I read this earlier in the week.
Is the author right on? Is he missing something?
Let me know what you think. Give me some honest feedback in the comment section.
We must seek to truly worship God in “spirit and in truth” while realizing that has little to nothing to do with external modes of expression that we fight over (i.e. clapping, instruments, power point, old songs/new songs, order of worship, meeting at the building Sunday nights, etc.). God has been and will continue to be more concerned with the condition of our hearts than with our methods (“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”- Is 29:13; Mt 15;8, Mk 7:6).
This specific issue was addressed by Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well. One major issue (there were plenty) dividing these two people groups was the way in which Samaritans and Jews went about expressing their worship to God (mode of expression). Jesus is talking to her about receiving the living water but the woman immediately jumps into a defensive posture concerning the differences in worship styles (in this case the place where worship happens). Jesus points out that there is a time coming when God won’t have to be worship on the mountain or in the temple. He says that the modes will be rendered obsolete because true worship isn’t about a place it is about worshiping in the Spirit and worshiping the truth.
We have for years misquoted John 4:21-24 to in essence say that if you are expressing your worship in way that deviates from tradition than you are no longer worshiping “in spirit and in truth.” According to John 14:6 worshiping the truth has more to do with Jesus Christ than with following a detailed plan. We also wrongly marry this passage to 1 Cor 14:40 (everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way) to further cloud the true meaning of Jesus’ words on worship.
In all our arguments over worship very little of our energy is spent on the object of our worship, Almighty God. We instead focus on following the “letter of the law.” We therefore worship the expression (mode) more than than the object (God). 2Cor 3:6 reminds us that the “letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
For us, following the letter has killed relationship after relationship. Because of worshiping a mode over God churches won’t associate with one another. Trees are killed and ink is spilt so that we can denounce one another because a perceived rule has been broken.
This is what outsiders see.
They see us focused on shooting each other and they scratch their heads wondering what all this has to do with loving God and loving others.
–Eric Blair, Looking Back on the Worship Wars, p.84
Sounds alot like Piper. Ever read Desiring God?
Totally agree, Spirit/Truth, once you get to that level. God takes over. Base it all on the WORD, but even outside of that, let God be God, and your LIFE is JOYFUL and FULL of WORSHIP. God, indeed, is good.
BTW. Talking about worship. I couldn’t resist buying tickets to go see Shane and Shane and Bebo Norman at HOCOC on Saturday. WORSHIP WITH INSTRUMENTS IN THE SANCTUARY. IF THIS IS THE DAY OF THE RETURN OF JESUS COMING, I AM READY. I hope you come, would love to hang before if you want. 214-402-2329
When folks talk about “spirit and truth”, alot of times it’s like they mean that any physical manifestation of worship like happy clapping or raising some hands is automatically out of line because the worship has somehow passed from the “spirit” to the physical. I think this is a bit narrow minded and a little annoying. I also don’t think the “spiritual” and “physical” were ever meant to be separated like they have been. That’s kind of what Jesus’ point was to the Samaritan woman. Maybe. “Stop worrying about location because true worship is not dictated by physical place.” We seem to have taken this idea to the spectrum’s end and removed all physical aspects from it. I don’t think he was saying that their mountain was wrong or that even Jerusalem was wrong. I think he was just saying “Who cares where? Just worship.”