How To Be Spiritually Healthy - 3:1-2

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1 Corinthians   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  45:40
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We cannot grow and mature in Christ if we are unhealthy. To be healthy requires discipline and consistency. This message discusses what a Spiritually healthy person looks like.

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Introduction

One of the interesting events of parenting is child check-ups.
This is where you take your child in the doctor and they measure the height, weight, and head size of your child.
Then they plot everything out on a handy little chart that shows you “average healthy” growth and where your child falls in comparison.
The purpose of child-check ups and this handy chart is to give you bragging rights if your kid is above average and an anxiety attack if they are below.
If your kid is taller than average at 6 months old they are obviously going to be a basketball player.
If they have a big head they must be smart.
If they are below average you discuss whose side of the family those faulty genes come from.
In reality the point of the check-up and chart is to see if the growth of your child is progressing and if there are any areas of concern.
Scripture describes the new believer as a baby.
The expectation is that this baby will experience consistent growth and eventually become an adult.
Scripture provides the child of God with check-ups and standards with which to measure growth.
Failure to grow past the baby stage and into maturity indicates that something is wrong.
Today we begin chapter 3 which takes us into a new section of 1 Corinthians.
These first 6 chapters deal with the doctrine and practice necessary for unity.
In chapters 1-2 we have been talking about the necessity of a unified voice.
To have that unified voice we must know the unity we have in our merit and in our message.
The message is Christ Jesus and Him crucified.
Now Paul begins to address the necessity of a unified vocation.
Chapter 3 deals with the nature of calling.
We are called to service, but we can only serve as we are growing and maturing in Christ.
Part of that maturity is the discernment Paul was talking about in the end of chapter 2.
As we grow in Christ and in dependence on the Holy Spirit, we grow in discernment.
What we are going to talk about today is growth in the Christian life.
As we begin, I have a question for all of us.
Are we ready for controversy?
We are going to dive into a topic that often comes with heated debate.
This is one of those discussions that we have to take a position on, and it may not be comfortable.
Some of you may have been taught differently.
That’s okay.
Give me some grace and don’t tune me out.
Listen to the explanation and sincerely seek truth.
If, at the end of this morning, you still disagree, please come talk to me.
I want to be open to all sides of this issue.
We have already read this passage and it deals with carnality.
Let’s define that word as we begin.
Carnal is the Greek word σάρκινος (sarkinos) meaning fleshly; merely human. worldly. Characteristic of this world and its attributes and concerns as opposed to the supernatural; conceived of as being composed of flesh.
Carnal – σάρκινος (sarkinos)
Some argue that there can be no such thing as a carnal Christian.
The statement is made that carnality indicates you are not a believer.
This topic is going to come up several times in 1 Corinthians.
We need to clarify something right now.
To do that, turn with me to 1 Corinthians 1:1-2.
1 Corinthians 1:1-2
1 Corinthians 1:1–2 NKJV
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
If you are sanctified, called a saint, and are calling on the name of Jesus as Lord; you are a Christian.
Look at v. 6.
1 Corinthians 1:6 NKJV
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
The testimony of Christ was confirmed in them!
v. 7
1 Corinthians 1:7 NKJV
7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
They have received Spiritual gifts!
v. 8
1 Corinthians 1:8 NKJV
8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul believes they will be confirmed to the end and stand blameless before Christ!
v. 9
1 Corinthians 1:9 NKJV
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
They have been called into fellowship with Christ!
The people being addressed by Paul are believers.
According to vv. 14-15 they have been baptized.
In v. 18 Paul includes his readers and himself among those who are being saved.
In v. 26 he says they are called. In v. 30 he says they are in Christ Jesus and that they are righteous, sanctified, and redeemed in Christ!
In chapter 2 verse 10 Paul speaks of the things that have been revealed by the Holy Spirit.
You cannot have things revealed to you by the Holy Spirit unless He has indwelt you.
Now we come to chapter 3.
The third word in this first verse is brethren. The final three words reveal that they are in Christ.
v. 5 they have believed. v. 9 they are God’s field and building. v. 16 they are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in them.
Look down at 3:23.
1 Corinthians 3:23 NKJV
23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
They are believers.
To say anything else is to deny the clear meaning of the text.
Here’s what we need to understand.
The people Paul is addressing are believers, but they are not behaving like believers should.
To be clear. It is not acceptable to be a carnal Christian. A carnal Christian is not healthy. A carnal Christian will be disciplined by God. A carnal Christian brings shame and dishonor to the name of Christ.
What we are saying is simply a matter of interpretation.
Paul is addressing believers and he is calling them carnal.
With that understanding we come to our text this morning.
The Corinthian church is unhealthy.
We don’t want to be unhealthy.
How can we be healthy?
Today we examine 3 characteristics of a Spiritually healthy person.
Why?
Because a healthy Christian is a useful Christian and a useful Christian is fulfilled, happy, and content.
Characteristic #1…

