From Natural to Spiritual: Embracing New Life in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Blindness of the Natural Man

The natural man is characterized by a life driven by fleshly desires and ignorance of spiritual truths. This state is inherited from Adam and is marked by alienation from God. The natural man cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned, much like a blind man cannot appreciate a sunset. The natural man is spiritually dead, lacking the faculties to perceive the divine. This spiritual blindness prevents him from understanding the profound truths of God, leaving him in a state of separation and misunderstanding. [13:25]

1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV): "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you feel spiritually blind or disconnected. How can you seek God's guidance to open your eyes to His truths today?

Day 2: The Rebirth of the Spiritual Man

The spiritual man, in contrast, has experienced a rebirth of the spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. This transformation allows him to understand and appreciate the things of God, as the Spirit of God instructs and enlightens him. The spiritual man lives in fellowship with God, experiencing peace and joy. This rebirth is not just a change in behavior but a profound transformation of the heart and mind, leading to a life that is aligned with God's will and purpose. [20:26]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual journey. What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with God and live more fully in the Spirit?

Day 3: The Cross: A Symbol of Love and Reconciliation

The cross of Christ is a profound manifestation of God's love and the means by which we are reconciled to Him. While it may seem like a symbol of death to the natural man, the spiritual man sees it as the way to forgiveness and fellowship with God. The cross represents the ultimate sacrifice and the depth of God's love for humanity, offering a path to redemption and eternal life. [31:30]

Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Reflection: Consider the significance of the cross in your life. How can you embrace its message of love and reconciliation in your daily interactions with others?

Day 4: The Invitation to New Life

The invitation to become a spiritual man is open to all. By accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, one can move from being a natural man to a spiritual man, opening up a new dimension of life led by the Spirit and filled with the knowledge and love of God. This new life is marked by a transformation that brings about a deeper understanding of God's purpose and a commitment to living according to His will. [33:33]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: What does it mean for you to live as a new creation in Christ? Identify one practical change you can make today to align your life more closely with this new identity.

Day 5: Embracing the New Creation

It is essential to examine our lives and choose to live after the Spirit, embracing the new creation that God intends for us. This involves putting to death the old nature and living in the power of the Spirit, experiencing the freedom and joy that comes from being a child of God. By living in the Spirit, we are empowered to overcome the desires of the flesh and walk in the fullness of God's love and purpose. [37:18]

Galatians 5:24-25 (ESV): "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways can you actively put to death your old nature and embrace the new creation God has for you? How can you keep in step with the Spirit in your daily life?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound distinction between the natural man and the spiritual man as outlined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 2. The natural man, as Paul describes, is one who is born of the flesh, living in sin and alienated from God. This state is inherited from Adam, characterized by a life driven by fleshly desires and ignorance of spiritual truths. The natural man cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned. This lack of understanding is akin to a blind man unable to appreciate a sunset or a deaf man unable to enjoy a symphony. The natural man is spiritually dead, lacking the faculties to perceive the divine.

In contrast, the spiritual man is one who has experienced a second birth, a rebirth of the spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. This transformation allows the spiritual man to understand and appreciate the things of God, as the Spirit of God instructs and enlightens him. The spiritual man is no longer bound by the desires of the flesh but lives in fellowship with God, experiencing the peace and joy that comes from this relationship. The cross of Christ, which may seem like a symbol of death to the natural man, is seen by the spiritual man as a profound manifestation of God's love and the means by which we are reconciled to Him.

The invitation is extended to all to move from being a natural man to a spiritual man by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. This transition opens up a new dimension of life, one that is led by the Spirit and filled with the knowledge and love of God. It is a call to examine our lives and choose to live after the Spirit, embracing the new creation that God intends for us.

Key Takeaways

1. The natural man is characterized by a life driven by fleshly desires and ignorance of spiritual truths. This state is inherited from Adam and is marked by alienation from God. The natural man cannot comprehend the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned, much like a blind man cannot appreciate a sunset. [13:25]
2. The spiritual man, in contrast, has experienced a rebirth of the spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. This transformation allows him to understand and appreciate the things of God, as the Spirit of God instructs and enlightens him. The spiritual man lives in fellowship with God, experiencing peace and joy. [20:26]
3. The cross of Christ is a profound manifestation of God's love and the means by which we are reconciled to Him. While it may seem like a symbol of death to the natural man, the spiritual man sees it as the way to forgiveness and fellowship with God. [31:30]
4. The invitation to become a spiritual man is open to all. By accepting Jesus Christ as Savior, one can move from being a natural man to a spiritual man, opening up a new dimension of life led by the Spirit and filled with the knowledge and love of God. [33:33]
5. It is essential to examine our lives and choose to live after the Spirit, embracing the new creation that God intends for us. This involves putting to death the old nature and living in the power of the Spirit, experiencing the freedom and joy that comes from being a child of God. [37:18]
** [37:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:24] - Trust in the Lord
[01:51] - Opening Prayer
[02:50] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians 2
[03:26] - The Natural Man
[05:06] - Born Again
[06:25] - The Old Man
[07:36] - Worldly Living
[09:06] - Alienation from God
[11:32] - Spiritual Foolishness
[13:25] - Spiritual Discernment
[15:22] - The Trichotomy of Man
[19:12] - The Futility of Explaining Spiritual Truths
[20:26] - The Spiritual Man
[25:27] - The Joy of Fellowship with God
[31:30] - The Cross: Death or Love?
[33:33] - Invitation to New Life
[37:18] - Living in the Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Corinthians 2:14-16
John 3:3-6
Romans 6:6

