You've heard me mention wanting to write some on this in recent e-mails....
Here's a test - what would it look like if all the Christians around you practiced the following disciplines faithfully - what would you say abou their spirituality?
1. Careful students of the scriptures 2. Zealous and active in their stand for God 3. Desire for worship and prayer 4. Consistent in worship attendance 5. Practice scripture memorization 6. Not afraid to pray in public 7. Active in the local church 8. Fast regularly 9. Desire to stand against ungodliness 10. Firm grasp of basic, foundational theology.
So what do you think? What would this say about the level of spirituality if Christians did this faithfully.
Here's my point, maybe something, maybe nothing. All these things done from the heart say that someone is growing. All of them done out of obligation have absolutely no spiritual value.
Why talk about this? Well, often these and maybe a few more qualities, have been what we have used to measure spirituality, only problem, in and of themselves they could be good tools, but not good measurements of spirituality.
Let me wrap this post by saying...Few of us could do these things more faithfully than the Pharisees did. These things were part of their daily diet. So, if this is the measurement of spirituality, as we so often make it out to be in the church, they were super spiritual.
So, what's better? More on a later post...
Thanks to Vince B. @ Westwinds community Church for helping to put into perspective what I've been thinking about.