Sorry for the delay. I am back with my two cents on the meaning of what Jesus said regarding "true worshippers, worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth".
I have read your posts and although each one of you have touched upon some very interesting points, it would seem that there is at least one point that has not been touched upon.
In regards to my question on the meaning of what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at the well regarding worshipping God in "Spirit" and in "Truth".
Jesus said to the woman,
21. "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23. 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.
24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth".
Gospel of Saint John 4:21-24
Notice that Jesus said "spirit" and "truth". Notice the separator between these two words, "and". Two separate words. Not "spirit in truth", nor "truth in spirit".
If one recalls, Jesus never turned anyone away nor refused to go where others would not go.
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Galatians 5:13-15.
5:13. For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.
5:14. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
5:15. If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
Galatians 5:16-21
5:16. Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.
5:17. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want.
5:18. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law.
5:19. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness,
5:20. idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions,
5:21. envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:22-26.
5:22. By contrast, the "fruit" of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
5:23. gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
5:24. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
5:25. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
5:26. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.
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The great spirit, the creator of all life,
(our father in heaven), gave only one commandment
to all of mankind.
"Listen to me! Be 'OBEDIENT' to me in everything
you think, everything you say, and in everything
you do!"
"Keep me FIRST and FOREMOST in everything you
think, everything you say, and in everything you
do!"
This is the first and greatest commandment.
"LOVE one another the same way I LOVE you! Do GOOD
to one another the same way I do GOOD to you!"
("LOVE" one another with the exact same "LOVE" that God has for you!)
("TREAT" one another the exact same way God "TREATS" you!)
This is the second commandment which is like the first commandment.
To do anything more than this, is to create a
religion.
Therefore:
"Speak the TRUTH in LOVE, (pure love, that which
comes from above), and share that LOVE in that same
TRUTH, and DEEP WITHIN you will find that PEACE which
comes from the ETERNAL ABOVE,and NO ONE, (man, woman,
or child) shall ever steal that from you!...ONLY YOU!"
"When you do this, you truly DO keep me FIRST and
FOREMOST in everything you think, say, and do!"
You can find more on this at:
http://www.brothersky.net/index1a.htm
You can also find more regarding this subject at:
http://www.brothersky.net
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Matthew 4:24. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth".
"Love" is that "Spirit", and "Truth" is the "action" of that "Love" towards another. Remember, God's Spirit dwells in everyone who has ever been
born, is being born, or will be born. So what one does to another, they do to themselves and what they do to themselves they have done to God.
When one sees another or talks with another they are in reality seeing or talking to God.
To put this into a nut shell, what is being said here is that when one walks in the Spirit, it is "impossible" to sin.
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Here are just a few references relating to the subject of, "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth".
Matthew 22:34-38....the great commandment.
Matthew 22:39-40....the second one like it
Matthew 7:12.....upon these hang all the law and the commandments.
Matthew 25:31-46
Love one another with the exact same Love that God Loves you....Treat one another in the exact same manner that God Treats you......God's spirit dwells in all.....all are Gods children......but not all of God's children are obedient to God's will.....they choose their own will......selfish nature......which inherently creates a sinful nature.....that of the flesh.....that "Man of Sin" which dwells within all humans.
