The Politics of Jesus:
Worship is a matter of giving worth to God for who He really is. `Worship’ as a word in the New Testament, comes to us from the main Greek word `proskuneo’ (pros-koo-neh-o=Strongs G4352). ie. `pros’: towards, `kuneo’ to kiss / to prostrate oneself, bow down, do obeisance, show reverence, do homage, worship, adore. In the NT the word especially denotes homage rendered to God and to the ascended Christ. All believers have a one dimensional worship to the one and only Lord and Saviour. We do not worship angels, saints, shrines, relics or religious personages.
I would comment it is a little hard to worship God in this adoring way, when one is never sure of God’s acceptance of you fully. This can only be in full confidence in the perfect life of Jesus Christ lived out 2000 years ago, on my behalf. It also in that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s life on the Cross, it removed any condemnation and guilt for my past sins. The separation, which came between God and Man which was sin, was a real rift in relationships. He represented all persons in what he accomplished for us.
In the past, I have had a Christian Religion. I was concerned with such questions as:
- An expectation of how fit I am spiritually?
- Have I fitted into all the expectations of God? Does God accept me?
- I knew a lot about God but I didn't know God personally as I do now
- Have I been thorough in the things of God?
- How sure am I of being ready for the Second Coming?
Jesus was saying in the above verse in John 4:23, 24, that the Father is seeking those who could worship from the reality (Truth) of who He is and their relation with Him. Worship is of the spirit. It is a relationship of Spirit with spirit.
2. 'worship Him in spirit'
The word 'spirit' comes from the original Greek word 'pneuma' (said as 'pnyoo - mah'). It is current of air ..... that is a breath or breeze and by analogy or figuratively a spirit. The same Greek word is used for God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) and our human spirit ..... the word is used interchangeably depending the context.
The same situation is used in the original Hebrew of the Old Testament. The word 'Ruach' is used for God's Spirit (Holy Spirit) and our human spirit ..... the word is used interchangeably depending the context as in the New Testament.
- To 'worship Him in spirit' means then to give worth to God for who He really is through our human spirit and by the Holy Spirit. There is big difference between our human spirit (which is the Inner Person) and our soul (which is our Middle Person of Mind, Will and Emotions). Relating to God is initially an appreciation of Him through the inner dimension of human spirit. Then it flows outward to touch our Middle Person in:
- Minds: our rational, thinking dimension
- Will: Our decisive side ..... what actions will it take?
- Emotions: How do I feel about this .... the Scriptures talk a lot about feelings: joy of life, peace, rest etc.
Take any of the Psalms by David or read Psalm 23 in particular and see the range of emotions expressed. In the final end we called to a spiritfilled life. Read about "A TIDAL WAVE of Christianity" at
Source: CBN - http://www.cbn.com/CBNNews/News/030819a.asp } 'September 11th focused a lot of attention on the growth of Islam. What most pundits and scholars have missed is the incredible growth of Christianity, and where it's growing. We like to think of ourselves as the Christian West. But there is growing evidence that the centre of Christendom has moved. Africans are running to accept Jesus Christ. It is a scene playing out all across the developing world.
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A Recommended Book Available From Koorong in Australia (http://www.koorong.com) or another Christian bookstore in another country
God's Politics
Wallis Jim (Author of the New York Times bestselling God's Politics)
Hardback
Koorong's Price: $34.95 [less 15%] you pay: $29.71
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| Since when did believing in God and having moral values make you pro-war, pro-rich, and pro-Republican? And since when did promoting and pursuing a progressive social agenda with a concern for economic security, health care, and educational opportunity mean you had to put faith in God aside? While the Right in America has hijacked the language of faith to prop up its political agenda - an agenda not all people of faith support - the Left hasn't done much better, largely ignoring faith and continually separating moral discourse and personal ethics from public policy. While the Right argues that God's way is their way, the Left pursues an unrealistic separation of religious values from morally grounded political leadership. The consequence is a false choice between ideological religion and soulless politics. The effect of this dilemma was made clear in the 2004 presidential election. The Democrats' miscalculations have left them despairing and searching for a way forward. It has become clear that someone must challenge the Republicans' claim that they speak for God, or that they hold a monopoly on moral values in the nation's public life. Wallis argues that America's separation of church and state does not require banishing moral and religious values from the public square. In fact, the very survival of America's social fabric depends on such values and vision to shape our politics - a dependence the nation's founders recognized. God's Politics offers a clarion call to make both our religious communities and our government more accountable to key values of the prophetic religious tradition - that is, make them pro-justice, pro-peace, pro-environment, pro-equality, pro-consistent ethic of life (beyond single issue voting), and pro-family (without making scapegoats of single mothers or gays and lesbians). Our biblical faith and religious traditions simply do not allow us as a nation to continue to ignore the poor and marginalized, deny racial justice, tolerate the ravages of war, or turn away from the human rights of those made in the image of God .These are the values of love and justice, reconciliation, and community that Jesus taught and that are at the core of what many of us believe, Christian or not. In the tradition of prophets such as Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, and Desmond Tutu, Wallis inspires us to hold our political leaders and policies accountable by integrating our deepest moral convictions into our nation's public life.
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For Further Reading Beyond a Spirituality from Jesus Christ .... see this Blog Site ....._______________________________________________________________________
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