What Does "Must" Mean?

John 4:23-24 says...

23 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. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24 NKJV)

First of all we must worship God in spirit, that is with the right attitude, with the right heart. Secondly, we must worship Him in truth.

What is truth? Truth is that which can be relied on to be so. Surely, the Bible must say somewhere what truth is.

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (John 17:17-19 NKJV)

Now that we know what truth is, the word of God, let's go back to John 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Notice the word, "must." Not, "should." Not, "may." Not, "might." Not, "can." Must. There are no other options.

What makes God's word so special?

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

What makes God's word so special is that it came from God Himself and it can be relied on to make one totally pleasing to God. It contains God's teachings (doctrine), God's censuring, or rebuking, (reproof), adjustments to increase accuracy (correction) and it shows one how to be blameless in the sight of God (instruction in righteousness).

How do we know where to apply God's doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness?

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV)

If we must worship God in spirit and truth what about all the religious organizations in the world? Some teach one thing, some teach the exact opposite. They both can't be right but they both can be wrong. If a church teaches something that is the opposite of what the Bible teaches then it cannot be in agreement with the truth, the word, and those who worship in a church at odds with the Bible are not worshipping in "spirit and truth."

How do we know whether or not a church is in agreement with the word of God? 2 Timothy 2:15. We go to the word to "rightly divide" what the word says on the subject.

In Matthew 16:13-19 we read...

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-19 NKJV)

In essence Jesus said to Peter, "As surely as your name is also Peter, I will build my church based on the rock that I am the Christ, the Son of the living God." And I will give you the keys of the entrance into the kingdom of heaven." Since the context of the passage is building the church, the church is the "Kingdom of Heaven" which is borne out in another study of scripture as well.

In Acts 2 when Peter tells the crowd, "You know the Messiah you have been waiting for for generations? Well, he came, he was here, and you murdered him," they responded with "What shall we do?" Peter told them "Repent and be baptized every one of you." Why? For the remission of sins (vs 38). They were told to change their way of thinking and be immersed in water for the remission of sins.

In Acts 2:47 we read...

praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47 NKJV)

This verse tells us that at some point between Jesus promising to build his church in Matthew 16:18 and Acts 2:47, he had built the church because he was adding to "the church daily those who were being saved."

When we rightly divide the word of truth we see that the church of the Bible was established (built) by Christ shortly around the time of his death.

If a church was built by some man, or woman, other than Christ, or it was built at any point after Acts 2, it is not a true Bible church. It is not based according to the Word (John 17:17) or in keeping with spirit and truth (John 4:23-24).

Ask your religious leaders, teachers and anyone else involved in the church you attend, "When was this church established?" If it was established at any time during this century, and almost all of them were, you can be sure it does not have a scriptural builder, Jesus, and it certainly doesn't have a scriptural beginning.

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV)

To find a church of the first century today, contact me. I'll show you where you can find us wherever you are.

Marv Walker
706 816-7190

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