The Grace of God came to us so we may enjoy the liberties of life. The redemptive power of His Grace was to translate us from the darkness in which we were in, into His marvelous light and love. But us Christians we haven’t really come to the understanding of the fullness of this light. We find ourselves here in the light today and tomorrow back into darkness. Where do you stand? Most people though in Christ are of no difference to those in the world! Some do not even believe there is a God whiles others are seriously in tune with what divinity brings to man. For this reason I would want us to critically look at the three kinds of people or Christians we have

THE UNBELIEVER

John 12:46

“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness”.

The unbeliever is one who does not believe; he sees no need for divine help but rather in the deceitful nature of human philosophy, compelled by the forces of darkness and whose spirit is under captivity hence total darkness. Like the total eclipse of the sun, there is an acknowledgement of light shining but the moon has totally blocked it. Such a man is under the total manipulation of the devil, constantly oppressed in all manner of life. His is the world and nothing thereof. You may see such folks as very rich and others very poor. But the truth of the matter is it isn’t only God who makes a man rich, the devil does as well but it’s the fulfillment of what life brings that becomes scarce to such people. Though of much harvest yet of no contentment thus strives so hard to gain it all but at the end will lose his soul and hell will be his place. They are described below by Paul’s words:

Philippians 3:18 – 19

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame — who set their mind on earthly things”.

THE CARNAL BELIEVER

This is a man whose spirit has been saved from slavery by the redemptive power of our savior Jesus Christ. Though his spirit is saved, he hasn’t yet given his life {self will} to God for the total control of his soul and body. He is fully in control of his will thus yields to his feelings and emotions. His soul becomes the engine of the body. At this stage we find believers who go to church when they feel, some even once a year, who sees no need for spiritual exercises such as fasting and prayers, he is a man who Paul describes…..

 1 Corinthians 2:14          

“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”.

A carnal man is in partial darkness; he desires the things of the spirit yet is so much yielded to the things of the world. Though he knows the right things as commanded by Christ yet he finds himself on the opposite side. He is the one Paul constantly advices to……

Romans 12:2

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”.

He is one who constantly finds himself in sin and yet justifies everything by the mechanical understanding of what Jesus said…….

Mark 12:17    

“And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

He is one who for the love of the things of this world has been blinded by the devil. He moves with the trends of the world; sees nothing wrong with constant drinking, fornication, stealing, backbiting etc. He shares ideas and acknowledges the need for human philosophy because hardly or never does he read the Bible and if he does, on Sundays if only at church.

2 Corinthians 4:4

“Whose minds the god of this age has blinded” – emphasis added

The life of a carnal believer is likened to a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. He is a double minded man, unstable in his ways. His spirit desiring the things of the Spirit, wanting to subdue his soul and flesh under the ordinances of the Spirit of God but due to lack of spiritual enlightenment he finds himself always obeying the desires of the flesh.

Romans 7:19

“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice”.

THE SPIRITUAL MAN

The spiritual man is a man whose spirit has been saved yet he has denied and denounced his will {life} counting all loss to gain Christ. He sees the need to offer the instruments of his body as a living sacrifice unto GOD thus he has totally surrendered his body, soul and spirit to Christ. This is the man who sees the need for a daily walk with Christ. He understands what fellowship means and the need to grow in the Christian faith. You find this man always in tune to the things of the spirit such as prayer and fasting’s, for he knows that……

Ephesians 6:12

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.

He is diligent in his ways and daily acknowledges the need of the sufficiency of his Saviors Grace upon his life. He seeks to desire things from above that other things maybe added to him.

Matthew 6:33

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you”.

He is a man who is not moved by what he sees or what he feels but walketh by faith. He deems the things of this world as temporal and sees no reason to lose a life of eternity for such.

2 CORINTIANS 4:18

“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal”.

He is one who seeks things from above, he understands the depth of what peace, joy and fulfillment is. A spiritual man walks with the presence of God hence goodness and mercy blended with favour follows him.

{For further light on the spiritual man read previous post: SELF-DENIAL}

The spiritual level of Christianity is what each one of us should attain. A life under the ordinances of the soul is a life of sin and death. The unbeliever is though alive but dead and condemned to hell, the carnal believer is one who is saved but can lose his salvation if not attended to and sadly most of us as Christians can be found in the carnal believer section. The spiritual man is one who is saved and enjoying the will of his father in heaven as it is on earth.  Lets all see the need to translate from one level to the other and live a live of spirituality for God. For indeed it’s time to serve and worship the Father in truth and in spirit. Amen!!!!

writer: Daniel Quartey   editor: Myles Kusi