resurrected to life when Jesus comes again! (1 Thess. 4:15-18)
• Thus man can worship God in his “spirit” just as Jesus said he should.

MARRIAGE

Just as the book of Genesis correctly identifies the nature of man, it also correctly identifies the relationship that man has with God. God’s relationship with His people is like a marriage. We are told repeatedly that God was a husband to His people (Is. 54:5; Jer. 31:32; Ez. 16:8; etc.) Hosea’s relationship with an adulterous wife was symbolic of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. After explaining the relationship between husbands and wives, Paul explained: “This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). Please note:

• The institution of marriage is foundational to society and was given by God before civil government or the church.
• After God created man, He also created woman. When God brought the woman to the man He explained: “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh” (Gen. 1:24).
• The marriage of Adam and Eve was not an accident. It was orchestrated by God to teach us about Christ and the church.
• The relationship between Christ and the church, however, is not physical, it is spiritual.
• When our “spirit” unites with the “Spirit” of God we become “One Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:17). This creates a spiritual marriage between God and man.
• Since God is “Spirit” we worship God in our “spirit”.
• This is what it means to be “born again”!
• Life comes from seeds, and when we were born the first time our earthly father placed his physical seed in the physical womb of our earthly mother. This created our physical life.
• As Jesus explained to Nicodemus “flesh gives birth to flesh” (Jn. 3:6). Every seed reproduces after it’s own kind (Gen. 1:11). A physical seed produces physical life. So the Scriptures differentiate between the “first Adam” who was physical and the “last Adam” Who is spiritual (1 Cor. 15:45-49).
• The “first Adam” created a “physical” race and the “last Adam” creates a “spiritual” race!
• The “last Adam” is Jesus!
• If you want “spiritual life” it must come from a “spiritual seed”. Remember! “The seed is the word of God” (Lk. 8:11). “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Pet. 1:23).
• A “spirit”, like the wind, is invisible. “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with every born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3:8). While we cannot “see” the wind we can see what it does.
• Just as the unseen wind fills the sails and moves great ships, so also the Spirit of God moves those who are born again from the “works of the flesh” to the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22).
• The children of the devil behave like the devil (Jn. 8:44).
• The children of God behave like Jesus. Those who are born of God do not continue in sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Our transformation from the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit comes from the Lord “Who is the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:18).

THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• Every man has a “spirit” and is created in the “image of God”.
• Both the saved and the unsaved have a “spirit”.
• This is clear from the story Jesus told of the “rich man and Lazarus” (Lk. 16:19-31).
• Both men died.
• Both men had a spirit that continued to live.
• The spirit of Lazarus went to a place of reward.
• The spirit of the rich man went to a place of torment.
• This underscores the importance of worshiping God in spirit and in truth.
• Conversion occurs like a marriage when our “spirit” becomes one with “God’s Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:17).
• It is not by accident, therefore, that the church is the “Bride of Christ” (Jn. 3:27-30; Rev. 21:2).
• When the church began Peter commanded: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). This verse provides two commandments and two promises. One of these promises is the “gift of the Holy Spirit”.
• Paul wrote: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ (Rom. 8:9).
• When your spirit becomes one with the Holy Spirit, your body becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
• Therefore it is no longer necessary to go to Jerusalem to worship God. Since your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit you can worship God anywhere as long as it is in “spirit and truth”.

THE SPIRITUAL NATURE OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

The letter to the Hebrews points to the contrast between the physical worship of the Jews, and the spiritual worship of Christians

First is the description of Jewish worship. “You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to

them, because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” (Heb. 12:18-21).

Please note that Mt. Sinai was a physical mountain that could be touched. Their worship involved fire, darkness, gloom, and a storm. All of these physical manifestations were seen and felt by the Jewish people. They also heard the voice of God like a trumpet blast. The experience was so frightening that even Moses trembled with fear. A short while after this letter was written the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was completely destroyed so that one stone was not left upon another that was not thrown down (Matt. 24:2).

Please note the contrast. Christian worship was “spiritual” not “physical”. “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Heb. 12:18-29).

