“The How of Worship, Part 3- In Truth” (Ready to Worship S11E19)

May 29, 2020

Ready to Worship Season 11, Episode 19 for Friday, May 29, 2020

This season on Ready to Worship, we are investigating worship. To investigate worship we are asking the questions of a reporter: who, what, when, where, why, and how. As we conclude our study this week, we will focus on the how. In the first installment of this study in answering the how question, we noticed that we are to worship “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). In the second installment of this study, we focused on the “in spirit” side of worship. In this third and final installment of our study, we are focusing on the “in truth” side. To better understand the expression “in truth”, please consider how John used this expression in another passage. We read, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). John contrasted “in word” and “in tongue” with “in deed” and “in truth.” Clearly, in word and in tongue deals with what a person says and in deed and in truth deals with what a person does. Now, let’s apply that to worshiping God in spirit and in truth. In spirit seems to deal with attitudes and in truth seems to deal with actions. It is true that sometimes the expression “in truth” refers to sincerity (1 Thess. 2:12). Thus, to do something in truth would be to do it without deceit or hypocrisy. It is possible that Jesus was using “in truth” in this way. However, it seems more likely that He was using it to speak of action. Thus, to worship in spirit and in truth would be to worship with the right attitude and action. We know that John used the expression in truth to speak of actions. In addition to the passage that we have already noted (1 John 3:18), please consider how John used the expression in speaking of Gaius. He wrote, “For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:3-4). Please note that the verse speaks of the truth that was inside and outside of Gaius. The truth was in his heart and in his habits. He was walking in truth. No doubt, he was also worshipping in truth. As we get ready to worship this week, let’s worship in spirit and in truth. Let’s worship with the right attitude and with the right actions.