SPIRITUAL LIVING Class #2 Dr. Don Kinder Seoul, KOREA Seoul Bible Institute.

SPIRITUAL SPIRITUAL LIVINGLIVING

Class #2Class #2

Dr. Don KinderDr. Don Kinder

Seoul, KOREASeoul, KOREA

Seoul Bible InstituteSeoul Bible Institute

STRANGE WAYS OF BEING STRANGE WAYS OF BEING SPIRITUAL:SPIRITUAL:Simon the Stylite (390-459 A.D.)

Greek “style” means “pillar”

-Born in N. Syria

-Turned to Christianity at age 13 after hearing sermon on the Beatitudes

-Joined a monastery at 16

- His habits were too radical and was asked to leave

- Lived for 3 years in small hut, then in a cave

- Found a pillar (4 m. high) among some ruins and lived there

- Later moved to a pillar, 15 m. - Achieved great fame and respect- He lived 37 years on the pillar- He inspired many copiers- Some cases of Stylites even in 19th

century Russia

Ruins of Simon’s original pillar

It is possible to It is possible to know all the know all the

information, and information, and still not be still not be spiritual.spiritual.

What is SPIRITUALSPIRITUAL?

-Occurs in 25 verses in N.T. (NIV)

- All, but 2 verses from Paul

Peter:

1 Peter 2:2; 2:5

“SpiritualSpiritual” is from 3 Greek words

pneumatiko>vpneumatiko>v - relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as

the part of man which is similar to God and serves as his instrument or organ, (1 Cor. 15:46)

- belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God (Eph. 6:12)

- belonging to the Divine Spirit; in reference to things; “emanating from the Divine Spirit, or exhibiting its effects and so its character””

pneu~ma pneu~ma a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figurative a spirit,i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implicaiton) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy Spirit: — ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind.

logiko>vlogiko>v“rational” ; “agreeable to reason, following reason, reasonable”: latreia logikh, the worship which is rendered by the reason or soul (‘spiritual’), (Romans 12:1)

to logikon gala, the milk which nourishes the soul (1 Peter 2:2)

ca>rismaca>risma, — (divine) gift, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion); (special) a (spiritual) endowment, i.e. (subject) religiousqualification, or (objective) miraculous ability: — (free) gift.

In the NEW TESTAMENT, In the NEW TESTAMENT, “spiritual” (English) is from:“spiritual” (English) is from:

VERSE Greek word1 Peter 2:2 logiko>v

1 Peter 2:5 pneumatiko>v

Romans 12:1 logiko>v

Romans 12:11 pneu~ma

Romans 12:57 pneumatiko>v

VERSE Greek word1 Cor. 1:7 ca>risma

1 Cor. 2:13 pneumatiko>v

1 Cor. 2:14 pneumatikwv




VERSE Greek word1 Cor. 10:3pneumatiko>v


1 Cor. 12:1 pneuma



1 Cor. 15:44pneumatiko>v

VERSE Greek word1 Cor. 15:46 pneumatiko>v

Gal. 6:1 pneumatiko>v

Eph. 1:3 pneumatiko>v



Col. 1:9 pneumatiko>v

Col. 3:16 pneumatiko>v

Opposite of “spiritual”Opposite of “spiritual”

- “worldly,” “sinful” from - “worldly,” “sinful” from sa>rx”sa>rx”- flesh (as stripped of the skin), i.e. (strictly) the meat of an animal (as food), or (by extension) the body (as opposed to the soul [or spirit], or as the symbol of what is external, or (by implication) human nature (with its frailties [physical or moral] and passions), or (special) a human being (as such): — carnal (-ly, + -ly minded), flesh ([-ly]).

See Romans 8:6-7

SO, the spiritual person does not SO, the spiritual person does not want to be controlled by his own want to be controlled by his own body, but by the Spirit of God.body, but by the Spirit of God.

-Paul says that some people’s god is their “stomach” (koili>a) (see Mt. 12:40; Mt. 15:17)

-Of course, the god for the spiritual man is the Spirit of God.

How?How?

1. We begin our Christian life by confessing that Jesus is the Son of God.

2. Give our lives to him

3. In baptism we become new, and change bosses (Rom. 6:3-5)

4. Promise service to him.

How?How?