Christians do not come to a physical mountain that can be touched but to a spiritual Mt. Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem. Christian worshipers are surrounded by thousands of angels, an assembly of believers whose names are written in heaven together with the spirits of just men made perfect. Both God and Jesus are also there even though neither can be touched by human hands. The Jewish temple in Jerusalem was completely destroyed so that one stone was not left upon another that was not cast down, but this heavenly kingdom is immune from attacks by humans and cannot be shaken. Therefore we worship God in a spiritual sense with reverence and awe because we know that our God is a consuming fire.

IN THE SPIRIT

While a complete list of things done “in the Spirit” is too long to list, here are a few for you to consider:

• Circumcision of the heart is by the Spirit (Rom. 2:29).
• We serve God in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code (Rom. 7:6).
• The Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
• The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us who live according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4).
• Those who life according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Rom. 8:5).
• The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Rom. 8:6).
• Those who are the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14).
• When we don’t know how to pray the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Rom. 8:26).
• Paul depended upon the demonstration of the Spirit’s power (1 Cor. 2:4).
• The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God (1 Cor. 2:10).
• The Spirit gives spiritual gifts for our common good (1 Cor. 12:4-11).
• We can pray with the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:15).
• We can sing with the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:15).
• Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17).
• The Spirit produces in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control (Gal. 5:22).
• John was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when God revealed to him visions that are included in the book of Revelation.
• Etc. Etc. Etc.
• Again, this emphasizes the importance of worshiping God in Spirit and in truth!

WE STRUGGLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD

Paul wrote the Ephesian letter while he was a prisoner. He never considered himself a prisoner of Rome, however, but rather a prisoner of Christ Jesus (Eph. 3:1). Paul was not in jail at this time but was under house arrest in a rented house in Rome (Acts 28:30). A Roman soldier, of course, was with him 24 hours a day to make sure he did not escape. Paul never stopped preaching and teaching and considered himself an “ambassador in chains” (Eph. 6:20).

When Paul concluded the letter to the Ephesians he was probably looking at the armor worn by his guard. That’s when he encouraged the brethren to put on the whole armor of God. Please consider:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dar world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:10-12).

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Anybody who bleeds is not our enemy. Our struggle is against spiritual forces in the heavenly realms. Since our enemy is spiritual “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world” (2 Cor. 10:4). Our primary weapon is “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17).

The battle began in Eden when Satan succeeded in getting Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Satan, of course, is not eternal. He was created. Ezekiel wrote about him: “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you” (Ez. 28:15). When Satan rebelled God threw him down to the earth. From then until now the struggle continues. The struggle is against Satan and his angels and not against flesh and blood. (Is. 14:12-15 and Ez. 28:2-17 are passages with two applications. The first application is to the King of Babylon and the King of Tyre, and the second is to Satan. One way we know this is true is that Ezekiel said: “you were in Eden, the garden of God” (Ez. 28:13). This was true of Satan but not of the King of Tyre).

When your efforts for God are being opposed Satan is invariably responsible. Paul was opposed at Corinth and offered this analysis: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Cor. 11:13-15).

GOD GIVES US THE VICTORY

Jesus sent out His apostles like “sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt. 10:16). Under such circumstances victory involves staying close to the Shepherd. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). As long as we stay with god in every battle “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).

When Israel spoke against God and Moses the Lord sent venomous snakes among them and many died. Then the Lord said to Moses: “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live” (Nu. 21:8). No one was saved by his own speed and cleverness. The only way to be saved was by forgetting your own ability and focusing on that snake! Jesus said: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn. 3:14-15).

YOU CAN NEVER BE SAVED BY YOUR OWN CLEVERNESS AND GOOD WORKS! THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN BE SAVED IS BY FOCUSING ON CHRIST AND PLACING ALL YOUR HOPE AND CONFIDENCE IN HIM!

WORSHIPING GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH IS NOT WASTED TIME AND EFFORT! IT IS THE KEY TO OUR SALVATION FOR ONLY IN GOD CAN WE BE VICTORIOUS OVER SATAN.

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:50-58).

(This study was written by Boyce Mouton. No rights are reserved! You are free to use this material in whole or in part for the glorification of Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom)