Spirit and Truth

It is a great temptation to look at the externals of Christianity. The number of members in a church, the political influence, the obedience to certain moral and ethical codes, the funds available for programs, etc.

But that is not the heart of Christianity. The heart of Christianity is the heart of a person, and the person is God. If the advantages of this world can convert people to genuine repentance from sin, then Jesus Christ would not need to die on the cross nor need He face the humiliation and shame of a criminal's death. More than that, God will ensure that Christians and churches would have worldly wealth and power beyond measure, if such can convert even a single person unto salvation.

But God hides His wealth and His power. So that men's heart would be revealed. He seeks worshippers who would worship in spirit and in truth. Not just external worship. Not just religious worship. Not just emotional worship.

Worship in spirit is to worship God in His essence. That is to worship Him as a Person. He is a Person. The "I am". The Ultimate Personality. He wants us to appreciate Him as a Person. Not only as Almighty, or omnipotent, or omniscience although He is all of this and more. Therefore we find that God made man in His Own image. Only a spirit can appreciate the Spirit. Only when we know love can we appreciate that God is love. Only when we know holiness can be appreciate God is Holy.

Worship in truth is to worship God in genuineness and reality (not a lie). An example of lie worship is the personality cults that some of the tyrants of this world promote. They make up stories of the heroics and wisdom of these worldly rulers but we know that they are all liars. They give themselves titles, attributes which they actually do not have.

Not so with God. The Son of God really did come down to earth as Jesus Christ. He really love us enough to do that. He really love us enough to let people crucify Him. And God (the Father) really love us enough to join us into His Son, so that in His Son we will have a new life.

And the most important thing is that this is not a fairy tale. It really is true. When we know this truth, this fact, we can worship Him in truth. This is eternal life.

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3