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Introduction: Romans 8:5-6 – We must develop spiritual mindedness or we are dead!
- Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
- Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
What Being Spiritual Spiritual Is NOT:
Asceticism – Denying self all pleasure; being severe to the body (Colossians 2:20-23). Many religious people who take vows of poverty, fast and deprive themselves of marriage, or have a martyr complex are not spiritual.
- Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
- Col 2:21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
- Col 2:22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
- Col 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Mysticism – This is “spiritualism” and includes witchcraft, mediums, the occult and is condemned in many places in the Bible, eg. Acts 19:19
- Act 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Isolationism – Separation from all of the world physically, eg. monks, nuns, monasteries, etc. We are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14-16)
- Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
- Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
- Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
A Religious Lifestyle – Simply being morally clean, a regular church-goer, etc. does not automatically translate into spirituality. See I Corinthians 3:1-4
- 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
- 1Co 3:2 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.
- 1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
- 1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
What Being Spiritual IS:
Reaching Up To God’s Plane – John 4:23-24
- Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
- Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Realizing your dependency upon God for complete revelation (I Corinthians 2:9-16)
- 1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
- 1Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
- 1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
- 1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
- 1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
- 1Co 2:14 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.
- 1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
- 1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Respecting God’s authority in every area of life (Colossians 3:17)
- Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Realizing God’s ownership and your stewardship of all things (I Peter 4:10)
- 1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Doing all things to God’s glory (I Peter 4:11)
- 1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Seeing value of spiritual things above the material (Matthew 16:26)
- Mat 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Being moved by divine purposes, ie. preaching Christ, living Christ, and suffering for Christ. (Galatians 2:20)
- Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22- 6:1)
- Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
- Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
- Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
- Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
- Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
- Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Let’s Get Spiritual Spiritual
A gradual growth process – I Corinthians 3:1-3
- 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
- 1Co 3:2 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.
- 1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Be filled with the Spirit – Ephesians 5:18
- Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Have no fellowship with evil – Ephesians 5:11-12
- Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
- Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.