Questions people ask:
1)True Spirituality?, and
2)Truly Spiritual Congregations?
Q. What is a "spiritual person"?
Q. Can you recommend a congregation?
Response: These two questions are closely related. The apostle Paul explained that a spiritual person is one who can understand spiritual truths:
"But it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
But God has revealed them [the things prepared by God] to us through His Spirit. For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolish to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ." (I Cor 2:9-16).There are two common standards of judging, man's and God's. Man looks on the outward appearance, the dress, the words, the actions, and the "performance", partly because we cannot read minds and partly because we are too easily impressed.
When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint a King over Israel, Samuel kept looking at the tall, strong, good looking ones.
"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7)." . . . for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: . . ." (1 Chrn. 28:9).
Sometimes where we see a person dressed as a priest, God sees a pedophile. Where we may see a popular televangelist, God sees an adulterer. Where we may see a person with high degrees of divinity, God sees a person of little or no faith. Where we may see a successful and growing religious organization, God sees leaders with the attitude of Judas, concerned primarily about the "purse".
This spiritual blindness can affect the way we see ourselves as illustrated in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (tax collector), (Luke 18:9-14).
A spiritual person is someone that has a strong connection to God. Someone whose main goal in life is to learn to be as much like God as is humanly possible. Christ left us His example of how to live, with eyewitness accounts written in the Bible, but it takes the wisdom which comes through God's Spirit to understand how to fully follow Christ's example. It takes desire and total commitment, and many appear to only be willing to commit partially, or occasionally, or when it's convenient. According to Christ, any lack of total commitment is unacceptable (Mat. 19:16-30).
Obtaining God's spirit, and keeping it stirred up (2 Tim. 1:6; 1 Ths. 5:19) is a life long battle. We must be willing to examine and to frequently re-examine our goals, motives, and thoughts, in the light of God's values, not our own. We must be willing to grow and change as God points out areas of our lives that need change or adjustment." . . . to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word." (Isa. 66:2).
"I tell you, this man [the humble and repentant] went down to his house justified rather than the other [the self-righteous]: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:14).
When Christ returns, he will judge between the two (Luke 13:23-30; Mat. 25:1-13; 7:21-23).In the meantime, how can we tell the difference? It's a matter of "fruit inspection".
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."
You shall know them by their fruits. . . . " (Mat. 7:15-16).
"Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
Not everyone that says unto me, "Lord, Lord", shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: . . ." (Mat. 7:20-21).
In verse 22, Christ mentions those "many" who have prophesied in his name, performed exorcisms, and "done many wonderful works". He does not deny their claims but he refuses to recognize them. "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity [violate the laws of God]" (v. 23).
Typically, the world considers those who teach and preach in Christ's name, who perform exorcisms, or who do "wonderful works" in the name of Christ, as being "spiritual". Christ is telling us that "many" of these are just common sinners, unfit for the kingdom of God. Whether they are deceivers of others, deceived by others or self-deceived doesn't matter here. Christ's response covers all three groups.
Bad fruits are called "works of the flesh" (the normal actions of carnal human nature): "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. . . . they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Gal. 5:19-21).
Colossians 3:5-9 also lists fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness (idolatry), disobedience, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, and lying.
Eph. 5:3-8, 11, lists fornication, all uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting. ". . . no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."Similar lists can be found in 2 Cor. 12:20-21; 1 Tim. 1:9-10; and Rev. 21:8.
Good fruits are called the "fruits of the Spirit" (the righteous acts of God working through us): "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness [resistance to anger], temperance: against such there is no law." (Gal. 5:22-23, see also vs. 24-26).
Col. 3:12-15, also lists mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, charity [love], and peace. (See also vs. 16-25).Eph. 5:9 also lists "all goodness and righteousness and truth:"
Why do we need to be able to tell the difference in the fruits? For the same reason that it is unwise to stand too close to a lightening rod.
"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Be not you therefore partakers with them." (Eph. 5:6-7).
Christ was the only man to demonstrate all the good fruits and none of the bad fruits. The rest of us fall somewhere in between if we are working toward perfection.Is it possible for a man to become perfect? Christ did. But some say he had some advantage, although scripture says otherwise (Heb. 4:15).
But there were others who obviously had no advantage. "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job. 1:1).
Christ explained the requirements for becoming perfect (Mat. 19:21). He also commanded perfection (Mat. 5:48).
[For further discussion of what is meant by "perfection", see: "The Doctrine of Perfection --"You are Gods", Psa. 82:6" ]
A truly "spiritual person" can be measured by a comparison with the two lists above. Of course, before we begin rating others, we need to look in the mirror (Mat. 7:1-2). And before we begin trying to "fix" those around us, we need to "fix" ourselves (vs. 3-5). While the the main purpose of these lists is self improvement and not the condemning of others, they do serve to help us recognize others who are striving for perfection.
As for recommending a congregation, we suggest that you look for one in which there are sufficient "spiritual people" to meet your needs for fellowship. We cannot make specific suggestions without knowing something about the beliefs, the understanding and the spiritual goals of the one making the request.
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