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06/12/2018

SALVATION WAS AN INSIDE OF CHRIST FINISHED WORK 4!

''If I do not go...the Helper will not come to you'' (Jn 16:7). Has the Helper come? Yes. What other second coming are you waiting for? The Holy Spirit is in us, with us and is us. He is the same God as Jesus Christ.

Even as the disciples' hearts ached about Jesus' departure, he assured them it was to their 'advantage' because it would open a new era of power and authority from 'within' for them (see John 14:12). Being 'under new management' wasn't the end, but a continuation of Christ's ministry as the Holy Spirit took the baton from the Son's hand and placed it in theirs and ours. The Son would leave, but the Spirit would 'abide with [them and us] forever' (John 14:16). This was their 'advantage and ours'. The Spirit embodied our human bodies and live permanently in us! This is no tentative, vague connection. It's God's Spirit choosing us as his permanent dwelling place. What applied to the disciples then applies to all today. Jesus lives in all of us bodily.

Have you ever considered the 'advantage' this gives you? For example, you might start your day feeling stressed, weary and irritated, and these feelings could easily dictate your day. But because the Spirit lives in you, these things don't have to control you. Paul writes, 'Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you' (1 Co 6:19)? You're not your own, God owns you and has accepted you in the beloved. Once you know you become aware that the Holy Spirit lives in you and you have become God's temple. You can be at work, driving the kids to school, waiting for any test results, or attending the funeral of your best friend, and as you go about your everyday life God's Spirit is living in you. There's no fear of death for those already awakened. The experience is translation or rapture, not a permanent death to the grave. As He has resurrected, so we have.

Can you see why Jesus told the disciples it was good for him to leave and send the Holy Spirit? Whatever you do, don't let this life-changing truth elude you! You have been saved, born of God and of incorruptible seed, the Holy Spirit, the Christ Jesus that has returned to live in us in His last and final coming. We're forever united in one body and one spirit with Him. Salvation was an Inside of Christ Finished Work and has been transmitted to us as the Holy Spirit. The same thing that was finished in Christ is now going through a reenactment in our lives, from inside out.

The gospel is witnessing what Christ has done for people to them, not demanding what they must do to be saved from them. You can write it, publish it anywhere, say something worth hearing, or do something worth writing about for others, but make sure it's all about witnessing for Christ. The gospel isn't about what we can do for God, it's all about what He has done for us, in His One-way unconditional love that doesn't demand anything back from us. The Holy Spirit is God in all. He is totally and completely for you. Rejoice in that truth always, I say rejoice!

Pst Sam

04/12/2018

Paul spoke about the peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Why does it surpass understanding?

Because when you have the peace of God, you can be happier in the combat zone than in your comfort zone. -

01/12/2018

PREACHING THE GOSPEL IS WALKING IN LOVE, NOT WORKING TO EARN A LIVING!

"Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat" (Matt 10:9-10).

Preaching the good news gospel is a walk in love, not a work done for earning wages and salaries, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour" (Eph 5:1-2). The same way Christ gave Himself to be our Saviour is the way we give ourselves to the world as witnesses for Christ, we, "Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way" (Lk 10:4).

'Salute no man by the way' simply means, 'don't take bribe' so that your message will not be corrupted, changed or altered. The "Good news gospel" cannot be used to enslave others or to gather crowds and keep them like sheep, no, we're sons of God. It takes a corrupted version of the gospel to keep crowds and to be using God's word to do silly things. If your message is not setting people free from bo***ge, it's not the good news gospel. God's salvation isn't for sale, it was made possible by the ransom of the blood of Jesus. If you know what that means, the "ransom" has been fully paid. We're no longer in the kidnapper's den we have been set free, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bo***ge" (Gal 5:1).

We're not God's adopted children. We're His sons freely begotten and born in Christ Jesus. We were born from salvation. We're God's sons, 'manifested to the 'earnest expectation of creation'. We have emerged. No others sons of God are coming after us, we're God's eternal sons, from generations to generations, and from glory to glory, forever. Amen.

