"Spiritual or Unspiritual?"

  It seems to happen more and more. I hear people speaking of congregations they worship with saying how "dead" or "unspiritual" the congregation is. I know things might not be what we expect and there may be those who have no clue what it means to walk with the Lord and love the Lord but to condemn the whole, that is walking on dangerous ground.

  When you inquire further of what an unspiritual congregation is like, many relate to some experience they had with another congregation they thought was spiritual. They begin a comparison.  But what they relate most of the time is the activities and programs that are being done. People relate spiritual with externals many of the time. It makes me wonder if those who call a congregation unspiritual or dead really knows what spiritual means?

  Here's what we need to understand. If one is calling a congregation unspiritual, who might really be the unspiritual in that case? Would the spiritual condemn the whole? Would the spiritual speak against leadership knowing the word of the Lord says not to do that? Would the spiritual take an attitude with others?

  Spiritual brethren help those who are not as spiritual! "Now we who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves." (Rom. 15:1) Spiritual people are not out to please themselves. A self-pleaser will have an attitude but not that of Christ Jesus. "Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of the Father." (Rom. 15:7) There's what a spiritual person would do! Jesus dealt with unspiritual men called apostles and they took His message to a lost world loving the Lord's body! Jesus didn't quit or take an attitude toward these men when they failed. He accepted them to God's glory!

  Let's think of it this way. How would you react if you were at the church in Corinth? Here is what you would call an unspiritual congregation with so many problems. Fighting over preachers, adultery, law suits, complaints, comparing people with others, abusers of those who had little, inconsiderate, loveless and abusers of God's spiritual gifts. For those who complain about a dead congregation, how would they fit in at Corinth? They would quit!! What did Paul do with these brethren? "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling..." (I Cor. 1:2) Paul addresses them as God's church, as those sanctified in Christ Jesus and they were saints!!! In fact, just read the first nine verses of chapter one and you will see a spiritual man viewing God's people with all these problems. Everything depends on whose eyes you are looking through: Jesus' or self! A spiritual person will do what they can to help and help mold attitudes to those of Christ Jesus. An unspiritual person will complain, carry a chip on their shoulder, do little to lift a finger or even quit. Would that be a fleshly move or spiritual move? Are you spiritual or unspiritual?