Worship in Spirit & Truth

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Introduction

When the Samaritan woman asks Jesus whether Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem is the right place to worship God, he replies:

Woman, believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:21–24).

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Liturgy: Work of the People

Proper worship (Greek: latreia, G2999) is always liturgical—that is, a public "work of the people" (G3009, leitourgia). This word appears six times in the New Testament, especially in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God (2 Cor. 9:11–12).

To "worship in the Spirit and in truth" means not only publicly confessing Jesus as Messiah but also actively serving and ministering for him. Jesus emphasizes this when he says, "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven" (Matt. 10:32–33). The author of Hebrews writes:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:23–25).

There is no such thing as faith known only to God, nor is worship meant to be hidden in one's mind. Just as our family, marital, or business relationships are public, so too must our faith in God be public. Liturgy is a public service of worship that welcomes everyone who comes. Worship is a positive act, not a duty. To "worship in the Spirit and in truth" is to understand that God is not limited to the Law of Moses or to mere religious observance. True worship is both sacramental and prayerful, recognizing that God's ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isa. 55:8–9). The Father reveals his ways in the divine sacraments (Greek: mustēria, G3466, "mysteries") of baptism and communion, and he shows his thoughts in the public reading and teaching of Scripture (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 3:16–17).

For this reason, worship must be liturgical, allowing God to reveal himself through his will in an ordered public ministry of Scripture and sacrament. Paul says:

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. . . . But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Cor. 14:26, 40).

Here, "orderly" refers to structured worship that focuses on glorifying God alone. The well-known Common Doxology by English hymnist Thomas Ken (1637–1711) conveys this order: "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

Rachel Coyne

Lights, Camera, Distraction!

Worship often divides Christians. From the 1970s through the early 2000s, some church leaders replaced hymnals they considered "traditional," calling hymns boring or outdated and introducing music drawn from secular styles. This shift sometimes turned worship into an event focused on personal feelings and audience reaction rather than on God's glory. Many people now say they only "get something out of it" when the service feels contemporary. Not every modern praise song is unholy, but believers must sing any style with hearts set on worshiping God alone, not on stirring emotions for their own sake.

English preacher Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892) warned, "A time will come when, instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats" (cf. Matt. 25:32–33). Critics use this image to describe celebrity pastors who turn worship services into self-help lectures, complete with cameras, smoke machines, flashing lights, trendy graphics, and mood-driven music. Sociologists and theologians call the mindset behind much of this trend moralistic therapeutic deism—the belief that God stays distant, religion exists mainly for personal comfort, and "being good" matters more than knowing or obeying God. In this view, God serves as a motivational idea shaped by changing feelings, not as Lord and Savior.

The first-century church worshiped with a liturgical order. The evangelist Luke describes its pattern: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42). Christian worship in the Spirit and in truth still requires these four elements:

1. Teaching that stays theologically sound and refuses dilution for mass appeal;

2. Authentic relationships among believers, shaped by learning and discipleship;

3. Communion, first celebrated as a meal shared by repentant Christians (1 Cor. 11:17–34);

4. Common prayer, ordered blessings, and petitions drawn from tradition.

Paul urges, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:16–18). We rejoice by joining the universal church in Spirit-filled, truthful common prayer, not by repeating self-centered "we just" requests. While some leaders pressure their churches to conform and chase novelty, we remember that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). Christ unites; false teachers divide (see "Narcissism & False Teachers"). True worship has not changed from the first century to the twenty-first, because the Lord and his church remain one (Eph. 4:1–16).

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Conclusion

The Greek word latreia, meaning "worship," connects to liturgy, which refers to the work of the people. Worship involves both personal devotion and public expression of faith, just as the relationships we maintain in daily life do. The Bible urges believers to gather together to encourage one another and honor God through structured worship. As the author of Hebrews writes, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:25).

Worship encompasses essential practices, such as the sacraments and the public reading and teaching of Scripture, which guide us in understanding God's will. It should be orderly so God can work through it within the community. When we worship together, each of us brings our gifts in ways that honor God and build up the church. True worship in Spirit and truth engages our minds, hearts, and relationships with others. It is a shared act of praise and service that encourages and strengthens all believers in their faith.

Ben White

Prayer

Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of heaven and earth. You pour out your Spirit and draw us to yourself. Gather us to worship with full hearts and clear minds, having ears to hear your Word, sharing your sacraments, and lifting our prayers. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Bibliography

Dawn, Marva J. Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995.

Ross, Melanie C., and Mark A. Lamport, eds. Historical Foundations of Worship: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Perspectives. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2022.

Senn, Frank C. Introduction to Christian Liturgy. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012.

Smith, Christian, and Melinda Lundquist Denton. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Towns, Elmer, Craig Van Gelder, Charles Van Engen, Gailyn Van Rheenan, and Howard Snyder. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement: Five Views. Edited by Paul E. Engle and Gary L. McIntosh. Counterpoints. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.

Zahl, Paul, Harold Best, Joe Horness, Don Williams, Robert Webber, and Sally Morgenthaler. Six Views on Exploring the Worship Spectrum. Counterpoints. Edited by Paul A. Basden and Paul E. Engle. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004.