What does it mean to be spiritual? This is a central question of the entire book of 1 Corinthians. To answer, Paul would say, first and foremost, that to be spiritual is to be capital-S Spiritual. That is, to be filled and led by God’s Spirit.
And what is the mark of being Spiritual? Well, it’s not how much you pray and read your Bible, as vital as these disciplines are. And it’s not how often you attend church or how many ministry activities you’re involved in, although these too are important. Rather, the hallmark of true Spirituality is loving unity. That’s Paul’s argument in 1 Corinthians 3.
There were factions in the church. People had bought into cults of personality, resulting in rivalry over favored leaders, sniping, backbiting, and division. Paul said that makes you “mere men” not truly Spiritual people.
As “mere men” all your petty politicking is like building a tinder box on Christ. All your activity will burn one day; but in the mean time it’s destroying God’s Temple. It’s deconstructing the unified people God intends us to be.
As a solution, Paul proposes that we sober up and realize all we have in Christ. Why fight over Peter, Paul, or Apollos? Why argue over the present or the future? In Christ, all things are ours together. All godly leaders belong to all of us. The whole world, the whole kingdom, has been given to us and will one day truly be ours. That’s the Spiritual perspective on life.
Posted By Greg
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
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