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Jesus/Yeshua declaration that God is Spirit; is the conclusion of his continued attempts to lift her vision off the physical.
Off her gender limitations. Off racial divisions. Off religious conflicts. He goes from the unseen within her, her own heart,
and her failed attempts to have a secure and loving relationship, to the unseen reality of who God is.
Is It True that God is Spirit? - Bible Study Tools
People also ask
Why did Jesus say that God is spirit?Jesus said this to a woman who thought that physical locale has a bearing on proper worship
of God. The fact that God is spirit means that God the Father does not have a human body. God the Son came to earth in human
form ( John 1:1 ), but God the Father did not.
What does it mean that God is spirit?
The teaching that “God is spirit” is found in John 4:24: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship
in the Spirit and in truth.” Jesus said this to a woman who thought that physical locale has a bearing on proper worship
of God.
The fact that God is spirit means that God the Father does not have a human body. God the Son came to earth in human form
(John 1:1), but God the Father did not. Jesus is unique as Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Numbers 23:19
emphasizes God’s truthfulness by contrasting Him with mortal men: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a
human being, that he should change his mind.”
Some question why the Bible sometimes speaks of God as if He has a body. For example, Isaiah 59:1 mentions God’s “hand”
and “ear.” Second Chronicles 16:9 speaks of God’s “eyes.” Matthew 4:4 puts words in God’s
“mouth.” In Deuteronomy 33:27 God has “arms.” All of these verses are examples of anthropomorphism—a
way of describing God with anatomical or emotional terms so that humans can better understand Him. The use of anthropomorphism,
a form of figurative language, does not imply that God has an actual body.
To say that God is spirit is to say that God the Father is invisible. Colossians 1:15 calls God the “invisible God.”
First Timothy 1:17 praises God, saying, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory
forever and ever.”
Even though God is spirit, He is also a living, personal being. As such, we can know Him personally. Joshua 3:10 speaks of
God in this way, saying, “You will know that the living God is among you.” Psalm 84:2 declares, “My heart
and flesh sing for joy to the living God” (ESV).
Philosophically, God must be a spirit in order to be infinite. Also, if God was limited to a physical body, He could not be
omnipresent (in all places at once). God the Father is not limited to the dimensional restrictions of created things but can
exist in all places at one time. God is the uncreated First Cause that is the power behind all other beings.
Interestingly, in John 4:24 Jesus makes the connection between God being spirit and worshiping Him in spirit and in truth.
The idea is that, since God is spirit, people must worship Him accurately (in truth) and in spirit (with their soul or heart),
as opposed to relying on traditions, rituals, and physical locales.
Is God spirit or truth?God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" ( John 4:23–24 ).
Jesus was a person with a physical body, and He was God on earth ( John 1:1 ).
God is spirit – What does that mean? - Christian Truth
Because God is spirit, He does not have a physical body. This means He is able to be omnipresent and is not limited by physical
location. In John 4, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, "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" (John 4:23–24).
Jesus was a person with a physical body, and He was God on earth (John 1:1). Jesus is known as Immanuel, "God with us" (Matthew
1:23), but even Jesus, as the Son of God, was not able to be with every person in every place at once while on this earth.
Jesus left earth so that we may have the Holy Spirit here with us: "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage
that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you" (John 16:7).
It is necessary that God be spirit so that we are able to communicate with Him and be with Him at all times.
Anthropomorphism is "the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object." The Bible frequently
utilizes this approach, ascribing human-like physical qualities to God. It mentions his eyes (2 Chronicles 16:9), mouth (Matthew
4:4), arm and hand (Psalm 89:13), and ear (Isaiah 59:1). This frequent use of anthropomorphism does not imply that God has
a physical body, but it enables us to better understand His character and actions by viewing them through a lens that makes
sense to us.
As spirit, God is invisible to our natural human eyes (Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17), but He is nevertheless a living being,
active in our lives and on the earth (Joshua 3:10; Psalm 84:2). As spirit, God is infinite, unlimited by any dimensions of
time or space. He Himself was not created, but He is the self-existent one and the power that created all other beings and
the entire universe. He described Himself to Moses in this way: "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this
to the people of Israel: "I AM has sent me to you"'" (Exodus 3:14).
Because God is spirit, He is with us at all times and is aware of our ways. David wrote, "Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your
right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:7–10). Because God is spirit, we can be aware of and thankful for His constant
presence with us in every situation.
Love, Walter and Debbie
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