1. A Spiritually Healthy Person Is Maturing v. 1

What does it mean to be someone who is maturing?
A few nights ago Jess and I were talking about some of the parenting challenges that lie ahead for us as our children grow older.
We talked about makeup, shaving, hygiene, and many other things.
These were all part of our discussion because they come with physical maturity.
These are signposts and rights of passage that all of us go through as we age.
Spiritually speaking there are two guideposts that let us know maturity is happening.
Guidepost #1…

a. You have the Spirit v. 1a

Look at what Paul says here.
1 Corinthians 3:1 NKJV
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
We learned in v. 15 of chapter 2 that a Spiritual person is someone who is a believer, someone who has the Spirit.
Paul says he can’t even talk to them as spiritual people.
That is how bad their behavior has gotten.
It is to the point that it is hard to tell if they have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them.
How do we know if someone has the Holy Spirit?
The fruit of the Spirit is being produced in their lives.
Look with me at Galatians 5:22-23.
Galatians 5:22-23
Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
As we read through the book of 1 Corinthians it becomes clear that the fruit of the Spirit was lacking.
Those in Corinth were not behaving like Spiritually people.
To be spiritually healthy we must first identify the sickness.
What is the sickness here? A failure to thrive. A failure to grow.
This is the first guidepost.
You know that you are growing in your walk with Christ when your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are increasing.
Paul wanted to speak to them as those who were growing in their faith, as Spiritual people, but he couldn’t.
The fruit of the Spirit comes only as we submit to the Spirit.
The people in Corinth were too proud.
Don’t let pride kill your fruit.
A Spiritually healthy person is maturing.
To mature you must have the Holy Spirit living inside of you.
If there is no fruit in our lives, we must ask if the Holy Spirit truly dwells within us.
How do we do that?
We answer this question.
If you were to die right now, and you stood before the throne of Almighty God, and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?
You have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you if your answer is, “because I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ.”
If that is your answer, congratulations, you have the Holy Spirit.
If we have the Holy Spirit, and there is still no fruit in our lives we must conclude that it is because we are not walking in submission to the Holy Spirit.
What does that mean?
There is an area of disobedience in our lives.
That must be corrected if we are to mature in our faith.
A Spiritually healthy person is maturing.
To mature we must have the Holy Spirit.
That is guidepost #1.
Guidepost #2.
You are maturing only if…

b. You are growing v. 1b

1 Corinthians 3:1 NKJV
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.
Rather than being ruled by the Spirit, these believers are ruled by their flesh.
They are carnal.
They are behaving in a way that is characteristic of this world!
Paul then draws a comparison to being a baby Christian.
Jess and I have had the privilege of raising 4 babies.
One of the things you learn about kids after about the first 2 minutes is that they don’t care about your needs.
In fact, they don’t care about world peace, prosperity, the economy, or anything.
They care about three things.
Food.
Filling their diaper.
Sleeping.
That’s it.
Paul has just finished saying that we have the mind of Christ.
He has just got done revealing that through the Holy Spirit the child of God can understand the mysteries God has revealed!
To understand what the Spirit reveals we must be people who are spiritually minded and are growing in our faith.
Paul wanted to talk to them about the deep things of God! He wanted to speak to them of what the Holy Spirit teaches and the discernment He gives.
The Corinthian’s lack of maturity prevented him.
There is a subtle implication behind Paul’s Words.
Here it is.
A follower of Jesus Christ is expected to grow.
They should have grown past this!
There is a problem! They are not maturing! They are not growing.
There is no fruit in their lives.
They are spiritual babies caring only for themselves and their own personal needs.
We looked at the fruit of the Spirit, now let’s look at the verses immediately following Paul’s description of the fruit.
Look at Galatians 5:24-26.
Galatians 5:24-26
Galatians 5:24–26 NKJV
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Paul makes immediate application for the fruit of the Spirit.
One another.
The fruit of the Spirit is not directed toward ourselves.
He isn’t talking about self-love or patience with ourselves.
The fruit of the Spirit is directed toward others.
Meaning that a growing maturing person is going to treat other people with love, joy, peace, patience etc.
Here’s the point.
A spiritually growing person produces spiritual fruit.
Are you and I producing spiritual fruit?
If not, what is stopping our growth?
If we are, what needs to be pruned so that we can bear more fruit?
In John 15 Jesus says that the Father prunes fruit bearing branches so that they can produce more fruit.
If I am a baby Christian I only care about myself and my needs. A mature, growing Christian cares about the needs of others.
These are our two guideposts.
We can only be spiritually healthy if we are maturing.
Maturity first requires that we have the Holy Spirit. It also requires that we keep growing.
How do we keep growing?
That is where Paul goes next.
Characteristic #1. A Spiritually healthy person is maturing.
Characteristic #2…

