Day 6: God is Spirit, Not Like Us
The Doctrine of God: Days 2-28
Scripture
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 ESV
“To whom then will you compare God, or what likeness compare with him?” Isaiah 40:18 ESV
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 ESV
“To whom then will you compare God, or what likeness compare with him?” Isaiah 40:18 ESV
Confessional Summary
The Reformed confessions press this into our bones. God is not physical. He is “a most pure spirit, invisible,” and therefore not contained, not composed of parts, and not reduced to anything our hands can make or our minds can manage (Westminster Confession of Faith 2.1; Westminster Larger Catechism 7). The same confession adds a needed safeguard when it says God is “without body, parts, or passions,” protecting us from imagining Him as a larger version of ourselves (Westminster Confession of Faith 2.1).
The Larger Catechism applies this directly to worship by warning us against making any image of God or worshiping Him by images, because God must be honored as He is, not as we can depict Him (Westminster Larger Catechism 109). The Second Helvetic Confession emphasizes the same point by rejecting images and human inventions as a way of approaching the living God (Second Helvetic Confession chapter 4).
The Reformers insisted that worship must be governed by what God is, not by what we can see, stage, or control. If God is Spirit, then the church must refuse every attempt to domesticate Him through images, props, or techniques, and instead draw near by faith in the Word He has spoken.
The Reformed confessions press this into our bones. God is not physical. He is “a most pure spirit, invisible,” and therefore not contained, not composed of parts, and not reduced to anything our hands can make or our minds can manage (Westminster Confession of Faith 2.1; Westminster Larger Catechism 7). The same confession adds a needed safeguard when it says God is “without body, parts, or passions,” protecting us from imagining Him as a larger version of ourselves (Westminster Confession of Faith 2.1).
The Larger Catechism applies this directly to worship by warning us against making any image of God or worshiping Him by images, because God must be honored as He is, not as we can depict Him (Westminster Larger Catechism 109). The Second Helvetic Confession emphasizes the same point by rejecting images and human inventions as a way of approaching the living God (Second Helvetic Confession chapter 4).
The Reformers insisted that worship must be governed by what God is, not by what we can see, stage, or control. If God is Spirit, then the church must refuse every attempt to domesticate Him through images, props, or techniques, and instead draw near by faith in the Word He has spoken.
Reflection
We constantly try to shrink God into something familiar. We picture Him as a larger version of ourselves, reactive, needy, dependent on the right conditions, disappointed when the moment does not move us. Scripture refuses that. God is spirit. He is not a creature inside the world. He is the Creator over it. He cannot be captured by an image, contained by a place, or controlled by a technique.
Jesus joins two words we often split apart, spirit and truth. Some people want spirituality that floats free of truth. Others want truth that becomes cold and prayerless. Christ refuses both. Worship must be inward and real, offered from the heart by faith, and it must be governed by what God has actually revealed.
This exposes two common temptations in worship. One is worship by aesthetics, as if beauty or excellence could substitute for reverence and obedience. The other is worship by emotion, as if intensity were the same as sincerity. God is not honored by manufactured feelings. God is honored when His people respond to His self-revelation with faith, humility, and truth.
We constantly try to shrink God into something familiar. We picture Him as a larger version of ourselves, reactive, needy, dependent on the right conditions, disappointed when the moment does not move us. Scripture refuses that. God is spirit. He is not a creature inside the world. He is the Creator over it. He cannot be captured by an image, contained by a place, or controlled by a technique.
Jesus joins two words we often split apart, spirit and truth. Some people want spirituality that floats free of truth. Others want truth that becomes cold and prayerless. Christ refuses both. Worship must be inward and real, offered from the heart by faith, and it must be governed by what God has actually revealed.
This exposes two common temptations in worship. One is worship by aesthetics, as if beauty or excellence could substitute for reverence and obedience. The other is worship by emotion, as if intensity were the same as sincerity. God is not honored by manufactured feelings. God is honored when His people respond to His self-revelation with faith, humility, and truth.
Application
Refuse casual mental pictures that shrink God into a creature. Let Scripture, not imagination, shape how you think of Him. Prepare for worship by letting God’s Word set the tone, not your feelings. In prayer, speak to God as truly present even when you feel dull, distracted, or numb.
Prayer
God who is Spirit, forgive me for shaping You into something familiar and controllable. Teach me to worship You in spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Refuse casual mental pictures that shrink God into a creature. Let Scripture, not imagination, shape how you think of Him. Prepare for worship by letting God’s Word set the tone, not your feelings. In prayer, speak to God as truly present even when you feel dull, distracted, or numb.
Prayer
God who is Spirit, forgive me for shaping You into something familiar and controllable. Teach me to worship You in spirit and in truth. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Recent
Archive
2026
January
Day 1: Our Chief End, All of Life for God's GloryDay 2: The Doctrine of God, The God Who IsDay 3: God Is, The Living God Who Truly ExistsDay 4: God Speaks First, Knowing the Living GodDay 5: The Only True God, No RivalsDay 6: God is Spirit, Not Like UsDay 7: God Is Self-Existent, “I AM”Day 8: God Is Not Divided, His Perfections Do Not CompeteDay 9: God Is Holy, Not Safe, Not CommonDay 10: God Is Love, Not Indifferent, Not SentimentalDay 11: God Is Just, The Judge of All the EarthDay 12: God Is Merciful, He Delights to PardonDay 13: God Is Sovereign, None Can Stay His HandDay 14: God Is Wise, Never Confused, Never LateDay 15: God Is Good, He Does GoodDay 16: God Is True, He Cannot LieDay 17: God Is Eternal, Before All, After AllDay 18: God Is Unchanging, Your AnchorDay 19: God Is Omniscient, Fully Known by God, Fully Loved in ChristDay 20: God Is Omnipresent, Never AbsentDay 21: God Is Omnipotent, God Is AbleDay 22: The Trinity, One God in Three PersonsDay 23: The Father, Source, Sender, and AdopterDay 24: The Son Eternal God Redeeming LordDay 25: The Spirit, Lord, and Giver of LifeDay 26: God’s Grace and Decree: Salvation Begins with GodDay 27: Providence: The Fatherly Hand Over All ThingsDay 28: Worship, The Proper End of the Doctrine of GodDay 29: The Doctrine of Scripture, The God Who SpeaksDay 30: Revelation; General and SpecialDay 31: The Authority of Scripture
February
Day 32: Inspiration, God-Breathed and Given by the SpiritDay 33: The Authority of Scripture, The Line You Do Not CrossDay 34: Self-Authenticating Scripture, Recognizing the Word of GodDay 35: The Role of the Holy Spirit, Illumination Not InnovationDay 36: Inerrancy and Truthfulness, Truth Has a NameDay 37: The Sufficiency of Scripture, God’s Word is EnoughDay 38: The Clarity of Scripture, An Open DoorDay 39: The Canon of Scripture, A Settled WordDay 40: The Unity of Scripture, One Story, One SaviorDay 41: Preservation of Scripture, The Word Kept PureDay 42: Translation and Accessibility, The Word Made PlainDay 43: Scripture and Tradition, The Final Court of AppealDay 44: Scripture and the ChurchDay 45: Scripture and Worship, God Sets the TermsDay 46: Scripture and Preaching, God Speaks Through MeansDay 47: Scripture and ObedienceDay 48: Scripture and SanctificationDay 49: Scripture and Comfort, God Speaks PeaceDay 50: Scripture and Assurance, God Speaks CertaintyTaking a Pause