SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING
Significant
Spiritual Life #2
Paul called for the Corinthians to be
spiritual… What does that mean? What's necessary for us to be spiritual? This
series will interrupt our studies in Corinthians for a few weeks to look into
significant spiritual living.
Mrs. Marcos valued shoes. Some kids have
valued expensive shoes or clothes over life. Some folks have modified the
"D" in WWJD to "drive" instead of "do" because of
their "values". Some have sadly, at the end of life, confessed to
valuing things over relationships. What do you value?
Might our spirituality be evidenced in our
values? Could our prayers define what we value? What does Paul's prayer in Col.
1:9-10 express as valuable for God's people?
What was the goal of that prayer, v. 10?
That the spiritual understanding would affect living!
Where did Paul expect this all to come from?
God! However, we are responsible to facilitate spiritual growth and
understanding by submitting to the Word! There must be a balance of both!
I. Understand the Value of the Word of
God
A. Desire I Pet.
2:2, I Cor. 3:1-2. God's people desire His Word unless they are quenching the
Spirit. Those not desiring God's Word are carnal.
B. Value II Tim. 3:16-4:2 The Word is
Profitable (valuable) for…
1. Doctrine - teaching, 4:2, 2:15
2. Reproof - only other NT use is Heb. 11:1
- evidence.
3. Correction - root: ortho
4. Instruction (discipline as in Titus 2:11)
in righteousness
With the goal of
perfecting and equipping God's man for every good work, v. 17.
II. Understand the Value of Submission
How do you suppose Abraham got Isaac on the alter? Wouldn't you think Isaac had to submit? Heb. 11
tells us that Abraham was convince (by faith) that God
would raise Isaac up if he killed him. Do you think Isaac had the same
confidence in God's promise his father had?
A. Based on Mercy - that's not getting
what's deserved, Titus 3:5. Only the guilty need pardoned, Rom. 3:10-23.
B. Present Your Body The value of submission
is that it pleases God. Whom do you imagine Christ pleasing? Rom. 15:3. Whom do
you follow, Phil. 2:5?
Submission isn't an end in itself for it has
no power! However, it is the attitude that allows God to empower - produce His
fruit, Gal. 5:16-23. That attitude is the attitude of Samuel as he ran to obey
calling out: "Here I am"!
Human formulas or pressures for spirituality
result in religion / legalism - misplaced worship which in the OT would be
classed as idolatry.
Are you able to mark your spiritual life by
valuable milestones?
Does
your spiritual understanding cause you to run to God crying "Here I
am?"
Grace to you!