2. A Spiritually Healthy Person Eats Healthy vv. 2-3

Several years ago when we went on our summer trip, we all picked out special candy and goodies for the drive.
I don’t think it was until we got home that Jess and I realized just how horrible we had felt the whole trip.
We gained weight, lost energy, and just didn’t feel good.
Then we realized that most of the time we don’t have many sugary things.
So loading up on all that sugar really impacted our systems.
The older I get the more I notice that eating junk food tends to make me feel like junk.
I put on weight more easily.
The bottom line is that working out doesn’t do as much good if I am still unhealthy in my eating.
This is true spiritually as well. We need to eat healthy spiritual food.
What does it mean to eat healthy?
Let’s look at 2 requirements for healthy eating.
Requirement #1.
To eat healthy we must…

a. Have proper nutrition v. 2

1 Corinthians 3:2 NKJV
2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;
You have to have a balanced diet.
What Paul is telling the Corinthians is that they need proper nutrition.
With proper nutrition comes spiritual fruit.
The implication in Paul’s words is that they should have been able to receive it.
We’re going to go to Hebrews 5:12-14 because it helps us to understand what Paul is saying here.
Hebrews 5:12-14
Hebrews 5:12–14 NKJV
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
We need to make several points here that clarify our passage in 1 Corinthians.
Here’s the first point.
The natural progression of the believer is from immaturity to maturity.
The author of Hebrews indicates that once someone has been a believer for a certain period of time, received the Word, and been trained in the local church, they are expected to be able to teach what they have learned.
This doesn’t mean teach in a formal classroom or sermon style setting.
It means you should be able to share the basic truths of God’s Word to others.
If you want to know what the basic truths are, read chapter 6 verses 1-2. Or listen to the message from last week.
The natural progression is from immaturity to maturity.
When we are mature, we share the truth we have learned with others.
Read verses 12-13 with me again.
Hebrews 5:12–13 NKJV
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
Here’s the second point.
The natural progression of the believer is from easily grasped truth to truth that is difficult to understand.
We start with milk and we move to solid food.
This is how babies grow, right?
They start with milk and slowly move toward solid food as a mature person, invested in the relationship, feels they are ready.
This should be true spiritually as well.
This is why discipleship is so vital.
We have a lot of Spiritually immature people trying to tackle deep Spiritual truths when they have not mastered the basics.
This brings us to point three.
The natural progression of the believer is facilitated by accurate Bible interpretation.
Read verse 13 with me.
Hebrews 5:13 NKJV
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
Spiritually speaking we need to cut our hermeneutical teeth before we tackle some parts of Scripture.
The problem today is that many people have rotten teeth because all they have been eating are eisegetical candy bars.
Let me explain.
The foundations of Bible interpretation must be laid.
That’s why we have our Scripture worksheet.
Once we have that foundation laid, we can tackle the difficult truths.
When all we know about the Bible are the easily digestible tidbits pulled out here and there, we are unskilled in the Word of righteousness.
To grow in our walk with Christ we need the nourishment of God's Word.
However, that nourishment must be properly prepared.
Once we know how to accurately handle Scripture, we can feed ourselves and grow.
This brings us to point four.
The natural progression of the believer is determined by the practice of discernment.
Read verse 14 with me.
Hebrews 5:14 NKJV
14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
To be healthy and useful, teeth must be used.
We must read and interpret Scripture, wrestling with difficult passages, so that we can discern truth and error, good and evil.
We are to grow from immaturity to maturity, from the easy to the difficult. To do that we must know how to rightly interpret God’s Word and we must put the truth we learn into practice.
Okay. Back to 1 Corinthians 3:2.
Paul says he had to feed them with milk and not solid food because they weren’t able to handle the solid food.
The deeper truths of Scripture were denied these believers because they had stopped growing!
They should have progressed in their faith, instead they were sidetracked.
What sidetracked them?
That’s where we are going.
We looked at a lot of things just now and I want to leave us with one clear thought.
Spiritual growth requires the practice of Biblical truth.
We cannot practice the truth if we do not know it.
To know truth we learn proper Bible interpretation and we exercise discernment.
As we grow we move past the basics (the milk) and into the more difficult things (solid food).
This is why we place so much emphasis on Bible reading and prayer. That is how you grow.
Okay, that’s requirement #1.
To eat healthy we must have proper nutrition.
Requirement #2.
To eat healthy…

