Basic TrainingBible MinistriesGene CunninghamBasic Training Bible Ministries KBKnowledge Base

What makes a person spiritual?

Answered by Gene Cunningham, Basic Training Bible Ministries · from The Basics, Lesson 3–3: The Promise—Spirituality

Spirituality is being filled by means of the Holy Spirit - and it 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. There is no middle condition and no degrees.

This cuts against both of the usual answers. Some look to externals - the pious way a man dresses or talks, the things he does or does not do, the places he goes or refuses to go. Others treat spirituality as tapping into some higher power in the universe. Neither is what Scripture means.

When we are filled by the Spirit we will show signs of fruit, and if we continue choosing to walk in the Spirit we will grow, the maturing fruit being the evidence of that growth. At no time can we produce the fruit of the Spirit in our own energy. Salvation is the once-for-all victory; spirituality is the ongoing victory.

Also asked: What makes someone genuinely spiritual rather than just pretending to be?
Also asked, more loosely
Is being spiritual about what you wear or where you go, or is there something more to it? · How do you know if you are truly being led by the Holy Spirit or just doing things on your own?

Source: The Basics The Basics, Unit 3 - Spirituality (pp. 145-147) · Read this lesson in the book →

What this answer is about

The subjects this answer names in its own words. Where the record names that subject itself, it is shown in bold.

GrowthSalvationSpirituality

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Scripture this answer rests on

Scripture the book prints on the pages this answer was drawn from. The passages printed closest to it are shown, in Bible order.

1 Corinthians 3:1-4What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
1 Corinthians 6:19-20What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Galatians 5:16-17What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
1 Thessalonians 5:19What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
1 John 1:9What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Also printed on these pages
Proverbs 1:23What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
John 15:4-5What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Romans 8:9What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Galatians 3:2What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Galatians 5:22-23What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Ephesians 4:30What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147
Ephesians 5:18What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.147

Where this is taught in the book

Closest first: the pages where the book treats this subject most directly.

p.145p.146p.147

Scripture is not BTBM’s to license: the references above link to Blue Letter Bible (NASB95), and the verse text shown on this page is served by BLB under their own license and terms.