'Of The Spirit" vs Spirituality

Have you ever talked to someone you know about your own faith and belief in the Bible, to then have them respond something like, "Oh, I don't believe in religion but I am spiritual." What does that mean exactly, "I am spiritual." I think it is a non-biblical viewpoint people embrace who don't want "religion" in their lives, but they still want to believe and hope they have enough good about themselves to get to heaven. Look at this definition of spiritual: Being a spiritual person is synonymous with being a person whose highest priority is to be loving to yourself and others. A spiritual person cares about people, animals and the planet. A spiritual person knows that we are all One, and consciously attempts to honor this Oneness. A spiritual person is a kind person. Notice the highest priority was to self? Is there a difference between religion and being spiritual? Google notes that religion is a set of texts, practices, and beliefs about the transcendent shared by a community, and involves a relationship with God. Spirituality, on the other hand, is about a person's relationship with the transcendent questions that confront one as a human being. This may or may not involve relationships with God.

The truth is, "religion" and "spirituality" are not the same as, not even close to, being of the Spirit the New Testament addresses. Several years ago I knew a lady, a former employee, a very kind, benevolent woman, that said she believed there was a God, was convinced she was going to heaven but did not believe she needed Jesus to arrive at her eternal bliss (as a reminder to the reader: Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.") She, like so many including Oprah Winfrey, believes there are many ways or paths to God and define their "spirituality" as such.

Today I want us to think of the word “spiritual." What is it to you? I can tell you what it is not. It’s not something you “get”; it is not some kind of faucet that one turns on, and then turns off. Biblically, it has to do with being “of the Spirit” in the New Testament application. It is one who is “of the Spirit” in that, he or she abides by the instructions given from the Spirit in the Word of God (2 Peter 1:21). The faithful child of God is “of the Spirit” in that he or she has obeyed the gospel – that instrument God uses to call a man from sin and darkness and unto Himself (2 Thessalonians 2:14). We can choose to walk according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. We can only walk IN THE SPIRIT when we are OF THE SPIRIT. Those of the Spirit are “led of the spirit” (Gal. 5:18) because they are directed by that Word the Spirit has given. They walk, then, not after the flesh (Romans 8:1). The dangers of walking after or according to the flesh are discussed by Paul in his letter to the Romans. He had great concern for all the churches, praying and teaching that they would not walk in the flesh because of the consequences which include the wages of death (Rom 6:23). He warned, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:5).

Think of that if you will. The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law. It's simply saying, those who do not follow biblical law/principals are hostile toward GOD. Their minds are contrary to God's way ... they serve themselves, their wants, their desires, their flesh. They love themselves more than God and have virtually made a god of themselves, serving their flesh. These are the opposite of those born of the Spirit. The child of God IS, then, spiritual! Spirituality is not something you “get” in reaction to something else. It is something permanently A PART OF THE BELIEVER! It is amazing how time and men take their toll on plain Bible teaching. Among words and expressions abused, misused, perverted, bent, and twisted are such as “born again … spiritual … saint … sanctified … holy … converted…,” etc. It is little wonder that in a nation filled with Bibles men still have little concept of the will of God. And in a time and society wherein virtually everything has been placed on the altar of materialism, goods, fun, etc., very little thought is even given to being spiritual. But time does not change the Word, and it is still required that men obey the truth, and live by the truth, and thus, in life, to be born of the Spirit. For the child of God, the challenge is, again, to BE SPIRITUAL and not to just drift through life unguided and then, when faced with some situation, to “GET SPIRITUAL.”

In conclusion, though the following is never popular to say to others, my duty as a Christian is to inform you that if you have never been born again (John 3:3) then you have the wrath of God abiding on you (John 3:18, 3:36) and not one of your best efforts can ever please God because “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom 8:8). Since you have rejected Christ, if indeed you have, you reject your only hope of eternal life and have standing before you the eternal state of the wages that you have earned - death (Rom 6:23). Because everyone has sinned, including me (Rom 3:23) Jesus came to earth and was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life but became sin for us so that when God the Father looks at those who believe, He doesn’t see our sinfulness but He sees the righteousness of Christ and He imputes His righteousness to us (2 Cor 5:21) making us worthy through His shed blood being born of the Spirit. Today, if you have heard His voice in this message, repent and trust in Him because today can be your day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2). If not and Jesus returns before you are born again, you face a Christ-less eternity and the everlasting wrath of God (Rev 20:11-15).
Until next time,
-Pat-