Judas' faith was a sham and a travesty, a truly pseudo-faith that even fooled his comrades and peers. Things, he said, like donating money to charity, sounded so spiritual that it impressed the other disciples, but not Jesus, who always sees through the veneer. We all have feet of clay or a vulnerability that Satan can attack as our weak point and sin that easily besets us; we even have a dark side that no one sees, like being a Dr. Jekll and Mr. Hyde. Mark Twain said, "We all have a dark side that no one sees" just like the moon.
There are no magical formulas or shortcuts to spirituality--one must often be experienced from the school of hard knocks. There are pitfalls along the way, of course, and we grow by adversity, discipline, suffering, and trials; but Christ was honest enough to warn of them and didn't even exclude Himself from them. Two of the greatest hindrances to growth is indifference and apathy to doctrine--people don't think it's all that important what they believe, which is a sort of unbelief and not knowing what one believes. All believers should "love the truth" according to 2 Thess. 2:10. It is the truth that sanctifies us: "Sanctify them by thy Word, thy Word is truth" (John 17:17, KJV).
It is so easy to have spiritual pride and get on spiritual highs where Satan can attack us (known as the Anfectung, attack in German, by Martin Luther). We are most vulnerable after victory because our pride is boosted. Elijah experienced such depression after his victory on Mount Carmel. That is why it is so important and vital that we know ourselves and be an active part of Christ's body; we are not spiritual Lone Rangers but need each other! The epitome of pride is when we start thinking we are "holier than thou" like Isaiah reprimands in Isa. 65:5.
True spirituality in this day of grace that will end in the day of the Lord is manifested only in obedience--not visions, dreams, voices, or any experiences. To know and love the Lord is to obey Him as Jesus said in John 14:14-15, 21. A. W. Tozer says (cf. Heb. 3:18-19, Matt. 28:20), "The Lord will not save those whom He cannot command. He will not divide His offices ...." There is no spiritual badge that we wear that proclaims our level of spirituality--there is neither a spiritual elite or honor society to belong to. Obedience is mandatory, not optional--the Ten Commandments are not the Ten Suggestions!
There must be a moment of relinquishment to begin the walk with Christ or a willingness to do His will. We must surrender per Romans 12:1 and 1 Cor. 6:19-20 and give God the ownership of our lives. It's like starting a new life in Christ and putting Jesus in charge. God will reward us for what we accomplished through Him in Him. Who's the boss? Jesus has been given all authority! The motto of Jesus' life was, "Thy will be done." He didn't live to please Himself, but to please the Father. We are responsible to God to obey because we are moral creatures who owe this to God and children of God who desire God's will. "His commands are not burdensome" and His "yoke is easy" according to 1 John 5:3 and Matt. 11:30. Remember: "To hearken is better than sacrifice, and to obey than the fat of rams' (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22).
It is a known fact that Christians can backslide from the faith, but they cannot fall utterly into apostasy but are kept by Jesus Christ and the Father. This is resultant from disobedience which starts with rejecting authority and subsequent rebellion (sin is ultimately disobedience and proves slavery, and doesn't demonstrate freedom). We don't turn our backs on Christ suddenly, because it takes time to drift away, sin after sin not confessed. Christians should be warned of becoming lax in the faith and "doing the Lord's work with slackness" as Jer. 48:10 (ESV) says. We are to "feed on His faithfulness" per Psalm 89:8 constantly and grow in grace and in our knowledge of Him (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18). We can falter or fall into sin for a period but are securely in the Father's hands (cf. John 10:29).
We must become obedient to the faith as they did in Acts 6:7 and know that lordship denotes obedience and lordship salvation is the only biblical model, not easy-believism. Our obedience and behavior depends upon our knowledge and knowing what we believe--belief affects action! It is important that we become men or women after God's own heart and not display false or pseudo-piety that only memorizes the Dance of the Pious and goes through the motions, treating the faith as the Pharisees did (e.g., externalism, lip service, and ritual) without it affects the condition of the inner man. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart," according to Proverbs 21:2. We must be changed from the inside out (true repentance). Dietrich Bonhoeffer's dictum that "only he who is obedient believes; only he who believes is obedient" sums it up. It all starts with a moment of relinquishment that is renewed day by day--no one-time decision will create spirituality.
