Forms of Spirituality
In preparation for my next class at Trinity, I have been reading a book by Robert Wuthnow that explores spirituality in America since the 1950's. He describes all the different ways in which believers attempt to relate their lives to God. Some people try to relate to God by clinging to a sacred space, such as a church building, where they believe they can know God best. For them, spirituality is synonymous with stained glass windows, wooden pulpits, wooden pews, church furniture, organs, hymnals, and the minister wearing a suit and tie. You've got the picture. They don’t seriously reflect on their faith and the purposes of God beyond their sacred dwelling.
Some people try to relate to God by flexing their freedom. They are always moving around from church to church, perpetually thinking through their options, and searching for something that affirms what they already believe to be true about God. They don’t want to be constrained in any way by one faith, or church, or belief system.
Some people try to relate to God by dabbling at the edges of their Christian faith. Instead of seriously engaging the purposes of God, they become consumed with how-to techniques related to coping with every day life. They study such topics as improving their marriages, raising children, coping with stress, mastering finances, and fixing relationships. Their spirituality has more to do with themselves than with anything transcendent.
Some people try to relate to God through miraculous experiences. Instead of fearing and obeying God, they move from one fleeting experience to the next, hoping to gain assurance that life has meaning and that divine help is available. They go into all kinds of detail about what they have seen and heard, things like angels, lights, and happenings, but they’ve lost connection to Christ.
Some people try to relate to God by looking inward, to the inner self. Instead of looking to God for answers, they look for that elusive psychological insight that will connect them to God and deliver them from the power of evil. For them, spirituality is synonymous with counseling, support groups, therapy, self-esteem and the like.
When I read Paul’s words in Ephesians 3:1-13 they strike me as coming from a man who has truly made a connection to God and who has resolved the mystery of spirituality. Paul has certainty about God’s identity. He has confidence in his relationship with God. He has insight into how God has revealed himself throughout the ages, through the prophets, and then later through the apostles.
His spirituality is grounded in a rich history. He has found purpose for his life and a source of power with which to pursue that purpose. He has a message of substance and great consequence, and with a sense of urgency he holds it out to the world. He is willing to be a prisoner, to become a servant, to face hardship, to suffer, and to reorder his entire existence for what he knows to be true about Jesus Christ.
Spirituality as faith in Christ
Ephesians 3:1-13 (NIV) says, "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."
"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory."
As I was reading Paul's words to the church at Ephesus in Ephesians 3:1-13, it occurred to me how radically Christians have departed from true Christian spirituality. These verses beg us to ask some extremely important questions.
Spirituality as Serving Christ
In Ephesians 3:1 Paul describes himself as a, "prisoner of Christ Jesus." Later in Ephesians 3:7 he describes himself as a, "servant" of the gospel. The words prisoner and servant express the essence of true Christian spirituality. How many of us would embrace such a label today? A prisoner? A servant? Do we allow God to limit our freedom in any way? Are we open to serving a purpose that transcends whatever competing purposes we have chosen for ourselves?
For all our talk about Jesus Christ being lord of our lives, we must stop and ask whether Jesus Christ has principally changed much of anything about our lives. Is our faith in Jesus Christ such that Jesus Christ is changing our values, our beliefs, our attitudes, our priorities, our actions, our habits, and our very character? Are we even open to Jesus Christ making any of these changes in our lives?
As Americans, we value freedom more than anything else. Freedom is the essence of life. We're basically free to be, do, think, or say anything we want. It's an inalienable right. But the apostle Paul became a prisoner for Jesus Christ. He became a servant, or slave. He subjected his great freedom to a God who is much greater than himself. He obligated himself to serve the living God instead of serving himself.
This is a lost dimension to Christian spirituality today. There isn’t any talk of becoming a prisoner or servant or God today. Instead we want to make God our servant! We want to put him in a box and limit him, and subject him to our whims. Too often our prayers are an attempt to make God do our will, instead of an attempt to know and serve God’s will. We want him to be lord only on our terms. So are you constrained by Jesus Christ in any way? Are you a prisoner ora servant?
Spirituality as Seeing Others
In Ephesians 3:1Paul says that he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ, "for the sake of you Gentiles." Paul himself was Jewish. His brothers and sisters in Christ at Ephesus were Gentiles. That Paul would even be concerned about the welfare of a Gentile is in itself, remarkable. Jews didn’t care about Gentiles. They hated Gentiles. Gentiles were outsiders. They were dirty and spiritually unclean. The Jews saw them as being rejected by God. They didn’t intermarry with Gentiles. They didn’t eat with Gentiles. They didn’t talk to Gentiles. They didn’t associate with Gentiles. They taught their children to hate Gentiles. When they prayed they said, "Thank you for not making me a Gentile."
