◄ The Spiritual Man - Man’s Nature and Destiny (21) ►

A Study:- Man’s Nature and Destiny

But he who is spiritual judges all things.
1Cor.2:15

Sift, Search, Study

Note in the Greek this word is the same as that in Act chapter 17 means to sift / to search/ to study the Word of God: But he who is spiritual sifts, searches out and studies all things – all things pertaining to God for the things of this world are foolishness. But he who is spiritual sifts, and searches out and studies all things of God, yet he himself is rightly searched out by no one – for, who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? but we have the mind of Christ. 1Cor.2:15-16, so: let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. Phil.2:5

Spiritual Man

The spiritual man is identified as one that has the mind of Christ Paul exhorted us: let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, and by implication this is not a past state but one to which we should strive. My daily prayer for years has been: align my mind to the mind of Christ, because I know that in my own mind there dwells no good thing. This is not a striving to do things for God – in order to please an angry God. This is a striving to be like Christ, because He is the One Who pleases God – until.. until it is His Life being lived through me with my self-life nailed to the cross.

Human Development

A lifetime of trying to achieve this in one's own strength will result in failure, and we have an example written in the life of every baby that’s born. That newborn babe has the mind of a man – not an animal or angel or fish or tree. That human child has a human mind,  but he lacks human development. Only years of schooling and decades of training will endow him with maturity. Were that child not endowed with a mind.. that child could not develop..

Spiritual Development

The babe in Christ likewise has a new life: the new life in Christ. The immature Christian likewise has access to a new mind – the new-mind of Christ, but the new life and this new mind must grow and mature into Christlikeness, and there is only one way, laid out in Scripture to spiritual growth and maturity.

3 Essential Elements

For his physical development man requires three vital factors, without which that newborn person would not grow: 1) food; 2) air, and 3) exercise. The spiritual man likewise needs these same three essential elements, and without these 3 essential ingredients, growth in Christ is blocked. For food: the child of God needs nourishment through the Word of God. For air: the child of God needs prayerful communion with the Father. For exercise: the child of God needs to develop a life of obedience. Eliminate any one of the three and you will remain stunted.

Bread of Life

This precious combination is the key to unlock the only path to spiritual growth, but many neglect the Hidden Manna, the Living Bread and Water of Life. Many neglect the day by day nourishing food of the Word of God. Jesus said: I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger or thirst. If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. John 7:37

Breath of Life

Many neglect the vital breath of Life, which is daily and unceasing prayer. Many neglect the day by day in-breathing and exhaling of the Spirit of God. Jesus told us that men always ought to pray and not lose heart and Paul told us to pray without ceasing so that His mind may be formed in You.

Word of Life

And many neglect the exercise of the soul – obedience to His commands. Many neglect the day by day nourishment of the adherence to His word and listening to His voice. To neglect or oppose any one of this trio is to resist the Spirit of God, to grieve the Spirit of God – to quench the Spirit of God, but until we draw our last breath, we can change and there is always hope.

Every Resource

Every resource that is needful is given.. pressed down and running over. Every resource for believers is found in Scripture – mainly in Paul’s epistles. But like Martha, are you: worried and troubled about many things? Remember: one thing is needed, which is to sit at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and all these things will be added to you. In her desire to please the Lord, serve Him and do for Him, Martha missed out. She missed out on sitting at His feet and receiving food from the Bread of Life. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; says Jeremiah. Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart. Jer.15:16

Come to Me...

Martha missed out on sitting at the feet of Jesus and communing with her Lord. In Psalms we read: as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a hand-maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God. Psalm 123:2 And Martha missed out on sitting at His feet and being obedient to His Word. Come, come unto me all ye…