P-11. What Does SPIRIT and TRUTH TRULY MEAN? DOWNLOAD to SAVE as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE. P-11. What Does SPIRIT and TRUTH TRULY MEAN? What did Jesus mean by his words in John 4:23,24? In other words, what does the phrase “In SPIRIT and in TRUTH” truly mean in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God? Let us go ahead and read John 4:23,24 and I will explain what it means by comparing Scripture with Scripture. John 4:23.24. “But the hour comes, and NOW is, when the TRUE worshippers shall worship the Father in SPIRIT and in TRUTH: for the Father SEEKS such to worship Him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him MUST worship Him in SPIRIT and in TRUTH.” First of all, the HOUR speaks of TIME. There is a time coming at the second coming of Jesus that God will turn again to His REMNANT of the children of Israel a SECOND TIME. And the time the NOW is, is speaking of this PRESENT world. God is SEEKING TRUE worshipers. What does that mean? It means that God does NOT want “LIP” service. God seeks TRUE worshipers to OBEY the TRUTH through His SPIRIT. I will explain what that means in a moment, but first, let us read Isaiah 29:13,14. Jesus quotes this prophecy in Matthew 15:7-20 which you can read on your own. Isaiah 29:13,14. “Wherefore, the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people (Speaking of God’s chosen people, the children of Israel) draw near to Me with their MOUTH, and with their LIPS do honor Me, BUT have removed their HEART far from me, and their FEAR toward Me is taught by the precept of men: 14. THEREFORE, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: (Speaking of Yahweh’s Messiah, His GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS) for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.” Now, the context in Isaiah 29:1-8 speaks of the first half HOUR of God’s WRATH, according to Revelation 8:1. And the context in verses 9-12 speak of the Day of Pentecost, the beginning of the age of GRACE, and the NEW Law of LIBERTY under the NEW COVENANT. God is seeking us to READ His BOOK and He will give UNDERSTANDING to the unlearned through His SPIRIT. So then, according to Hebrews 7:12, Jeremiah 31:31-34, God made some CHANGES from OLD Covenant in the Old Testament to the NEW COVENANT in the New Testament. In fact, according to Hebrews 8:7-13, and 2 Corinthians 3:6-11, God no longer accepts the Old Covenant. And NOW, under the New Covenant, neither the Jewish Christians nor the Gentile Christians are to keep the Law of Moses contained in ORDINANCES. Please read Ephesians 2:5-22. “Even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together WITH Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6. And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7. That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. NOT of works, lest any man should boast. (Now the WORKS that the Apostle Paul is referring to are defined for us in the CONTEXT in verses 15 and 16. The WORKS are the works of the Law of Moses contained in ORDINANCES) 10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before that we should walk in them. (Speaking of good works of righteousness walking in LOVE and thereby FULFILLING all of the law of God that Yahweh requires of us under the New Covenant to receive eternal life in the world to come) 11. Wherefore, remember, that you being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12. That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13. But NOW in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14. For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15. Having ABOLISHED in his flesh the ENMITY, even the law of commandments contained in ORDINANCES; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17. And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19. Now therefore, you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; (And no other FOUNDATION can be laid that the Lord Jesus Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 3:10,11) 21. In whom all the building fitly framed together grows into a holy temple in the Lord: 22. In whom you also are built together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Most Christians have read Hebrews 11:6 or have at least heard that WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE to PLEASE God. In other words, God seeks TRUE worshipers to OBEY the TRUTH through the SPIRIT to walk in LOVE toward one another. Please read 1 Peter 1:21-23. “Who by him (Or Who because of Jesus) do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and GAVE him glory; that your FAITH and hope might be in God. 22. Seeing you have purified your souls in OBEYING the TRUTH through the Spirit unto unfeigned LOVE of the brethren, see that you LOVE one another with a pure heart fervently: 23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever.” So then, the FIRST STEP in being a TRUE worshiper of God to worship Almighty God the Father, is to OBEY His ONE COMMANDMENT to BELIEVE in His Son, Jesus, to be BORN AGAIN by FAITH in the word of God, the TRUTH of the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ. And the SECOND STEP in being a TRUE worshiper of God is to OBEY the SPIRIT to walk in LOVE. God seeks true worshipers to