There is an innate desire in every human being for a genuine relationship. We long to know and to be known by our loved ones. This longing can ultimately be fulfilled by the One who formed us—fearfully and wonderfully—according to the Father’s image in our mother’s womb. We are created to worship the One who is far greater than us, who gives us the breath of life, and in whom we live, move, and have our being. This is true for all the human race regardless of our religion, profession, culture, or nationality.
Humans have made efforts to seek God throughout history and come with different understandings or interpretations about their Creator—as manifested in a wide variety of religions and belief systems in our society today. Some believe there is only one true God (monotheism), yet some believe there are more than one deity (polytheism).
In Christianity, I have learned that faith is ultimately about relationship, not religion. Christian faith points to God seeking humanity—as the pinnacle (or crown) of His creation—rather than humanity seeking God. This one true God has existed in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit—sharing the same divine nature—and all participated in the creation of the universe and mankind.
Jesus Christ, the perfect revelation of God or the exact imprint of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3), is the manifestation of God seeking humanity (Luke 19:10). As Scripture reveals, Jesus was in the beginning, Jesus was with God, and Jesus was God—through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1-3). Jesus reveals Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega, who was, and is, and is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8). He is the One who knows the end from the beginning; therefore, we can trust in Him [His person/nature, His word, and His work].
Jesus Christ, with His divine authority, has set the standard for true worship. He revealed this during His conversations with a Samaritan woman who had longed [thirsted] for intimacy as narrated in John 4:1-26.
The life-changing statement and revelation that Jesus made to this foreign woman gives us the clearest wisdom and guidance that speaks to the core of our being as God’s worshiper:
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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
John 4:23-24, NKJV
God the Father is seeking the ones who will worship Him in spirit and truth. To be a genuine (authentic) worshiper, we must worship God in spirit and truth because God is Spirit. Therefore, worship of the omnipresent God should not be restricted by timing, location, and regulation.
How can we, sinners, worship a holy God in spirit and truth? Well, the answer can be found in the statement itself: we can worship God in spirit and truth by Spirit and Truth!
True worship must be guided by God’s Spirit and God’s Word. You see, it goes back to the triune God. The Father receives worship that aligns with His Spirit and His Son—who is full of grace and truth. Remember, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
Practically, how can we worship God in spirit and truth? First of all, it is important to remember that God desires the worshiper more than the worship. The Father is seeking the worshipers who worship Him in spirit and truth. He wants the person more than the performance.
This means that worship is about connection or relationship. Worship is our love expression to God. Worship is expressing our love, trust, adoration, and gratitude to God for who He is (His attribute) and for what He does (His action).
How can we love God if we do not know Him? How can we know Him if we do not hear (or read) His revelation [His word]? Therefore, in order to love God, we must know Him; in order to know Him, we must hear His word.
Practically, hearing God’s word can be done through prayer and meditation. The more we love God, the more we desire His word. Let us examine ourselves: how many hours in a day that we spend on Scripture (as opposed to entertainment or social media)? Have we given His word top priority in our lives? Scripture reveals, “Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night.” (Psalm 1:2).
This, of course, does not mean that we can only come to God when we perfectly obey His commands. An important characteristic of a true worshiper is honesty. I like how the Message puts it, “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship... Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” (John 4:23-24, MSG).
When we worship, no masks or make-ups are needed. Humility and honesty should be our attitude in worship before the Audience of One, as Scripture says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:13).
It is essential to know that worship is not limited to music or singing. Worship encompasses every aspect of our life because we are created to worship. This means that our work is our worship, as Scripture says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). But, we must be careful not to worship our work!
Worship done partially, either in spirit or truth alone, is not worship—it is incomplete—so I would call it a religious service. Service in spirit without truth is practically a false ritual. Service in truth without spirit is practically a cold ceremonial. True worship must be done in spirit and truth.
To make sense of this, let me give an analogy. I personally believe that worship is a form of arts and science. Many things in our life are actually composed of arts and science. Music has both artistic and scientific elements, so do other disciplines, such as engineering, architecture, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and even culinary!
Playing music, singing, cooking, painting, preaching, or building bridges or towers—you name it—requires both artistic and scientific skills. Even the clothes that we wear are products of arts and science! The first person recorded in the Bible as being filled with the Spirit of God is Bezalel; he was given wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skills to design and build artistic [and, presumably, scientific] works (Exodus 31:1-5).
Our nature and solar systems are both artistically and scientifically fascinating. All creation testifies to the artistic and scientific intelligences of the Creator.
Arts and science are, of course, God’s gifts. Worshipping in spirit and truth can therefore be understood through the lens of arts and science, respectively.
Let’s start with the latter: science literally means knowledge. In worship, we need to have knowledge, first and foremost, of God—the Truth. In work, we need to have knowledge, for instance, of the technique (the how’s) and the fundamental (the why’s). This science (knowledge) engages our mind.
How about arts? It engages our emotion (soul). In worship, we need to use our passion. Worshipping God is communicating our love for Him. Just as falling-in-love couples who express their love toward each other, perhaps by flowers, gifts, songs, or poetry, we need to pour out our feelings before God—our true Lover. In the same way, we need to be passionate in our work, showing diligence and dedication.
It is no wonder that Jesus commands the disciples, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). This command also applies to us His followers.
Worship engages our whole being; therefore, worshiping God should bring good health to our body, soul, and spirit.
In summary, our life’s purpose is to worship God in spirit and truth—through any means, roles, or platforms entrusted to us: music, science, arts, engineering, medic, education, economic, politic, sports, culinary, military, and so on. It is a divine, sacred call to express our love to and for the One who created us to worship and work in the first place. What a great blessing it is that, as Christ’s followers, we have been given His Holy Spirit and His Holy Scripture to teach and transform us into His likeness!
The more we worship Jesus, the more we become like Him—the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That is why, our life’s greatest purpose and deepest meaning is found in [worshiping] Jesus.
Let us be the true worshipers of Christ—the ones who bring delight, honor, and glory to the heavenly Father. May you and I be found by Him today. May the Lord make His face shine upon us and give us peace. Amen.
This article was originally written on May 23, 2026 in Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada. The featured image was generated with AI.
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