I'm sure you've heard many times over that our worship of the Heavenly FATHER must be in Spirit and in Truth. In a recent study, I wondered just exactly what that worship would be? John 4:23 is where YAHshua relates this worship to the Samaritan woman at the well. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the True Worshippers shall worship the FATHER in Spirit and in truth, for the FATHER also does seek such to worship HIM."

The Greek word here for "Spirit" is "Pneuma" and means wind, breath, life, mind, which also corresponds to the Hebrew word for Spirit, "ruach." YAHshua went on to tell the Samaritan woman, in the next verse, "Elohim is spirit, and those who worship HIM need to worship HIM in Spirit and Truth."

Both New Testament and Old Testament Scriptures show that "Spirit" as used in John 4:23-24 mean the mind; specifically the mind of YAHWEH and YAHshua.

Philippians 2:1-3, "If, then, there is any encouragement in Messiah, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of Spirit, if any affection and compassions, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same love, one in being and of purpose, doing none at all through selfishness of self conceit, but in humility considering others better than yourselves."

Isaiah 30:1, "Woe to the stubborn children, declares YAHWEH, to make counsel but not from ME, and to devise plans, but not of MY Spirit, in order to add sin to sin".

Many times Spirit refers to one's own mind or will:

1 John 4:1-2 "Beloved ones, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of Elohim, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of Elohim: Every Spirit that confesses that YAHshua Messiah has come in the flesh is of Elohim."

Ezekiel 13:3 "Thus saith the Master YAHWEH, 'woe to the foolish prophets, who are following their own spirit, without having had a vision'."

The Greek word for "truth" as used in John 4:23-24 is "alethia" which is defined simply as "truth." The Hebrew word for "truth" is "ehmeth" and means about the same thing as in Greek. However, Scripute reveals the "truth" has a much deeper meaning.

John 3:21, "But the one doing the truth comes to the light, so that his works are clearly seen, that they have been wrought in Elohim."

Romans 2:5-8, "But according to your hardness and your unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the Day of Wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of Elohim, who shall render to each one according to his works: everlasting life to those who by persistence in good work seek for esteem, and respect, and incorruptibility; but wrath and displeasure to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness."

Psalm 119:142 "Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your torah is Truth."

With Spirit and truth defined for us, let's look at our worship of YAHWEH as compared to the worship of YAHWEH commanded to the children of Israel through Moses.

Acts 2:38 "And Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let each one of you be immersed in the Name of YAHshua Messiah for the forgiveness of sin, and you shall receive the gift of the Set-Apart spirit."

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 "For I do not wish you to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed, and the Rock was Messiah."

To worship YAHWEH in Spirit, we must be Spirit beings too and this is done by being immersed in YAHshua's Name.

John 14:6, "YAHshua said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the FATHER except through Me."

For our worship to be in truth, we must walk according to Torah.

Matthew 22:36-40 "Teacher, which is the great command in the Torah?" And YAHshua said to him, You shall love YHWH your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and great command. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commands hang all the Torah and the prophets."

Revelation 22:12-14, "And see, I am coming speedily, and My reward is with Me, to give to each according to his work. I am the Aleph and the Tau, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those doing HIS commands, so that the authority shall be theirs unto the Tree of Life, and to enter through the gates of the city."

Deuteronomy 6:6-9, "And you shall love YAHWEH your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being and with all your might. And these words which I am commanding you today shall be in your heart, and you shall impress them upon your children, and shall speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up, and shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates.

Yes, friends, YAHWEH does not change. Our worship today is the same worship commanded to the children of Israel through Moses. Hallelu YAH!

By Robert E. Kirk 

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