Becoming a spiritual man in Christ

1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (KJV) 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

2 Timothy 2:19-22 (KJV) 19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

There are many other scriptures in the bible that teaches us to become spiritual persons in Christ Jesus. How do you think the scriptures teach us to become spiritual and to stay spiritual? I am interested in what others think concerning being a spiritual man.

There is a lot today that is not spiritual and pleasing to the Lord. I don’t think a spiritual person wants to be judgmental or superior over other people but He does want to stay pure from a carnal spirit. This means he has to be careful who he follows, meaning who he listens to or reads after, because he must not allow his spirit to become contaminated with worldly ideas or false teaching.

I think we all would agree that this includes much prayer, meditation in the word, becoming doers of the word, and being filled with the Spirit. Then outer man must be broken in order for there to be a release of the spirit to touch others in being able to minister to them. The truly spiritual man has suffered much in the flesh.

Blessings to all!

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (KJV) 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Paul told many of those at Corinth that he could not speak unto them as unto spiritual but as unto carnal. He was still having to give them milk and not strong spiritual food because they were not able to bear it. They were walking like natural men instead of spiritual men.

I don’t believe for one minute that Paul ever used their carnality to favor himself or to make himself look good. I do not believe that when he said, that he couldn’t speak unto them as spiritual, that he ever was carnal in his speaking or messages to them. Paul was a spiritual man and although he became all things to all people, his messages were never carnal but always spiritual in order to promote them to become spiritual people even if he had to give them milk. Giving someone milk does not mean that the milk is carnal.

Grace to all!

1 Corinthians 6:1-5 (KJV) 1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

Paul was reproving them for going to the law before the unjust and not before the saints. He told them that the saints were going to judge the world and if the world was going to be judged by them, were they unworthy to judge the smallest matters. He also told them that we would be judging angels and so how much more things that pertain to this life.

He then goes on to tell them that when they have judgments pertaining to this life that they were to set them who were the least esteemed in the church. This shows the humility of the saints in those who are truly spiritual to be able to discern right from wrong. A truly spiritual person will not flaunt himself but others will recognize his wisdom from God. The truly spiritual man is considered by others to be a humble man. He never boasts of himself but all his boasting is in the Lord. He knows if there is any good in or about him it is the Lord.

Blessings to all!

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (KJV) 10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 3:4-7 (KJV) 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Paul wanted them to all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among them. There were contentions among because they were claiming to be of this man’s ministry or that man’s ministry, and even some claimed to be of Paul. He said to them is Christ divided or was Paul crucified for you? Or where you baptized in Paul’s name? Later on in Chapter 3 He said to them, are you not carnal, acting this way. Don’t you know that the Lord gave to every man and one plants, one waters, but God gives the increase. It is God who gives the increase who is really anything because without Him no one could have received anything at all.

So we learn from Paul’s teaching that to be contentious over different men’s ministries or teachings is to be of a carnal mind. For one to claim that they are of a particular group and that their group is better when we are all to be of the same God then we are showing that we are still carnal and have not grown spiritually.

Those who are truly growing spiritually are not looking to be divisive but to speak the same thing and to be perfectly joined together and in the same judgment in the Lord.
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Blessings to all!

Philippians 2:12-15 (KJV) 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Paul said that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling because God is working in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. We are to grow spiritually, doing the things that please God without complaining or arguing so that we can become blameless, harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation so that we can shine as lights in the world.

We are to let our lights so shine that men will see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. We should desire to be that spiritual man/woman that so pleases God. Anybody can be carnal(worldly) because that is our nature as a sinner but God wants us to become a spiritual person so that we can be Christ’s ministers’ to a lost and corrupt world.

Galatians 2:20 (KJV) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

This is my desire also that everyday I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

Grace to all!

A spiritual man is only one who walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit (Roamns 8:4) so that he does not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16).

He who sensitive to the Spirit's unctions (a spiritual man) is a contradistinction from him (a natural man) who is under the influence of the senses only.

Rbanks,
Thanks for starting this thread. It is God's will that we would grow up into Christ in all things and become spiritual men and women. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14). To become a spiritual man is to be led by the Spirit of God.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:5-8).

A spiritual man is one who sets his mind on the things of the spirit. He seeks those things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:2).

A spiritual man is one whose spirit which is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, has gained the ascendancy over his soul and his body.

In contrast to the spiritual man is the carnal man. This is a man that sets his mind on the things of this world and is much more interested in gratifying his own selfish interest than in pleasing God. It is a contradiction to be carnal and to be a Christian at the same time. A carnal man will frequently fall into the sins of the flesh as listed in Galatians 5. To be ruled and controlled by the flesh is death, but to set our minds on the things of the Spirit are life and peace.

A spiritual man is one who continuously puts to death the deeds of the body through the Holy Spirit. He is a true disciple of Christ, denying self, taking up his cross, and following Jesus. He is one who walks in the Spirit and doesn't fulfill the lusts of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

A spiritual man is one who has crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Galatians 5:24). He knows that his old self has been crucified with Christ, and reckons himself to be dead to sin and alive unto God. (Romans 6:6,11).

A spiritual man is no longer dominated by his natural soulish life, but he is allowing Christ to live His life through him. (Galatians 2:20).

Mike

In Proverbs chapter one we find this promise given to those who hear and do...

20 \tWisdom calls aloud outside;
\tShe raises her voice in the open squares.
21 \tShe cries out in the chief concourses,
\tAt the openings of the gates in the city
\tShe speaks her words:
22 \t“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
\tFor scorners delight in their scorning,
\tAnd fools hate knowledge.
23 \tTurn at my rebuke;
\tSurely I will pour out my spirit on you;
\tI will make my words known to you.

Again... first

"Turn at my rebuke:

If you turn, then God will..."Surely"..."pour out my spirit on you"

And what is the result of this work of God?

"I will make my words known to you."

As a side note...

Romans 1 equals Proverbs 1

in Christ
Jeff