True Spirituality
God has been faithful to supply the needs of humanity all over the world, whether or not they have recognized Him as their Creator. It is an essential part of Christian spirituality to recognize that there is just one God, and that He is the Creator of all life. This is the God who lovingly provides for all humans, seeks to bless them, and leads them to know Him through His Son by the efforts of the Christian Church. Because we acknowledge the Bible as the revealed Word of God, we also say: “How shall they hear if there be no preacher?” (Rom. 10:15). God has given the Church “the ministry of reconciliation” and “the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18 and 19), and Christ commissioned his followers to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18).
The Bible asserts that without embracing the saving message of the Gospel of Christ, all men and women are “in sin” and therefore separated from their loving Creator. This state is described as being “without God and without hope,” spiritually lost without ultimate meaning and purpose for their lives. Jesus Christ came to redeem and rescue humanity from this state. His shed blood paid the full price for the redemption of mankind. Through faith (not works) in Jesus Christ and the work he did to redeem us, a person is born again and begins the process of making Jesus Christ the Lord over all of life. At the time of this new birth, his/her life becomes acceptable to God and s/he is given the free gift of everlasting life.
Spiritually, the Christian is no longer “in sin,” but “in Christ.” Though this brings the new believer into perfect standing in righteousness before God, it does nothing to the old habits of the flesh and the mind (Eph. 2:3). To grow in grace requires renewing the mind to walk in the fullness of the will of God. In short, the goal of the Christian lifestyle is to become more and more like Jesus Christ in attitude, thought, and action. This involves the development of a number of disciplines: study of Scripture; prayer; living in community with other Christians; giving of our talents, finances, and resources; and sharing our faith, among other things.
Though we have been delivered through justification from the penalty of sin, granted eternal life, and made “citizens of heaven” (Phil. 3:20), we must still contend with “the sin living in me” (Rom. 7:17) that “so easily entangles” (Heb. 12:1). Freedom from the overwhelming power of sin requires persistent faith and a lifestyle of obedience. To the degree that sin still governs and tyrannizes our lives, we are not free. We must therefore come to an awareness of how sinful habits still govern our flesh. This is “the truth” that will set us free from the tyranny of sin (John 8:31-36). In addition to an inborn tendency toward disobedience to the will of God, called sin nature, we have also conformed to the ways of this world. We have adopted too many of the sinful habits of our society and culture, which in many ways is at “enmity with God” (Rom. 8:7).
From this bondage of the flesh we need to be steadily transformed into his image (Rom. 12:2). Breakthrough, or real spiritual transformation, occurs in the heart with a sense of conviction of specific sins, and results from us accepting personal responsibility for our unbiblical attitudes and actions. This requires real openness of heart and mind and an honest accounting for the hurt we have caused God, the Lord, ourselves, and others. As it is written, we must confess and renounce our sins to experience the greatness of God’s mercy:
Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
This honest accounting is often a painful process involving “godly sorrow” and brokenness before the Lord (2 Cor. 7:8-11). Time and again we find ourselves without excuse for our disobedience, for God has provided all that we need to live in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24). From this place of brokenness and humility God begins a work in us that forgives, heals, covers, and restores. A new vision evolves. One receives a new sense of comfort in God’s goodness and power, and experiences a restoration of faith, and the joy of greater intimacy with the Lord. Transformation ends in a renewed commitment to obey God from the heart, and shows up in new and consistent behavior patterns. Insofar as we are living in Christ, all things are become new, and we walk in a “new life” (Rom. 6:4).
Repentance, accounting, and dealing honestly with our ongoing sinful condition are ways of “cleansing the Temple.” Jesus zealously cleansed the physical temple in Jerusalem so that his Father’s house could be pure for worship. In like manner we are all called to present our bodies as living sacrifices or places of worship (Rom. 12:1). Cleansing our mind, heart, and body is a challenging process involving much hard work. But after our “temple” is cleansed, it becomes more useful as a place of deeper worship and joy as we experience more of the fullness of God’s presence. Embracing God more wholly and openly brings a sense of joy, hope, and celebration. We are once again transformed by his presence and power, and we move deeper into our true identity in Christ. Identification with Christ brings us more and more into a life that is a reflection of his life and ministry.
