It is a wonderful thing that man, so far from God as he is by nature and practice, should now be brought, through the redemption—work of Jesus, upon the ground of thanksgiving and worship, before the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we sometimes sing—
“Once a rebel far from God,
Now made nigh through Jesus blood.”
But so it is; and so perfect too in its character that the Holy Ghost enjoins us, in the epistle to the Colossians, to give thanks unto the Father, who has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of saints in light.
The question now is not as to the place of worship. That time has passed. Jerusalem was the place where men ought to worship. God’s presence was then specially associated with an earthly temple, and an earthly order of priesthood. That made it the place where men should worship. The question now is as to the worship and worshippers being true; and it is a serious point, especially in a day like this, when so many imagine, because they have visited a so-called place of worship, they must have worshipped. It is important therefore to see what scripture says on the subject.
Strange to say, the person who introduced the subject of worship in conversation with our blessed Lord was a woman of notoriously immoral character. The conscience having been aroused by what she had heard, she, like many others, took shelter in the religious ways of her forefathers, and claimed relationship with those who had worshipped in Samaria’s mountain. “Our fathers,” said she, “worshipped in this mountain.” The truth is that man so ignores the fact of being a fallen creature in Adam, that he takes for granted that he is competent to worship God, and that it is simply a matter of opinion with him as to when, and where, and how. This is a fatal mistake. It is quite true that God did establish priesthood, ordinances, and a worldly sanctuary on earth at Jerusalem for His ancient people, and there was the place of worship; but even then the uncircumcised and unclean were forbidden. The vail too which then separated the holiest of all from the holy place was still unrent; thus showing that man, though under covenant, was at a distant from God. Since then the vail of the temple has been rent from the top to the bottom, —a sacrifice of everlasting efficacy having been offered and taken away sin. Jesus too has entered into heaven itself with His own blood as our great High Priest, so that by faith we can now enter into God’s own presence in the heavenlies and worship.
We therefore get no mention in the apostolic writings of any place of worship on earth, and for this reason, because we are welcomed to the throne of grace, and enjoined to enter into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus. This is the new and living way, through the rent vail, that is the sacrifice of Jesus, spoken of by the apostle in the tenth chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews.
If this be not clearly perceived, and acted on in faith, people must retrograde to Jewish ordinances of sight and sense; and a place on earth will be reverenced, and a Jewish order of priesthood acknowledged; and thus the way of faith and the path of the Spirit will be exchanged for something to gratify the natural mind, and more or less intoxicate the senses. We walk by faith; and the moment the walk and life of faith are given up, the activities of human intellect will return to something visible and carnal as a compensation. It may not be rank ritualism at first, but in principle it will be the same.
There are two great systems of religion in the Bible —Judaism and Christianity. The former was suited to people standing in nature, and it would have educated and cultivated the natural man if he had been capable of it. But we know how entirely he failed. The other—Christianity—is spiritual; it is for faith, and sustained only by the power of the Holy Ghost, and an unseen living Head and Lord in the heavenlies.
The maintenance of the two is wholly incompatible. Christianity came in on the ground of the entire failure of Judaism. The warning voice of the Galatian and Hebrew epistles are against persons getting weary of this life of faith—real Christianity, and returning to Judaism. We are therefore not surprised at finding this tendency, though its present extent is most alarming. The great point of instruction in Hebrews is to show that Christ has fitted those who believe for God’s presence, giving them liberty to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. This is most blessed, and clears fully the ground for true worship.
The entire change in this character of worship is shown by our Lord’s emphatic remark, “Believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father... But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.” (John 4:21,2321Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. (John 4:21)
23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23).) Thus true worshippers are clearly defined. They are not associated with any place on earth. Its entirely spiritual character forbids it. But the object of worship, and the qualities of worship, are plainly set forth.
