Articles
"Which Is More Important?"
(March Theme: Authority... In Church Worship)
“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)
Are we addressing questions that shouldn’t be asked? Written above are the unadulterated words of Jesus! However, if I were to ask you, “Which is more important? To worship in Spirit OR to worship in Truth,” what would your answer be? This is a question I heard posed by a Gospel preacher recently.
Of course, how you would expect a Gospel preacher heralding God’s Word to answer would be, “Who am I to prioritize one over the other when God said they’re both necessary and critical?” Unfortunately, he (a Gospel preacher) did not conclude with that thought. While, at first, he said some true things about the need for both and how they’re equally important… he didn’t stop there.
He started erasing everything he stated prior by presenting two illustrations. Church A, this group has instruments, but they’re worship is lively, memorable, and emotionally stirring. Church B, this group has the truth (no instruments) in worship, but it’s really bland, forgettable, and boring. In conclusion, he spoke very positively of Church A (no truth, but spirit) and spoke disparagingly of Church B (truth, but no spirit).
Here’s the problem. The Bible condemns both situations. (Isaiah 1:13) “Bring your worthless offerings no longer, Incense is an abomination to Me. New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.” Some would suggest that Israel’s problem was that they were robotically going though the motions while others say it was really that they didn’t have truth on their side in the first place. The context of the whole chapter would reveal that it was not just one of these issues but both.
How can we have the Scriptural “spirit” without the scriptural “truth”, and vice versa? It would be like asking, “Who would you rather have a relationship with: Jesus OR the Father?” Utter insanity! Moreover, what if one went beyond that by saying they’re equally important, but then spoke more positively about having a relationship with Jesus and more disparagingly about having one with the Father? Even if he/she said that both were necessary it is asinine to even lean one way or the other! Is this a question that is even appropriate to ask?
At the very least it is the opposite of edifying and encouraging which is what we’re charged to do with brethren (1 Thes. 5:14; Eph. 4:14-16), not stir up unbiblical thoughts that only breed doubt and temptation.
God desires our worship to be “in spirit and truth.” When you take one variable out of that equation (regardless of which one) it will never equal God’s approval.
So, should we answer this question of “Which is more important?” Of course not! Should we even be asking such a worldly minded question (1 Cor. 2:14-16)? Much less so!
Luke Capps
