Biblical Spirituality

This is the era of “spirituality.” People have a desire for spiritual things; a desire to “be spiritual.” This search for spirituality does not represent a craving for Biblical knowledge and understanding; however, and for the most part, people are seeking spirituality apart from the Lord’s revealed Word and away from the Lord’s churches. The current American search for spirituality is about the empowerment of self instead of the exaltation of God. Boston College sociologist Alan Wolfe makes this comment about modern spirituality:

“Rather than being about a god who commands you, it’s about finding a religion that empowers you.”^[1]

Therefore, many people may affirm that they are “seeking” spirituality, but they see spirituality as a means of self-development and self-exaltation. They want to get in touch with the universe, but are not particularly concerned with knowing the universe’s Creator. The only place one can go to discover how to become a truly spiritual person is the Bible; in particular, the book of Psalms.

Biblical illiteracy has become an epidemic in many churches, and this has led to a general unawareness of the Psalms. This is sad, because the Psalms are God’s handbook for the heart, and disconnection from them accounts for the fact that so few Christians walk closely with God. The Psalms are intended to instruct the Christian’s mind and shape his heart, and both components must be true in a believer’s life.

While many people have a desire for the “spiritual” they are not looking to God’s Word to define spirituality. They are creating their own definitions. In the book of Psalms one will find the clearest definition of what it means to be a spiritual person, and this definition has the authority of scripture as opposed to the “here is what spirituality means to me” definition which has zero authority and no eternal significance.

How can an individual tell if he is in good spiritual health? What are the indicators that reveal whether something is spiritually good or bad? If one will consider what the Bible reveals about mankind and about God, then one will discover what is spiritually genuine.

In 1989 the book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey, hit the book store shelves, but the copies did not stay on the shelves for long.  The book rocketed to the best-seller list and has sold more than 25 million copies in 38 languages since its first publication.^[2] God’s Word has been on the best sellers’ list even longer! While Covey’s book instructs one on the seven habits of highly effective people, the book of Psalms reveal the seven characteristics of truly spiritual people.

7 Characteristics of Truly Spiritual People[3]

#1 – Praise

The first characteristic of a truly spiritual life is praise! All of creation was originally intended to praise, glorify, and enjoy God forever[4], and the essential ingredient in the Psalms is praise. Interestingly, the Hebrew title for the Psalms is “the book of praise.”  Many Psalms begin with the command “praise ye the Lord” (Psalm 106; 111-113; 135; 146-150).  This is translated from the Hebrew “Hallel” – for praise and “Yah” – for the Lord. The English “Hallelujah” is a transliteration of these two Hebrew terms.

A truly spiritual person will be characterized by a life of joyful praise to God as God has revealed Himself to be. Consider Psalm 145, it radiates with praise for God as the Creator of the world; as the Ruler of the world He created, and as the Redeemer of His people.

Read Psalm 148; it is a majestic hymn of praise that calls on all of God’s creatures to glorify God. Fundamental to true spirituality is a real joy in God. God is to be praised for what He has done, but God is also to be praised for whom (not what) His works reveal Him to be. True spirituality is never centered on people; nor is true spirituality some sort of divine self-help in achieving an individual’s goals. True spirituality is always focused, centered, and transfixed on God.

This first and fundamental characteristic is what separates phony spirituality from the real deal. True spirituality is Biblical spirituality and as such it will always be centered on God and will rejoice in Him. A self-absorbed spirituality is false, but a truly spiritual person, according to the Psalms, knows the joy of praise. (Psalm 103-106; 111-113; 117; 135; 145-150)

#2 – Honesty

Characteristic number two is honesty; a truly spiritual person will be characterized by praise and by honesty. The honesty referenced here is not strictly truth-telling, although it is that, but more specifically it is honesty with one’s self and with God. The Psalms will take the reader to the heights of praise, but also will lead him down into the depths of distress. The Psalms are filled with expressions of personal and communal sorrow, disorientation, discouragement, pain, stress, suffering, and feelings of abandonment. At least one-third of the Psalms are laments. A believer is not more spiritual if he pretends to feel no pain. Every believer endures suffering on multiple levels, and refusing to acknowledge that suffering is being dishonest with one’s self and with God; it also does not make one more spiritual.

No Christian can sail above adversity and trials. To follow Christ is to take up a cross and die daily to self. The notion of a health and wealth gospel, a “name it and claim it” theology, is the byproduct of empty heads and closed Bibles. According to the Psalms a truly spiritual person can, and will, know suffering…and difficulties…and distress…and the Psalms provide a sympathetic, honest, and Biblical understanding of those issues.  A truly spiritual person knows the real joy of praise to God and honesty about difficulties. (Psalm 3-7; 10; 12-13; 22; 25-28; 35; 38-40; 42-44; 54-57; 59-61; 63; 64; 69-71; 73-74; 79; 80; 83; 85-86; 88; 90; 102; 109; 120; 123; 130; 140-143)

#3 – Memory

Psalm 136 is famous because of the repeated refrain “for his mercy endureth forever”, but couched in between that recurring phrase is Israel’s national history. The Psalmist is remembering and recounting the goodness of God towards His people.  Nowhere in the Bible is history reported only to impart historical information. Instead, God’s acts are recounted so that His people might remember His goodness and praise Him for it!