The gospel was given to us to increase the worth and value of humanity, it's not to convert people to God. None is separated from Him. We have no covenant of 'works' relationship with God. We're beneficiaries of His freely bestowed One-way love called salvation. Unlike the old, the new covenant was 'cut' between God the Father and God the Son. We're witnesses to the world for what Jesus has done so people can know how to enjoy their lives. We were not given any part or role to play in fulfilling the work of the new covenant, it was done on our behalf. We're not co-saviours with Jesus, we're heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus. Our salvation is not partial, it's not for some 'good' people to the exclusion of 'bad' people. We were all concluded as 'bad' people, while we were yet sinners, Christ saved us, all once and for all. Jesus is our One and only Saviour, tell others the glad tidings, the Saviour has saved.

The purpose for which God called you to preach the gospel is greater than your necessary needs. It's to increase the worth and value of humanity. Stop using the gospel to be extorting money from people for you to earn a living and build mansions, that's ungodly. If you're called to propagate the good news, you have already been paid by God. If your earthly work is tied to your calling, fine, do it well and use it to witness for Jesus. God is not against your prosperity, but it must never be at the expense of others. Use the new month to spread the good news, it's well with you. Congratulations!

Pat samtoba

14/11/2018

BELIEVE: What's Magical About This Word?

/bɪˈliːv/Submit
verb
1.
accept that (something) is true, especially without proof.
"the superintendent believed Lancaster's story"
synonyms: be convinced by, trust, have confidence in, consider honest, consider truthful...

2.
hold (something) as an opinion; think.
"I believe we've already met"
synonyms: think, be of the opinion that, think it likely that, have an idea that, imagine, feel, have a feeling, hold, maintain, suspect, suppose, assume, presume, conjecture, surmise, postulate that, theorize that, conclude, come to the conclusion that, deduce...

There's nothing magical or wrong with the word 'believe' itself, it's a universal language. It's the magical meaning Christianity has attached to it that's now the problem. Everyone believes in something especially when seeking for a proof isn't feasible. But there's nothing anyone can believe that will earn the fellow salvation, which is God's freely given gift to all. To give here doesn't require receiving or acceptance. We don't need to be believing that we are saved, it's already proven beyond reasonable doubts. The evidence of our salvation is the cross and the finished work of Christ. The finished work of Christ is not in the realm of a believe, it's already in the public domain as an open truth. Most non Christians accepts what Jesus stands for more than practising Christians. When all the disciples of Jesus deserted him, Joseph of Arimathaea who never identified with him once publicly showed up, collected his body and gave it a decent burial, "Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus" (Mk 15:43).

What's known, confirmed, and verified is seen as a tangible thing. Jesus is our substance of faith. His crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection has been proven to be true beyond all reasonable doubts, so it's not something that's without a proof that we just must believe. Therefore, we don't have to be struggling to believe it like its something unknown. We have known the truth and the truth has set us free. We are not believers in Christ, we are joint-heirs with Him, we are his co-equal, and children of God. We are not subordinates of Jesus Christ, we are as He is. We don't need to believe in Jesus or be struggling to submit to Him, He is as we are, the One with us!

Only the devil will tell you to be doing anything to please God in order th get saved. It's absolutely an unthinkable exchange that can never become a deal. Salvation isn't a 'macho' work, it's not by the sweat of face, or by raw energy. Jesus Christ died for the whole world, it was in His death and resurrection that all were saved. Let me make it simpler for you, the same way and place God in Christ removed sin, He released salvation, "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:13). Where and when He saw the blood on the cross, He saved, this time both the Jews and the Eqyptians, Christians snd Muslims, Believers and unbeliever, all at once and for all, the One!

The simplicity of Christ has remained the albatross of all religions and religious people: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Co 11:3). We started from the tree of life knowing no sin. Salvation is our default life through Christ Jesus who gave us His own life, "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way" (Rom 14:13).

18/10/2018

A Prayer To Know You Are Loved

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp... how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Paul, The Apostle of Grace - Ephesians 3:14-19

Paul, kneeling before our gracious, loving Father, prays that the Spirit, from deep within our hearts, would enable us to know that Jesus made our hearts his home when we placed our faith in him.

