The Spiritual Life I. Questions A. What should Christians be "for"? B. How do Christians live the spiritual life? II. Introduction A. How should a Christian be defined? 1. Seems like a simple question 2. What makes one a "Christian"? B. We could talk about one who believes and is baptized (Mark 16:16) 1. A Christian most certainly needs to believe and to be baptized 2. But there are many who profess Jesus, were baptized, but are not part of the saved (Matthew 7:21-23, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) 3. Many "Christians" would be indistinguishable from people of the world! C. People are defined by their fruit (Matthew 7:16-20) 1. We recognize that people are defined less by what they say and more by what they do 2. What is the fruit that would define the Christian? D. Too often, Christians define themselves, or are defined by others, by what they don't do 1. When we get to what fruit Christians show, it is often defined by what is not done 2. Christians don't drink, don't swear, don't lie, don't commit sexual immorality, etc. 3. Such is not a problem; Christians should avoid all such evil (Galatians 5:19-21) 4. Nevertheless, there remains a gaping hole: things not done does not provide any idea as to what should be done E. What Christians don't do is only half the equation: what are Christians to do? 1. Christians are not just to be people "against" things: they also should be "for" something! 2. What should Christians be "for"? F. Paul provides an idea of the fruit that the Christian should bear in Galatians 5:17-18, 22-24 1. Christians should "walk by the Spirit" 2. They should manifest the fruit of the Spirit 3. Indeed, Christians should be living the "spiritual" life! G. Let us consider the spiritual life III. The Scriptures A. The Scriptures often speak of the need of living such a life B. Galatians 5:17-18, 22-24 as mentioned C. Romans 12:1-23 D. Colossians 3:1-3, 12-15 E. All such passages mention the need to life a spiritual life 1. "From above," not below 2. Marked not by worldly values but the values of Christ in His Kingdom F. What further can we say about the spiritual life? IV. The Primacy of Love A. The first notable aspect is the primacy of love in the spiritual life B. Colossians 3:14 indicates as much 1. First manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) 2. An entire chapter devoted to it (1 Corinthians 13:1-13) C. Understandable why love so critical 1. God as love (1 John 4:7-21) 2. Reason for sending Jesus to die for sin (John 3:16) 3. Pre-eminent virtue D. Romans 13:9 indeed! E. Love, as seeking the best for the one beloved, governs all other virtues 1. Should govern our perspective toward others and thus our conduct toward them 2. Other virtues flow through love V. Virtues Interrelated A. While love is primary, all the virtues in reality interrelated B. Galatians 5:22: singular fruit of the Spirit 1. While we may speak of the "fruits" of the Spirit, Paul keeps it in the singular 2. Reason is clear: it's quite hard to separate them! C. How can one be patient without exercising self-control? D. How can one be kind and not be compassionate? E. How can one be gentle and not peaceful? F. Too often, certain virtues elevated beyond others 1. Tunnel vision often applies! 2. Sometimes certain virtues get elevated above others 3. While it is understandable, in reality, all virtues must be exhibited G. We cannot just play our strengths! 1. We all may be better able to manifest certain virtues more than others 2. All, however, are necessary for the spiritual life 3. We must strive diligently to manifest all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit VI. The Character of the Christian A. For the Christian to live the spiritual life, he or she must be marked by certain characteristics and perspectives 1. Without certain greater aspects, trying to do what Christ would have one do is quite difficult! 2. If we are not like Christ in mind and character, we cannot be like Him in action (1 Corinthians 11:1, 1 John 2:6)! B. Humility quite essential 1. Humility relates mostly to one's perspective about oneself before God and others 2. If one recognizes that one is no better than his peers, and quite inferior to God, one is then in a position to accept what God says to do and do it! 3. One also realizes that one has no inherent advantage over his fellow man, and will be better able to serve and help him! 4. Hence, Matthew 18:1-4 C. A sacrificial spirit 1. One must also be willing to "suffer loss"! 2. Romans 12:1 3. While we should "suffer loss" for God... 4. ...we often do so by "suffering loss" toward our fellow man! 5. Yes, it could be negative (Matthew 5:38-48, Luke 6:27-36) 6. But it also should be positive! (Galatians 2:10, 6:10) 7. If we are unwilling to suffer loss, it will be hard for us to be as Christ! VII. Christlikeness A. In short, the spiritual life is defined by Christlikeness B. Christ our ultimate Example 1. 1 Corinthians 11:1 2. Philippians 2:5-11 3. Hebrews 12:2 4. 1 John 2:6 C. If we desire to seek to see how each attribute is perfectly lived, let us look to Jesus D. If we desire to see the balanced life of virtue, let us look to Jesus E. If we desire to see what we should be, let us look to Jesus VIII. Conclusion A. Christians should be equally marked, if not more marked, by what they do than what they do not do! 1. James 4:17 2. If we live the life we ought, we will be seen more for what we do than what we don't do! B. Love is primary, and the virtues that should mark the Christian are interrelated C. Christians must be humble and sacrificial to accomplish God's purposes D. In short, Christians must be Christlike, being as Christ before fellow men E. That is the purpose of us living the Christian life: to glorify God, to point to Him, and to show the love of Christ to all people 1. Matthew 5:13-16 2. The way to promote Christ's Kingdom is to live an honorable life as its ambassador (Philippians 3:20)! F. Let us live the spiritual life! G. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good (Romans 12:9). Christianity is often defined in terms of what Christians try to avoid: matters of sin and things which do not profit. Yet Christianity ought to be marked as much, if not more so, by what Christians are to do in holiness and righteousness. Christians do well to abhor what is evil and cling to what is good. Why do so many associate Christianity with what ought not be done? 2: And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness (Colossians 3:14). The spiritual life in Christ is primarily defined by love. Everything Christians do should be done in love. God has loved us and saved us in Christ, and so Christians ought to serve one another and those in the world in love. Without love what we do has no value or profit. How can we better manifest love toward one another and to all? 3: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked (1 John 2:6). The spiritual life in Christ is defined by the life of Christ. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the pioneer of our salvation, the trailblazer of the Way to the Father. As Jesus is the embodiment of God's character, so Christians ought to embody Christ. Christians should speak as Christ spoke, act as Christ acted, and serve as Christ served. How can we more effectively embody Jesus in all we think, feel, say, and do? 4: To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17). The spiritual life is not about avoidance; it is about manifesting the character of God in Christ in holiness and righteousness. If we do not practice the faith in what we do, and do not do the good God has commanded us to do, we will not receive commendation from Him on the final day. We do well to live the spiritual life in Christ so that others can see what we are for more than what we are against. How do we live the spiritual life in Christ?