PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP TO GOD

God's Word differentiates between three groups of people in respect to their personal relationships with God. Within each of these groups there are many different shades depending on the parental training, character, training of oneself, age, culture, education, etc. But even with all the differences there are only three basic attitudes towards God,

• No relationship, the Bible calls this the natural man.

• Full, real relationship, the Bible calls this person spiritual.

• Divided or feigned relationship, the Bible describes this as a person of the flesh or carnal.

The terms "natural", "spiritual" and "carnal" in God's Word are not evaluations in this case. They merely describe a person's personal relationship to God.

These three groups are described in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-4. Right now we only want to touch lightly on the subject of the natural man. He lives in the world. A quick glance at the two groups within the church will help us realize where the problem is mainly hidden. The most important thing to realize is to which group you belong. In this case, our examination helps our self-diagnosis. We want to take a look at our own lives and not the lives of others.

What are the criteria for designation in one group or the other? We will determine that in all three groups the designation occurs according to their personal relationship with the Holy Ghost.

The Natural PERSON

“But 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.”

1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV

The natural person has absolutely no relationship with the Holy Ghost. This person lives in the world and doesn’t inquire about God at all or only rarely inquires about God. We were all here at one point in life but our souls ask for more!

Spiritual and Carnal are EVERYWHERE

These two groups are mainly introduced in 1 Corinthians 2 and 3 as well as in Romans 8:1-17 and Galatians 4 and 6. We need to note that the criterion for these two groups is their relationship to the Holy Ghost. This is so, because God has stipulated that the Holy Ghost is our only connection to heaven. (The Desire of Ages, p.322; Matt. 12:32) .

“The heart must be open to the Spirit’s influence, or God’s blessing cannot be received.” EGW, Steps to Christ, p.95

The Spiritual PERSON

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 in two different versions,

“But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him? (Isa. 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.“ NKJV

“The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a per- son is not subject to merely human judgments, for, Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” NIV

The spiritual person is the true Christian. They are called “spiritual“, because they are filled with the Holy Ghost. Here too, the relationship with the Holy Ghost is the criteria for the designation as a spiritual person. They have a good and growing relationship with the Holy Spirit. Jesus is “in the center of [their lives]”; we also say sometimes that Jesus is on our heart’s throne.

The spiritual person has committed essentially and completely to Jesus and as a general rule this is confirmed daily by surrendering self to Jesus every morning with everything he or she is. In the Laodicea message, this person is called “hot”. In the parable about the 10 virgins, they are called “wise”. Romans 8:1-17 and Galatians 5 say even more about them. They experience life “more abundantly” (John 10:10) or as Paul expresses it,

“…and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:19

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”

Colossians 2:9

The Carnal PERSON

A person can be a church-goer for a short time or for many years and still be a carnal Christian. If to your surprise you find that you are a carnal Christian at the moment, then don’t be upset about it, but rather be glad, because you have the possibility of changing it immediately.

You will experience great joy through a life with the Holy Ghost. Most carnal Christians are unknowingly in this condition and have a desire to experience more in their faith. Their ignorance if often not even their fault. Consider this, you will experience great joy through a life with Christ in your heart through the Holy Ghost. Jesus promised/affirmed this joy in John 15:11,

“…and that your joy may be full.”

Through this change you will step by step experience life abundantly and you will have well-founded hope for eternal life. Don’t you want more of that?

We can pray today,

Father in heaven, please make me willing to ask myself this question. If I am a carnal Christian, then please help me to realize this right away. Make me willing to desire everything you want. Please lead me to a happy Christian life – to the promised life in abundance and to eternal life. Please renew my heart. Thank you for answering my prayer. In Jesus name, Amen.

QUESTIONS FOR MEDITATION & DEVOTION

1. If you are here looking into growing your relationship with God, that’s amazing! Do you remember the time when you were a “natural person” (no relationship with God)? Try to remember how life was like. What did make you change?

2. Why should I desire to be a spiritual person? What are the costs and what are benefits?

3. We all have carnal moments, how to deal with them?

4. If you could give one advice to someone living a natural or carnal life using your experiences, what story of your life you would share? (Write it down and be ready to share!)