REST in His Messiah for righteousness and to know that we are HIS WORKMANSHIP so that there will be no more pride and boasting in the works of the Law of Moses contained in ORDINANCES. All Christians know and understand that it would be DISPLEASING to God and His Son, Jesus, for any Christian to have FAITH in Jesus as the ONE sacrifice for sins and ALSO keep the OLD Covenant to offer animal sacrifices for their sins. God gave the NEW Covenant to REPLACE the Old Covenant. But yet some Christians are NOT worshiping God in SPIRIT and in TRUTH because they are trying to keep BOTH covenants at the same time. In other words, they are trying to keep what Jesus FULFILLED and thus ABOLISHED on the cross. They wrongly desire to be teachers of the LAW to keep the LETTER of the LAW. They have failed to see that the keeping of the LETTER of the law KILLS/ 2 Corinthians 3:6. “Who also has made us able ministers of the NEW TESTAMENT; NOT of the LETTER, but of the SPIRIT: for the LETTER KILLS, (Or brings DEATH and DESTRUCTION) but the SPIRIT gives life.” Romans 7:4-6. “Wherefore, my brethren, you also have become DEAD to the law by the body of Christ; that you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. (And there is no LAW against the fruit of the SPIRIT, according to Galatians 5:18-26. Also read Ephesians 5:6-21) 5. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6. But NOW, we are DELIVERED from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in NEWNESS of SPIRIT, and NOT in the OLDNESS of the LETTER.” And God will JUDGE us by the MAN, Jesus, according to the NEW Law of LIBERTY under the New Covenant written in the New Testament. Please read James 2:12 in its CONTEXT. James 2:5-20. “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world rich in FAITH, and HEIRS of the kingdom which He has promised to them that LOVE Him? 6. But you have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7. Do not they blaspheme that worthy NAME (The ONLY NAME given among men whereby we MUST be saved) by which you are called? 8. IF you fulfill the ROYAL LAW according to the Scripture, You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself, you do well: 9. But IF you have respect to persons, you commit SIN, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. 10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, (Speaking of the Law of Moses under the Old Covenant) and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (In the next verse, the Apostle James gives us and easy EXAMPLE that we can all understand) 11. For (Or for you see, or for example) He who said, Do not commit adultery, ALSO said, Do not kill. Now if you commit no adultery, but you kill, then you have become a transgressor of the law. (Speaking of the Law of LIBERTY to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In other words, James is COMPARING the Law of LIBERTY to the Law of Moses. And under the Law of Moses, if a Jew broke just ONE point in the Law of Moses then he was GUILTY as if he had broken ALL of the Law of Moses. And thus, if we have RESPECT of persons to only LOVE the people we LIKE then we SIN. So BOTH laws have the same RULE but there is NO MERCY under the Law of Moses) 12. So, speak (Or choose) you, (FAITH, the ROYAL Law) and so do, as THEY who shall be JUDGED BY the LAW of LIBERTY. 13. For (Or for you see, or do you not understand that) he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy; and mercy rejoices against judgment. (In other words, according to the words of Jesus in Matthew, if we do NOT forgive those who sin against us then God will NOT forgive us of our sins against others. But if we have MERCY to forgive others then we can REJOICE in knowing that God is always faithful to forgive us of all our sins) 14/ What does it profit, my brethren, though a man (Simply) SAYS he has FAITH, and has not the works? (Of fulfilling the ROYAL Law of walking in LOVE) Can FAITH save him? (Or can faith alone without him walking in LOVE save him? Then James gives us an example of what NOT to do. In other words, an example of LIP service to God WITHOUT doing GOOD WORKS of the TRUE worshipers of God who truly walk in LOVE toward our fellow man, especially toward the brethren) 15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16. And one of you says unto them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding you do NOT give them those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit? 17. Even so (Or in other words) FAITH, IF it has NOT the works, then it is dead, being ALONE. (Remember that James is talking about the ONE WORK of walking in LOVE toward the brethren. James is NOT talking about keeping the word of the Law of Moses under the Old Covenant. Simply read Acts 15:24 where the WHOLE church came into agreement that NO SUCH COMMANDMENT is to be given to ANY Christian to KEEP the Law of Moses. So the WORKS that James is talking about are the GOOD WORKS that God ORDAINED us to do as we have already read in Ephesians 2:8-16) 18. Yea, a man may SAY, You have FAITH, and I have works: (Boasting in his works of KEEPING the Law of Moses) show me your faith without your works, (Remember that if a Jew broke ONE point of the Law of Moses, then they were GUILTY of having NO WORKS) and I will show you my faith