5. Keep serving Him the rest of our lives

- At this point, we begin the spiritual “disciplines”

- founder of Jesuits - founder of Jesuits (“army of Christ”)(“army of Christ”)

- wrote “Spiritual - wrote “Spiritual Exercises”Exercises”

IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA (b. 1491 - 1556)(b. 1491 - 1556)

LIFE:LIFE:-1212thth son of aristocratic family son of aristocratic family

-Wanted to be a knight for kingWanted to be a knight for king

-Led the defense of fortress PamplonaLed the defense of fortress Pamplona

-Badly injured in battle; began reading devotional Badly injured in battle; began reading devotional booksbooks

-Decides to be a knight for Virgin MaryDecides to be a knight for Virgin Mary

-New spiritual war against evil, heresyNew spiritual war against evil, heresy

-Dressed in sackcloth of a hermitDressed in sackcloth of a hermit

-Lived in a cave for 1 year; fear of hellLived in a cave for 1 year; fear of hell

LIFE (continued):LIFE (continued):-Somehow found grace of GodSomehow found grace of God

- dedicated his life to service of churchdedicated his life to service of church

-Blessed by Pope (1523)Blessed by Pope (1523)

-Returned to school for 2 yearsReturned to school for 2 years

-Wrote “Spiritual Exercises” – manual for Wrote “Spiritual Exercises” – manual for spiritual discipline spiritual discipline

-Group grows around himGroup grows around him

-Took their name from military Took their name from military (army of Christ) (army of Christ)

-Greater freedom than monastic lifeGreater freedom than monastic life

What should we do?What should we do?- There are no short cuts.There are no short cuts.

- No instant spiritualityNo instant spirituality

- Example of tribe in Africa, trying to copy the Example of tribe in Africa, trying to copy the missionarymissionary

- Discipline involves training – hard workDiscipline involves training – hard work

The “Holy Resident”The “Holy Resident”Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will

obey my teaching. My Father will love obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”our home with him.” (John 14:23) (John 14:23)

To prepare for the new resident:To prepare for the new resident:

1.Clean house (repentance); Acts 2:38

2.Get ready to be “full of the Spirit” (Eph. 5:19)

3.“Throw off everything that hinders” (Hebrews 12:2)

Can Christians have “hindrances” Can Christians have “hindrances”

((incumbrancesincumbrances)?)?

What are they?What are they?

GROUP ACTIVITY (10 minutes)

If we clean our houses, and do not If we clean our houses, and do not bring in new furniture, it can be bring in new furniture, it can be dangerous.dangerous.

-Jesus said that 7 demons will replace the one who was evicted!!

-What does a cleaned house with new furniture look like?

FRUITS OF THE SPIRITFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT

These things will tell us what a spiritual person looks like. (Matt. 7:16)

We need to concentrate on the root and not the fruit.

We are just branches, Jesus is the vine. (John 15)

The fruits are natural by-products in a life that is connected to the Spirit of God.

WHERE DOES IT BEGIN?WHERE DOES IT BEGIN?

Hebrew concept of a human (tri-partite):

- Body, mind, soul

These 3 are inter-related.

How we feed our minds is VERY IMPORTANT!!

-“Count” yourselves as dead to sin and alive to God. (Romans 6:11)

-“Set your minds on things above.” (Philippians 4:9)

- Fleshly person has the mind set on lower things.

First commandment, Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

(Mk. 12:30)

-Has 12 to 14,000,000,000 cells.

-Each have 10,000 connections to other cells

-It is an unequaled computer.

-It reaches its potential in its ability to possess the “mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16; Rom. 12:2)

Today’s Great SCANDAL Today’s Great SCANDAL of the church of the church

-Christians without Christian minds

“Believe me, my friends, the mind today is in profound trouble, perhaps more than ever before.” -- Charles Malloch, former U.N. Secretary General

“While Christians may worship and pray as Christians, they do not think as Christians.The Christian mind has succumbed to the secular drift with a degree of weakness and nervelessness unmatched in Christian history.”