b. Don’t eat poison v. 3

This might seem obvious.
However, most of us probably ingest a little bit of Spiritual poison each day.
We must learn how to spit it out and stop eating poison.
Read verse 3 with me.
1 Corinthians 3:3 NKJV
3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
Again we note that carnality means exactly what Paul mentions at the end of this verse. They are behaving as mere men.
These are saved people. Men and women redeemed by the blood of the Lamb!
And yet amongst them there is envy, strife, and division.
The evidence of these attitudes in the church demonstrates their immaturity.
The reason they are not able to understand the more difficult truths of Scripture is their failure to live in obedience to what they have been taught.
When we do not live as Christ commands, we will not be trusted with more truth.
We need to understand that these are not sins that happened once and were repented of.
These are things that have become characteristics of the Corinthian church.
Paul is confronting them because he wants them to change their behavior.
Here’s the reality.
The presence of sin in our lives is a poison that prevents us from growing.
What is the solution?
Understanding and applying Scripture.
It is not enough to know Scripture. We must put it into practice.
I want to take us to a passage that demonstrates this truth. The passage could also be seen as something that contradicts what Paul is saying.
I want us to understand what’s really going on.
Look with me at 1 Peter 2:1-3.
1 Peter 2:1-3
1 Peter 2:1–3 NKJV
1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
What could be an issue here is that Peter says to desire the sincere milk of the Word.
Yet here in 1 Corinthians Paul seems to imply that milk is bad.
Then the passage we looked at in Hebrews demonstrates that milk is essential.
Here’s the thing. When we are babies, we need milk. It is necessary for our development and growth.
However, there comes a point when we need to move past the milk.
As babies grow, the expectation is that they will reach a point when they eat solid food.
What Paul is talking about here is growth that is abnormal.
He is talking about someone who is older and should be more mature, but can only handle milk.
When Peter says we need to lay aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking, he mentions some of the same things as Paul.
Growth in the Christian life means we have moved past these things and into the fruit of the Spirit.
They need to stop drinking poison.
Envy, strife, division. These are poisons. Stop drinking them.
Behind this is the idea that they are in need of a transformation.
They are reasoning as mere men.
Since they have the mind of Christ (2:16) this shouldn’t be their reasoning.
It is impossible to be spiritually healthy if you are still eating poison.
We must grow and mature. We must eat a balanced diet.
Poison is not a balanced diet.
Growth is impossible when poison is present.
Here’s the tricky part.
We can’t change if we don’t admit we were wrong.
It is difficult to own up to envy, strife, and division.
The Spirit of God must do His work in us through the Word of God.
If we are going to be spiritually healthy we must have a healthy diet.
That means we have proper nutrition and we avoid poison.
Characteristic #1. A spiritually healthy person is maturing.
Characteristic #2. A spiritually healthy person eats healthy.
Characteristic #3…

3. A Spiritually Healthy Person Seeks Unity v. 4

I am not a medical doctor. So there are a lot of things about the body and diseases that I don’t understand.
However, I was reading an article about cancer the other day and a section of it really impacted me.
Here’s what the article said.
“Cancer cells... ignore signals that should cause them to stop dividing. For instance, when normal cells grown in a dish are crowded by neighbors on all sides, they will no longer divide. Cancer cells, in contrast, keep dividing…”
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cell-communication-and-cell-cycle/regulation-of-cell-cycle/a/cancer
The article goes on to explain that one of the reasons cancers grow is that the cells basically never stop dividing.
The thing about cancer is that, if left untreated it will inevitably kill its host.
Cancer has to be removed or attacked to stop it.
Division in the body of Christ is a cancer.
For the body of Christ to be healthy, division must be resisted or those who cause division must be removed.
If we are spiritually healthy people, we seek the unity of the body of Christ.
How do you seek unity?
The final verse we will consider this morning gives us two requirements if we are to have unity.
Requirement #1.
To seek unity…

