What is a spiritual person according to the Bible?

(Vv. 14, 15). Thus we learn that the wisdom of God is made known by revelation and communicated to others by inspiration. Now we learn that the reception of the truth is also by the Spirit of God. The natural man cannot receive the things of God; they are foolishness to him; they can only be spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual discerns all things. We do well to remember that it is the “spiritual”, not simply he that has the Spirit, that discerns all things. A man must, indeed, have the Spirit to be spiritual; but being spiritual implies a condition in which a man is under the control of the Spirit. Such discern all things, yet they themselves are not discerned of any. The spiritual man can discern the motives that govern the world, though the world cannot discern the motives and principles that govern the spiritual man.

This is a momentous declaration in all its parts. For the apostle by the "natural man" means man as he is born and grows up, without being born of God or the Holy Ghost given to him. He might be ever so learned, scientific, intellectual and refined; still, till quickened of the Spirit, he is ψυχικός. He does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are folly; nor can he learn them, so as to appropriate them, apprehending their truth, because they are spiritually discerned, and the Spirit of God he has not as unbelieving in Christ. The spiritual man on the other hand is one who is not only renewed but in the power of the Spirit. He accordingly has a divine spring of discerning while he is beyond the ken of all who are destitute of the Spirit.

It is in virtue of the Spirit of God that the believer now stands in so astonishing a place, capable of discerning all things, yet himself outside the discernment of man. How great the folly of any saint in Corinth or elsewhere yearning after human wisdom! What makes it even more striking is the application the apostle appends from Isaiah 40:13. For there the prophet insists on the supremacy of Jehovah's intelligence, as before of His infinite goodness and power. Unsearchable Himself yet searching all, "who has measured the Spirit of Jehovah, and, the man of his counsel, will teach him?" As independent of man's measuring and instruction is the Christian in divine things, and this through the Spirit of God dwelling in him. Thus the use of Isaiah 64 bears witness that, as man's heart had not conceived the purpose of God before the world for our glory (not merely the nations, as Kimchi would have it, but man generally, Israel included), so God has revealed it now that Christ is crucified and received up in glory, and this by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven to be in and with us. But the use of Isaiah 40 goes farther; for the apostle ascribes to the Christian the mind (νοῦν) or intelligence of Christ, in whom God's wisdom is, and thus appropriates to us now by grace, as possessing the Holy Spirit, that which, belonging characteristically to God, is wholly independent of man and undiscoverable by him.

Verse 15 is the total opposite of this. "He that is spiritual" does not describe every believer, for some of these are "carnal, even though they have the Spirit of God (ch. 3:1). It refers to those who in practice depend upon the leading of the Spirit, as every believer ought to. A carnal believer will not discern all things, because, while some of his thoughts may be spiritual, yet fleshiness is so mixed with these that his outlook will be confused. But one who is spiritual discerns all things. Indeed, he not only discerns spiritual things, but will discern the true import of natural things in a way the natural man cannot. "Yet he himself is discerned of no man." He is an enigma to men, for he thinks and acts on a different level, not energized by self-centeredness, but by a genuine regard for the glory of God.

The appeal to restore such an one is addressed to "ye which are spiritual." There were not many such amongst the Galatians, as the last verse of Gal. 5 infers. To approach a fallen brother in the spirit of vainglory would necessarily be provocative of all that was worst in him. To approach him in the spirit of meekness would help him. Let us take note that the spirit of meekness is a necessary accompaniment of spirituality, for there is a spurious spirituality, all too often to be met with, which is allied with a self-conscious assertiveness which is the very opposite of meekness. A truly spiritual man is one who is dominated and controlled by the indwelling Spirit of God and hence is characterized by "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:1). But even such an one as that is not beyond falling in the presence of temptation. Hence while restoring another he has to take good heed to himself.

Thus the reason now given by the apostle for having urged on the Corinthians the elementary truths of Christ is their own state. They were not spiritual but fleshly. What a blow to their self-complacency! If they were but babes in Christ, what else would be suited food? That hankering after, or admiration of, the world's wisdom was its sure evidence: for flesh delights in what is of man, as the Spirit gives to enjoy what is of God.

It is quite an error however to suppose that all Christians are "spiritual" in the sense in which that term is used in chapter 2, which differs not at all from its use in chapter 3. In both it means those not merely quickened but walking, feeling, judging in the Spirit. To say in 1 Cor. 2 that one discerns all things but is oneself discerned by none conveys quite as much as the contrast with fleshliness in 1 Cor. 3. The mistake is in supposing that the apostle looks only at but two classes, whereas in truth he speaks of three: the natural man, the carnal, and the spiritual, the last two being Christians, but the state different. For "babes in Christ" does not refer to the recency of their conversion, but to their lack of growth. As the Hebrews were kept back by their religious prejudices (Heb. 5), so were these Greeks by their philosophising. In either way souls may be arrested, or misled, and stunted in growth. In one of the cases indeed it was from no want of time; for on this score they ought to have been teachers when they had need to be taught the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, as the apostle put it to their great humiliation. So here: he gave them milk to drink. Meat was of no use in their actual state, nay, it might help on the mischief.