What is the summation of Christian ethics or orthopraxy (right behavior)? It is to heed the command: "Follow Me." Orthopraxy is the flip side of orthodoxy or right belief. The spiritual believer has freedom in Christ and is to be judged by no man ("The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one, " says 1 Cor. 2:15, ESV). "... [H]e who hears My word and receives Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death unto life" (John 5:24, ESV). Paul says in Romans 8:1 that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ."
Volumes have been written on this: the most famous being L. S. Chafer's, founder of Dallas Seminary (the largest Protestant seminary in the world), He That Is Spiritual. The term "spiritual Christian" doesn't mean that they are a category, like Chafer thought, in that we have a class of carnal believers, too. Chafer made a false dichotomy from his misinterpretation of dispensationalism--he got carried away with his application. It is only definitive in the sense that every Christian is in the Spirit though he may have periods of carnality or of being in the flesh, obeying the old man or sin nature.
The spiritual believer hears God's voice through conscience, circumstance, nature, dreams, visions, preaching, prophesying, or the Bible itself, which is the main methodology. Yes, God hasn't retired dreams and visions, and just because He speaks through the Word plainly if we are prepared spiritually, He has not precluded an audible voice from above--though this is not the usual or conventional way. C. S. Lewis wisely puts it this way: "He whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, and shouts in our pains." Being obedient he walks with God in daily fellowship and communion because he does His will, even performing the good deeds preordained for him to do to God's glory being manifest through him. It boils down to having a relationship with God, not just a philosophy about God--he knows God! Pseudo-piety, like saying, "I don't read books about the Bible, I just read the Bible itself" are not scriptural, as Paul wanted his parchments and books from Timothy. We need to learn to profit from what God has revealed to other students of the Word as our heritage.
Prayer is one acid test of knowing God (some have indeed been anointed for this, and some others don't even know how to put their petitions into words). God hears us and doesn't turn a deaf ear. The problem is that some people are spiritually hard of hearing! God will hear us on conditions: We must hear Him. Before Samuel spoke to God, God spoke to Samuel, "Speak, for thy servant hears!" Job 33:14-15, 16a, ESV: "For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men ..." The cliche that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion still is valid, because all religion does show man's achievement and not God's accomplishment. Samuel later said to Saul: "To hearken is better than sacrifice [outward show of religion]" (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22). Francis Schaefer wrote, "He Is There and He Is Not Silent." The Shema Hebrew for "to hear"), or credo of the Hebrew liturgy, (Deut, 6:4-9, 11:13-21; and Numbers 15: 32-41) stresses this point. God wants us to listen up and pay attention when He speaks! "Today, if you hear His voice ..." (Cf. Heb. 3:7; Ps. 95:7-8).
We must not only obey but do it wholeheartedly and not half-heartedly as Saul did. Joshua followed the Lord with his whole heart and David desired to do God's will (cf. Ps. 40:8). Joshua 22:5 (ESV) says: "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." Again in 2 Chronicles 31:21 (ESV) it is written: "And every work he undertook ... seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered." Again it is written in 2 Chr. 16:9 that "the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him...." Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me; in vain do they worship me..." (Matt. 15:8-9, ESV).
To conclude, just because we are spiritual doesn't necessitate everything becoming spiritual. We don't "spiritualize" everything and relegate mundane activities to the "unspiritual" while we do the Lord's work. Today we have celebrity Christian artists who seem so "spiritual" but every believer is so "spiritual" when they are doing God's will and with their gift--that's what they do, so don't compare yourselves. Martin Luther made it clear that our whole lives are offerings to God and Brother Lawrence wrote The Practice of the Presence of God to show a living and vital relationship with God, even while washing dishes. We cannot expect to walk on cloud nine all our lives even if we've had mountain-top experiences and get into a spiritual high. Paul sums it up thus: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8, ESV). God doesn't want us to depend on feelings but to grow in our faith, which is what pleases Him (cf. Heb. 11:6). Soli Deo Gloria!
