Apostoic worship??

[Aquila]

One of the most powerful contemplative experiences I had was with the following text:

John 4:22-24 King James Version (KJV)
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Now, typically when I read that Scripture, my mind quickly assesses the canned answer I had been taught for many decades, "God is indeed a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in the Holy Spirit and in doctrinal purity."

But that isn't what it says.

It took me silencing my mind and truly contemplating the text to walk away from it with a far different understanding. The text tells us that God is a spirit. This is an ontological statement regarding God's substance. God is spirit. Those who worship Him must worship Him in "spirit" not "Spirit". This isn't a reference to the Holy Spirit at all. It is a reference to the human spirit. And so, what it is saying is that our worship must come from the core of our being, our spirit, or inner man. Carnal worship that is based on flesh doesn't please God. For example, Esaias pointed out the carnal and fleshly nature of some of the music produced by so many Charismatic churches. The lighting, smoke machines, blah, blah, blah... it's all carnal, from the flesh. Our worship must be the result of a deep reverence and love that comes from our inner man, our spirits.

The next realization through contemplation came from the phrase, "and in truth". One sister told me that Jesus was the way, the truth, and the life, and so true worship must come to God through Jesus. While theologically correct, the conclusion is drawn by using the word "truth" to string together different verses from very different contexts. It isn't sound. For years I was taught that this meant true doctrine. But this isn't sound either. Why? Because every man who has ever given a study using this verse will claim that we must worship God in true doctrine... and then go forward to tell us his "version" of true doctrine! LOL Even on this forum, among fellow Apostolics, we see different versions of "truth" based on whoever is expounding upon something. And many will tie their pet doctrine to what "truth" must be and so unless one embraces that individual's version of the "truth", the implication is that one isn't truly worshipping God in an acceptable manner. So this interpretation is far too subjective and leaves us adrift, being tossed on the sea of one human opinion and interpretation to another.

So, what is meant by God desiring that we worship Him "in spirit and in truth"?

It simply means that we are to worship God in spirit (our spirits, from our core, from our hearts) and in... authenticity. We are not to think too highly of ourselves. We are not to come to God pretending to be something we're not, or pretending to be more righteous than we really are. The day would come when men wouldn't go to the temple and worship God with the outward pretense of righteousness, which was only a self-righteousness. Men would come to Him as they were and where they were, being honest about who they are, and worship Him for who He is... appealing to His mercy.

Consider this parable that contrasts two men in prayer...

Luke 18:9-14 King James Version (KJV)
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

One man prayed to God, his worship being predicated upon an intellectualized pretense of self-righteousness. The other man prayed to God, his worship being predicated upon a core understanding of who he truly was in God's sight, being honest with God about who and what he was. A sinner. This man's authenticity made him far more righteous than the Pharisee, even though the man was clearly a sinner filled with remorse. And so we see what it means to worship God "in spirit and in truth".

Keep in mind, when Jesus had told the woman at the well that the day was coming when men would worship God in spirit and in truth...He had just finished revealing that He knew that she was five times divorced, and that she was currently involved with a man that she wasn't married to. The implication was that one day she would be able to approach God and worship Him from the core of her being, from the core of her inner desire, her inner man... just as she is. She'd no longer have to be the outcast. And she'd no longer have to pretend to be some perfect creature in the shadows of the temple to avoid being harassed or possibly even stoned. Dare I say it, because it's corny and has been worn out... she could come "just as you are". She understood that this kind of loving intimacy and freedom from shame was to accompany the coming of the Messiah. This is why she answered saying:

John 4:24-26
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

He revealed to her that He was the Messiah, thus implying that the time to worship God in spirit and in truth was... now.

Did Jesus berate her about her having a lover?
Did Jesus condemn her and demand she fix her life before choosing to follow Him?
Did Jesus condemn her in any way?

No.

What happens next is quite interesting. What does this woman feel compelled to do?

John 4:28-30
28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

And what was the result?

John 4:39-42
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Imagine that... Jesus used a woman, who was five times divorced and currently involved with a man she wasn't even married to, to reach an entire city.

She realized that if her intensions were pure, and from the deepest recesses of her spirit, she was free to worship God as she was, in authenticity. And this set her on fire to tell others about this Jesus. This is why Jesus tested her earlier in the conversation by asking her about her "husband". Jesus just wanted to know if she'd tell the truth. Was she authentic enough to admit that she had no husband? An imperfect person who is real (or authentic), serving from the deepest recesses of their spirit, can be used far more than a person whose faith is largely predicated upon an intellectualized pretense and self-righteousness.

I got up from my contemplation on John 4:24 with a renewed understanding of God's mercy and grace. Those who worship God must worship God in their spirits and in authenticity.