Before, anyone could render a valid service to God he should first make sure that it is the true God that he will serve and worship.  Otherwise, he will be worshiping  gods that are not real or false gods.  As a worshiper of false gods, his worship and services are considered vain or useless, for it will not lead him to life but to death (Lesson-2G). Let us therefore continue our study of the scriptures so we may come to know who the "true God" is, so one can render the true worship of God that will lead us  to salvation and eternal life.

The true worshipers of God:

2H.1  Are there people who are considered as "true worshipers" by the Lord Jesus Christ?

In John 4:23, Jesus said this as He talked to the Samaritan woman near Jacob's well:

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (NKJV)

YES, there are people who are considered the "true worshipers" by the Lord Jesus.

2H.2   Who should be worshiped by the "true worshipers" according to Jesus?

In John 4:23-24, Jesus said these to the Samaritan woman:

23. "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'' (NKJV)

Jesus declared that the true worshipers will worship the Father?

How will the "true worshipers" worship the Father?

Jesus clarified that "God is Spirit", thus the "true worshipers" must worship Him in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him.

2H.3   How did the Lord Jesus Christ identify the "true worshipers of God" from those who are not?

From the same verses written above, above verse, this is also written:

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. (NKJV)

Jesus identified them as :

• The "true worshipers" are people who will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

Thus, it clearly imply,

• That those who will not worship the Father in spirit and in truth are not "true worshipers" of God.

Questions to Ponder: <Click for details

Based on the above biblical definition by the Lord Jesus Christ, can people still be considered as "true worshipers" if they worship a God other that the Father?

Worshiping God in Spirit:

2H.4   Why should the "true worshipers" worship God the Father, in spirit?

In John 4:24, this is written:

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'' (John 4:24, NKJV)

Because, Jesus Himself taught and made clear, that "God is Spirit". Thus, it is just fitting for the true worshiper to worship God in spirit.

How did Jesus explain "what is a spirit"?

In Luke 24:39, Jesus explained:

"See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (NAS)

Jesus clearly explained "what a spirit is" by comparing Himself to a spirit:

•  "a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

Jesus made it clear that "a spirit does not have flesh and bones". Thus, the true worshiper must know that the God he worships is a spirit in nature and is not like a man who has flesh and bones.

2H.5    If God is spirit, how should the "true worshipers" think about God's nature?

In Acts 17:29, this is written:

"Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. (NKJV)

The same verse in another version of the Bible:

So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by human imagination and skill. (ISV)

Apostle Paul declared that as God's children or offspring, who are undoubtedly true worshipers, one should not think that God's divine nature is like gold or silver, or is an image carved by human imagination and skill. Thus, the true worshipers do not worship idols or graven images of any kind.
 

2H.6   If God is Spirit, then, how should the "true worshipers" worship God in spirit?

In Matthew 6:9, this is written:

"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. (NKJV)

The same verse in other versions of the Bible:

⁹Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. (AMP)

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored. (NLT)

When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray to the Father in heaven, He mentioned this,

•  "Our Father in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be your name",
• or "Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored".

Thus, to worship the Father in spirit, is to worship His name. That is by honoring and keeping God's name holy.

Questions to Ponder: <Click for details

How can people worship God in spirit if they bow down, kneel and pray before graven images?

Worshiping God in Truth:

2H.7   How should the "true worshipper" worship God the Father in truth?

In the following verses, these are written:

The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever. (Psalms 119:160, NKJV)

"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17, NKJV)

The true worshipers must worship the true God in truth, that is in accordance to the words of God written in the entirety of the Holy Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Thus, the true worshippers of God must not worship God like the "slaves of gods that are not real or false gods".

In Romans 1:21, this is written:

²¹Because when they knew and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and ^[a]godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened. ( Amplified Bible)

True worshipers of God should not base their worship of God on assumption [vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations], like man-made teachings, but on the clear verses providing clear biblical evidence on who and how the "true worshiper" should serve and worship God.

Why can't people worship God based on man-made teachings, that is any teachings not found written in the Bible?

In Matthew 15:9, this is written:

And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' '' (NKJV)

The same verse in another version of the Bible:

Uselessly they worship me, for they teach as doctrines the commands of men. (AMP)

God declares that worshiping Him base on mad-made teachings is vain or useless.

2H.8   What then is the truth according to Jesus?

The following are statements of Jesus::

"But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. . . . . . . . (John 8:40, NKJV)

Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. (John 7:16, NKJV)

"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17, NKJV)

The truth are the words or doctrines that came from God that was taught by the Lord Jesus Christ to His Apostles and disciples that are now written in the Holy Bible. Or simply, the truth are the teachings of Christ or the gospel of Christ that are now written in the Holy Bible.

Questions to Ponder:

Is it possible for people to unwittingly follow doctrines and beliefs that are contrary to the truth written in the Bible?

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The Bible clearly teaches that there are worshipers or slaves of gods that are not real or false gods (Lesson-2G) and there are also the true worshipers of God. The Lord Jesus Himself declared that the true worshipers are those who worship the Father in spirit and in truth for God is Spirit and the truth is the words of God written in the Bible. Thus the true worship of God should not be based on assumptions [vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations], like man-made teachings, for Jesus Himself declared that it is vain or useless to worship God based on teachings and commandments of men.

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