There are no magical formulas or shortcuts to spirituality--one must often be experienced from the school of hard knocks. There are pitfalls along the way, of course, and we grow by adversity, discipline, suffering, and trials; but Christ was honest enough to warn of them and didn't even exclude Himself from them. Two of the greatest hindrances to growth is indifference and apathy to doctrine--people don't think it's all that important what they believe, which is a sort of unbelief and not knowing what one believes. All believers should "love the truth" according to 2 Thess. 2:10. It is the truth that sanctifies us: "Sanctify them by thy Word, thy Word is truth" (John 17:17, KJV).
It is so easy to have spiritual pride and get on spiritual highs where Satan can attack us (known as the Anfectung, attack in German, by Martin Luther). We are most vulnerable after victory because our pride is boosted. Elijah experienced such depression after his victory on Mount Carmel. That is why it is so important and vital that we know ourselves and be an active part of Christ's body; we are not spiritual Lone Rangers but need each other! The epitome of pride is when we start thinking we are "holier than thou" like Isaiah reprimands in Isa. 65:5.
True spirituality in this day of grace that will end in the day of the Lord is manifested only in obedience--not visions, dreams, voices, or any experiences. To know and love the Lord is to obey Him as Jesus said in John 14:14-15, 21. A. W. Tozer says (cf. Heb. 3:18-19, Matt. 28:20), "The Lord will not save those whom He cannot command. He will not divide His offices ...." There is no spiritual badge that we wear that proclaims our level of spirituality--there is neither a spiritual elite or honor society to belong to. Obedience is mandatory, not optional--the Ten Commandments are not the Ten Suggestions!
There must be a moment of relinquishment to begin the walk with Christ or a willingness to do His will. We must surrender per Romans 12:1 and 1 Cor. 6:19-20 and give God the ownership of our lives. It's like starting a new life in Christ and putting Jesus in charge. God will reward us for what we accomplished through Him in Him. Who's the boss? Jesus has been given all authority! The motto of Jesus' life was, "Thy will be done." He didn't live to please Himself, but to please the Father. We are responsible to God to obey because we are moral creatures who owe this to God and children of God who desire God's will. "His commands are not burdensome" and His "yoke is easy" according to 1 John 5:3 and Matt. 11:30. Remember: "To hearken is better than sacrifice, and to obey than the fat of rams' (cf. 1 Sam. 15:22).
It is a known fact that Christians can backslide from the faith, but they cannot fall utterly into apostasy but are kept by Jesus Christ and the Father. This is resultant from disobedience which starts with rejecting authority and subsequent rebellion (sin is ultimately disobedience and proves slavery, and doesn't demonstrate freedom). We don't turn our backs on Christ suddenly, because it takes time to drift away, sin after sin not confessed. Christians should be warned of becoming lax in the faith and "doing the Lord's work with slackness" as Jer. 48:10 (ESV) says. We are to "feed on His faithfulness" per Psalm 89:8 constantly and grow in grace and in our knowledge of Him (cf. 2 Pet. 3:18). We can falter or fall into sin for a period but are securely in the Father's hands (cf. John 10:29).
We must become obedient to the faith as they did in Acts 6:7 and know that lordship denotes obedience and lordship salvation is the only biblical model, not easy-believism. Our obedience and behavior depends upon our knowledge and knowing what we believe--belief affects action! It is important that we become men or women after God's own heart and not display false or pseudo-piety that only memorizes the Dance of the Pious and goes through the motions, treating the faith as the Pharisees did (e.g., externalism, lip service, and ritual) without it affects the condition of the inner man. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart," according to Proverbs 21:2. We must be changed from the inside out (true repentance). Dietrich Bonhoeffer's dictum that "only he who is obedient believes; only he who believes is obedient" sums it up. It all starts with a moment of relinquishment that is renewed day by day--no one-time decision will create spirituality.
