How to Stop Debate and Demonstrate the Spiritual Man
By Capazin Thornton
For the Body of Christ, this is not a time for debate. This is a time for demonstration. And a time when it is essential that we discern by the Spirit, not decide issues based on what we see, hear, or feel.
The question is not what political party you are in, but what spiritual category. In 1 Corinthians chapters 2 and 3, there are three spiritual categories: (1) the natural man, (2) the carnal man, and (3) the spiritual man.
The Natural Man
The natural man is sense-ruled, governed by the rational mind or intellect, the unregenerate, the “unspiritual man” (RSV, Phillips, NEB).
Unregenerate people are spiritually dead—separated from the life of God. They are spiritually blind. No matter how great the IQ, an unregenerate person cannot attain to spiritual understanding. These things come only from the Holy Spirit whom the unregenerate cannot receive or know. One must first receive Christ to receive the Holy Spirit.
The devil inspires ideas, reasoning, and philosophies to appeal to the egoistic nature of the sense-ruled man or woman. The natural man does not accept the things of God, for they are foolish or absurd to him.
Why listen to the opinions of people who do not know God, whose minds are corrupted by sin, who are under the sway of the god of this world?
The Carnal Man
The carnal man is born again, but flesh-ruled, an immature or childish Christian, who acts like the unregenerate. This person lives for human opinion more than for Christ.
The Spiritual Man
The great proof of the Spirit’s power is a life changed to glorify God. The spiritual man is born again, and Spirit-ruled.
It does not mean the person is perfect, for the transformation of our soul (mind, will, and emotions) is an ongoing, life-long process. But the spiritual man or woman is authentic, pure-hearted, and transparent. To such, the Holy Spirit reveals and interprets spiritual things.
The Spiritual Man’s Source of Power
Our source of power for Godly, transformational living is:
| 1. | The cross of Jesus | Christ died that we might live; the old self is crucified with Christ; |
| 2. | The blood of Jesus | The blood of Jesus perpetually speaks redemption, forgiveness of sins, peace and right-standing with God, eternal life, eternal promises of God, grace, victory over the forces of darkness; |
| 3. | The Word of God | The living will, way, and works of God; |
| 4. | The Holy Spirit | Your personal transformer whose goal is to transform you completely into the glorious image of Christ; |
| 5. | Prayer | Fellowship and communication with God. |
The season we are moving into requires that we not just talk the talk. We must walk the walk. We must demonstrate the spiritual man and judge all things by the Spirit.
We who have the Spirit are able to make judgments about all these things. But anyone without the Spirit is not able to make proper judgments about us.—1 Cor 2:15 (ERV)
[Scripture References: Heb 4:12-13; 1 Cor 2:14; 1 Cor 3:1; Gal 2:20; Eph 1:7; Eph 6:18]
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Capazin Thornton is a Christian speaker, Bible teacher, and author in Orange County, California.
