You Who Are Spiritual

You Who Are Spiritual

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness [meekness], considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Gal. 6:1.

Paul had to give the Corinthians a bleak testimony even though they were so richly endowed with knowledge and spiritual gifts. He had to tell them that they were not spiritual. 1 Cor. 3:1. They were carnal. They behaved like mere men. They were natural men who could not receive the things of the Spirit of God, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 14.

We who live in these days and are rich in the knowledge of the Word should not so easily feel exalted over these immature Corinthians. Let us rather search ourselves. Are we spiritual, or do we behave like mere men?

According to the above-mentioned verse in Galatians 6:1, the Corinthians would not have been the right people to help others. Instead of helping others in their need, they were a part of the “need.” However, Paul, the wise master builder, worked with them. He worked in the direction of helping them experience spiritual growth, that they might become spiritual and be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

What makes us become spiritual people? It definitely is not knowledge and spiritual gifts, because then the Corinthians, who were so rich on this point, would have been spiritual. Only the virtues of Christ make us into spiritual people. And those who are spiritual are then able to give help in the spirit of meekness. Furthermore, those who are spiritual are receptive to exhortation. They understand quite well that they need to consider themselves lest they also are tempted, as we read in Galatians 6:1. Help can be given in such a humble and meek spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 2:15 we read that “he who is spiritual judges all things.” Or, as it is also translated, “discerns all things.” Where has a spiritual person learned to “judge all things?” He has learned it on the way of humility with the mind of Christ (verse 16), in Jesus’ steps in His humiliation. There he learns to judge himself and can thus judge all things.

“For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” 1 Cor. 2:10. We come to the depths in God on the way of humiliation. One can be inclined to want to be considered a “deep” person, someone who preaches a “deeper life,” who has a reputation for “plowing deep.” But who is deep? Who comes to the depths in God except for the soul who humbles himself? A person can have deep thoughts without being acquainted with the depths in God. There are depths in goodness, in love, and in wisdom. We become spiritual and learn to know the things that have been given to us by God when we come into contact with these depths. 1 Cor. 2:12. Then we can be used by the Lord to help others to find the right way. For example, how blessed it is when the father and mother in a home are spiritual; they can help their children find the right way in the spirit of meekness by paying heed to themselves and to the doctrine. When the parents are filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, then the children will grow up in a safe atmosphere where God’s blessing rests over everything. Col. 1:9. Oh, how necessary it is in these difficult times for the parents in the church to have spiritual understanding and spiritual discernment and partake of spiritual growth. Parents who are earthly-minded have nothing of eternal value to give their children.

In 1 John 4:1 we are exhorted to test the spirits, whether they are of God. When we think of the times in which we live—with their strong spirits and ideologies—it is absolutely imperative (when we think of the coming generation) that there are faithful, God-fearing, and devoted brothers and sisters who can test the spirits and show the way. If we continue to be human in our thoughts and our judgement, we will not have the power to discern— we will not understand the sheep in their time, the tremendous spiritual battle in these days in which strong spirit powers collide against each other. We will not understand what is at stake in our personal lives, in our family life, or in the church.

May God bless His church, so that we can truly be a spiritual house, a holy priesthood that offers up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 2:5.