Paul continues to pray that those whom Christ has made his home in their hearts would be enabled by the Spirit within them to be deeply rooted and firmly established in how much they are loved by him, which is beyond human understanding and measure.

And, in comprehending this uncomprehending love, made possible by the Spirit, we would be filled with the measure of the fullness of God's love.

You are loved.

May the Spirit give you revelation of the love of Christ who lives in you.

18/10/2018

What Does "Do Not Grieve The Holy Spirit" Mean In Context?

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving [Greek word for forgiving, Charis, meaning to have grace upon each other] each other, just as in Christ God forgave [Greek word for forgave, Charis, meaning God has graced us with love, compassion, forgiveness, and kindness] you.
Paul, The Apostle of Grace - Ephesians 4:30-32

Don't grieve the Holy Spirit.

That is a verse we have heard quoted over and over again.

Let's take a quick look at what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit.

The word grieve means to feel emotional pain deeply because of love for the one being grieved over.

Only deep love grieves.

We are loved deeply by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

That is why he grieves for us.

The Holy Spirit loves us with a depth of love that is indescribable.

Because of his great love for us, he wants us to have the best of relationships.

He wants us to have peaceful relationships (Ephesians 4:1-3).

The only way to have the best of relationships is to give grace to one another rather than get angry at one another.

The only way to get rid of the anger that destroys our relationships is to give grace to those in our relationships.

Otherwise, we give the devil a foothold in our relationships (Ephesians 4:26-27).

In the verses above, we are encouraged to get rid of the anger that destroys our relationships and to freely give grace to one another, which builds up our relationships.

The grace we are to give one another is the same grace God has freely given to us in Christ.

Through Christ, God has freely and compassionately given us unconditional love, undeserved kindness and unlimited forgiveness.

As those who have become the objects of his grace through Christ, we make others the objects of our grace.

Rather than making people the objects of our criticism and condemnation, we make them the objects of our compassion.

Rather than make people the objects of our frustration, we make them the objects of our forgiveness.

Today, see yourself as one whom God has lavished large amounts of grace upon, meaning large amounts of unconditional love, unmerited kindness, and unlimited forgiveness.

You are the object of his love, not his anger.

You are the object of his forgiveness, not his frustration.

You are the object of his compassion, not his condemnation.

See yourself as one whom God is not angry with.

See yourself as one whom God is not frustrated with.

See yourself as one who is not condemned by God but accepted by him.

As we see ourselves as those whom God's grace has been poured upon abundantly, we will then be empowered to pour out on others the same grace God has poured upon us.

In doing so, the grief of the Holy Spirit, the pain he feels when our relationships are filled with anger, will be turned into gladness as we experience God's grace for ourselves and express God's grace to others.

The Holy Spirit will experience gladness because he takes joy in seeing people and relationships healed by grace and then flourish in grace (unconditional love, unmerited kindness, and unlimited forgiveness).

16/10/2018

RETHINKING THE LOVE OF THE FATHER PART 2.

So, what about the "prodigal son's" elder brother?

He was a good man, an example of what a good son should look like.

He did his best to behave in the house of his father and according to him, he never disobeyed him at any point.

He was the kind of son that wouldn't go to parties because his father felt objectionable about the idea. He served his father diligently and helped him build his business.

While his younger brother was demanding, reckless and wasteful, he was careful and helpful.

While his younger brother blew his chances away in reckless living that was unbecoming of the son of a noble man, he remained faithful to the best of his ability, going about his father's business.

I recall that his pius behavior was drummed into our hearing since we were just little boys and girls attending "sunday schools" back in the days. We looked forward to growing up to be like him someday.

However, this is not all there is to this good son. A closer look at him should reveal he wasn't altogether a good son in spite of his pius demeanor.

He was quite unloving and selfish. He was a good example of those who would stigmatize others who aren't like them.

First, he was the one who labelled his younger brother "prodigal", not his father. His father didn't label him thus, yet it was his (father) goods that were wasted.

He didn't quite cut the picture of someone waiting for his younger brother's return. He was not happy to see him enjoy a rousing welcome.