by my works. (For you see, according to the CONTEXT in James 1:26, PURE religion or TRUE worshipers who are undefiled before God and the Father is THIS, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, AND to keep himself unspotted from the world) 19. You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (So then, James is saying that simply believing in Jesus as your Savior is NOT enough, you must also CONFESS Jesus as your Lord. And if you truly LOVE Jesus, then you will OBEY his words under the New Covenant written in the New Testament. This is what Jesus means by his WORDS in John 4:23,24, that God is SEEKING true worshipers to worship Him in SPIRIT and in TRUTH) 20. But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” The OLD way of worshiping Almighty God has been DONE AWAY with. Let us now read 1 Corinthians 3:6 in its CONTEXT to learn WHY keeping the LETTER of the Law of God KILLS or brings DEATH and DESTRUCTION. Please read 1 Corinthians 3:6-17. “Who also has made us able ministers of the NEW TESTAMENT; NOT of the LETTER, but of the SPIRIT: for the LETTER KILLS, but the Spirit gives life. 7. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, (Speaking of the Ten Commandments) was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be DONE AWAY: (Remember that the law was added UNTIL Christ came, and if you ARE Christ then you ARE the SEED of Abraham and HEIRS according to the PROMISE) 8. How shall not the ministration of the SPIRIT be rather glorious? 9. For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 10. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excels. 11. For if that which is DONE AWAY was glorious, much more that which remains is glorious. (In other words, Jesus FULFILLED the law that was ADDED because of humans transgressing the law written on their CONSCIENCE. But the law was added ONLY to the children of Israel who came out of BONDAGE in the land of Egypt which was 430 years AFTER God gave the PROMISE to Abraham to bless the SEED of Abraham. And again, the law was added only UNTIL the SEED came, which we all know is Jesus Christ) 12. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: (We are saved by GRACE and NOT by the works of the law contained in ORDINANCES. We are ministers of the NEW TESTAMENT) 13. And NOT as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is ABOLISHED: 14. But their minds were blinded: for until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which veil is done away in Christ. 15. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. (Speaking of the children of Israel, but sadly that veil of blindness is over the eyes of SOME Gentile Christians who are being deceived by Satan, the god of this world to wrongly believe that they must keep the Law of Moses in order to PLEASE God) 16. Nevertheless, when it (Speaking of those blinded by Satan, the god of this world who are NOT OBEYING the TRUTH of the gospel) shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is LIBERTY.” In other words, Jesus is the TRUE MEANING of the SHADOWS in the Law of Moses that point to the Messiah. Consider the HARSH severe punishment of DEATH just for simply picking up sticks on the Sabbath DAY of REST. That penalty of death is a SHADOW pointing to the wages of sin being DEATH. In other words, the RESTING on the seventh DAY is a SHADOW pointing to Jesus as the TRUE REST. And if a Christian is not TRULY RESTING in Jesus for righteousness by trying the KEEP the Law of Moses to please God then he or she is showing God that they do not TRULY believe that they are COMPLETE in Jesus, And thus, their faith is WEAK in the New Covenant because they sincerely but WRONGLY believe that they must keep BOTH Covenants in order to please God. They ERR in their interpretation of the Scriptures. So IF you are a seventh DAY of the week Sabbath-keeping Christian, then I implore you to read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>Dd-0. What is the TRUE Sabbath?<<< For you see, Jesus is our TRUE Sabbath rest. And NOW, under the NEW COVENANT, Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE, and no man comes to the Father except through Jesus. The new WAY to God’s heart is to obey His ONE commandment to BELIEVE in His Son, Jesus to enter into His New Covenant so that you can enter into the TRUE Seventh DAY of Yahweh’s rest in the world to come. For you see, the TRUE Seventh day is the 1000 year long day of the Lord in the world to come. Jesus was MADE the Lord of the Sabbath after the cross and resurrection, according to Acts 2:36 and many other verses of Scripture. Let us look at some more verses of Scripture with the word TRUTH in them. For you see, if you truly desire to PLEASE God to be a TRUE worshiper who is worshiping God and His Son in TRUTH, then you need to know what the Scriptures means by the word “TRUTH”. John 1:17. “For the law was given by Moses, but GRACE and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 3:1. “O foolish Galatians, who has BEWITCHED you, that you should NOT obey the TRUTH, before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” Galatians 5:7. You did run well; who did hinder you that you should NOT obey the TRUTH?” This PERSUASION to keep the Law of Moses does NOT come from Almighty God who has called you according to Galatians 5:1-18. But rather, we are called to obey the TRUTH by obeying the SPIRIT. