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I. THE NATURE OF GOD.

1. Being a Spirit, He is a living substance; for though all living things be not spirits, every spirit is a living thing. The soul and angels are spirits, therefore live, but not in themselves (Acts 17:28). God lives in and of Himself (John 5:26; Psalm 36:9).

2. He is incorporeal, or without body (Luke 24:39). The Anthropomorphites and Audiarii of old, and so some new heretics, have asserted that God has a body, contrary to Romans 1:23; Isaiah 40:18. Objection: God is said to have

(1)  a head (Daniel 7:9);

(2)  a face (Psalm 27:8; Psalm 34:6);

(3)  eyes (Psalm 34:15);

(4)  hands (Psalm 38:2; Acts 4:28);

(5)  a mouth (Matthew 4:4);

(6)  ears (Psalm 31:2);

(7)  arms (Exodus 6:6; Isaiah 53:1);

(8)  fingers (Exodus 31:18);

(9)  Bowels (Isaiah 63:15).Answer: (1) God speaks after the manner of men and to our capacity. We see by the eye: by that, therefore, God signifies to us His omniscience, etc.

3. He cannot be felt, because no body. Objection, Acts 17:27. Answer: We cannot feel God Himself, but by His creatures (Romans 1:19, 20).

4. He is invisible and cannot be seen (Job 9:11; 1 John 4:12). No man can see Him (Exodus 33:20; 1 Timothy 6:16). Reason: God has no body, shape, nor colour, and we cannot see our souls. Objection: God appeared to Abraham (Genesis 18:1), and to Israel (Deuteronomy 5:24), and others. Answer: Only by special manifestations of His glory. Objection: We shall see God (1 John 3:2; 1 Corinthians 13:12). Answer: With our soul, not with our bodily eyes.

II. THE WORSHIP HE DESIRES. Not as if no external rites were to be used. Christ Himself lifted up His eyes (John 17:1); knelt (Luke 22:41); fell on His face (Matthew 26:39); and instituted the sacrament (see also Ephesians 3:14; Acts 21:5). We are to worship in spirit and in truth.

1. Not with the types and shadows of the Old Testament, but according to the truth of them as exhibited in the New (John 1:17; John 17:17).

2. Not under any bodily shape, because He is a Spirit. The Samaritans worshipped Him under the representation of a dove on Mount Gerizim; hence their worship was called" strange worship" by the Jews. This was not to worship in truth (Romans 1:23-25). But we are to worship God only am a Spirit, and so truly, not entertaining our gross conceits, or making any picture of Him (Deuteronomy 4:14-16).

3. Not only with external, but with internal worship.

(1)  By performing all our devotions with our minds (1 Corinthians 14:15).

(2)  By preferring Him in our judgments before all else (Psalm 73:25).

(3)  By submitting our wills to His (Luke 22:42).

4. By putting our trust and confidence in Him (Psalm 37:3-6).

5. By devoting ourselves wholly to His service and obedient to His commands (1 Samuel 15:22).

Application:

1. This is the only worship acceptable to Him (Isaiah 1:11-12).

2. This is agreeable to His nature; He is a spirit and knows the heart (Ezekiel 33:31).

(Bp. Beveridge.)

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KJV: God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

WEB: God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."