As we grow up in Christ, we learn to identify and interrupt unhealthy attachments to things, ideas, people, emotions, etc. that interfere with our ability to love God completely and our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus often addressed the idea of attachment, whether to riches, to religious ideas, relationships, or any other thing that might hinder wholehearted devotion to God. Attachments are at the root of addictions and idolatry, so it is imperative that we deal with whatever we might have in our lives that limits our freedom to love and be loved.
The Bible asserts that without embracing the saving message of the Gospel of Christ, all men and women are “in sin” and therefore separated from their loving Creator. This state is described as being “without God and without hope,” spiritually lost without ultimate meaning and purpose for their lives. Jesus Christ came to redeem and rescue humanity from this state. His shed blood paid the full price for the redemption of mankind. Through faith (not works) in Jesus Christ and the work he did to redeem us, a person is born again and begins the process of making Jesus Christ the Lord over all of life. At the time of this new birth, his/her life becomes acceptable to God and s/he is given the free gift of everlasting life.
Spiritually, the Christian is no longer “in sin,” but “in Christ.” Though this brings the new believer into perfect standing in righteousness before God, it does nothing to the old habits of the flesh and the mind (Eph. 2:3). To grow in grace requires renewing the mind to walk in the fullness of the will of God. In short, the goal of the Christian lifestyle is to become more and more like Jesus Christ in attitude, thought, and action. This involves the development of a number of disciplines: study of Scripture; prayer; living in community with other Christians; giving of our talents, finances, and resources; and sharing our faith, among other things.
Though we have been delivered through justification from the penalty of sin, granted eternal life, and made “citizens of heaven” (Phil. 3:20), we must still contend with “the sin living in me” (Rom. 7:17) that “so easily entangles” (Heb. 12:1). Freedom from the overwhelming power of sin requires persistent faith and a lifestyle of obedience. To the degree that sin still governs and tyrannizes our lives, we are not free. We must therefore come to an awareness of how sinful habits still govern our flesh. This is “the truth” that will set us free from the tyranny of sin (John 8:31-36). In addition to an inborn tendency toward disobedience to the will of God, called sin nature, we have also conformed to the ways of this world. We have adopted too many of the sinful habits of our society and culture, which in many ways is at “enmity with God” (Rom. 8:7).
From this bondage of the flesh we need to be steadily transformed into his image (Rom. 12:2). Breakthrough, or real spiritual transformation, occurs in the heart with a sense of conviction of specific sins, and results from us accepting personal responsibility for our unbiblical attitudes and actions. This requires real openness of heart and mind and an honest accounting for the hurt we have caused God, the Lord, ourselves, and others. As it is written, we must confess and renounce our sins to experience the greatness of God’s mercy:
Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
This honest accounting is often a painful process involving “godly sorrow” and brokenness before the Lord (2 Cor. 7:8-11). Time and again we find ourselves without excuse for our disobedience, for God has provided all that we need to live in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24). From this place of brokenness and humility God begins a work in us that forgives, heals, covers, and restores. A new vision evolves. One receives a new sense of comfort in God’s goodness and power, and experiences a restoration of faith, and the joy of greater intimacy with the Lord. Transformation ends in a renewed commitment to obey God from the heart, and shows up in new and consistent behavior patterns. Insofar as we are living in Christ, all things are become new, and we walk in a “new life” (Rom. 6:4).
Repentance, accounting, and dealing honestly with our ongoing sinful condition are ways of “cleansing the Temple.” Jesus zealously cleansed the physical temple in Jerusalem so that his Father’s house could be pure for worship. In like manner we are all called to present our bodies as living sacrifices or places of worship (Rom. 12:1). Cleansing our mind, heart, and body is a challenging process involving much hard work. But after our “temple” is cleansed, it becomes more useful as a place of deeper worship and joy as we experience more of the fullness of God’s presence. Embracing God more wholly and openly brings a sense of joy, hope, and celebration. We are once again transformed by his presence and power, and we move deeper into our true identity in Christ. Identification with Christ brings us more and more into a life that is a reflection of his life and ministry.
As we grow up in Christ, we learn to identify and interrupt unhealthy attachments to things, ideas, people, emotions, etc. that interfere with our ability to love God completely and our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus often addressed the idea of attachment, whether to riches, to religious ideas, relationships, or any other thing that might hinder wholehearted devotion to God. Attachments are at the root of addictions and idolatry, so it is imperative that we deal with whatever we might have in our lives that limits our freedom to love and be loved.
© 2024 Created by Raliegh Jones Jr..
Powered by
