The description “God is spirit”
has several meanings. (1) Christ uses here the second meaning of “spirit” . . .that
is, the spirit as activity of each of his attributes (The expression “God is
spirit” [John 4:24] is the first of four expressions giving a description of God.
To the articular name “God” is followed by anarthrous descriptions, as also in “God
is Light” [1 John 1:5], “God is love” [1 John 4:8, 16] and “God is fire” [Heb
12:29]. “Here πνευμα [pneuma] is understood as a qualitative predicate
nominative while the articular θεος [theos]
is the subject” [NET Bible notes on John 4:24). (2) god is not confined to one
place, but is present everywhere, as Christ confirmed to the Samaritan woman
(John 4:21). Although God is the most sublime being in existence, his exalted
nature does not mean that he is absent from the affairs of human beings. (3)
Each of his attributes is in absolute perfection. (4) He is always active in
all his attributes, not just in a portion of them. His presence is not separate
from the activity of any of his attributes. None of his attributes is active in
the absence of any other attribute, or independently of any other attribute.
(5) The permanent activity of God’s attributes assumes that he exists in an
eternal relationship. As a summary, the designation “God is spirit” means
that he is active eternal in all his attributes. (Imad N. Shehadeh, God
With Us and Without Us, 2 vols. [Carlisle, U.K.: Langham Global Library,
2019], 2:214)
On John 4:24 and other texts used for and against divine embodiment, see:
Lynn Wilder vs. Latter-day Saint (and Biblical) Theology on Divine Embodiment