That his father went to meet him while he was still a great distance from home and help him find his way back was unthinkable.

That his father didn't even wait for his prodigal son to say "daddy I'm sorry" before falling on his neck was unimaginable.

That he didn't wait for someone returning from a filthy pigsty to go clean up first before embracing him was unacceptable.

That the family could roll out the drums without consulting him or even wait for his return home from work must have really left him deflated.

Now, did I mention that Jesus told this parable to his listeners because some Pharisees and teachers of the law berated him because he allowed tax collectors and sinners to hobnob with him and they even ate together. This group of people believed they were better and more righteous than others and they wouldn't hesitate to flaunt it.

This beautiful parable is in Luke 15 and reading from verse one gives a good picture and it becomes clear to the reader that the "non-prodigal" brother was the prototype of a Pharisee in this narrative.

The truth is that Christians today are simply like him. They do not know the heart of the father for people who are lost and missing.They truly believe God must be at anger with them. They aren't aware that God is longing for their return back home every passing moment.

God is hoping for them to come to their senses just like it was reported that the prodigal son "came to himself", and God would help them find their way back home.

Please stay with me.

Did you also notice the good son had an entitlement mentality? His good behavior was not born out of the knowledge of his sonship afterall.

His motive for service and obedience to his father was simple: he wanted to "deserve" whatever he could get from his father.

He wanted to be able to say, "I deserved it". This would not have been obvious to us but for the turn of events, as his brother returned home.

He lamented to his father: "All this years I have served you and I did not disobey any of your commands, but you did not give me a small goat to merry with my friends....".

But his father's response was instructive: he said "....All these things are yours". But he didn't know all along. He was busy trying to deserve the things that naturally belonged to him by inheritance and not by service.

This is why I believe it is inappropriate for believers in Christ to drum up their credentials of good works before God. Good works are desirable, but they don't determine your sonship status. You are a son by inheritance.

No matter how hard a servant works, he wouldn't turn to a son in the house. Your best leverage is still your sonship credentials which you didn't labour to have.

Jesus once told a parable to cut people with a superior and deserving mentality to size:

"Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed THUS WITH HIMSELF, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.

"I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9‭-‬14 NKJV

Much like the Pharisee in this parable, many people in church today are praying "with themselves" and not to God. When you throw your good works in God's face and raise your tithe card or evangelism card to show you are deserving, you are praying with yourself, not to God.

This parable is a clear indication that today's religious system is a breeding ground for the self-righteous "21st century "Pharisees". Unfortunately, an average 21st century Pharisee doesn't know that he's one.

And one last thought on the prodigal son's brother! Did you also notice that he became offended in his own father? He refused to enter into the house. It wasn't because he didn't know the way home. It was because bitterness had set in to his heart.

But while he was still outside, his father left the house in a quest to bring him back home. Nobody would have thought this "good son" with "great morals" could be needing help and restoration too.

It turned out that both the "prodigal son" and the "good son" needed a Savior. This is the story of man in brief, beautifully presented in a parable by Jesus. The father was wanting everyone back home.

In the same vein, there are too many "good sons" today who escalate the sins of the "prodigal sons" because they think they are better than them. Some consider others to be unrighteous simply because their own sins are subtle, non-dramatic and not in the open, much like the "good son's".

When the Pharisees and the teachers of the law brought a woman found in adultery to Jesus for judgement, he didn't ask if any of them hadn't commit adultery. He simply asked : "whoever has no sin, let him cast the first stone".

Sin is sin! It is hypocritical to grade sin.

I remember my days as a "Pharisee", when I thought I was better than others. I was bad! Play a secular music around me and I'd pray that your music player catch fire and go up in flames. 😂 😂. Once a song had no "Jesus" chanted in it, then it was evil to me. Thankfully today, I know better.

The long and short of this message is that the Heavenly Father loves all and he is on a mission to save all.

He wants everybody back home.

He wants the "prodigals" to come back to their senses and return to him.

He's going after the offended ones who have been taken over by bitterness and other hidden vices.

He's not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Jesus said, in my father's house, there are many mansions(rooms)...