Of great interest is how Paul ever came to see Gentiles as, "heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus." Of great interest is how Paul brought himself to proclaim Christ to the Gentiles. But this mystery isn’t that difficult to resolve. In Ephesians 3:8 Paul reflects, "Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me..."
Paul’s concern for outsiders was transformed by his personal encounter with God’s grace. For Paul, God’s grace is an undeserved gift that God gives out of the overflow of who God is. God does not give grace on the basis or merit of who we are. Paul's concern for the spiritual well being of Gentiles had little to do with whether in human terms they deserved such concern. It had more to do with whether in God’s eyes they deserved such concern. Paul understood that God is, "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." Psalm 103:8 (NIV). He understood what Jesus meant when he said in John 3:16 (NIV), "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
A spirituality which is lacking concern for those outside Christ isn’t Christian spirituality. Christian spirituality is deeply concerned about the plight of those outside Christ. The whole purpose of Paul becoming a prisoner of Jesus Christ and a servant of the gospel was for the sake of Gentiles. Christian spirituality reaches beyond itself, its prejudices, and its indifference, to extend God’s grace to those who seem to be the least worthy of it.
Spirituality as Agents of Grace
In Ephesians 3:2 Paul speaks of the, "administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you..."This verse moves us beyond mere concern for those outside Jesus Christ by reminding us that we have been given a trust that is for the benefit of those outside Christ.
There is this selfish dimension to spirituality in the Church that should alarm all of us. The average Christian gladly absorbs every spiritual blessing in Jesus Christ that he or she can. We frequently talk about what we have received. We have received salvation, mercy, forgiveness, spiritual gifts, material possessions, financial prosperity, and freedom. But are these spiritual blessings intended for us alone?
God has given us a trust, not just for our benefit, but for the good of others. We are being blessed to be a blessing. We are conduits and administrators of God’s grace. The greatest blessing isn’t in receiving, but in giving to others. It is becoming a channel of grace through which God pours endless blessings into the lives of others.
One of the goals of our Hauling off Hunger campaign and of our upcoming Serve-Fest is to give everyone in our church a taste of what it is like to be a channel of God’s grace to others. There is no greater blessing than being a blessing. We have a responsibility, a calling, an administration, a trust, whatever you want to call it, to actively share God’s grace with others.
God expects us to forgive others as we’ve been forgiven. He expects us to give our time, talents, and treasure to others. He expects us to serve others just as he served us. And he expects us to freely proclaim the truth to others, so they have what we have. This is a vital dynamic of Christian spirituality. We should see ourselves as stewards, managers, and administrators of God’s blessings. To him who receives much, much is expected. Are you hoarding God’s blessings, or are you proving faithful to the trust God has given you?
Spirituality as Proclaiming Christ
For this last point, let’s consider this passage in its entirety. Ephesians 3:2-13 (NIV) says, "Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."
"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory."
For many in our culture, spirituality is rather nebulous. Robert Wuthnow says, "Spirituality consists of all the beliefs and activities by which individuals attempt to relate to God or to a divine being or to some other conception of a transcendent reality." For millions of people, spirituality is a great mystery for which they have little understanding and for which that have little or no insight.
For millions, spirituality means little more than attending church, going through rituals and motions, and walking the rut they have always walked. For millions, spirituality is nothing more than chasing a mirage on the horizon; a mirage that promises to quench one’s thirst, but that never materializes.
For millions, spirituality is nothing more than being a good, moral, productive, law-abiding citizen of society. For millions, spirituality is nothing more than flirting with angels, hoping against hope to gain some certainty that divine help is available and that a connection can be made with God himself. For millions, spirituality is nothing more than a journey inward, into self.
For millions, spirituality is a great mystery which goes unsolved year after year. God’s intent was for the Church to reveal the mystery of Christ to the world. God’s intent was for the Church to answer people’s questions about God’s nature and identity, to help people relate to God in a meaningful way, and to instill confidence in people that they can finally approach God through faith in Jesus Christ.
The essence of Christ-centered spirituality is four-fold.
- Are you being constrained by Jesus Christ? Are you being changed? Are you his prisoner, his servant? Is he your lord?
- Are you concerned for those outside Christ? Has your understanding of God’s grace affected your attitude and actions toward those around you?
- Are you administering God’s grace? Do God’s blessings overflow from your life into the lives of others or do they get bottled up? Are you revealing the mystery?
- Are you giving people insight and understanding into the mystery that perplexes them more than anything else? Are you proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ boldly and clearly?