The Spirit—the Power for All That Is of God

In all spiritual questions, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." John 6:63. It was so when we first began with God: "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:5, 6. And it is no less so in worship: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23, 24.
And so, we are invited to "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith" and offer our worship to Him in just this character: "By Him [Christ] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." Heb. 10:22; 13:15. It must be, then, in the power of the Spirit that we approach to God for life or for worship: "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in [by] the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Phil. 3:3. "But be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Eph. 5:18, 19.
Judaism is a religion suited to man in the flesh. Man under the law and in the flesh has proven himself to be a dismal failure. Reality before God and blessing from Him begin with the power of God through the Spirit: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Gal. 2:16. "This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" Gal. 3:2, 3.