Expert: Marilyn - 11/21/2010

Question
QUESTION:    What are four basic factors that should be included when describing a spiritual person? Explain and give scriptural support.

ANSWER: Hello Nicole;

You name "four basic factors." Frankly, I had not thought of a spiritual person as being characterized by four factors. My initial answer would be to say that there is only one factor and that is Christ-likeness, one who is a Christian in the original sense of the word: a person who is so much like Jesus that he is called a "little Christ."

Jesus bore the fruit of the Spirit, which is the manifestation of godliness, there are nine parts of this fruit, "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," Galatians 5:22. When a person exhibits these characteristics, he is Christlike, and Christlikeness is the definition of what it means to be a Christian, to be spiritual. See also Galatians 5:25.

Jesus said there is only one command, Love, consisting of two parts: '"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments," Matthew 22:37-40.

The spiritual person manifests the fruit of the Spirit and is most easily characterized as a person who loves.

In attempt to answer your "four factors" I came up with these, not necessarily listed in order of importance:

"This is what we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned." I Corinthians 2:13 & 14.

From this Scripture we see that the Spiritual man can receive truth from God while the non-spiritual person cannot. Factor 1) a spiritual person can receive truth from God.

A spiritual person should desire the spiritual gifts, I Corinthians 14:1, "Follow the way of Love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." In I Corinthians 12:8-11, Paul lists the spiritual gifts, "message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge...to another faith...to another gifts of healing...to another miraculous powers...to another prophecy...to another distinguishing between spirits...to another speaking in different kinds of tongues..."

Factor 2) a spiritual person desires the spiritual gifts

Romans 8:5, "Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."

Factor 3) a spiritual person wants what the Holy Spirit wants.

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship," Romans 12:1.

Factor 4) a spiritual person has devoted his body to God. This is not necessarily intended to mean a person cannot marry or raise a family, but that whatever he does both physically and spiritually, he does it in an attitude of worship. A marriage is a spiritual act as well as physical. Adam said it best, "Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh." God took Eve out of Adam, but in marriage they were restored to one flesh. Marriage is meant to be a picture of the unity of the church with the Lord Jesus who is the church's Bridegroom.

See also John 3:6; 6:63; I Peter 2.

This question sounded like a homework question. If this is the case, your teacher has asked the question specifically targeting a concept he has taught in class and since I have not taken the class, I cannot know what he perceives as the four factors describing a spiritual person.

Hopefully this answer is helpful.

Sincerely,

Marilyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what are(5) five myths that should be avoided when describing a spiritual person?

Answer
Dear Nicole;

Again this are listed in no particular order of importance:

Myth 1) The spiritual person is indifferent to his appearance. Fact: The spiritual person recognizes that his appearance is the first thing anyone notices. Like it or not, one's appearance sends a message about what the person values:

a. whether or not he properly values himself. If his clothing is dirty or his hair unkempt, he probably does not have a sense of self worth. A spiritual person is not vain or proud, but neither does he despise himself or mistreat himself. A Christian spiritual person recognizes that his body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore it should be treated with respect and clothed with appropriate clothing. A woman who wears risque clothing may have issues with properly valuing herself, she may be hoping sex relationships will fill the hole in her heart or she may not value herself at all. Other examples exist.

b. whether or not his appetites are controlled. A Christian spiritual person is supposed to practice self-control. If a person is fat, then he probably does not have self-control. If his eyes are bloodshot and his complexion is sallow, he probably has a drug or alcohol problem that is destroying him.

c. whether or not the person has self-confidence. A man who hides behind a beard or a woman who hides behind her hair may also be hiding from the world. A Christian spiritual person does not hide from anyone, but is always prepared to share God's love.

Myth 2) The spiritual person is devoid of passion.

Christ dispelled this myth when He ransacked the temple. The Apostles would not have died for the resurrection message if they were not passionate about it. The Christian spiritual person is emotionally developed and passionate about God, love, the Gospel, growth, the physical health and spiritual well being of his nation and the world and whatever things are lovely, beautiful and wise. The Christian spiritual person is always hungry for more of God's Word and more of Jesus.

Myth 3) The spiritual person can be spiritual without a specific belief in Jesus as Savior and the God of the Bible.

The Bible refutes this stance from beginning to end. It clearly tells us that faith in Jesus as Savior is the only way to true spirituality and Heaven. Jesus said, "I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father except by Me," John 14:6.

Myth 4) Jesus' redemption from sin is not necessary for the spiritual person.

The Bible teaches we must first be redeemed from sin before we can live a spiritual life in the truth. Romans 8


Myth 5) As a spiritual person, accept yourself, just be yourself.

While on the surface this sounds good, it totally skips the issue of sin. Yes, if the sin nature, which was superimposed upon every potential human being when Adam sinned, is plucked from us and what is left is the original creation breathed by God, then yes, be yourself. But as long as the sin nature influences thinking, feeling and believing, this concept is only partially correct.

There are undoubtedly others.

Marilyn