"...that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation".
II Corinthians 5:19 NKJV

Dear "non-prodigal" son, God is not angry with your "prodigal" brother. He just wants him back home.

It is a

16/10/2018

4 verses that puts an end to this silly madness:

1. Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

2. Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

THE QUESTION: Why is ALL the world guilty before God?

Because of sin!

3. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

The critic of this teaching will say, but all sins are forgiven, and they will use their pet verse of 2 Corinthians 5:19 that they don't understand.

They will spin you around in circles and end answering THE QUESTION:

"The reason all the world is guilty before God is because of unrighteousness."

Then you show them this verse:

4. 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

All unrighteousness is sin, therefore the whole world is GUILTY OF SIN, this is why God's wrath is being held back, to give you an opportunity to hear and believe the gospel and get your sins forgive, by being justified by God.

15/10/2018

The God Of Loving Kindness

"Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight," says the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

God delights in exercising or demonstrating loving kindness on the earth.

His heart is for his loving kindness to flow all over the earth.

The writers of Psalms and the prophets understood God’s loving kindness, making mention of it often.

God’s ultimate demonstration of his loving kindness was in Jesus.

Titus 3:4-5 says,

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus was the physical revelation of God’s kindness.

He embodied God’s kindness.

He expressed God’s kindness.

His death on the cross for our sins was his kindness toward us.

It is through God’s kindness that we are saved.

Ephesians 2:7-9 says,

“...the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Not only do we experience God’s kindness on earth, but we will experience his loving kindness for all eternity.

Ephesians 2:7 says,

“...in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Until that time, we are the ones who exercise God kindness on earth.

God exercises his kindness through us.

We are the ones who demonstrate God’s kindness on earth.

We share God’s kindness to others by being kind.

Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.

As we experience God's kindness for ourselves, we will express his kindness to others.

13/10/2018

GOD'S SALVATION IS A FAITH PHENOMENON! IT'S NOT A RELIGIOUS THING!

"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all" (Eph 1:17-23).

Salvation is a faith phenomenon thing, it's not a Christian religious affair, One Man's death and resurrection saved all men. That can't be discussed on the platform of one religion. Region is a gathering of some individuals seeking for ways to be promoting their personal and individual agenda, but faith is a universally relevant matter to all people. Christ is not owned by Christians, He is in all and for all. Christianity is a sectional religion, it doesn't seek to include everyone or protect their interests. It's strictly looking for ways to advance the agenda of its members only.

God's salvation is a phenomenon: something that exists and can be seen, felt, tasted by all, etc., especially something unusual or interesting to have. Its universally accepted definition says, "Salvation as a faith phenemenon is talking about someone or something that is extremely successful, often because of its authenticity. Salvation is beyond any pettiness or simple measurable value, it's as symbolic as God. That's why God's salvation is something for all, not for a few good individuals. It's available for all, the good and the bad, the wise and the fool, the ignorant and the smart, the sinners and the saints, the known criminals and the unknown criminals, the great preachers and the unknown poor followers. The only differentiating factor is that some know the truth but others don't. But the ignorance of some doesn't nullify the truth that all have been saved, in one salvation.

Salvation isn't believe and be saved, it's saved. Salvation is beyond human believing as many think even demons believe but they're not saved. We should not frustrate the grace of God who through the death of His One and only begotten Son saved all sinners by the blood of His atonement. Indeed, salvation and righteousness has come to us through Christ who is greater than the first Adam who brought us into sin. Now, God sees us the way He sees Jesus, "For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you" (2 Co 13:4). As He is saved so we are saved. It's all about Jesus Christ for you and for me, and for all of God's children.

19/09/2018

What Does It Mean To Worship In Spirit And Truth?
In Context

Many believers in Jesus understand the word “worship” as a church service.

Many churches call their service a “worship service.”

Their services consist of several different elements by which they worship God.

These elements may include…
..“praise and worship” - worshiping God by singing songs,

“tithing” - worshiping God by giving 10% of their income,

“serving” - worshiping God by joining a ministry team,

“praying” - worshiping God by having a time of prayer,

“confessing” - admitting their sins to God and acknowledging their need for forgiveness,

“asking” - worshiping God by asking for forgiveness,

“participating” - worshiping God by participating in their denomination's practice of the Lord’s Supper or some other element in the service,

or

“reciting” - reciting creeds and verses.

