(October 14, 2004)
If you are inclined to be honest and concerned toward all, you are spiritual. If you are interested in righteousness, you are spiritual. If you are led by God’s Spirit, you are spiritual. If you are interested in the Holy Scriptures, in adopting God’s ways, in loving God and in loving your fellow man, you are being led by the Holy Spirit and you are spiritually minded. If you decide to get baptized, you are spiritual.
Upon baptism and the laying on of hands Jesus begins to live in you through God’s Holy Spirit and then you have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in you to assist you in fighting Satanic spirits and in growing in the grace and knowledge of God. (Romans 6, John 14:15-19, Romans 8:9-11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Peter 3:14-15, 1 John 2:14, 1 John 2:26-29, 1 Timothy 4:14-15, 2 Peter 3:17-18, Ephesians 4:14-15, Ephesians 6:11-16). Though you may display signs of spirituality before, you do not have God’s Holy Spirit dwelling in you until after baptism and the laying on of hands. Before then God’s spirit may be guiding or leading or persuading you, you may walk with it but it is not truly in you or part of you.
I am baptized but I can’t say that I have actually noticed a difference in my life, it is more a factor of belief that that is the case. Though once in a while I surprise myself with the confidence and conviction that I have in my statements. One could compare it to being pregnant. Often women must see the doctor and get tested to determine if they are actually pregnant. They don’t know it for sure, at least not at first. Though we may learn and adopt God’s ways in much the same way that we might learn any other discipline we may not become fully aware of God’s Spirit until we are born anew as Spirit beings. It is a Spirit of gentleness. (2 Corinthians 10:1).
One cannot partake of meat until after an animal is killed. It dawned on me recently that one cannot partake of Spiritual food, the body of Christ, until after Christ’s sacrifice. The eating of Christ’s body was symbolic before His sacrifice. The apostles first received the Holy Spirit that began to dwell within them on the Day of Pentecost. When you are baptized the old man in you dies in Christ allowing you to receive God’s Holy Spirit. If this is true why then is it that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit before Jesus was even born? (Luke 1:41). John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:15). And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 1:67). And the apostles cast out demons in Christ’s name. (Mark 3:14) Of course Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 4:1). And in the Old Testament Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God. (Exodus 31:3).
So what do you do who are righteous, love God and his fellow man, have Jesus living in you and are Christ’s? You do the commandments of God, and more, joyfully. (John 14:15,21, 15:10, 1 John 2:3-4, Revelation 14:12). What do you do that is different from the rest of mankind? You remember God’s Sabbaths and keep them Holy. (Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20, Exodus 20:1-17). You study God’s Holy Scriptures, take them to heart and give of your understanding to others when opportunity arises. You live a life that sets an example for others. You believe and trust in God the supreme ruler of all. You are Spiritual.
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