Message from the Monthly Flyer from June 2010

Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth

John 4,20 "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 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. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
The woman saith unto him," I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things." Jesus saith unto her, "I that speak unto thee am he."

Here we read about the conversation that took place about 2000 years ago between Jesus, the Word of God who became flesh, and the woman from Samaria. During this time, many Jews made a pilgrimage to the temple at Jerusalem, in order to worship God there, as according to the commandment of the law of Moses; which God had given to the Jewish people through him. The Samaritans, however, were the descendants of the Jews, who God had sent to Assyria in captivity. Many of the Jews married heathen women there. As a result, they were considered unclean as according to the law of Moses. The majority of the Jews from Samaria made pilgrimages to the mountain Gerizim and sacrificed to God there.

Therefore, this woman also said to Jesus, that her fathers worshipped on this mountain. Both of the Jewish sides had their own thoughts about how they should worship God. The Jews who came to Jerusalem to worship there, followed the law. The others, the Samaritans, only followed a tradition which began under Jerobeam, the king of Israel; because he was afraid that the people of his northern kingdom would fall away from him, if they moved to Jerusalem. Therefore, he chose a place in Samaria for "his people", although, as according to the law of Moses, it was forbidden for the Jews to sacrifice at another place outside of the camp (at that time this happened to be the tabernacle, thereafter, the temple). At the time of Jesus, this temple in Jerusalem was one of the most visited places of the Jews, as well as of the Gentiles; the purpose being to honour the one true God with sacrifices and gifts there.

We can gather from the conversation of the Lord Jesus with the woman, that there would be a time coming when the true worshippers of God would no longer have to make pilgrimages to some place in order to worship Him. That was new to her. Then Jesus described how it would be - that the living One God, who is Spirit, will seek for true worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth!

At this point, Jesus comes to the heart of the matter: "There will be a time when the pilgrimages of the believers to certain places will cease." The Catholic church shows her followers where they should go to "experience miracles and to worship". They travel to Rome, Lourdes etc. They do not live as according to the Bible, just like the Moslems do not either, who make pilgrimages to Mecca, Medina or Jerusalem. They seek forgiveness for their sins, and hope that they might please God and be saved. This way they will never find salvation! For the almighty God, the God of Abraham and the prophets, chose the body, which HE had prepared for Himself in Mary, JESUS, to be the sacrifice for sin, for all the people who would want to come to Him. A person no longer receives the forgiveness of sins by going on pilgrimages and offering sacrifices, but by true repentance to God, and through washing his sins away in waterbaptism in Jesus' name. Then you can expect and experience the infilling of His Holy Spirit. As a consequence of all this and only through His NAME will your sins be forgiven, and by His Holy Spirit you will be able to worship HIM in spirit and in truth, without having to make pilgrimages to some particular place! For God sees everything, wherever you may be. He is not an idol. He is seeking and searching and He does not show honour to hypocrites. Our righteousness is not good enough, we need His! Jesus died on the cross, but on the third day He rose from the dead. Judas hanged himself even before Jesus was crucified, he knew that he had betrayed the righteous One and the WORD.

Afterwards, Jesus told his disciples how they and the true worshippers who seek God could receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life in His presence. They passed the word on. We know what has to be done!

Who and what is stopping you from following Jesus Christ, that you might receive eternal life? rw