MAY 2026 CONTENTS
Editorial — Worship in Spirit and Truth
Sermon
—
“Behold, I Thought …” (2 Kings 5:11)
Foundations —
Sola Deo Gloria
Characteristics of a Believing Christian
Gracious Counsel — Should a Minister Preach Full-time?
Obituary — Mary Morris
Book Reviews
Matters of the Moment — Pantheism and the Royal Family
Poetry
—
Wisdom is the Principal Thing
Cover image:
Langley Chapel, Shropshire
Worship in Spirit and Truth
True worshippers must worship God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The reason for this is that “God is a Spirit.” That means fundamentally God is not material. He is not made out of matter, rather He spoke matter into existence. He has no form in which we can imagine Him. He is therefore not worshipped in material things. We think it foolish when we see a Hindu putting food before their idol deity. The statue is not living, it cannot eat, the food will spoil. But because God is a Spirit, it is just as foolish for a professed Christian to worship God in non-spiritual ways. God only accepts worship which is in spirit and truth. What does that mean?
To worship “in spirit” is to worship God spiritually. John 4:24 is not referring to the Holy Spirit (although it is certainly true that without the work and aid of the Holy Spirit we will never worship in spirit). Spiritual worship is worship which is not tied to place, time, postures, sounds or music, fixed words, or anything which is external to us. Although the form of worship is important, worship is not in the form but must emanate from the spirit within us. The heart is the principal thing in worship ― the heart is that which God alone sees. Worship is the movement of our spirit Godward, and although it is normally expressed in words, in sounds, in posture, or in assembling in the place where the Lord’s people ordinarily gather, it is not principally in those things. Hannah’s silently moving lips were a sign of true worship in her spirit.
Worshipping in truth may be said to include two things.
Firstly, it is worship which is in accordance with how God has revealed that He requires to be worshipped. It should be truly in line with Scripture. The form and manner of worship is not up to us, however spiritual we may be. Indeed, it is a mark of the spiritually-minded person that they will desire the greatest conformity to God’s pattern for worship. If we believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, then we must believe that Scripture contains all the necessary directions for the right worship of God.
Secondly, we must be true in worship. God hates insincerity in worship (Prov. 21:27). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because, despite all their outward worship, their heart was insincere. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” It is the true and sincere worshipper that God receives. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.” God will not despise the broken and contrite heart (Psa. 51:17).
Any worship therefore which is not in spirit and truth, however good and proper it may seem to our judgment, is not acceptable to God. It fails to honour Him and give Him the glory. Our flesh is constantly inclined to unspiritual worship, worship which makes too much of the externals. Our natural mind always thinks it knows best when it comes to worship. Our heart is deceitful and is constantly inclined to worship which is not sincere.
May it be our great concern to be true worshippers. May we ask the Lord to make us true worshippers. May we bring all our worship to the touchstone of the Word of God. Is it in accordance with the pattern given for New Testament worship? May we be enabled to discern the spiritual from the unspiritual, and the sincere from the insincere. May we be ready to pray, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”