What does the Bible teach about spirituality?
A person is spiritual when—and only when—he is filled by means of the Holy Spirit. Spirituality is an absolute—at any moment of time we are either one hundred percent filled by the Spirit and therefore spiritual, or we are not filled by the Spirit at all and are therefore carnal (1 Cor. 3:1–4; Gal. 5:16–17; 6:1). The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a once-for-all thing that cannot be changed or lost, but with this indwelling comes an inner conflict between the Holy Spirit and our old sin nature, and our volition—our freedom to choose—is the arbiter in this conflict. We decide moment-by-moment who will be in control of our soul. The filling of the Spirit is a matter of choice, as we are commanded to be filled (Eph. 5:18), and we can receive or reject it by grace through faith. We lose the filling of the Spirit by choosing to grieve or quench the Spirit through sin or apathy, but we regain it by confessing our sins and being cleansed from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9; Prov. 1:23). Being filled by the Spirit is not an end in itself, but rather the means to an end—the life that is produced by the consistent filling of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in us.
Also asked, more loosely
Source: The Basics The Basics — Volition (canonical doctrine) · Read this lesson in the book →
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Related questions
- What five works does the Holy Spirit perform in the believer at the moment of salvation?Romans 8:9-11 · The Basics
- What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?Romans 8:9-11 · The Basics · Lesson 2–3: The Commission—Evangelism
- What does the Bible teach about carnality in the Christian life?Ephesians 5:18 · The Basics
- What does the Bible teach about the soul, including its strengths and weaknesses, and how it relates to spiritual warfare and the filling of the Holy Spirit?Ephesians 5:18 · The Basics
- What is the Bible's teaching on confession and its role in the Christian life?Ephesians 5:18 · The Basics · Lesson 1–1: The Problem—Sin
- What does the Bible teach about temptation, including its sources and how to overcome it?Ephesians 5:18 · The Basics
- What is the doctrine of the filling of the Spirit, and how does it relate to our lives as believers?Ephesians 5:18 · The Basics
- What does the Bible teach about the will of God?Ephesians 5:18 · The Basics
See also
- What is the biblical teaching on being a hero of faith?Same lesson · The Basics
- What does the Bible teach about judging in the Christian life?Same lesson · The Basics
- What does the Bible teach about small things and their significance in God's plan?Same lesson · The Basics
- What does the Bible teach about mentality as a soul strength and soul kink?Same lesson · The Basics · Lesson 3–2: The Danger—Spiritual Retreat/Reversion
- What is self-consciousness according to the Bible?Same lesson · The Basics · Lesson 3–2: The Danger—Spiritual Retreat/Reversion
- What does the Bible teach about God's discipline of His children?Same lesson · The Basics · Lesson 3–2: The Danger—Spiritual Retreat/Reversion
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