The term “spiritual person” is somewhat subjective and can mean different things to different people. However, Biblically speaking, specifically in the New Testament of 1 Corinthians, being a spiritual person can be understood as having a close relationship with God through the Holy Spirit and living in accordance with spiritual values and principles.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14-15, it says, “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The spiritual person, however, can judge everything, and such a person is not subject to judgment by others.”
So, according to this passage, a spiritual person is someone who has the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, and as a result, they are able to understand and appreciate spiritual things. They are guided by the Spirit in their thoughts, words, and actions, and are able to judge things from a spiritual perspective.
Being a spiritual person in the biblical sense means having a close relationship with God through the Holy Spirit and living a life that is guided and empowered by the Spirit.
What does it take to be spiritual person?
In 1 Corinthians 2:6 is another important verse that sheds light on what it means to be a spiritual person.
In this verse, Paul says, “We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.”
This verse emphasizes the difference between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. The wisdom of the world is temporal and will eventually pass away, but the wisdom of God is eternal and reveals the mysteries of the divine to those who have the spiritual discernment to understand it.
In this sense, being a spiritual person means having a spiritual understanding that transcends the wisdom of the world, and being able to grasp the mysteries of God through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This kind of spiritual understanding is not available to those who lack the Spirit, but is given to those who are mature in their faith and have surrendered their lives to God.
1 Corinthians 2:7-9
“No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
In these verses, Paul is emphasizing the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. He argues that the rulers of the world did not understand the mystery of God’s wisdom, and as a result, they crucified Jesus, who was the Lord of glory. This ignorance is due to the fact that the wisdom of God is beyond human comprehension, and can only be revealed to those who have the spiritual discernment to understand it.
According to Paul, the wisdom of God is not something that can be grasped through human reason or intellect, but is only revealed to those who have a close relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. This wisdom is a mystery that has been hidden, but is destined to bring glory to those who love God.
So, in essence, these verses are emphasizing the importance of having a spiritual understanding of God and His ways, rather than relying on human wisdom, which will always fall short. Those who are spiritual are able to grasp the mysteries of God, and through this understanding, they are able to experience the fullness of the blessings that God has prepared for them.
Human eyes have never seen, human ears have never heard. It’s never entered human hearts; All that God has now prepared.
1 Corinthians 2:9
According to Dr. George Caird was a well-known New Testament scholar who wrote extensively on the book of 1 Corinthians. He commented on this passage, saying that it highlights the idea that the wisdom which is being imparted by the apostles is not the wisdom of the world, but a secret and hidden wisdom of God. This wisdom is something that the worldly rulers of the time could not understand, and if they had, they would not have crucified Jesus.
Caird also emphasizes the idea that this wisdom is not simply a matter of knowledge or understanding, but it is also a matter of experience. He writes, “It is not just a matter of acquiring a set of truths, but of entering into a relationship with the God who has made them known, so that they become a transforming power in the life of the believer.”
In essence, these verses are teaching that the wisdom imparted by the apostles is not of this world, but a wisdom that comes from God and has been hidden until revealed through Jesus. This wisdom is a transformative power that comes through a relationship with God and allows us to understand things that are beyond the realm of human understanding.
1 Corinthians 2:10-12 is another important passage that provides insight into what it means to be a spiritual person. The verses state:
“These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.”
In these verses, Paul is emphasizing the importance of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual understanding. He argues that the Spirit of God is the only one who knows the thoughts of God and is able to reveal them to us. The Spirit searches all things, including the deep things of God, and is able to reveal the mysteries of the divine to those who have the spiritual discernment to understand them.
Paul also makes a distinction between the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God. The spirit of the world is opposed to God and is unable to understand the things of God. In contrast, the Spirit of God is from God and is able to give us a spiritual understanding of the things that God has freely given us.
So, in essence, these verses are emphasizing the importance of having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us in order to have a deep and meaningful relationship with God. It is through the guidance of the Spirit that we are able to understand the things of God, and this spiritual understanding is what allows us to be a spiritual person in the fullest sense.
How can we use this to become a spiritual person?
As the verses in 1 Corinthians 2:6- 16 suggest, becoming a spiritual person involves a transformation through the revelation of God’s wisdom. This transformation can be achieved in several ways:
Seeking a relationship with God:
In order to understand the secret and hidden wisdom of God, it is necessary to have a relationship with God. This can be achieved through prayer, reading and studying the Bible, and seeking to live a life in accordance with God’s will.
Cultivating a spiritual mindset:
A spiritual person has a different mindset from a worldly person. This involves a focus on things that are eternal and spiritual, rather than things that are temporary and material. Cultivating this mindset requires making a conscious effort to focus on spiritual values and to resist the temptation to be influenced by the values of the world.
Seeking to live a life of love:
The wisdom imparted by the apostles is not just a matter of knowledge, but a transforming power in the life of the believer. This transformation involves seeking to live a life of love, both for God and for others. This love should be expressed through acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity, and it should be characterized by a willingness to put the needs of others before our own.
By seeking a relationship with God, cultivating a spiritual mindset, and living a life of love, we can become more spiritual people and be transformed by the wisdom of God.
