On being spiritual

What does it mean to be spiritual? I’ve been thinking about this for some time.

Aware of the spiritual dimension
A spiritual person is aware of another dimension to life and the world around us. By this I refer to forces, powers, principles, as well as beings. Yes, beings. Angels. Demons. Satan. God. Life itself is spiritual in essence and there is life after death. Sadly, Western Civilization has a non-spiritual outlook and mind-set. Everything from life itself to love is considered a purely physical thing: simply an arrangement of cells and molecules, genes and hormones. Non western cultures are often very spiritual – fully aware of this dimension. Often to the point of superstition and bondage. And interestingly, western culture uniformly refers to them as “primitive.”

One culture that I have read the most about is the American Indian. They were very spiritual in their outlook. They were keenly aware of the Great Spirit or Great Mystery and His interaction with the world. They were aware of the spiritual connectedness of life. For example, they didn’t just go out and kill a deer for supper – they prepared for this. They often fasted the night before the hunt and asked the deer to sacrifice himself so the tribe could live. And upon killing a deer they gave thanks. This outlook permeated their culture. Whatever we think about this, this is spiritual. They would often go on a vision quest for direction and dreams were considered significant (and appear to have often been prophetical).

I am aware that there was not a monolithic Indian culture or even set of beliefs, but having read from early sources about Indians in regions all over America, I believe I am safe in saying that they were a spiritual people. Western man, on the other hand, is generally profane, nothing is sacred and this is at least in part because we are not a spiritual people.

Interacting with and seeking to control this spiritual dimension
Once people become aware of the spiritual dimension they often seek to interact with it. This is the danger area and often results in superstition and bondage. Spiritism, witchcraft, occult are the most obvious means of seeking to interact with the spiritual realm. And without a guide, it is very easy to be deceived. And just who would that guide be, who can steer us safely through this realm? Jesus, of course. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him. And He has given us His Word and His Spirit so that we might be a truly spiritual people.

The Spiritual Christian
Now, the Bible is not some sort of spiritism guide. But it does speak openly about angels and demons; the devil; knowing God, walking with God, prayer, being led by the Spirit, miracles, life after death etc. After all, God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

The Christian is fundamentally a spiritual person: he believes in Someone he cannot see; he looks not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; he walks by faith, not by sight; and he worships God in spirit. The entire outlook and mindset of the Christian is spiritual. And this immediately puts us at odds with western culture.

1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4 helps us understand this matter of being spiritual:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.  

The apostle declares there are two basic types of people: natural and spiritual. What is the difference between the two? Jude answers this: These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. The King James translators loved variety, but the words natural and sensual are translations of the same Greek word  - perhaps they were indicating that the natural man is a sensual man. Anyway, the natural man is the one who does not have the Holy Spirit. When a person is born again they are given a new heart and a new Spirit (Ezek 11:19). So, the first step to a healthy spirituality is for God to give you a new heart and His Spirit. [I realize that I appear to be contradicting Paul by saying there are non-Christian people who are spiritual while Paul says they are natural and not spiritual. All I am saying is there are people who are aware of and seek to interact with the spiritual realm and are spiritual in that sense. Paul is saying, and I agree completely (isn’t that big of me!), that even though they are aware of this realm they are still natural in that they do not have the Holy Spirit. This is the true and safe spiritual.]

But the apostle Paul tells us that this matter of being spiritual is not instantaneous:
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it…

Isn’t this interesting? The Corinthians had believed in Jesus; been baptized in water and with the Holy Spirit; they had every spiritual gift in the Book, yet they were not spiritual! It would appear that true and healthy spirituality comes through spiritual growth, which comes by time, knowledge of the Word, and experience (Heb 5:11-14).

Paul then says something rather shocking
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

The Corinthians should have grown up by now, but had not. They began their Christian life as we all do, as babes. As such they were carnal, but this was not blameworthy - they didn’t know any better. But now, ye are yet carnal. This was blameworthy. They should have been spiritual by now and they were not. And what are the marks of the Christian who is yet carnal? Envy, strife, division.

Adam Clarke, one of my favorite commentators, said of this passage:
“There are three things here worthy of note: these people were wrong in thought, word, and deed. Envying refers to the state of their souls; they had inward grudgings and
disaffection towards each other. Strife or contention, refers to their words; they were continually disputing and contending whose party was the best, each endeavoring to prove that he and his party were alone in the right. Divisions, refers to their conduct; as they could not agree, they contended till they separated from each other, and thus rent the Church of Christ. Thus the envying and grudging led to strife and evil speaking, and this led to divisions and fixed parties. In this state well might the apostle say, Are ye not carnal, and walk as men? Ye act just as the people of the world...
It was well known that both Paul and Apollos held the same creed; between them there was not the slightest difference: when, therefore, the dissentients began to prefer the one to the other, it was the fullest proof of their carnality; because in the doctrines of these apostles there was no difference: so that what the people were captivated by must be something in their outward manner, Apollos being probably more eloquent than Paul. Their preferring one to another on such an account proved that they were carnal-led by their senses and mere outward appearances, without being under the guidance either of reason or grace. There are thousands of such people in the Christian Church to the present day.”  Wow! But to try to get back to my main point…

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  

I know this is a difficult verse, but at the very least it tells us that the spiritual man sees behind the scenes; he sees into the heart of both a person and a matter; he discerns and sees things in the Spirit. 2 Kings 6:13-17 is a good illustration of this. The king of Syria had sent a great host in an attempt to capture the prophet Elisha. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Amen!

I’m not talking about mysticism. I’m saying that there are many in the Church who are yet carnal and act like the Corinthians. There is another large group who have reduced the Christian life to an intellectual pursuit, who think all we need is to cram the head with the proper facts. No, we are to be, we need to be intensely, vibrantly spiritual. May the Lord open our eyes that we may see the spiritual dimension. I need to ask myself, Am I aware of the spiritual dimension? Have my eyes been opened to see? Am I yet carnal, merely intellectual, or truly spiritual?