By Pastor Greg
The great aviator Charles Lindbergh one wrote, “In my youth, science was more important to me than either man or God. I worshipped science. Its advance had surpassed man’s wildest dreams. It took many years for me to discover that science, with all its brilliance, lights only a middle chapter of creation. I saw the aircraft I love destroying the civilization I expected it to save. Now I understand that spiritual truth is more essential to a nation than the mortar in its cities’ walls. For when the actions of a people are undergirded by spiritual truths, there is safety. When spiritual truths are rejected, it is only a matter of time before civilization will collapse. We must understand spiritual truths and apply them to our modern life. We must draw strength from the almost forgotten virtues of simplicity, humility, contemplation and prayer. It requires a dedication beyond science, beyond self, but the rewards are great and it is our only hope.” And here I thought Obiwan Kenobi was our only hope.
There are a lot of things the Holy Spirit does for us in this life. His presence in our lives marks us as saved. He helps us to know God, to know God’s love, and to know truth. He gifts us for ministry. And, as Charles Lindbergh observed, He helps us make sense out of life. But there is one more thing the Spirit helps us do; and that is to truly worship God.
As Jesus is speaking with a Samaritan woman one day, she asks Him how to properly worship God. Jesus says, “Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 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. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:21-24).
Those who seek to truly worship God will worship Him in Spirit and Truth, not spirit or truth. But why must it be both? Why must the Spirit and why must the Truth be married in order to truly worship the Father? It’s because the Spirit does not speak on His own initiative, and without the Spirit we are not able to discern Truth. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” (John 16:13-14).
This is an important lesson for us because it means that there is no teaching from the Spirit, only revelation. The Spirit reveals (or discloses) what God the Father and what God the Son have already spoken. So the Spirit will not reveal or teach anything that contradicts the teachings of the Father or the Son. The Spirit will not guide you or tell you to do something that is contrary to what Jesus has already taught.
Consider what Jesus taught His disciples. He said that “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6). Guided by the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Peter echoes those words. “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). Peter doesn’t change the message to suit his audience, but instead reaffirms what Christ has already proclaimed. Even Jesus did not come along changing the words of the Father. “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.” (Matthew 5:17).
Even though this lesson is vitally important, it seems to be a lesson fading away within the Church. A trend exists among some Christians to divorce themselves from Truth, and merely try and worship in Spirit. When Truth is divorced from worship, it’s easy for a person to feel good about themself. But when Truth is ignored, a person can choose to believe whatever they want, as long as they feel happy. Unfortunately God is interested in holiness, not happiness. And a worship devoid of truth is a worship devoid of holiness.
Of course the opposite is just as bad. It’s just as damaging to remove the Spirit from worship as well; for to divorce ourselves from the Spirit is to remove the ability to discern truth. And without the Spirit, truth can be twisted and corrupted to mean whatever a person wants. And once again, worship can become whatever a person wants.
Consider what was happening between the Jewish believers in Jerusalem and the Gentile believers in Antioch (Read Acts 15:1-11). Mind you, those who would impose customs and traditions were also believers. But they could not conceive a worship apart from their traditions and customs. Not guided by the Spirit, a few of these men tried to impose their view of truth on the Gentile believers. But, once the Spirit was involved in discerning Truth, the answer seemed clear. “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:” (Acts 15:28).
I see this same thing happening today; where traditions and customs have been elevated above the Truth. Recently I had a conversation with a man who felt salvation for women was gained only when they wore a head-covering; a clear indication that the Spirit had been divorced from the Truth. As revealed in scripture, Salvation comes through faith, not in following a prescribed list of rules, traditions, and customs. But without the Spirit, that truth remains hidden.
If there is one essential belief for all Christians to understand it would be that God is in harmony with Himself, no matter how He chooses to reveal Himself. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit do not work independently of One another; they do not exist in contradiction. God the Son will not teach us to reject the teachings of God the Father. And God the Spirit will not direct us to live in ways that contradict the teachings of both the Father and the Son.
To Thee, great three in One, belongs all our worship, adoration, praise, and obedience. And to truly know how to worship You, we must begin by worshiping in Spirit and in Truth.
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