How can I worship the Lord in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24)? What is true worship?

TL;DR:

Worship is a life response to the object of our worship. We worship God in spirit and truth when we recognize God alone is worthy of our praise and declare it with our attitudes, actions, and words.

John 4:23–24 records Jesus saying, "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." First, it is important to understand what worship is. Many equate worship with singing music in church. This is one aspect of worship (Psalm 100:2), but worship is in no way limited to song. It is a full life response to the object of our worship. When we truly worship something, it presumes an attitude of reverence. When we worship God, we recognize God for who He is and what He does and give our lives to Him. It is important to note that we worship in spirit and in truth simultaneously. To worship God in spirit and in truth is to declare that God is worthy of our reverence.

from the old testament

When we worship something, we declare that it is worthy (Psalm 145:3).
When we worship God, we do so in response to who He is (Psalm 52:9).
We worship through a heart posture, not just a physical posture (Psalm 51:17).

from the new testament

We know that God is a spiritual being (John 4:24).
We know that God (Jesus) is truth (John 14:6).
Worshiping in truth means that we worship based on truth (see Romans 10:2).
In his vision recorded in Revelation John saw heavenly beings declaring, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" (Revelation 5:12).
We do not worship by simply bowing our knees; our worship is in line with the worship going on in heaven (Ephesians 6:12; Revelation 4:8).

implications for today

One way to understand worship is to think of it as "worth-ship." The Greek word used for "worship" implies an attitude of reverence, including physical gestures such as kissing the hand or kneeling (Psalm 95:6). We worship something when we act as if it has value. Sometimes our worship is focused on that which is actually worthy of reverence (like God). Other times it is misdirected (for instance, we worship our work or our bank accounts or fashion or a political icon).

Our attitudes and actions reflect that we believe the character and conduct of God to be worthy of praise and adoration. At times, our worship is expressed through corporate singing, teaching, and giving. It is also expressed in our daily lives through prayer, Scripture reading, acts of kindness, gratitude, pure thoughts, and the like. Our spirit is the core of who we are; it is the center of our volition and our emotions. To worship in spirit is to do something that is beyond the physical.

Worshiping in truth includes the truth about who God is and what He does, hence why He is worthy of worship. It includes the truth about our circumstances: when we are experiencing heartache, or conversely, in our joyful circumstances. Truth itself can be a means of worship; we worship God when we declare His truth.

We worship God both through our emotional core and in light of reality. We worship God based on the truth of who He is, the truth of who we are, the truth of what God does, and the truth of what is going on in our world. We do it with a heart inclined toward God and in submission to Him. We worship God when our attitudes, actions, and words declare that He is worthy of our praise.

understand

Worshiping the Lord in spirit and truth is recognizing God’s unmatched worthiness and responding with our whole lives.
Worship in spirit involves engaging our inner being and emotions beyond physical acts.
Worship in truth focuses on God’s truth as revealed in Scripture and aligns our worship with His reality.

reflect

How do your attitudes and actions show that God is worthy of your worship?
When have you focused more on emotions or rituals in worship? How can you worship God in spirit and truth together?
What truths about God lead you to worship Him more deeply?

engage

How can we ensure our worship stays focused on who God truly is?
What practices help us engage our hearts and emotions in worship while honoring God’s truth?
How does seeing worship as a "life response" change how we approach our daily lives?