It has often been pointed out that in this and the preceding chapters, the apostle distinguishes three classes. First, there is the "natural" man, that is, man as born into this world, man in his unconverted state and condition; and it is of him Paul says that he "receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (Chap. 2:14.) Next, there is the "spiritual" man, one, that is, who is not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, because the Spirit of God dwells in him (Rom. 8:9), and one who is also walking in the Spirit (see Gal. 5:16, 25), controlled by the Holy Spirit in his life and conduct. Lastly, there are the carnal (3:1-4), those who, though really Christians, "walk as men," that is, are governed, not by the indwelling Spirit, but by human principles and motives, in fact, by the flesh. Hence the apostle says, "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" Alas! that it should be possible for us, the children of God, to be so characterized. And as a warning, it should ever be remembered that when we are not walking in the Spirit, the flesh will assuredly assert its power and be manifested. It is on this account Paul elsewhere writes, "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." (Gal. 5:16.)

"Fault" is, we judge, a most defective rendering of the original word in this scripture. It is the same word, for example, as is translated "offences" in Romans 4:25, "sins" in Ephesians 1:7, and "trespasses" in Ephesians 2:1. This last word - trespasses - is the one which is most frequently given in our translation as the equivalent of the Greek term; but we incline to the opinion that "offences" would be more accurate. Another thing has to be borne in mind - that in the passage in Galatians, in the case supposed, it is not a state or condition described, but one who has been taken, or overtaken, with an offence, one who has been surprised by a sudden temptation, into which he has fallen. It is thus not a course of sin, but an act, a failure under some seduction or allurement of the flesh through unwatchfulness. It is concerning such a case - not an uncommon one, alas! among the saints of God - that the apostle gives directions as to treatment. First, he charges those who are spiritual with the responsibility of restoration. A spiritual man is one who is formed by the Spirit, controlled by and walking in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:16-26.) The spiritual, therefore, are a class, sad as it is to say it, and it is to this class the apostle here speaks, and this makes it very plain that it is nothing short of presumption for "carnal" Christians (1 Cor. 3:1-4) to meddle with discipline, or to seek to recover the erring. In the next place, the state of soul in which the spiritual are to meet their responsibility is indicated. They are to proceed in the spirit of meekness, considering themselves lest they also be tempted. (Note that in the first part of the verse it is, "you who are spiritual" - it is in the plural; but in the actual work of restoration the apostle passes over to the singular, because it is individual service.) Meekness is allied with humility almost always in the Scriptures because blended in the example of our blessed Lord. It can only be shown out in those who are in the place of nothingness before God; then meekness in the presence of others will be the consequence. It is that blessed spirit of gentleness, fed with divine love, which expresses itself in quiet unresisting patience, whatever the provocation that may be encountered. This could only be the fruit of divine power through the Holy Ghost. And, as a help to this state, such a one must consider himself lest he also be tempted; for, if he should be, he might make a worse failure. Oh for more of this blessed grace of meekness, combined with the recollection of what we are, that we are only kept moment by moment by God's omnipotent power, for He alone is able to keep us from falling! We will not add more now except to point out that, as an encouragement, the apostle directs our eyes to the example of Christ. Both in life and in death He was the great Burden-bearer; this was the law of His life when here. In like manner we are to be burden-bearers; in the power of the Spirit we are to go down under the burdens even of those who have fallen into some offence, and bear them up on our hearts before God, that, in the combination of intercession and of the ministration of grace, we may be used for their restoration.

But even if a person should fall down, what then? You the spiritual ones, you are to set him to rights. The Galatians boasted about their spirituality; just as in these days, the people who put themselves under law, and try to put others under law, always feel that they are more holy than others. "You," says the Apostle, "You who are so spiritual, you restore this one who has fallen by the way; you set him to rights, and put him back on his path again." That is God's test as to whether a man is spiritual or not. Are you one whom God can use to set at rights the fallen? If not, you are not a spiritual man in God's sight. The word "set to rights" is first used in the New Testament in Matthew 4:21, where the Lord found James and John with their father in a ship, mending their nets "Putting them to right." In Hebrews 11:3 we read that the worlds were "set to rights" by the Word of God. It is also used for setting a broken bone, putting it to rights. So, even if a man should fall, you, you the spiritual ones, set him to rights. We find another mark of spiritual ones in 1 Cor. 14:37.

Man, morally, his affections, his judgment, are thus purified by that Jesus whom the Holy Ghost presents to him, — that he may possess Him in his heart. Sweet and sanctifying proof of the Father's love! The Holy Ghost in man is a real and divine power; but He also works morally, and in the intelligence of him in whom He dwells. The spiritual man discerneth all things. All means are at his disposal. He judges all things, he takes knowledge of all things if needful, according to the Spirit and by His direction. It is not his reason which judges; he judges spiritually of all things. He judges himself instead of pretending to judge God, as if he had a capacity independent of Him. It is this that is incompatible with faith; this is that criticism which is incompatible with faith, because faith acknowledges God, and judges that proud criticism, which, in its folly, would judge God.

The source, the medium of communication, the reception, all was of the Spirit. Thus the spiritual man judges all things; he is judged of no man. The power of the Spirit in him makes his judgment true and just, but gives him motives and a walk that are unintelligible to one who has not the Spirit. Very simple as to that which is said — nothing can be more important than that which is here taught. Alas! the Corinthians, whether when the apostle was at Corinth, or at the time of writing this letter, were not in a condition to have the mystery communicated to them — a grievous humiliation to their philosophic pride, but therefore a good remedy for it.