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NASB | John 4:23 "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. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 4:23 "But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. |
Subject: Is it true worship? |
Bible Note: You wrote: "Some time ago, I heard a widely published and well respected speaker say to a congregation that we were to give God all the Glory because He wants it and He needs it." Needs it? No. God is in need of nothing. Wants it? Demands it is a better way of looking at it biblically: "And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him [Herod] because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." --Acts 12:23 "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." --1 Corinthians 10:31 You wrote: 'The Holy Spirit spoke up on the inside of me and said, "no I don't need it, I have all the Glory I will ever need because I am Glory".' Did you hear an audible voice? When we give God glory, biblically speaking, we are not literally "giving" Him something He does not already have. We are acknowledging his innate glory. God is glorious, whether we ascribe that glory to him or not. God commands us to do so, however, and giving glory to God is acknowledging and recognizing Him as the holy and perfect being that He is in His sovereignty: "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen." --Romans 11:33-36 You wrote: "God's Glory, or the Glory which results from us doing the will of God, is like a loaded gun in the hands of a child." Where in Scripture do you get this idea? You wrote: 'We are to commit it to Him, for safe-keeping. This is the treasure we are to lay up in Heaven, this is also your eternal reward for your earthly obedience, and your "good deposit", or storehouse. (Matt 6:19-21, 12:35, Mark 10:21, 2 Cor 4:17).' None of these passages mention "glory." You wrote: 'So, if we are given to the thought that God "wants" or needs our praise and worship, and that we in turn "want" what God has for ourselves, then we will try to make the transaction by attempting to buy His favor with our "adoration".' God does require us to give Him glory precisely because it belongs to Him and Him alone. And God does reward those who please Him. That is very biblical: "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers." --Psalm 1:1-3 The important thing to remember is that pleasing God does not earn us salvation, because it is impossible to please God unless we are already justified (Romans 8:6-9). So the pleasing God and the benefits therein are not the cause of salvation, but the effect of it. --Joe! |