Death, Spiritual or Physical?
And, How Do We, as True Worshippers, Worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth?

By Richard Savage

(Ed note: This article is from Richard's newsletter, "The Menorah," Jan. 2010 issue.)

Let's start this message with John 5:24-29. In v. 24, Yahshua says, "Truly, truly I say unto you, he who hears my words and believes in HNim who sent me possesses everlasting life, and does not come into judgment (condemnation), but has passed from death into life." Now the word "death" in this verse is not talking about a physical death, for we know that it is appointed for man to die once (Heb. 9:27). The word death in this verse is talking about passing from spiritual death into spiritual life. Continuing to read in v. 25, "Truly, truly I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Yahweh; and those having heard, shall live." Notice again the word death in this verse is not talking about a physical death, but is actually talking of those who are spiritually dead. We know that Scripture tells us the physically dead know nothing (Eccl. 9:5).

So what we have here is Yahshua telling us that now is the time when the spiritually dead shall hear the voice of the Son of Yahweh. And, to tell you the truth, these words ring just as true for us today as they did for those back when Yahshua our High Priest and Redeemer walked this earth. He was and is the very son of Yahweh! Vs. 26, "For as the Father possesses life (physical and spiritual) in Himself, so He gave also to the Son of Adam." In the first four verses that we have read, we wee that the word death does not mean physical death but actually it means Spiritual death - something to think on and remember. What we have just read is taking place right now! What we are about to read will take place in the future.

Now let us take a look at physical death in v. 28: "Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the tombs shall hear His voice (v. 29) and shall come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of judgment." These two verses are talking about a physical death, those in the tombs (graves), that in the future shall hear Yahshua's voice. Notice the words "and now is," in vs. 25 but is not in vs. 28; also the key words in vss. 28-29, "tombs" and "resurrection." The words indicate a physical death and not a spiritual death. We do have two different groups of people  in vs. 29, one group being the ones who were spiritually dead and then heard the voice of the Son of Yahweh (and repented); the second group being those who refused to hear His voice. That is why the first group did well and attained the resurrection to life, and the second group did evil and thus were (will be) raised to judgment.

Now let's go back to John 4:23 where we will find that this verse backs up everything that Yahshua said in John 5:25. However, a little more is added here. It reads. "But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him."

Notice in this verse we see these same three key words, "and now is," that we saw in 5:25. These key words let us know that now is the time to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth. . Not in the past, or in some future time, but right now! And this brings up a very big question for some of us. And that question is, "How do we, as carnal flesh and blood human sinners, even begin to worship Yah in spirit and truth?" The answer is found in Paul's letter to the Romans.

Paul is very clear on this subject. Look at Romans 7:21 to 8:9. Starting at verse 21, chapter 7:

Rom 7:21-25 "I find therefore this law, that when I wish to do the good, that the evil is present with me.

For I delight in the Torah of Elohim¹ according to the inward man, Footnote: ¹Ps. 119:16.

but I see another law in my members, battling against the Torah of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death? Thanks to Yahweh, through יהושע Messiah our Master! So then, with the mind I myself truly serve the Torah of Yahweh, but with the flesh the law of sin."

Many people do not realize what we just read in those five verses. But if we take a close look at at what Paul said, we will see exactly how to worship Yahweh in Spirit! It is with the mind! How clear!

Now let's continue on in chapter 8, verses 1 through 9:

There is, then, now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah יהושע, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

      For the Torah of the Spirit of the life in Messiah יהושע has set me free from the law of sin and of death.

      For the Torah being powerless, in that it was weak through the flesh, Yahweh, having His own Son in the likeness of flesh of sin, and concerning sin, condemned sin in the flesh,

      so that the righteousness of the Torah should be completed in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

      For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the matters of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the matters of the Spirit.

      For the mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.

            Because the mind of the flesh is enmity towards Yahweh, for it does not subject itself¹ to the Torah of Yahweh², neither indeed is it able,       and those who are in the flesh are unable to please Yahweh. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Yahweh dwells in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, this one is not His.

We should know now that the way to worship YHWH in Spirit is with our minds. But this in and of itself is not enough. We must worship Him in Truth, also. And the only way that we can do that is to place His words in our minds, because it is written, "Set them apart in Your Truth - Your Word is Truth." (John 17:17). The first chapter of John tells us that Yahshua is the Word that was with Yahweh and became flesh and dwelt amongst human kind. And it is this Word that is Truth, the very Truth that we must as True Believers worship the Father with.

May the love of the Father Yahweh be with you always and may you find peace in His Son, Yahshua our Redeemer and High Priest! Shalom with Love in Yahshua. Bro. Richard Savage, Huntsville, TX~