Memory plays a key role in genuine spirituality. This is true because Christians need to be reminded of God’s goodness in order to be encouraged for the present and the future. How easy it is to become so caught up in present circumstances that the past goodness of God is forgotten. Christians need to be a people of memory. Promises bring hope of future goodness, especially when watered by memories of past goodness like recovery from illness, health of a child, freedom, employment, friends and family, financial needs being met, the daily provisions which are taken for granted, and most of all God’s grace! How easy it is to forget, but how much there is to remember![5] (Psalm 77-78; 89; 105-106; 132; 135-136)

#4 – Morality

Characteristic number four of a truly spiritual person is morality. God has made His law known; it is revealed in the scriptures. The Psalmists understand this and delight themselves in God’s Word. Psalm 119:111 is just one example, “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” God’s Word is the revelation of His will, His truth, His wisdom, and His character. Such a revelation has been given to inform the choices and to guide the steps of those who would follow the Lord.

This is an important statement: right belief without right behavior is hypocrisy. Anyone who claims to be a follower of God yet consistently lives contrary to God’s Word is deluded and is deluding others. The Psalmist says,

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2; emphasis mine)

True spirituality is not based in some self-expression which is careless of God’s revelation. The American government may be “of the people, for the people, and by the people”, but Biblically genuine spirituality does not and cannot work in that fashion because its origin is rooted in God not people. True spirituality is of God, by God’s grace, and for God’s glory and praise, and truly spiritual people will be heedful of God’s words, by God’s power, and for God’s purposes.

Culture and the times do not set the morality standard, but God’s word does.  The Psalmists understood this and delighted themselves in God’s law.  So too should the Christians of today. (Psalm 1; 19; 119)

A truly spiritual person will be characterized by praise, honesty, memory, morality, and, characteristic number five, change.

#5 – Change

Repentance is the theological term, but the point is to change. While it is true that some things happen in a person’s life which is out of his control and for reasons he cannot comprehend (see the life of Job); many times, however, that is not the case, and things have gone wrong because the person has alienated himself from God because of sin. The Psalms teach that at such times the action required is repentance – change.

Change is not just feeling guilt or sorrow for sin, because one can feel guilty about sin; even be sorry for the sin, but still not change.  The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 about a worldly sorrow that leads to death and a Godly sorrow that brings repentance and change.

Change is not turning over a new leaf or making a New Year resolution. This is because the individual cannot bring about the change by himself. Change is when an individual confesses the sin to the Lord and forsakes the sin by the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Change is turning from the sin and turning towards the Lord.  A truly spiritual person is one whose life has been changed by God and is daily being changed towards Christlikeness. (Psalm 6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143)

#6 – Trust

The sixth trait of Biblical spirituality is trust. Along with change must be trust. A truly spiritual person must trust in God; realizing that when it comes to matters of time and eternity, it is futile to trust in anyone or anything other than God. A truly spiritual person must profoundly and totally give himself to trust God, and to trust God is to trust His word. A believer’s confidence must be in his Lord, not his nationality, his stock portfolio, his job, his spouse, his bank account, retirement fund, or his well connected friends. Confidence and trust are synonymous with faith, and this is the bedrock principle for all believers.

A truly spiritual person will have trust in God in spite of terrible circumstances and the threats of enemies.  Why?  Because, like the Psalmists, the truly spiritual person trusts God to be his refuge (Psalm11:1; 16:1); his shepherd (Psalm 23); his light (Psalm 27:1); his rock (Psalm 62:2); and his help (Psalm 121:2). (Psalm 11; 16; 23; 27; 62; 91; 121; 125; 131)

#7 – Thanks

The final characteristic of a truly spiritual person is thanks. With this attribute we have come full circle, because thanks and praise are closely related. There is a distinction, however; for with the Psalms of praise God is exalted for who He is, and with the Psalms of thanksgiving God is praised for answered prayer. Praise is given to the generous Father, and thanks are given for the gifts He has provided. The giving of thanks to God for answered prayer bears witness to God’s great work in an individual’s life. The Psalms of thanksgiving are given for very specific deliverances, and are more personal than communal.

Oftentimes a thanksgiving Psalm is simply a restatement of a lament.  Take what David wrote in Psalm 18:5-6 for an example:

“The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.  In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry came before Him, even unto His ears.”

What follows is an account of God’s deliverance, and David’s thanks to God for His deliverance and even a call on others to praise God for this delivery. How often do you thank God for all that He has given you, and for all that He has brought you through? (Psalm 8; 18-19; 29; 30; 32-34; 36; 40-41; 66; 103-106; 111; 113; 116-117; 124; 129; 135-136; 138-139)

Stephen Covey has provided for his readers seven habits that will make one highly effective.[6] But God has written for us in the Psalms an even greater list; the seven characteristics of a truly spiritual person.  A person who desires to walk closely with God will be a person who is characterized by:

1. Praise – True spirituality is always focused, centered, and transfixed on God.
2. Honesty – A truly spiritual person knows the real joy of praise to God and honesty about difficulties.
3. Memory – We need to be reminded of God’s goodness in order to be encouraged for the present and the future.
4. Morality – Truly spiritual people will heed God’s words, by God’s power, and for God’s purposes. In other words, their delight will be in the law of the Lord.
5. Change – A life that has been changed by God and is being daily changed towards Christlikeness.
6. Trust – When it comes to matters of time and eternity, it is futile to trust in anyone or anything other than God.
7. Thanks – Praising God for answered prayer and promises kept.