For some churches, a worship service is hindered by scheduling elements within a service.

To these churches, having an “order of service” hinders the flow of the Spirit, preventing “true worship.”

These churches may focus on giving the Spirit “freedom to move” throughout the service.

These services look to be “more alive” and “Spirit-filled” unlike the “dead churches” who have an “order of worship”.

These churches may emphasize “speaking in tongues” as what it means to worship in the Spirit.

But are any of these what it means to “worship God in Spirit and truth?”

Let’s take a look.

The phrase “worship in Spirit and truth” was spoken by Jesus as he was speaking to a Samaritan woman.

This woman commented the Samaritans worship God on one mountain and the Jews worship God in Jerusalem.

In this statement, she was seeking clarification from Jesus of where the right place to worship God was located...the mountain where the Samaritans worshiped God or Jerusalem (the Temple) where the Jews worshiped God.

Jesus responded by saying in John 4:21-24,

“...a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

In these verses, Jesus says God is Spirit, which means God can’t be limited to a certain place...whether it be a mountain, city, or building, such as the temple, which was in Jerusalem.

The mountain and Jerusalem both represented the Law of Moses, which was how the people of Israel related or connected to (worshiped) God.

The old testament of law, which was before the cross, before Jesus established through his blood the new covenant of grace, was how the people of Israel worshiped God.

This law-based form of worship is prescribed in Exodus - Leviticus and repeated in Deuteronomy.

The old covenant form of worship (relating to, connecting to God) consisted of many different practices to perform and days to observe.

It also consisted of an ongoing system of forgiveness where animals were sacrificed for the temporal forgiveness of sins, but not eternal forgiveness.

Under the law there was ongoing guilt for sin and ongoing sacrifices needed for the forgiveness for sin.

These practices, observances, and sacrifices were all elements of worship prescribed in Exodus - Leviticus and repeated in Deuteronomy.

Jesus, when speaking to the Samaritan woman, said the focus of worship would be the Father, which means a personal relationship based upon love.

In Jeremiah 3:19, Jeremiah, speaking on behalf of God to the nation of Israel, says, “I thought you would call Me ‘Father’”.

The heart of God was never to relate to people through practices, observances, or sacrifices.

The book of Hebrews tells us this.

His heart was to relate to people as Father because he loves with an everlasting love and draws people to himself with his love (Jeremiah 31:3).

Simply put, the heart of God is to be in a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with people where they called him “Father”.

The old covenant of law did not allow for this type of relationship.

Why not?

The old covenant, the Law of Moses, exposed the sinful hearts of mankind and need for forgiveness and cleansing.

The hearts of people were sinful and in need of being cleansed internally.

Their sins were in need of being forgiven eternally.

As a result of the sinful hearts of all mankind, God could not enter into a love relationship with them.

Yes, God is pure...holy...completely love.

He is also just, which means the sin which the law exposed must be paid for.

Sin is breaking the law.

All are guilty under the law.

God was judge under the Law of Moses, even though he had the heart of a Father.

As judge, he must enforce the penalty for breaking the law...the penalty is death.

This is a dilemma.

One one hand, God is love and wants a close, personal, intimate, loving relationship with people where they call him Father.

On the other hand, he is just.

Sin, which keeps people out of a relationship with God, must be paid for, and God, as judge, had to enforce the payment.

The old covenant of law could not make this payment and bring eternal forgiveness of and internal cleansing from sin, making a person guilt-free.

Hebrews 10:1 says if the old covenant of law could bring eternal forgiveness and internal cleansing, then “worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins.”

The law could never cleanse the worshipper...provide for forgiveness and purification for sin, thus making one innocent before God.

Consequently, the one wanting to know God...connect to God...relate to God (worship) lived in a constant state of guilt under the law.

Why?

Hebrews 9:9 says, “because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience [remove guilt by providing eternal forgiveness] of the worshiper.”

Yet the time for cleansing and forgiveness would come.