The Father being the object of worship, redemption must necessarily be the ground of worship, and those who are the children of God the worshippers. It is not merely the acknowledgment of God as Creator, or Almighty, or as Jehovah, as He was made known to the children of Israel; but it is God known and recognized as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of those who believe in His name. This knowledge is one mark of a regenerated soul. “I write unto you, little children, because you have known the Father.” (1 John 2:1313I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. (1 John 2:13).) Reconciliation to God, a purged conscience, peace with God, acceptance in the beloved, and conscious sonship, seem to be involved in the necessary qualification for intelligent worship. The reason is this: God has now revealed Himself in Christ. He has spoken by His Son as having purged our sins and obtained eternal redemption for us; as having gone into heaven by His own blood, where He ever lives to make intercession for us. Jesus, the Son of God, therefore is now known in heaven. He is the great High Priest passed into the heavens for us. He declared the Father when on earth; He is the great High Priest in heaven as the Son consecrated for evermore. In Him we know the Father. We are sure that the Father sent the Son. He said: “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” (John 16:2828I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. (John 16:28).) The counsels of the Father, and the work of the Holy Ghost, are to make us children through Christ. This is true of all believers. “Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:2626For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26).) “Ye not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:1515For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15).) Thus we see that those who believe God’s revelation of Himself in the Son of His love, and are taught of His Spirit, cannot fail to know Him as Father, and be taught to cry, Abba, Father. We see also why the Father should be the object of worship. We know that Jesus, who is of the seed of David, is God over all, blessed forever, and that the Spirit leads us to call on the name of the Lord, and to commend ourselves to Him. Nor is the eternal Godhead and personality of the Holy Ghost overlooked; but Jesus is presented to us rather as the way to the Father, and the Holy Ghost the power of worship. “Through Him [the Lord Jesus] we have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph. 2:1818For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:18).)
It is then to the Father, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, chosen us in Christ, predestinated us to the adoption of children, redeemed us by Christ, accepted us in Christ, and sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise as the earnest of our inheritance, that the Holy Ghost directs us in worship. This is surely a wealthy place—the ground of everlasting praise, of adoring gratitude, of ceaseless thanksgiving.
The qualities of true worship mentioned by our Lord are two— “in Spirit, and in truth.”
In the fourth chapter of John’s gospel the Lord is especially speaking of the gift of the Spirit, which should be, in those who received it, as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. Elsewhere he spoke of the thorough unprofitableness of the flesh; hence another power was needed to bring forth acceptable fruit to God, whether it be prayer, or worship, or service of any kind. Hence we read in Jude of “praying in the Holy Ghost,” marking the faithful in an evil day. So here it is worshipping “in spirit.” Nothing can be plainer, than because God has pronounced “the old man” to be a corrupt tree bringing forth only corrupt fruit, that He has given us another power— “the power of the Holy Ghost.” Capable of being grieved, and quenched, and resisted He most surely is; yet we are distinctly told, “that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God;” and that “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” We are therefore cast upon the Holy Ghost as the power of worship. It is also quite true as to prayer; for “we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for as with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom. 8:2626Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (Romans 8:26).)
But as scripture links the Spirit and Christ together, though speaking of them as distinct persons, so we find the Spirit and the truth also constantly presented together. Seeing this keeps souls from the fanaticism and extravagancies that some have fallen into. We know nothing of Christ but as He is revealed to us by the Spirit and through the written Word. So we know nothing of the Holy Ghost but in connection with Christ and His truth. He is the Revealer and Testifier of Christ, and guides into all truth.
Thus we are told that true worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. This leaves no door open for man’s opinions, or the workings of the imagination, but plainly teaches us that the true worshipper is subject to God’s truth, and therefore worships “in truth.” It is not simply sincerity of purpose, but presenting to the Father that which is in the spirit and energy of divine truth. This shows the need of getting God’s truth by searching His word, and meditating upon it habitually in dependence on His Spirit. Human tradition is not God’s truth. Man’s deductions from Scripture may not be God’s truth. Jesus said, “Thy word is truth.” The vital importance of these two qualities are again commended to us by their repetition in the next verse: “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Observe, too, the peremptory character of the worship here insisted on. It is “must,”—not should, or ought, but “must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” Nothing could more plainly set forth the absolute necessity of the worship in order to its being acceptable, being in the spirit and according to God’s truth. The spring of true worship is the true knowledge of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and it consists rather in telling God what He is, than what we are.
The true worshippers, then, are those who worship the Father in spirit and in truth. And oh, how blessed it is to know that the Father SEEKETH such to worship Him. What marvelous grace! It is He who says, “Come boldly to the throne of grace.” It is He who says, “Enter in with boldness [liberty] into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus.”
The important question for the reader now is, “What do you know of this spiritual worship? Do you take your place before the Father as a true worshipper, knowing that He is seeking such to worship Him? Do you rejoice in being a child of God, and an accepted worshipper? if not, where are you?”