Worship in Spirit and Truth
by Terry Wane Benton
While it is true that worship must be in spirit (sincere and involving our hearts) and in truth (truly yielding to what God’s word says, not following the commandments of men), the text in John 4:20-24 seems to point to something more.
The discussion with the woman at the well was regarding the place of worship. The Jews were required to worship in Jerusalem, as it was the site of three significant yearly feasts, and they also made voluntary offerings throughout the year. The Samaritans had made Mt. Gerizim their place of worship. Her question pertained to the place of proper worship. Were the Jews correct? If not, were the Samaritans correct?
Jesus responded that a different place was going to be expected, and that place was “in spirit and truth.” He explained that it would not be related to either Jerusalem or “this mountain” where the woman at the well was talking to Jesus. But true worshippers would worship in spirit (the place) and truth (not using typological things like the tabernacle, temple, and animal sacrifices). The “true” would be the real, not the shadow. The animal sacrifice was the shadow or type; Jesus is the “true” or real sacrifice.
The High Priest in Jerusalem was part of the shadow or type of High Priesthood; Jesus is the “true” or real High Priest. The tabernacle and all its furnishings were the carnal types and shadows (Hebrews 9:1ff), and the “true” was in the spiritual counterparts in Christ and His church.
In John 1, John discussed “light” and then stated that Jesus is the “true Light” that enlightens us (John 1:9). Thus, there is physical light, but “true Light” refers to spiritual light from Christ that illuminates us from within.
In John 6:32, Jesus contrasted the manna in the wilderness journey with the “true bread” from heaven. In other words, there is carnal or physical bread, but it only illustrates the real or “true bread.” Likewise, when Jesus takes the topic of worship away from “this place” and Jerusalem, and says it will be “in spirit and truth,” He is saying that earthly places were only illustrations of the true “heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3). This place is “heavenly” or spiritual, not earthly, physical, and carnal.
In John 15:1f, Jesus compared a vine to the “true vine.” That means that physical vines illustrate the “true vine.” Similarly, Jesus is saying to the woman at the well that “true worshipers” would not be gathered in an earthly place, confining worship to that place. True worship can be anywhere, because in spirit locates them in the spiritual, heavenly places in Christ. They can worship in spirit from any location on the globe.
In Luke 16:11, Jesus contrasted earthly riches with the “true riches”. Those are the spiritual riches in Christ (Ephesians 1:3-11). Hebrews 8:2 contrasts the earthly tabernacle with the “true tabernacle.” The true tabernacle is spiritual, not earthly. "For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (Hebrews 9:24-25 NKJV).
So, it is evident that Jesus is speaking of “true worship” in the heavenly or spiritual tabernacle or temple. This house is spiritual (Ephesians 2:19-22; I Peter 2:5-9). In this spiritual house, we are spiritual priests offering up spiritual sacrifices. In other words, we are worshipping in spirit and truth. We don’t have to go to Jerusalem to worship. We come into Christ where we are in “heavenly places in Christ” and become part of His spiritual temple in “heavenly Jerusalem” (the true Jerusalem). See Galatians 4:25-26 and Hebrews 12, where we have come to “the mountain that can’t be touched” (Hebrews 12:18) but to “the heavenly Jerusalem” (Hebrews 12:22).
Thus, true worshippers drink the spiritual drink, the living water, and worship in a spiritual place, enlightened by the true light, and become part of worship in spirit and truth. Have you come into that heavenly zone in Christ? Are you in His spiritual house? Have you come to the mountain that cannot be touched? Have you come to the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ? Are you communing with Him in spirit and truth? God is looking for true worshippers! Has He found one in you?