--Harry Blemers, The Christian Mind

“anorexia religiosa” – loss of appetite for growth in Christ

The DIVINE PROGRAMThe DIVINE PROGRAM

Paul’s personal program – Philippians 4:8

A thought program will produce a Christian mind.

We reject negative input.

Paul knew the dark side of human experience (Rom. 1), but he chose not to make that part of his mental program.

FOUNDATIONFOUNDATION

““A Christian mind demands constant A Christian mind demands constant negation. A Christian mind is negation. A Christian mind is impossible without the discipline of impossible without the discipline of refusal.”refusal.”

Ex. of Charles Colson with President of major TV network.

TV ratings that nightTV ratings that night

1. “On Golden Pond” - 25.2%1. “On Golden Pond” - 25.2%

2. “My Mother’s Secret Life” – 25.1%2. “My Mother’s Secret Life” – 25.1%

3. “Chariots of Fire” – 11%3. “Chariots of Fire” – 11%

For the week:For the week:

#1 “Dallas” #1 “Dallas” #57 “Chariots of Fire” #57 “Chariots of Fire”

Disturbing TruthDisturbing Truth

““The viewing habits of Christians are no The viewing habits of Christians are no different than those of non-Christians.different than those of non-Christians.”

TV in the United StatesTV in the United States

Average TV is on 7 hours, 7 mins. per day.Average TV is on 7 hours, 7 mins. per day.

Average viewer watches 4.5 hrs. per day.Average viewer watches 4.5 hrs. per day.

(religious homes – 30 mins. Less)(religious homes – 30 mins. Less)

TV’s effect on societyTV’s effect on society

-Shorter attention spanShorter attention span

-Reduced language abilityReduced language ability

-Smaller capacity for independent thoughtSmaller capacity for independent thought

-Blending of adulthood and childhoodBlending of adulthood and childhood

Neil Postman researchNeil Postman research

Average child (ages 6-18) has: Average child (ages 6-18) has:

- watched 15-16,000 hrs. of TV.- watched 15-16,000 hrs. of TV.

-Attended school for 13,000 hrs.Attended school for 13,000 hrs.

During first 20 yrs. of life:During first 20 yrs. of life:

1,000,000 commercials1,000,000 commercials

Background of TV Background of TV executives:executives:

7% attend church (55% of public)7% attend church (55% of public)

44% no religion (10% of public)44% no religion (10% of public)

It is impossible for any Christian who It is impossible for any Christian who spends the bulk of his evenings, spends the bulk of his evenings, month after month, week upon week, month after month, week upon week, day in and day out, watching the day in and day out, watching the major TV networks, or contemporary major TV networks, or contemporary videos to have a Christian mind.videos to have a Christian mind.

- A biblical mental program cannot co-exist with worldly programming.

- Christianity is by nature counter-cultural, - Christianity is by nature counter-cultural, it is not anti-cultural.it is not anti-cultural.-Believers need to take control of their Believers need to take control of their mind; to better control what comes in and mind; to better control what comes in and what goes out.what goes out.

-The Psalmist’s wise advice for us -The Psalmist’s wise advice for us living in the media age.living in the media age.““I will walk in my house with blameless I will walk in my house with blameless heart. I will set before my eyes heart. I will set before my eyes no vile thing.” no vile thing.” (Ps. 101:2,3)

INTENTIONAL INTENTIONAL PROGRAMMINGPROGRAMMING

Paul recommends mental focus Paul recommends mental focus (Philipp. 4:8)(Philipp. 4:8)

““Think (Think (logi>zomailogi>zomai) about such things.”) about such things.”

- Means “deliberate, prolonged - Means “deliberate, prolonged concentration, as if weighing a concentration, as if weighing a mathematical problem.”mathematical problem.”

God calls us in His word God calls us in His word to a massive and to a massive and positive discipline.positive discipline.

- A DISCIPLINE OF THE MIND- A DISCIPLINE OF THE MIND

SPIRITUAL LIVING Class #2 Dr. Don Kinder Seoul, KOREA Seoul Bible Institute.

Documents

Transcript of SPIRITUAL LIVING Class #2 Dr. Don Kinder Seoul, KOREA Seoul Bible Institute.