a. Avoid intentional division v. 4a

Doesn’t that sound obvious?
And yet, when we get upset with a brother or sister in Christ, our first thought is not to keep the unity of the body.
Look at what Paul says here.
1 Corinthians 3:4 NKJV
4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
What strikes me here is how intentional this division is.
It reads like an argument between 5 year olds. “My dad can beat up your dad. No my dad can beat up your dad! Can not! Can too!” And on and on we go.
Paul is going to explain why following a person is a bad idea. We will get to that next week.
What I want to focus on in this verse is our need to do the opposite of what the Corinthian believers are doing.
The division here is intentional.
What do I mean? They are knowingly and deliberately choosing to divide over this issue.
This is the opposite of what we are called to do as Christians.
We have unity in Christ. This is something that has already been given to us. It is our responsibility to maintain it.
Go with me to Ephesians 4:1-6.
Ephesians 4:1-6
Ephesians 4:1–6 NKJV
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Notice everything that Paul connects to unity.
Unity is a part of walking worthy of our calling.
Unity is about treating one another with grace, peace, and mercy. We are to bear with one another!
We have unity, we must strive to keep it.
Just in case we doubt it, Paul lists all the areas of unity we have.
One body, one Spirit, one hope, one calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, on God.
God in dwells us, is in control of us, and is working His will through us!
We have unity.
When we intentionally divide the body of Christ, we grieve the Holy Spirit and wound the heart of God.
A spiritually healthy person works with others in the body of Christ to preserve unity.
Intentional division is a sign of immaturity.
How do we change this attitude of division?
That’s where we are going.
First, I want to make this point.
Unity is something that must be sought after.
In order to have unity, we must want it.
So here’s our lesson.
Learn to desire unity.
How do we do that?
By seeing what Scripture reveals unity to be.
Requirement #1. Avoid intentional division.
Requirement #2.
To seek unity…

b. Be filled with the Spirit v. 4b

The last four words in the verse are “are you not carnal?”
The problem in the Corinthian church was a failure to live as what they were.
They were saints who were not acting saintly.
They were living like people who do not have the Spirit.
What is needed is a change in behavior.
Transformation in the child of God happens only as we are filled with the Spirit and submit ourselves to Him.
How does someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit treat others?
Go with me to Romans 12:9-21.
Romans 12:9-21
Romans 12:9–21 NKJV
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
This is how we are to treat one another. With love, service, prayer, practical care, blessing, grieving, and doing good.
This is what a Spiritually healthy person does.
A spiritually healthy person is filled with the Spirit.
When we are Spirit-filled there is no room for disunity.
A spiritually healthy person seeks unity.
That means we avoid intentional disunity and we are filled with the Spirit.

Conclusion

We want to be spiritually healthy.
Without these disciplines in place, Spiritual health is impossible.
What do these things look like in our lives?
Personal: There is pretty much direct application here. If we want to be spiritually healthy then we need to be maturing. This means we first must trust Jesus as Savior, then we need to grow. Growth will happen as we feed ourselves on the nourishment of God's Word. As that happens we will pursue unity. The commitment here hinges on the Word of God. Start a reading plan. Join a Bible study. Get into the Word consistently on a daily basis.
Friendships: Have you noticed how healthy people care about helping others get healthy? Spiritually speaking, this should be us in our relationships. Practically, what does this look like? Encourage your friends to get into the Word of God. This will happen in two ways. 1 - as they see you getting into the Word. 2 - as you discuss what God’s Word is teaching you. A commitment here could look like talking to your friends about the Bible.
Parenting: Just like our children need to be physically healthy; they need to be spiritually healthy. The first way for this to happen is coming to Christ. Our children will never be spiritually healthy until they are believers. Once they are believers, get them into the Word. Scripture doesn’t just teach us truth, it exposes our hearts and gets us to deal with the things that shouldn’t be there. A commitment here could look like making a plan to help our kids be in the Word.
Marriage: Strong, lasting marriages are those built on the solid foundation of Scripture. We cannot build on a foundation we don’t have. To have the foundation of Scripture in our marriages, we need to make Bible reading a part of our marriage as well. Commitment - take time to be in God’s Word together. This could be just a time of discussing the sermon or what you have read in your devotions. Or, it could be something more; a Bible study or reading plan that you do together.
COMMITMENT: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spiritual health begins with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
If you do not know Him, trust in Him today.
Spiritual health continues as we get into the Word.
Move past the basics and deal with the deeper things of God's Word.
Spiritual health results in unity and growth.
As we are healthy, we are filled with the Spirit and able to interact in a way that glorifies the Lord.
Take the steps necessary to be Spiritually healthy.
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