Scripture Reading: Colossians 2:20-23
Spiritual Religion
(Part 1)
Intro.
1. Men have developed a tension and unwarranted contradiction between being spiritual and being religious.
a. Spirituality: Viewed positively, as fulfilling, satisfying, rewarding and as the essence of knowing yourself and your surroundings.
b. Religion (religiosity): Viewed negatively, as legalistic, demanding, destructive to self and the world.
c. Illus. Unity Spiritual Center (Bellingham WA). Jesus, Buddha…
2. The Bible defines spirituality and religion, showing no conflict between the two. The conflict is between the principles of the world conflict with the truth of Jesus Christ, Col. 2:20-23; Eph. 1:3.
I. WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL THINGS?
A. Understood by Contrasts:
1. Spiritual is contrasted with material, 1 Cor. 9:11; Rom. 15:27.
2. Spiritual is contrasted with natural, 1 Cor. 15:44, 46-49.
3. Spiritual things address our immortal spirit, 2 Cor. 4:16-18.
-Image of God (inward person, the spirit), Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7.
4. Spiritual things are in the heavenly places, Eph. 1:3; 2:5-7.
II. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SPIRITUAL?
A. Means Loving God with All Your Being. Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37
1. Means obeying God’s commands, Josh. 22:5; Lk. 6:46.
2. Loving God (spiritual) is not against obedience; Demands it.
B. Means being Guided by Revelation. 1 Cor. 2:10-16
1. Natural man, 1 Cor. 2:14: Not guided by revelation; Refuses the things given by the Spirit of God (2:13) and lives by human reasoning alone (Jer. 10:23; Prov. 16:25). 1 Cor. 1:18, 23
-Man’s spirituality: “Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. (Buddha) cf. Jesus, Jno. 4:23-24; 14:6
2. Spiritual man, 1 Cor. 2:15-16: Accepts revelation given by the Spirit and judges (examines) all things by it; Mind of Christ directs his understanding. cf. 1 Cor. 1:18, 21, 24, 31
3. Don’t be deceived by world’s (false) wisdom, 1 Cor. 3:18-21.
C. Means being Submissive to God’s Law. Rom. 8:5-8; Gal. 5:16-24
1. Spiritually-minded sets his/her mind on the things of the Spirit of God (the law of the Spirit, the gospel, Rom. 8:1-4).
a. Submissive to the law of God, Rom. 8:6-7; Life and peace.
b. Set your mind on things above, Col. 3:2.
2. Carnally-minded (fleshly) sets his/her mind on the flesh and is hostile to the true God, leading to death, Rom. 8:6-8.
Conclusion
1. The spiritual person delights in the law of God, meditates on it and directs his/her life by its precepts and truth, Psalm 1:1-3.
2. Peace and joy comes when we obediently yield to the word of God (His law), having our mind set on heaven’s will, heaven’s truth, heaven’s purposes and heaven’s goals, Col. 3:1-3.
3. Part 2: What is religion, and what is its relation to being spiritual?
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: March 13, 2018
REFERENCES
Welcome to Unity Spiritual Center
We are a community of spiritual travelers, each finding our own truth through learning, service and the unselfish giving of love. Our paths to spiritual enlightenment include: classes, counseling, music, Sunday morning lessons (10am) and opportunities for volunteerism in our greater community. Our theology is simple: through forgiveness and expressing love we heal ourselves and become potentials for peace in the world.
It is often said that Unity Spiritual Center (USC) is a home of commonsense spirituality. We believe that Jesus has been misunderstood by many religions. A careful study of his life shows he lived for us rather than died for us. He was a teacher who asked that we become more like him. Rather than demanding that people suffer, he said: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
https://www.unitybellingham.org
About Unity
“We are a spiritual center, committed to nourishing joyful lives through positive thoughts, words and actions”.
Unity is a positive, practical, non-denominational center based on the spiritual ideals taught by Jesus and all other enlightened spiritual leaders.
The Unity way of life is one of health, prosperity, joy and peace of mind. We believe that all people are created with sacred worth. Therefore, we recognize the importance of serving all people in spiritually and emotionally caring ways. It is imperative that our programs be free of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, physical disability or sexual orientation. Our sincere desire is to create a spiritually aware organization that supports diversity.