TRUE SPRITUALITY- 1 CORINTHIANS PB

What is true spirituality?

How can a person be qualified as a truly spiritual Christian? Vaughan Roberts uses the Bible to search for answers, landing and focusing upon Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth. In this letter, we learn that the Corinthians truly believed that they had arrived. On the contrary, Paul was weak, foolish and non-spiritual.

Paul's letter is aimed at correcting the inaccuracies so that his reputation can be saved and so that his audience can be returned to the Christian faith. In a typically intelligent manner, Paul takes the words that themselves use and says, 'This knowledge, power and wisdom you claim to have are not the real thing. What you call spirituality is worldly. You are being directed by the mindset of the non-Christian world rather than by the Holy Spirit.'

The challenge offered by this letter still holds true today: Paul's appeal is God's appeal to us. Ultimately, we must now ourselves live by the Spirit and embrace true spirituality.

Introduction
1. True spirituality focuses on Christ’s cross, not on human wisdom
2. True spirituality respects faithful leaders, not flashy ones
3. True spirituality demands holiness, not moral permissiveness
4. True spirituality affirms both marriage and singleness, but not asceticism
5. True spirituality promotes spiritual concern, not unfettered freedom
6. True spirituality affirms gender differences, but not social divisions
7. True spirituality prioritizes love, not spiritual gifts
8. True spirituality focuses on a physical future, not just the spiritual present
Epilogue

Vaughan Roberts is Rector of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford and a popular speaker at Spring Harvest.

Pages: 224