Resources/Articles
How Do You Measure Spirituality
Spirituality is walking by the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:16), being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14), offering up spiritual sacrifices unto God (1 Peter 2:5), bearing fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23), and sowing to the Spirit rather than to the flesh (Galatians 6:8).
The true gauge of one’s spirituality is his or her fruitfulness, spiritual growth, holiness, maturity in the word, and love. True spirituality cannot exist without any of the above. To have anything less than these elements deliver nothing but an outward profession and not an inward persuasion.
Oftentimes you can note something that is true when contrasted with false measurements. Look at the following ways many use as a standard to measure their spirituality but in reality are false.
(1) Human Thought. Man has become so intellectual, what he believes is often far superior than everything else. Man believes he can chart his own course through life with the wisdom and knowledge he has. Paul destroys the intelligence of man by saying, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). This is why when he came to Corinth it was not with “excellency of speech or of wisdom”, so their“faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1,5). If you read v.6-16, you will understand spirituality is determined by what is revealed from the mind of God by the Spirit to man, not what comes from the mind of man.
(2) Church Enacted Laws. Some people associate a “law of the church” as a sign of spiritual connection with God. It is a practice all too common by several religious bodies. It was a problem with the Pharisees, when they placed a law where God did not. Rather than abide in the doctrine of God, they promoted their traditions and doctrines (Matthew 15:9,10; 23:5-10). Instead of bringing more people to Christ, it was driving people further from Him (Matthew 15:13,14; 23:13). There is not a church hierarchy approved by God to form its own set of laws. It is imperative for the church to obey the law already given, not make more laws (James 4:12).
(3) Emotionalism. The standard for spirituality in the mind of many hinges on how a person feels about his/her belief. If that feeling leads to shouting, clapping, dancing, or jumping up and down, it is a sign of the spirit filling that person. What works in a believer to bring about spirituality is instructions and obedience to the word of God, not being “slain in the spirit” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Christianity is not to be stoic, cold, and lifeless, and it is proper to have emotion in our life and worship. Joy and love should fill our lives (Philippians 4:4), and so should the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), and some of us need to wake up (v.14). May our worship and service to God be in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
Consider 2 Corinthians 13:5 as you gauge where you are spiritually. “Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove our own selves.”
