Worshipping in the Spirit and in Truth
(John 4:22-24) 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.
Let us consider what the Lord Jesus Christ taught concerning what God the Father seeks in those who will worship Him. From verse 23, we note that the Lord pointed to two points in worship which God the Father seeks in the “True Worshippers”. The Lord said that the true worshipper MUST worship the Father in (1) spirit and in (2) truth.
Is it possible to worship God in spirit and in truth without any personal interaction with the Holy Spirit of God? Many religious groups teach that indeed this is how everyone should worship God. This cannot be true in light of the scriptures. Notice this key example. (John 14:15-17) If ye love me, keep my commandments. {16} And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; {17} Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. According to the scriptures, the people of God who keep His commandments are promised the presence of the Holy Spirit. So then, the absence of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit indicates disobedience. This is different from the presence of just any spirit. The Holy Spirit always acts in harmony with the written Word if God.
The truth teaches the lost that they are commanded of God to repent or they will perish (Acts 17:30 and Luke 13:1-5). The truth points out that the lost will find God by spiritual means. (Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. (Rom 10:13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. If a person reads these verses that relate to how salvation is received by those who call on God, they have read the truth. However, if they NEVER call on God, they fail to meet what the truth commands them to do. There is no interaction with the actual Spirit of God even though they have read the truth from the Word of God.
Just as the body is dead without the Spirit, so is an attempt to worship God in the truth without the Spirit. Once the truth is understood (as in salvation), those who hear are responsible to respond to the grace that God has provided for all humanity. The true worshipers must worship God in the Spirit and the truth.