The time when guilt for sin would be removed.

The time for the payment of sin would come.

The time when the sins of all mankind would be paid for would come.

And it did.

The Samaritan woman recognized this time.

She called Jesus the Savior of the world (John 4:42).

Jesus told the Samaritan woman the time would come, and had now come in the person of Jesus, when people would not worship by the law on a mountain or in Jerusalem (the old covenant of law), but they would worship by the Spirit.

This time came.

Galatians 4:4-7 describes this time:

“But WHEN THE TIME HAD FULLY COME, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.”

Jesus, in God’s perfect timing, was born under the Law of Moses, lived a perfect life of love under the law, then set people free from the law by dying for the sins of people, enabling the Spirit of Jesus to live in us and enabling us to call God “Abba, Father”, or “my Daddy, my Papa” who loves me.

Jesus was “the lamb of God who takes away [pays for in full] the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Jesus, through his death on the cross and through his shed blood, died for us (Romans 5:8) and provided purification for all sin and for all people (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus, by one sacrifice paid the sin penalty for all people for all time and cleansed us from all sin (Hebrews 7:27).

Our sins have been forgiven...all of them, forever (Hebrews 8:12; 9:12; 10:17-18)

Our hearts have been made clean.

God, by the Spirit of Jesus, can now live in us.

This is the new covenant of grace (Hebrews 2:9).

All of Hebrews is about the new covenant of grace replacing the old covenant of law.

We enter the new covenant by faith, by belief, in Jesus (Hebrews 3-4).

Once we enter the new covenant, we rest from any effort of our own to worship God...relate to God...get close to God...know God (Hebrews 3-4).

No more practices, observances, or sacrifices needed to relate to or be connected to God.

These have come to an end.

The book of Hebrews expounds on this.

We now relate to God by the Spirit of Jesus within us, where we call God “Abba Father.”

We have the same relationship Jesus had with the Father during his time on earth...a personal, intimate, love relationship (Hebrews 8:11).

We know the Father as Jesus knew the Father.

Jesus longed for us to have the same relationship with the Father as he did (John 3:35; 14:31; 16:27; 17:20-26.).

His Spirit in us enables us to have this relationship.

The old covenant of law pointed to a time when God would circumcise the hearts of people by his Spirit (Deuteronomy 30:6).

It speaks of a time when God would place his Spirit in the hearts of mankind, thus giving them a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; 37:14).

This time has now come.

Through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, this time has come.

We now worship (know, relate or connect to God) by the Spirit of Christ in us (Romans 2:29; 7:4-6, 8:14-17; 2 Corinthians 2:3-18; Ephesians 2:18, 22; Colossians 1:27).

We now call God “Abba, Father” where we draw close to God (Hebrews 7:19).

We have a close, personal, intimate, love relationship with God as Father that has nothing to do with a place, a building, or a church service, but has everything to do with the finished work of Christ on the cross, where all our sins are forgiven and we are no longer guilty.

We relate with God through the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and through his Spirit now living in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3).

We now worship in Spirit and in truth - a close, honest, open, and transparent relationship with God as our Father (Hebrews 7:19).

In this relationship with our Father, we can talk confidently with him about anything...our hopes, dreams, fears, struggles, doubts, pain, hurts...anything, and from our Father we receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12).

This is called the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

The Spirit desires to reveal to people the truths of the new covenant (Hebrews 3:7; 10:15; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 2 Corinthians 2:3-18).

He wants to write these truths on their hearts (2 Corinthians 3:3) so they can enjoy God’s forgiveness, experience a guilt free life, and enter into a love relationship with God as Father.

So, we see in its biblical context, to worship in Spirit and truth has nothing to do with any type of church service...but is when people have been redeemed from the old covenant of law, or delivered from a performance-based mindset where they are continually seeking to get from God (forgiveness, acceptance, closeness) what he has already freely given them in Jesus.

The person who comes to faith in Jesus and believes the new covenant truths the Holy Spirit is showing him, now enjoys a close, personal, loving relationship with God as Father through the new covenant of grace.

This is what it means to worship in Spirit and truth.

By Brad

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Ondo

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