For we Christians are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God, and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence on what we are in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances. (Philippians 3:3 AMP)
As Jesus traveled through Samaria, while waiting on his disciples to return with food, a Samaritan woman approached the well where Jesus rested. During their conversation the woman said “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus replied, “But the hour is coming, and is now here , when the true worshipers will worship the Father is spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship him.” (John 4:19-24 ESV) Jesus introduced a new concept to this Samaritan woman: worship was no longer to be centralized in a physical location, but worship would be a matter of the heart.
The word “spirit” that Jesus used in this instance is the Greek word pneuma. Pneuma is defined as a current of air, breath or a breeze. It is used to describe man’s spirit, God’s spirit and even demon spirits. The fact that it is not capitalized in John 4:23 most likely indicates that the translators felt Jesus was referring to the human spirit because he uses no definite article. In most cases the translators used a capital “S” when speaking of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was ushering in a new day of kingdom worship for those who believe in him. This worship would not be merely external but internal; in the spirit of man. James Montgomery Boice wrote, [Jesus] is teaching that in the age he was inaugurating by his death and resurrection the place would not matter, for a man or woman would not worship merely by being in the right place and doing certain things. He would worship in his spirit, which could be anywhere.”
True worship takes place when God’s spirit in God connects with God’s spirit in man. This can take place at any time, in any place. No worship band, choir or preacher needed; which in no way diminishes their importance in God’s plan to grow his church. However, it isn’t good music, outward expressions or dynamic preaching that constitutes worship. The music, be it contemporary or traditional, can be emotional and moving but never connect man’s heart with the heart of God. In the same way, bad music and bad preaching cannot necessarily stifle worship if man truly has a heart set on fellowship with God. Boice writes, “True worship occurs only when that part of man, his spirit, which is akin to the divine nature (for God is spirit) actually meets with God and finds itself praising him for his love, wisdom, beauty, truth, holiness, compassion, mercy, grace, power and all his other attributes.”
Richard D. Phillips makes three observations about worship in spirit: The first is that worship in spirit must be sincere and God-directed. I fear that much of the worship in churches today, though it has the appearance of being sincere and God-directed, is not much more than lip service. This was God’s indictment toward Israel. Speaking through Isaiah the prophet God said, . . . this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men. . . . (Isaiah 29:13 ESV) This same sentiment Jesus carried over in his rebuke of the religious leaders of his day (Mark 7:6). We fail to worship in spirit when we are more concerned about what we think worship should look like as opposed to what God says it really is. We should ask ourselves if our worship is us or for God.
The second observation is that worship in spirit must be sincerely offered in praise and thanksgiving to God. This observation seems to take worship in spirit outside the walls of the sanctuary on Sunday morning into our everyday lives. It’s one thing to lift our praise and thanksgiving to God in the company of other believers when the music is playing or the word is ministered, but what about when we punch the time clock Monday morning or clean the first dirty diaper of the day? Or, we get that “not so good news” from the doctor. There seems to be a sincerity about praise and thanksgiving when it is offered in the midst of the mundane and during times of suffering or persecution. Worship in spirit also happens when we do all things in obedience to God’s word and for his glory (Colossians 3:17).
Phillips’ third observation is that worship in spirit is necessary because only it accords with God’s spiritual nature. Puritan preacher Thomas Manton wrote, “When our worship suits with the nature of God it is spiritual and holy, not pompous and theatrical.” “God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth,” Jesus said. Worshiping God in spirit is a requirement (a must) to be a true God worshiper. There are no alternatives. And since God’s nature is spirit, only those who have a spiritual nature can truly worship him. Only those who have been born again by the Spirit can offer spiritual worship.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian believers that, as is translated in the Amplified Bible, believers in Christ worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God. Paul is establishing that true worshipers are those who have been circumcised in heart by the Spirit of God. They stand in contrast to those whose worship is based on physical circumcision and the works of the flesh. Good works alone do not constitute worship in spirit. A true worshiper must have an ongoing relationship with the Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that causes a person to be born again (John 3:5-8). It is the Holy Spirit that resides within a person once the new birth takes place (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Paul wrote that it is by the aid of the Holy Spirit that we have access to God (Ephesians 2:18). And it is by the Spirit that we are being built for a habitation of God (Ephesians 2:22).
“Worship becomes authentic when the worshiper has a passion to become like Jesus.”
One work wrought by the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is sanctification; the conforming of the character of Christ in a believer’s life. For a person to truly worship in spirit, they must allow the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, to do a sanctifying work in their heart. They must also actively pursue the spirit of God, which is holiness. The worshiper must not grieve the Holy Spirit by allowing the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) to hinder the growth of the Spirit’s fruit in their life (Galatians 5:22-25).
Worship becomes authentic when the worshiper has a passion to become like Jesus. Where there is no passion for Jesus there is no worship in spirit or by the Spirit. Where there is no passion for Christ and the pursuit of his character, outward expressions of worship can become merely emotional experiences. God does not accept worship that comes from the lips of those who have no desire to be conformed into the image of his Son. In his book Whatever Happened to Worship, A.W. Tozer wrote, “The very last thing God desires is to have shallow-minded and worldly Christians bragging on him.”
Paul wrote to the Ephesian church that they should address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. (Ephesians 5:19 ESV) To the Colossians he wrote, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16 ESV) There are many thoughts on what exactly the term “spiritual songs” means. At least one thing seems clear: Since God is spirit only spiritual songs are acceptable to sing to him. And only a life that has been and continues to be transformed by the Holy Spirit can offer spiritual worship to a spiritual God.