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Observation Questions:

According to 1 Corinthians 2:14, why is the natural man unable to receive the things of the Spirit of God? [03:26]
How does Jesus describe the necessity of being "born again" in John 3:3-6, and what does this imply about the spiritual man? [05:06]
In Romans 6:6, what does Paul mean by saying "our old man is crucified with him"? How does this relate to the concept of the natural man? [06:25]
What are some characteristics of the natural man as described in Ephesians 2, and how do they contrast with the spiritual man? [07:03]

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Interpretation Questions:

What does it mean for the natural man to be "spiritually dead," and how does this affect their understanding of spiritual truths? [13:58]
How does the sermon illustrate the difference in perception of the cross between the natural man and the spiritual man? [31:30]
What role does the Holy Spirit play in transforming a natural man into a spiritual man, according to the sermon? [33:33]
How does the concept of being "born again" change one's relationship with God and their understanding of spiritual matters? [20:26]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your own life: Do you identify more with the natural man or the spiritual man? What steps can you take to move towards being a spiritual man? [34:49]
The sermon mentions the joy and peace that come from living in fellowship with God. Can you recall a time when you experienced this joy and peace? How can you cultivate more of these experiences in your daily life? [25:27]
How do you perceive the cross of Christ in your life? Is it a symbol of death or a manifestation of God's love? How can this perception influence your daily actions and decisions? [31:30]
The sermon invites us to examine our lives and choose to live after the Spirit. What practical changes can you make in your daily routine to align more with the Spirit's leading? [37:18]
Consider the people in your life who might be living as natural men. How can you be a witness to them of the transformation that comes from being born again? [33:33]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of spiritual discernment. What are some ways you can seek to grow in spiritual discernment in your personal study and prayer life? [13:25]
How can you actively put to death the old nature and embrace the new creation that God intends for you? Identify one specific area in your life where you can start this transformation. [36:28]

Sermon Clips

Paul declares but the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spiritual understands all things and yet he himself is not understood by man for who hath known the mind of the lord that he may instruct him but we have the mind of christ [00:03:18]

The natural man what does paul mean by the natural man that's the way you were born we were all of us born in sin shapen in iniquity alienated from god it is the nature that i inherited from adam that sinful rebellious nature the theologians have the term the adamic nature and by that they are referring to just the way we were born as descendants from adam [00:04:01]

Paul describes the natural man in other places he calls him the old man romans 6 6 paul said knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin should no longer reign over you writing to the ephesians paul said put off concerning the former manner of living that old man which is corrupt because of his deceitful lust [00:06:12]

Paul describes it as in times past we lived after the lust of our flesh and we sought to fulfill the desires of our flesh and mind pretty much sums up the life of the natural man living after the flesh and seeking only to satisfy the desires of his flesh and of his mind and you were by nature the natural man the children of wrath even as others [00:08:09]

Paul declares here that this world system in which we live is a system that is governed and directed by satan to live after the world is to live under satan's control the bible tells us we're not to love the world nor the things that are in the world because you'll be able to love the world in your heart you have not the love of the father [00:07:36]

Paul said neither can they know them they cannot know the things of the spirit there's just no capacity to comprehend why can't they know them paul said because they are spiritually discerned you cannot understand the things of the spirit apart from the spirit instructing you they are spiritually discerned so the natural man lacks the faculties by which the things of the spirit are understood [00:12:42]

The natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit neither can he know them because the spirit is dead he lacks the quality whereby these things are understood man is a threefold being by original creation body mind and spirit god warned adam not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden he said if you do you will surely die adam disobeyed ate of the fruit and he died spiritually [00:13:50]

In contrast to the natural man is the spiritual man he is the man who has been born again that is whose spirit has been born that which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the spirit is spirit now concerning the spiritual man paul said he understands all things it's quite interesting how that people sometimes have a curiosity concerning the bible [00:20:22]

It's interesting that you can try to read the bible and find that it is just mumbo-jumbo but then when you accept jesus christ and you are born again by the spirit you start to read the bible again and suddenly the book is alive suddenly it's speaking to your heart suddenly you're excited because of the understanding that you now have the comprehension that you now have because of the spirit [00:22:32]

The spiritual man he understands all things and yet it declares he is not understood by the natural man worldly people cannot understand why you want to go to church to study the bible they can't understand why you don't want to go out and party and get drunk they don't understand why you don't want to chase the women they don't understand why you don't get all upset and angry when things go wrong [00:23:09]

The cross of jesus christ is the method by which god has ordained to bring you from the one state of the natural man living after the flesh into the new state of the spiritual man living and walking after the spirit through the cross of jesus christ that the penalty for your sin was taken care of through the cross of jesus christ our old nature can be put to death and we can live now in the power of the spirit [00:36:06]

You today can pass from death to life you today can pass from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the spirit you today can be set free from the past sins and the power of sin that is controlling your life you today can know things that you could never know before by being born again and having the spirit of god just open up this whole spiritual dimension to you [00:37:26]

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From Natural to Spiritual: Embracing New Life in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: The Blindness of the Natural Man

Day 2: The Rebirth of the Spiritual Man

Day 3: The Cross: A Symbol of Love and Reconciliation

Day 4: The Invitation to New Life

Day 5: Embracing the New Creation

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

From Natural to Spiritual: Embracing New Life in Christ

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