“The Father seeks true worshippers who will worship in spirit and truth.”

What does it mean to worship “in spirit and truth?”  This passage is from Jesus’ conversation with the woman of Samaria at a well, and it contains the answer to both elements.

“The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” (John 4.14)  This water is his very own flesh and blood, whose source is the cross.  “The soldier pierced his side and immediately blood and water flowed out” [“The rock was split asunder”] Already for the Israelites this was prefigured during their journey in the desert when the rock was split asunder and water flowed out (Exodus 17.6).  Looking forward to the heavenly kingdom this is that same stream which “flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” (Rev 22.1)  Our Lord speaks of the same thing on the last day of the Festival of Booths when he cried out “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink…he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive.”  To make it clear that this water had its source in Christ’s passion, the Scripture adds “as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7.37-39)

“Out of the believers heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7.38)  We are the believers (though he was speaking principally of himself), Christ’s spirit is the water.  We are those believers spoken of in the psalm, ‘as they go through the bitter valley they make it a place of springs.” (Psalm 84.6)  The very next line speaks of the Spirit flowing from our hearts: “The autumn rain covers it with blessing.”

It is abundantly clear, then, in so many other places in the scriptures that to worship “in spirit” is to drink of the living water of Christ’s Spirit.  “Honey from the rock to our heart’s content.” (Psalm 81.16)  We would not be able to worship otherwise, “for we do not know how to pray as we ought but God gives us his Spirit to groan through us.”

What, then, does it mean to worship “in truth?”  It means simply that we must bring our lives into conformity with the Spirit which is given us.  “Be doers of the word and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.  Be not hearers who forget but doers who act.” (James 1.22,25)  Jesus taught us this when the woman at the well asked for “this living water.”  He asked her to call her husband, knowing she had had five husbands and the one she was currently living with was not her husband.  He answered her request for living water by enlightening her mind as to how she needed to reform her life.

See!  Ours is not a God who taunts us with the promise of Himself if only we will act properly.  He is a God of mercy and compassion, who teaches us how to live in the freedom of the children of God.  “Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away.” (John 6.37)