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who WALK after the SPIRIT and NOT after the FLESH, according to Romans 8:1-14. Now let us look at a couple of verses of Scripture to learn the true meaning of walking AFTER the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (In other words, IF you FULFILL the ROYAL Law to have FAITH in Jesus and to walk in LOVE without having respect for persons, then you FULFILL ALL the law of God required to receive eternal life in the world to come) 24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” In other words, we are SAVED first by our FAITH in Jesus to be made ALIVE by the Spirit from being spiritually dead in of sins. And thus, having RECEIVED the Holy Spirit by FAITH to dwell in us, let us ALSO walk in the SPIRIT. Walking in the Spirit means to OBEY the leading of Holy Spirit and ALSO to keep the NEWNESS of the SPIRIT of the law and NOT the OLDNESS of the LETTER of the law. 2 Thessalonians 2:13. “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of theTRUTH:” 1 Peter 1:22. “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the TRUTH through the Spirit unto unfeigned LOVE of the brethren, see that you LOVE one another with a pure heart fervently:” 1Jn_2:4 “He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, (Speaking of the TWO commandments of Jesus under the New Covenant written in the New Testament) is a liar, and the TRUTH is not in him.” Matthew 22:36-46. “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus said unto him, You shall LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38. This is the FIRST and great commandment. 39. And the SECOND is like unto it, (Or and the SECOND commandment is similar to the FIRST commandment) You shall LOVE your neighbor as yourself. 40. On these TWO commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets. (In other words, by obeying these TWO commandments you are KEEPING all of the Law of Moses and everything prophesied by the prophets that testify of the Messiah. For you see, even IF a Jew was to keep all of the Law of God PERFECTLY without breaking one single point of the Law of God ever in their whole lifetime, they are still NOT SAVED. They must have FAITH in God’s Messiah who is prophesied by the prophets) 41. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42. Saying, What do you think of Christ? Whose son is he? (Or whose SON is the Messiah prophesied to be the Son of?) They said unto him, The Son of David. 43. He said unto them, How then does David in Spirit call him Lord, saying, (Or why did David speak by the Spirit the prophecy that says) 44. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit you on MY right hand, TILL I make your enemies your footstool? 45. If David then calls him Lord, how is he (The Christ or the Messiah) his (King David’s) son? (In other words, the father is over his son and the son is subject to his father. And thus, the father would not be calling his son, Lord, but rather, the son would be calling his father, lord. But yet David prophesied saying my Lord. To say this another way, Jesus is saying that the prophecy is not about David, but rather, it is about the Messiah. You can see this more clearly in Acts 2:22-36 where Peter says that David’s body in still in the GRAVE and it is Jesus who has ascended into heaven) 46. And no man was able to answer him a word, neither dared any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” Now, when we read the words of Jesus in Mark 12:22-37, we see in verse 34 Jesus telling the scribe that he is not FAR from the kingdom of God. Mark 12:34. “And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, You are not FAR from the kingdom of God. And no man after that dared to ask him any question.” To me, Jesus saying, he is not FAR from the kingdom is like the old saying, being CLOSE only counts in the game of horseshoes. In other words, being CLOSE to entering into the kingdom of God is NOT what God is seeking. God desires all men to be saved and not CLOSE to being saved. So Jesus is saying that you need to know WHO the Messiah is. Whose Son is the one prophesied to come to be made Lord? For you see, the Jews understood that the Messiah would be called the Son of God. Please read Proverbs 30:4. “Who has ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His NAME, and what is His son's NAME, if you can tell?” Here is Proverbs 30:4 from the New Century Version.
“WHO has GONE UP TO heaven and come BACK DOWN? Who can hold the wind in His hand? Who can gather up the waters in His coat? Who has set in place the ends of the earth? What is His NAME or His son's NAME? Tell me, if you know!” To answer those two questions please read the following studies. Dd-19. What does the LORD'S NAME in VAIN mean? V-34. WHAT DOES John 3:31 TRULY MEAN? R-9. Questions about the Oneness Doctrine! Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<< And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to
VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!
To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com. Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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