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By RICHARD J. RODAS
THERE IS A GROWING confusion among people from various walks of life today concerning the fair and moral way of determining true spirituality. Some proffer the notion that if a person goes to church every Sunday and says his prayers to a God or a deity everyday, he is spiritual. There are those who believe that anyone can achieve spirituality by living a monastic lifestyle—withdrawing from society and living in isolation somewhere in a cave.
Still, there are segments of society who swear by the idea that austere asceticism produces a spiritual life, and that labors which show self-denial and even bodily abuse could generate a dimension of spirituality. Akin to that is the presumption of many religious groups that morality is the exact measure of spirituality. One can see how convoluted it now becomes just by citing some concepts and impressions on how to become spiritual and holy before the true God.
The Holy Scripture declares that God is Spirit (John 4:24). So, to be spiritual is to be godly, but not in terms of His nature or state of being, because God has no flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). To be truly godly was explained by Apostle Peter, thus:
“For he himself has said, ‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” (I Pet. 1:16 New Living Translation)
Holiness is a must, for God Who demands it is holy. To be truly holy is to belong to God, in service to His name, and dedicated to Him based on His grand plan which Apostle Paul made clear (Eph. 1:4–5, 9–10).
Before the foundation of the world, God chose man for Himself from among all His creations as His own—that man must be blameless and holy in His sight. At the outset, this may seem as an unreasonable and unreachable standard. Left for man to achieve or satisfy on his own, it is downright impossible. Because as sin came into the world through one man, and death as a result of sin, death spread throughout the entire human race (Rom. 5:12).
Hence, Jesus Christ was sent by God into the world to undo the curse placed upon all humanity because of sin as the same apostle spelled it out:
“But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! By his sacrificial death we are now put right with God; how much more, then, will we be saved by him from God’s anger!” (Rom. 5:8-9 Good News Bible).
Through Christ’s redemptive death, he saved man from eternal damnation. Unbeknownst to many, the “us” for whom Christ died, or the beneficiaries of His salvific death are the members of the Church Of Christ which He purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation). Man needs the Church Of Christ to avail himself of God’s plan for his sanctification and ultimate salvation. People often forget to understand that they owe a debt (sin) that they can’t afford to pay even with death. Under God’s righteous judgment, their only hope is forgiveness through Jesus Christ’s death for His body (Col. 1:18) which is the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa). There is no getting around it.
True Christians are expected by God to live on a higher moral plane than the ungodly people of this world that they are in as Apostle Peter explained:
“So then, have your minds ready for action. Keep alert and set your hope completely on the blessing which will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by those desires you had when you were still ignorant. Instead, be holy in all that you do, just as God who called you is holy.” (I Pet. 1:13–15 gnb)
Membership in the Church Of Christ is just the first step toward Christian living. Within this holy calling, Christians are required to put forth their full spiritual, mental, and physical effort for action. This they can accomplish by carrying out the instructions clarified by Apostle Paul, thus:
“You certainly heard about him, and as his followers, you were taught the truth that is in Jesus. So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires. Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.” (Eph. 4:21–24 gnb)
“Get rid of your old self” means not letting one’s self be consumed by worldly affairs despite being pulled down by temptation into its theatrical and glamorized offerings.
No Christian has a right to be satisfied with his spiritual progress as long as he is falling short of true spiritual maturity and holiness. They must live in faith and fully trust in God because no matter where they are or what their earthly job is, the spiritual expectations and responsibilities will always remain the same. Remember, God has called us not to be dirty-minded and full of lust, but to be holy and clean (I Thess. 4:7).
Yes, spiritual growth and holiness is an ongoing process for as long as man lives in this decadent world. Every moment of his life deserves the best he can give towards holiness by choosing to apply God’s words in everyday circumstances. One step at a time.
Gratitude is forever etched into the mind of God’s people in acknowledgment of His generosity and kindness that from among the teeming population of this world, He chose them to be part of the Church Of Christ for which Christ gave His life that they may have the chance to be of service to God and be saved on the Day of Judgment.
Their godly character is a product of a life of holiness, forever praising and giving gratitude to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ within the Church Of Christ—which the Savior will present to God in a glorious stature on Judgment Day—pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection (Eph. 5:25-27). ❑
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