Who is the most spiritual person you have ever known? What made them spiritual? A trend developed a few years ago, in which people would explain, “I am not religious, but I am very spiritual.” What does that mean?
When we walk by the Spirit, we become truly spiritual people. The Holy Spirit works in us to make us holy. So when we walk in the Spirit we do not gratify or indulge the flesh. Instead, we serve humbly in love. The Spirit and our flesh engage in conflict. When the Spirit leads us, we are not under the constraints of the law. The flesh leads to sin. But the Spirit produces fruit in nine forms: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
What is the shape of a spiritual person’s life? The cross. Remember Paul said he had been crucified with Christ. Here again he says that we who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Our culture has turned the cross into an ornament or piece of jewelry. One pastor bragged to a friend that they had purchased an ornate cross to decorate their church for $10,000. His friend responded, “You were ripped off. There was a time when Christians could get crosses for free.” Crucified with Christ, we discover that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and gives us life. Since the Spirit has brought us to life, we stay in step with the Spirit. The Spirit will never lead us astray.
