by J. J. Turner

When we turn the spotlight on spirituality there are a number of qualities revealed as being essential. The following attributes must characterize a person's life before it can be said he is minding the things of the Spirit.

1. He has placed God first in his life (Matt. 6:33).

2. He knows God and His will for his life (John 17:3).

3. He has set his mind on things above (Col. 3:1-2).

4. He is working on producing the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-26).

5. He does not conform to the standards of the world (Rom. 12:1-2).

6. He is a servant of others (Mark 12:35-45).

7. He daily denies himself (Matt. 16:24).

8. He has total faith in God and His word (Heb. 11:6).

9. He is convinced of the need of helping others (Gal. 6:1).

10. He desires to grow in Christ-likeness (Eph. 4:11-16).

11. He fights worldliness (1 John 5:19), because He knows to the degree the things of the world satisfy him, to that degree he is worldly.

12. He serves the Lord with his mind (Rom. 7:25).

Spirituality is the evidence of maturity in Christ. This takes time and patience (cf. 1 Cor. 3:1-3; Heb. 5:12), and looms as a major challenge for the Christian faith.

Until a person becomes spiritually minded, he will not understand the things of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14). A carnal-minded person can't build a positive life.

Excerpt of Building a Positive Life, vol. 1, pp. 73-74 (J. C. Choate Publications). You can order this book from Choate for just $4.00. (No kickbacks for us here, except for your increased spirituality.)