What is the summation of Christian ethics or orthopraxy (right behavior)? It is to heed the command: "Follow Me." Orthopraxy is the flip side of orthodoxy or right belief. The spiritual believer has freedom in Christ and is to be judged by no man ("The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one, " says 1 Cor. 2:15, ESV). "... [H]e who hears My word and receives Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death unto life" (John 5:24, ESV). Paul says in Romans 8:1 that "there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ."
Volumes have been written on this: the most famous being L. S. Chafer's, founder of Dallas Seminary (the largest Protestant seminary in the world), He That Is Spiritual. The term "spiritual Christian" doesn't mean that they are a category, like Chafer thought, in that we have a class of carnal believers, too. Chafer made a false dichotomy from his misinterpretation of dispensationalism--he got carried away with his application. It is only definitive in the sense that every Christian is in the Spirit though he may have periods of carnality or of being in the flesh, obeying the old man or sin nature.
The spiritual believer hears God's voice through conscience, circumstance, nature, dreams, visions, preaching, prophesying, or the Bible itself, which is the main methodology. Yes, God hasn't retired dreams and visions, and just because He speaks through the Word plainly if we are prepared spiritually, He has not precluded an audible voice from above--though this is not the usual or conventional way. C. S. Lewis wisely puts it this way: "He whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, and shouts in our pains." Being obedient he walks with God in daily fellowship and communion because he does His will, even performing the good deeds preordained for him to do to God's glory being manifest through him. It boils down to having a relationship with God, not just a philosophy about God--he knows God! Pseudo-piety, like saying, "I don't read books about the Bible, I just read the Bible itself" are not scriptural, as Paul wanted his parchments and books from Timothy. We need to learn to profit from what God has revealed to other students of the Word as our heritage.
Prayer is one acid test of knowing God (some have indeed been anointed for this, and some others don't even know how to put their petitions into words). God hears us and doesn't turn a deaf ear. The problem is that some people are spiritually hard of hearing! God will hear us on conditions: We must hear Him. Before Samuel spoke to God, God spoke to Samuel, "Speak, for thy servant hears!" Job 33:14-15, 16a, ESV: "For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men ..." The cliche that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion still is valid, because all religion does show man's achievement and not God's accomplishment. Samuel later said to Saul: "To hearken is better than sacrifice [outward show of religion]" (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22). Francis Schaefer wrote, "He Is There and He Is Not Silent." The Shema Hebrew for "to hear"), or credo of the Hebrew liturgy, (Deut, 6:4-9, 11:13-21; and Numbers 15: 32-41) stresses this point. God wants us to listen up and pay attention when He speaks! "Today, if you hear His voice ..." (Cf. Heb. 3:7; Ps. 95:7-8).
We must not only obey but do it wholeheartedly and not half-heartedly as Saul did. Joshua followed the Lord with his whole heart and David desired to do God's will (cf. Ps. 40:8). Joshua 22:5 (ESV) says: "Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." Again in 2 Chronicles 31:21 (ESV) it is written: "And every work he undertook ... seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered." Again it is written in 2 Chr. 16:9 that "the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him...." Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and scribes: "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me; in vain do they worship me..." (Matt. 15:8-9, ESV).
To conclude, just because we are spiritual doesn't necessitate everything becoming spiritual. We don't "spiritualize" everything and relegate mundane activities to the "unspiritual" while we do the Lord's work. Today we have celebrity Christian artists who seem so "spiritual" but every believer is so "spiritual" when they are doing God's will and with their gift--that's what they do, so don't compare yourselves. Martin Luther made it clear that our whole lives are offerings to God and Brother Lawrence wrote The Practice of the Presence of God to show a living and vital relationship with God, even while washing dishes. We cannot expect to walk on cloud nine all our lives even if we've had mountain-top experiences and get into a spiritual high. Paul sums it up thus: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8, ESV). God doesn't want us to depend on feelings but to grow in our faith, which is what pleases Him (cf. Heb. 11:6). Soli Deo Gloria!
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