Who is spiritual?

A Christian married a relative of mine. When I met her, she said of him, “He’s not a Christian but he is a very spiritual man.” This is a claim of many, that is, not believing in Christ but being very ‘spiritual’ — a word that is biblical but not clearly defined when used out of that context.

The church at Corinth asked Paul about identifying spirituality and he began his reply with, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.” (1 Corinthians 12:1) What stands out in reading this is that the phrase ‘spiritual gifts’ can also be translated as ‘spiritual persons’ which adds further clarity to the rest of his reply to their question. First, he says about identifying spiritual persons . . .

You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:2–3)

In other words, worshiping idols does not make a person ‘spiritual.’ Spirituality is defined by how someone speaks of Jesus Christ. If He is only a curse word in their vocabulary, then no matter how many times a person prays or burns incense or does whatever they do to express their ‘spirituality’ they are not doing it in the Spirit of God. Other Scriptures suggest that this is not a benign activity; they could be under the influence of evil spirits.

Paul goes on saying the Holy Spirit expresses Himself in many ways, in contrast to those who claim their spiritual evidence is the only evidence. In past decades, some groups made claims of a monopoly on the Holy Spirit because only their people speak in tongues or perform miracles or heal the sick. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul lists other manifestations of the Spirit, including words of wisdom and knowledge, exceptional faith, prophecy, discerning of spirits, and interpretation of tongues (languages).

He also says there is one Body of Christ with many members who are different from each another, but all baptized into Christ. Apparently, that church was arguing who was who by their varying abilities, backgrounds and even genders, but he wanted them to know this was not so. Instead, they were to value their differences:  

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose . . . The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” . . .  God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

He also listed manifestations of the Spirit saying no one had all. Besides, what they really needed was not more gifts but more love for one another . . .

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal . . .  (1 Corinthians 12:12–31 and 13:1)

Human pride fights over gifts of the Spirit. How unspiritual can we be! Wanting to be better than everyone else is not at like Christ. This passage strongly warns that spirituality is never about human and fleshy activities or actions that point to self, but about the Spirit of God who gives us abilities far beyond anything we can come up with in our own strength.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, I am reminded again that without You and the Spirit of God, I am nothing and not able to do anything that is spiritual, that pleases You. Keep my heart. Guard me from foolish pride and trying to put myself above others.