What is Spirituality?

The quality of life generated and nourished by the Spirit of God, in which believers experience the power and presence of God in their lives. True spirituality comes from living under the control of the Holy Spirit and is evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, spiritual maturity and growth in holiness.

The Root Meaning: Spirituality can be traced back to the New Testament through the use of the Greek noun πνεῦμα (spirit) and the adjective πνευματικός (spiritual) from AD 410 where the author (Jerome) urged his audience to live in greater conformity to the Spirit.

The most significant meanings:

πνεῦμα (spirit) is the indwelling presence of God’s Spirit and the life that flows from that presence

Πνευματικός (spiritual) represents that which is of the spirit in contrast with that which is of the flesh or world

πνεῦμα (spirit)

Galatians 5:16–26 (KJV)

Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Πνευματικός (spiritual)

Galatians 6:1 (KJV)

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

The Essentials of the Spiritual Life

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Paul gives a concise summary and model concerning the life of a believer and how they should live with and for God.

“I am crucified with Christ”

Fuller said, “What the sun is to the system of nature, the doctrine of the cross is to the system of the Gospel; it is the life of it.” - The Cross is the heart of the Gospel

We, those that believe, have been crucified with Christ.

It is through the Cross we experience our union with Christ - the central component that not only initiated justification, but serves as the reference point for the life of the believer.

The Cross and Crucifixion: Heinous, humbling, gruesome, absurd, barbarous, shameful - yet beautiful when we consider the Resurrection and transition from the Old Man~New Man

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 (KJV)

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

“Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”

Christ is the one with whom he is crucified.

Christ is the one who lives in him so that he may live a godly life.

Christ is the one who secures salvation and commissions him showing Christ’s essential role in the Christian life.

Christ is at the center of the justified life.

Christ is the one who gave up the ghost - in order to provide a Comforter

Christ provided that opportunity for ALL believers to be under the influence of the Spirit

Galatians 4:6 (KJV)

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

It is Christ who gives us a new identity - freeing us from the bondage of sin and death

Galatians 5:1 (KJV)

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:24 (KJV)

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

And this leads us to the most difficult part of Christian Spirituality - Spiritual Tension! Because it is the FLESH that is in direct opposition to the Spirit.

The “I” here is the “flesh” (σάρξ) of 5:16–24

“And the life which I now live in the flesh”

flesh (σάρξ) - a life still lived in this shell…the body

body (σῶμα)

Although believers have been justified in and united with Christ, they still must live life in this world and in this body: a world and a body that is wasting away and full of temptation.

1 John 2:16–17 (KJV)

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Although the bondage of sin has been destroyed, the residual influences of the old identity still provide an internal tension that must be resisted.

The internal tension between the presence of the Spirit of Christ and the pull (flesh) to indulge ungodly desires, no matter how subtle, will persist until the redemptive process is completed with one’s glorification

Some think “Christian Perfection” is available in this life (Methodist, Church of Nazarene) - which is not a consistent perspective throughout all of the NT.

“I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”

Faith is not just a moment at the beginning of one’s spiritual life, but is a governing factor throughout one’s entire spiritual life.

This statement regarding living by faith in Jesus at this place in the verse provides two key insights into the spiritual life.

It reveals the role of continued faith in the life of the believer.

It shows how the personal sacrificial love of Christ serves as a motivation for one’s life of faith.

Faith is to be a continued element in the life of the believer that brings them, keeps them, and guides their actions in the spiritual life.

Scriptures consistently demonstrates the durative intention of genuine faith

Demonstrates that though every believer will continue to live physically in this world, they do so within a new context

Closing Remarks

Each believer is equipped at salvation to live out the Christian life to which he has been called. This indwelling presence of the Spirit is brought about in conjunction with the believer’s co-crucifixion with Christ. Just as a true believer’s co-crucifixion with Christ is permanent so the results of that co-crucifixion, the dethroning of the ego and the indwelling of the Spirit, are permanent. As a result, Christ, as represented by the Spirit, now lives in the believer as a new center of influence empowering them to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus.

This Verse, reveals that the believer’s life this side of heaven has a spiritual focus and motivation. This spiritually focused life is sustained by faith in continual submission to Christ, and it is motivated by the reality that Christ has redeemed them and brought them out of darkness and into the kingdom of light.

Colossians 1:13–14 (KJV)

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: