Being Spiritually Minded

Introduction

I think it’s safe to say that we all understand the importance of language. Words and the ability to string words together into sentences and paragraphs are important because that’s how we communicate with one another. But it’s amazing with that foundation of understanding. It’s amazing how many times we use words and phrases that we have no idea really what their meanings are. You think about how many idioms or phrases that you may use, maybe they’ve been passed down from generation, you’ve just heard them used, and you know what you mean by them, but you may not know the origin and the true meaning of them. Now, I may be exposing my country roots here, but are you familiar with the phrase buying a pig and a poke?

Anyone heard that one? That one, okay. Here’s one you may be more familiar with: let the cat out of the bag. You’ve heard that one. Do you know that both of those phrases have the same origin? Buying a pig and a poke and letting the cat out of the bag are two phrases that originate from the same practice. And the practice was that many years ago, before our times, little piglets were actually sold in bags. And so you would sell a little pig and transfer the cell of that pig in a little bag. Well, you need to know the country origin of the word poke. Buying a pig and a poke, poke means sack. It’s another word for a sack. And so buying a pig and a poke means you bought that pig unseen, that little piglet unseen.

And that’s not really the smart way to do things. You want to open that bag up and look at it and examine the pig. Buying a pig and a poke means you bought something without examining it. You didn’t really know what you were buying. Because oh, there’s your education from that country phrase. Well, how is that related to letting the cat out of the bag? Well, apparently cats are cheaper than piglets. And so some unscrupulous sellers would, instead of putting a piglet in that bag, they would put a cat in that bag and try to sell you a piglet. But if you were a smart consumer, you won’t didn’t want to buy a pig and a poke, and so you would open that bag, and I’ll give you three guesses when you open up a bag that a little cat’s been contained in, what that cat’s going to do, it’s going to jump out of that bag, and so now the secret’s out.

That guy was trying to rip you off. He wasn’t trying to sell you a pig, he was trying to sell you a cat. And cats aren’t as valuable as pig. And so you let the cat out of the bag. You let the secret out. So isn’t it funny how many of those little sayings and phrases and even really words that we might use every day, and we don’t really know what they mean or where they came from. That can be true in the biblical, scriptural, spiritual realm. We may use words at church, we may use words in our study and in our time together that we don’t really know what they mean, or maybe we kind of know what they mean, but we haven’t really examined them fully.

Or maybe we haven’t recently examined them fully. The New Testament speaks of a group of people who are really a subset of those who would call themselves Christians, who are identified as spiritual people, are sometimes phrased as spiritually minded people. You’ve heard that expression. You’ve probably used that expression about people who are spiritual or those who are spiritually minded. But have you really stopped to think about what does that mean? What does that phrase mean? What does it mean to be spiritually minded? Have you ask yourself these three very important questions? Number one is, what does it mean to be spiritually minded? Second question, how do I become, or how does one become spiritually minded? And then the third, maybe most important question, am I spiritually minded?

1. The Natural Man and He Who Is Spiritual

Look with me as we begin this morning in 1 Corinthians chapter 2. In 1 Corinthians chapter 2, really beginning in verse 6, the apostle is talking about how God communicates to us, and he communicates to us not just with words, as we’ve been talking about, but he communicates to us with spiritual words. And those spiritual words, that spiritual communication is a filter. It is a divining mechanism that those who are spiritually minded, another way of saying that, those who are spiritually inclined can understand that, but those who are worldly minded will not understand that. Let’s skip ahead a little bit in the reading. 1 Corinthians 2, let’s pick up the reading in verse 12. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 12, for now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God, the things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

And some translations insert the word words there. Spiritual things with spiritual words. And I think the context would bear that out. Verse 14 goes on to say, but the natural man, the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He who is spiritual, he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has the mind of the Lord, that we might instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. So there in that context, the Holy Spirit through the apostle talks about two groups of individuals that I think every individual can be classified in one of those two groups.

One is the natural man or the natural mind. Paul elsewhere in this book will identify those people of the term the carnal minded man, those people who have the mind of the world in worldly things, and in juxtaposition to that are those whom he would commend upon us, those who are spiritually minded. Look at one other passage of scripture in Galatians chapter 6. A directive is given.

Brethren, Galatians 6, verse 1, brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Somebody’s overtaken in a trespass, sin has entered into their life, they’re wandering or have wandered away from the Lord. Somebody needs to go to them. But he doesn’t say, not everybody, he says, you who are spiritual. Go to that one. Now there’s two different ways of interpreting that expression. You who are spiritual. Could he be talking to everybody who’s a Christian? Assuming that everybody who wears the name of Christ is spiritual or is spiritually minded. We speak that way sometimes. We speak almost in a ridiculous, obvious way. Preachers are the worst at that.

I know you’ve heard this probably thousands of times. And it’s kind of silly when preachers say it, which we usually say it during the invitation. We won’t say, do you need to come forward? We’ll say, if you’re here this morning, and you need to respond to the gospel, come as we stand and see.

What do you mean if we’re here this morning? I can’t come forward if I’m not here this morning. Of course I’m here this morning. You’re talking to me, I’m here this morning. And so we say that sometimes. We’re not talking to a subset of the people, we’re talking to everybody as if we’re talking to a subset. That makes sense. And so it’s possible that the apostle is saying, you who are spiritual, you, all of you are spiritual, and so I’m talking to all of you. That’s one possible way that he’s saying that. But then there’s another way that he could be saying that. He’s saying, brethren, if a man’s overtaken in a trespass, someone needs to go to that person, but it needs to be in a certain way, in a spirit of gentleness, and so a subset.

Not everybody is qualified. You who are spiritual.

Not everybody needs to be the one who goes. Because not everybody will go in a spirit of gentleness. Not everybody will go in that meek and quiet and gentle and loving way that the person who’s been overtaken in the trespass needs to be approached. I believe that’s the way he’s saying it. I don’t think he’s saying you’re all spiritual, so you all can do that. I think he’s saying there’s some of you who are spiritual, and you’re the ones that need to do that. Let me help you get there. Go back to 1 Corinthians. He talked about there in chapter 2 of 1 Corinthians, those who were natural minded, more carnal, worldly minded, and those who were more spiritually minded. We might be inclined to draw that line as to those of the world.

They’re the natural-minded, they’re the worldly carnal-minded. Those who go to church on Sunday, they’re the spiritually minded. And I think we can draw a line there. But the Apostle Paul doesn’t stop in drawing the line there. Look what he says in chapter 3, 1 Corinthians. Let’s move over one page to chapter 3. And in verse 1, here’s another little lesson for you. Chapter 3, verse 1 follows up chapter 2, where we were just reading, where he says, some have a natural mind, they can’t receive the things of God. Some have a spiritual mind, they can. And now notice what he says to these Christians who went to church on Sunday, who wore the name of Christian, saint, brother. Notice what he says in 1 Corinthians 3, verse 1.

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. And he would go on to say in verse 3, you are still carnal. And so you are your brethren? Yeah. Do you wear the name Christian? Yes. But you’re not spiritual. And so I couldn’t address you. You’re not hearing the things of God. You’re not understanding the things of God. You are still that naturally minded person, that carnal, that more worldly minded person. We talk about this idea of somebody being spiritual or spiritually minded, but we didn’t really understand what or who that’s talking about. And how do I get to be that? And so let’s examine that briefly this morning. What does it mean to be spiritually minded?

2. Chosen the Right Side in This Spiritual Warfare

It means, first of all, someone who has chosen the right side in this spiritual warfare. Look with me very quickly in Romans chapter 7. We don’t have time to do a deep analysis of Romans chapter 7. You’ll remember, because it is so relatable to us, Paul’s language there in Romans chapter 7, where he’s talking about this inner strife, this battle, this warfare that’s going on between good and evil. Romans 7, I just want to look at two verses. Paul talks about his status. I believe it’s his previous status under the old law, but regardless, he talks about this struggle that’s going on. Romans 7, look with me at two verses, 22 and 23. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of the mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

Paul said there was a struggle, a battle going on. Think about there being a tug of war, and you’re the rope. And on one side, there’s the forces of this world, temptation and sin and Satan, and they’re trying with all of their might to pull you in one direction, and on the other side, there’s goodness, there’s God, there’s scriptures, and it’s trying to pull you in the right direction. And Paul says, I felt that war going on. Being spiritually minded is making that decision as to which side you want to win. It’s to clearly choosing sides.

3. Governed by the Spirit of God

Doesn’t mean that you’re always going to win those individual battles, but it means you make the choice that that’s what I want to win. It also, being spiritually minded, means that you are, and this really gets to the heart of the matter. It speaks of someone who’s governed by the Spirit of God. That our spirit is led by his spirit. After talking about that struggle, that war that’s going on, Paul saying being pulled in two different directions, and so many times making the wrong choice and going in the wrong direction. Notice what he says beginning in Romans chapter 8, the follow-up again to Romans chapter 7. He says, Therefore, there is now no condemnation to those who in Christ Jesus who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, and that it was weak through the flesh, God did in sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh on account of sin. He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.

But those who live according to the spirit, the things of the spirit. For to be carnally or worldly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal or the worldly mind is enmity against God. For it’s not subject to the law of God, nor can it be. So then those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you’re not in the flesh. You’re not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not his. Being spiritually minded means that you have turned your will over to the will of God. You’re letting someone else do the driving. Now there used to be an advertising slogan, I don’t remember if it was for Greyhound Bus or Trailways Bus that said, leave the driving to us.

Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever ridden on one of those buses. And so I’m not going to use that as my illustration. Because if you leave the driving to them, you might be left on the side of the road somewhere. So let’s illustrate it with a different way that maybe makes the point for us. One of the best inventions in my mind at least in the last several years has to be the GPS. If you’re old enough to remember life before GPS, you wonder how you ever found anything and how you ever got anywhere. But now you just punch that little thing in your phone or in your car.

And I call her Miss Google because in mine it’s a female voice. And the reason I have the female voice is because I’ve been trained to follow orders of a female voice a little bit better. And so I just call mine Miss Google, and Miss Google just tells me where to go. I punch in my address, either whether it’s my home address or some other address, and Miss Google just tells me where to go. I don’t have to think about it. I just let her basically do the drive. I’m still behind the wheel and the accelerator and all those things, but I’m just doing. And there’s some benefit to that. I’m following instruction. And I’ve learned this about Miss Google. She’s a lot smarter. I’ll argue with her sometimes.

But she’s a lot smarter than I am. If she’s telling me to go this way, there’s probably a reason. There may be a wreck or a slowdown over here. And so she’s usually much smarter than I am. And there’s another advantage to following Miss Google is because if you do get lost or you’re late, you can always got somebody else to blame because it wasn’t me. I was just doing what this machine told me to do. Now it’s not a perfect illustration, but it’s kind of an illustration of what we’re talking about being spiritually minded, is that we’re turning the direction of our life over to someone else. How was it? Paul phrases no longer, I who lives, but Christ lives in me. And no, in that context, living meant activity.

It didn’t just mean existing, it meant everything that I do, my existence, my movement, everything is governed by God. That’s what it means to be spiritually minded. I go where he tells me to go. I do what he tells me to do.

No longer I who makes those decisions, who lives this life. It’s Christ who lives in me. Being spiritually minded means that I am one who follows after spiritual things, not carnal things. Those are the things that interest me now. That my life is governed by the fruit of the spirit, not the works of the flesh. And understand that fruit is not something that we force to grow. It is the byproduct of living and being spiritual. Those fruits of the spirit are going to become who and what I am because I’m led by this spirit. Because I’ve allowed God.

And how I need to live, how I need to speak.

4. Make Up Your Mind

Well, then, how do I get to be that? You sold me on it, preacher. Spiritually minded is what I need to be, what I want to be, but how do I get there? Let’s talk about just three practical takeaways of how we can become spiritually minded, or if you’re already on that pathway, more spiritually minded. First of all, like any worthwhile task, you just got to make up your mind. You got to decide to be. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to choose that pathway. I’m going to choose the things of God, the things of goodness. Jonah read for us in Colossians chapter 3. That concept, though he doesn’t use the words spiritually minded, I think we’ll all agree that it’s there in that passage when he says, if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth. You want to be raised with God, if you want to be in that spiritual realm, he says, set your mind on it. We understand that concept. Setting your mind on something, somebody who has just determined. I’ll tell you a story several years ago. We hadn’t been married very long, and we had another young married couple that were good friends of ours. And we went to Six Flags. That was the redneck version of Disney World for us Alabamians. We went to Six Flags, and the first thing we did when we got to Six Flags is we went on the roller coaster. And I’m going to change the names to protect the innocent, but I’m going to talk about uh Jeff and Anna, was this couple that was with us.

And we got off that roller coaster, and uh Jeff quickly decided that roller coasters weren’t for him. He was a unique shade of bluish green in his face, and he had this look on his face that was just like this, and his wife loved it. And he just she couldn’t wait. Let’s get on the next road, let’s ride that one again, and let’s go and and and and Jeff was just like she was like, Come on, come on, come on. Let’s and I mean she was just insisting, insisting on it. And I finally turned to her and I said, You might as well hush, because I see that look on his face. He ain’t riding another ride today. His mind was made up. Now that’s a negative application.

5. Put Forth the Effort Required

He had set his mind, he was not getting on another roller coaster. His mind was, you could not have drugged him and strapped him into that roller coaster. His mind was set, mind was made up. Now turn that around in a positive way, and that’s what he’s saying. Set your mind, be so determined that that’s what you’re going to be, that you’re going to pursue the things of God in Christ. Make that decision, that determined, dogged decision, and then stay in Colossians 3, put forth the effort required. He would go on to say, verse 5, put to death your members, which are the earth, that carnal, natural side. You got to do some killing. You got to kill the old man. Put him to death. And then, verse 12, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on.

6. Surround Yourself With Spiritually Minded Things and People

So you got to put off some things and put on some other things. There’s going to be some effort required on your part. Is God doing the driving? Absolutely. But it still requires some faith and some action and determination on your part to choose the right side in this spiritual warfare. And here’s such a helpful tip. If you want to be spiritually minded and spiritually focused, surround yourself with spiritually minded things and people.

You want to know the best tip from somebody that don’t know much about singing? Go sit by somebody who can sing tenor and do it really well. That’s the best education you’ll ever receive in singing tenor. It’s set by them. And if you’re like me, who just kind of follows the sometimes you if you have that ability, you’ll end up singing tenor whether you want to or not. Because that strong tenor voice is just going to force you into that. You want to be spiritually minded. Don’t surround yourself with worldly minded people. Surround yourself with spiritually minded people who will pull you in that right direction. Who will be the anchor in that tug of war? Who will help you to pull and to make those decisions and to reinforce those decisions?

Conclusion

The greatest spiritual mistake you might make in life is to passively make the decision to be a Christian while still surrounding yourself with people who have not made that same decision. Who will pull you away back into that worldly carnal mindset? You can’t soar with the eagles and live with the turkey. Choose you this day, whom you will serve. May God help us to not only understand what it means to be spiritually minded, but to be spiritually minded. Would you give your life to Christ today? Ask him, beg Him to mold you and make you into what only He and His Spirit can make you to be. Turn over your life and your will to one who knows the way you ought to live. Can we help you to be that spiritual person who will hear and learn the things of God?

Can we help you in that way, in any way this morning, as you come and render obedience to the gospel as we stand and as we sing?