Spiritual Living

 

Introduction

 

Most of us are very comfortable living in our hometown among our fellowmen. But what happens if we are in a foreign land/country where we lived among the people and langguage and culture we do not know. We will surely confused, anxious and even depressed or homesick. The name of this condition is culture shock. Culture shock occurs when things or sorroundings are completely new to us.

 

Becoming a Christian can be also a culture shock as we have to live by the spirit. After living so much in the flesh/according to the flesh for how many years in this physical world we are now to learn to live according to the spirit in the spiritual world.

 

Spiritual Nature of Man

 

The Bible describes man as a living soul existing in a physical body. Our bodies connects us to the physical world while our spirit/soul is our link to God and to the spiritual world.

 

The Scriptures clearly says that we are in nature dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1-3; Col 2:13) and having a sinful nature (Ps. 51:5; Jer 13:23).

 

Our physical body are alive but our spirit is dead. Therefore we need to be born again in the spirit as Jesus said to Necodemu. Christians are born again by God and now have a new nature.

 

Spiritual Nature of People

 

In 1 Co 2:14-3:1-3 describes three kinds of people:

 

1. The Non Christian/Unbeliever

    - Does not have Christ or eternal life

    - Life Dominated by Sin Nature

    - Life influenced by Satan and the World

    - Has no Fellowship with God

    - Is an Enemy of God

    - Unable to live a life pleasing to God

 

The Non Christian as you can see does not have God or eternal life and is spiritually separated from God. His life is dominated by sin and he was openly infulenced by the world and Satan. He had no fellowship with God because he is an enemy of God and therefore cannot live a life pleasing to God.

 

2. The Spiritual Christian

    - Has Christ and Eternal life

    - Life Dominated by Christ

    - Life influenced by God and His Word

    - Is a Child of God

    - Has Fellowship with God

    - Living a life pleasing to God

 

The Spiritual Christian has Christ in his life and is spiritually alive to God (Born Again). His life is dominated by Christ and influenced by God and His Word. He is a child of God and have fellowship with God and therefore live a life that is  pleasing to God.

 

The Spiritual Christian is alive to God with Christ in his life. He has learned to live by faith and yield his life to God. He is filled with the Spirit of Christ and empowered by Him to resist the influences of the world, Satan and the weaknesses of the sin nature.

 

3. The Worldy/Carnal Christian

    - Has Christ and Eternal Life

    - Life Dominated by Sin Nature

    - Life influenced by Satan and the World

    - Is a Child of God

    - Has no Fellowship with God

    - Is not Living a Life Pleasing to God

 

The Worldly/Carnal Christian has Christ in his life and is spiritually alive to God. His essential nature is pure and holy, but lives according to the sinful nature and opening himself to the influenced of the world and Satan. He is a child of God but does not please God with his life.

 

A Worldly Christian is often a new or young Christian who is not living by faith or yielding his life to God. He may also be an older Christian who chosen to live according to the lust of his flesh and opening himself to be influenced by the world and Satan.

 

Application

 

  1. Which person above best represents your life?
  2. If you are a Non-Christian, receive Christ and let Him fill your life.
  3. I you are a Worldly/Carnal Christian, repent and allow Christ fill your life. Submit to His Lordship. He is your Lord and your King and your Master.

 

Warning!

 

A Christian who continually lives in sin may not be a true Christian at all. He is just a mere professing so called Christian. See 1 John 2:3-6; 3:9-10