What Is Spirituality? What Does It Mean to Be 'Spiritual'?
- Summary: True, biblical spirituality has nothing to do with spookiness or weird behavior. It is certainly not "the paranormal." The Bible clearly describes what it means to be spiritual in the wholesome, uplifting sense made possible only by God Almighty.
The word “spiritual” occurs 30 times in the NIV Bible, all in the New Testament, and all of those in the Book of Romans or later.
- •• Another way of looking at that is that every bible instance (in the NIV translation) of the word “spiritual” occurs after the NEW BIRTH and after PENTECOST!
- • In other words, genuine Christian spirituality in the bible is a distinctly post-Pentecostal phenomenon.
- • Today we will determine a definition of spirituality — not a narrow formula, but a broad, composite New Testament view of what it means to be spiritual.
- • Without a biblical understanding of true spirituality, we will frustrate our proper pursuit of spiritual development and growth.
- •• Spiritual gifts from God make us STRONG.
- • One walking in the Holy Spirit’s gifts in his life is STRONGER than one not doing so.
- • A stronger witness ... a stronger minister ...
- • Natural illustration: “The Spirit of the Lord came upon [Samson] in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands” (Judges 14:6).
- •• Spiritually gifted and strong “to the END” =
- (1) certainly throughout your life (“never leave you”);
- (2) The church gifted and strong “to the end ... [that is] the day [the COMING] of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- • Note: The Church will “NOT LACK any spiritual gift ... to the END ... the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- • This verse should be prayerfully considered by those who teach that the gifts of the Holy Spirit have ceased. They have tragically caused their listeners to lack spiritual gifts in this time leading up to "...the end ... the day of our Lord Jesus Christ."
- •• To be spiritual is to be the opposite of being WORLDLY ... CARNAL (KJV).
- •• My pastor once preached an excellent sermon entitled “How to Be Carnal: Just Don’t Be Spiritual”
- •• We all have two choices: Walk in the Spirit, or walk in the flesh. We must choose either to be carnal or to be spiritual. Spiritual growth and maturity come to the "SPIRITual" man or woman.
- •• Three characteristics of the spiritual man or woman:
- •• To be deemed “spiritual” by God, “do NOT CONFORM ... to the pattern of this WORLD.”
- • As in the previous verse, the opposite extremes are to be “spiritual” or to be “worldly...carnal.” Biblical spirituality is the exact opposite of worldly carnality.
- •• The spiritual person is NOT LAZY, doesn’t take the things of God for granted.
- •• Rather, he/she is zealous and fervent for the Lord. Spiritual formation and growth remain high priorities.
- •• The spiritual person “keeps his lamp burning.”
- •• “We have ... received the Spirit ... that we may UNDERSTAND ... the things of God.”
- • When I was a new Christian, a mature Christian friend wisely advised me to seek to understand the bible by God's revelation, not by my intellect.
- • The things of God “are spiritually discerned.”
- • Those “without the Spirit ... [see only] foolishness.” in the things of God.
- •• The spiritual person “expresses spiritual truths in spiritual words” — not by man’s wisdom.
- •• A concise summary of the famous 12th and 13th chapters of First Corinthians is: Love AND spiritual gifts.
- •• God’s norm is Spirit-filled churches full of Spirit-filled people.
- •• Also, spiritual people are loving people.
- •• Spiritual people look not to judge, but to restore.
- •• A mark of biblical spirituality is taking a realistic and watchful approach to our ever-present temptations.
- •• The Scriptures teach that we humans are body, soul, and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Our body, our intellect, our emotions are just part of our total being. There is also a spirit realm — for example, our human spirits, the Holy Spirit, angels, demons, and a real devil known as Satan. Spiritual people recognize the reality of the SPIRITUAL WARFARE we are in. Biblical spirituality makes us more aware of the devil and his relentless opposition to us.
- • Prefer discerning of spirits to psychiatry.
- • Know that some illnesses have demonic causes.
- • Put on God’s full armor to battle a real devil.
I trust that the Scriptures we've looked at have helped you press forward into true, biblical spirituality. There is much out there — the paranormal, New Age spirituality, yoga with its Eastern religious influences, and much more — claiming to be enlightened and "spiritual." But sadly, spirituality sought other than in God the Father, Jesus His son, the Holy Spirit, and God's Word the Bible will only lead into the horribly dark side of the spirit realm inhabited and controlled by the devil and his demons.
Check out our related sermon: What Is True Spirituality in the Bible?
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©2005, 2015, 2018, James H. Feeney.
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Pentecostal Sermons and Bible Studies
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.