What Is Spiritual Life? 1/2

Written over a century ago, but still true - ed.

The phrase "spiritual life" is in common use, but relative to its meaning, the children of God do not all speak the same thing. Consequently, the question "what is spiritual life?" is one of deep importance, both experimentally and practically considered. 

In our present state, we cannot know anything concerning the essence of life, whether natural or spiritual. Neither can we know anything of the essence of matter. Such knowledge is too wonderful for us. And for aught we are aware, it's possessed only by him who created "out of nothing" the substances of universal being, both material and immaterial. Our present inquiry, therefore, does not relate to the essence or spiritual life, but to those things which are revealed concerning its origin, possession, and distinctive characteristics. In the above question, a twofold comparison with natural life is implied. First by way of analogy and secondly by way of contrast. This comparison is so well understood, that the mind of a Christian, as if by intuition, expresses the idea that "of this spiritual life as of the natural, there is growth and progress." And the same mind readily regards this spiritual life as having its own peculiar faculties, and as "yielding" all its faculties by Him whose death it was procured, and by whose power and grace it was implanted.

On entering upon our subject, it should be observed that spiritual life is in the true and direct meaning of words of divine origin. But to guard against misapprehension, it must also be observed and born in mind that deity is incommunicable. The essence, attributes, and prerogatives of deity are and can be, possessed only by the adorable Trinity in unity, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But that there is. a communicable,1 an emulative. and generative life in Deity is one of the revealed mysteries of God, and therefore, of the Christian faith. This life and its communication are attributed alike to it out of the divine persons in the unity of eternal Godhead, and it is especially shown to be imparted by the Holy Spirit in regeneration.

In endeavoring to supply an answer from the oracles of God to the question what is spiritual life we observe:

1. Spiritual life, considered in its radical principle, is the incorruptible seed, the seed of God. I Peter 1.23. I John. 3.9.

The Apostle John distinguishes between the entire persons of the children of God, and that living and spiritual principle or substance, by virtue of which they are sons of God. In so doing he speaks of "whosoever is born of God," and also "whatsoever is born of God." And the ideas of these distinguishable but inseparable realities, in other words, the seminal principle of spiritual life, and the person to whom that principle has been communicated, are by him thus presented: "Whoever is born of God does not commit sin. For His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

Man is a corruptible being. And the children of men are born "of corruptible seed." But God is the incorruptible God, and his children are born again of "incorruptible seed" by or through the word of God "which lives and abides forever." It is most certain that the truth of the gospel is the instrument through which they are begotten again, but that truth is inseparable from the person of the Incarnate Word who is of "the Truth." The truth of the gospel is living truth purely by virtue of its being identified with the living "Word of God," the "Word of Life." Therefore, while the truth of the gospel is the medium of spiritual generation, and maybe thus regard it as an instrumentally conveying the seminal principle of spiritual life, it would be most unwise to confound in our minds the spiritual instrument of conveyance with the incorruptible seed of God who "is Spirit."

2. Spiritual life in itself considered, is spirit. John 3.6. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." Our Lord, before uttering this divine statement, had said to Nicodemus that except the man be born again, he cannot see, perceive the Kingdom of God. He had thus spoken of the necessity of a new and second in spiritual birth. And he had thus expressed the idea of both analogy and contrast. Analogy in respect to natural generation as the origin and commencement of natural existence, and contrast in respect of spiritual generation as the origin and commencement of spiritual being.

When he said "that which is born of the flesh is flesh," He included in that saying the entireness of man's natural being, and also the evil moral qualities and moral condition entitled by human generation. And when he thus spoke of the procreative energy, and the offspring of the flesh, he used no metaphor nor figure of speech. Neither did he employ any figure of speech when he added, "And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." A contrast, both physical and moral, is intended and expressed between the offspring "of the Spirit" and the offspring of "the Flesh."

In vain the Divine Teacher had said to Nicodemus, "Marvel not that I say unto you, you must be born again," he added. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound thereof, but you cannot tell when it comes and where it goes, so is everyone who was born of the Spirit." He had before spoken of a new and spiritual element of personal being. "that which is born of the Spirit," and here he speaks of the persons who, by virtue of that new element, are declared to be themselves "born of the Spirit;" and of them, he affirms that they are incomprehensible by the intelligence and wisdom of the natural mind. It may possibly be thought that in a passage above our Lord is speaking of the mysteriousness of the Holy Spirit's operations, and that it is these he affirms to be incomprehensible. But his words are "so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." And as a manifest evidence of this statement, the unintelligent reply of Nicodemus was "How can these things be?" His former question rose from his having supposed a second natural birth to have spoken of, but this mistake was immediately corrected. Our Lord showed him that he did in truth speak of the necessity of a second birth, but of a birth that is both new and spiritual.2

This necessity he enforced by saying "that which is born of the Flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." He intimated that this doctrine ought not to have excited the wonder of one who was himself a teacher of Israel, and as such, a leader of the popular mind in the paths of reputed orthodoxy. And he further affirmed, as before noticed, that everyone who was born of the spirit is a being who is incomprehensible by human intelligence. But the perplexity and amazement of Nicodemus were only, and greatly so, increased by this fuller statement of the doctrinal spiritual generation. And hence, his unenlightened reply; his skeptical examination.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a teacher of Israel and may be deemed to have been acquainted with the writings of the prophets. In those writings, God had made promises to Israel of a "new heart" and "a new spirit." He also, in some instances, used similitudes to describe the moral qualities and the experimental and practical effects of the same "new spirit." But Nicodemus had not in respect to those promises, distinguished between a spiritual substance and its moral qualities, nor between real causes and their corresponding effects. He had taken all those passages in the writings of the prophets to be simply metaphorical, that is, if he had it all regarded them, and he held them to denote a great moral change, supposed to consist in a readjustment of the faculties of the human soul. He had never learned that the flesh profits nothing, and that, however brought upon and modified, it is still flesh and not spirit. Therefore, when he fully knew that, the divine teacher inculcated the Doctrine of a second, a new and spiritual birth. He was filled with wonder.

But had Nicodemus understood our Lord's to speak of a metaphorical second birth, a moral change in the state and activities of the human soul, rather than a new and spiritual element of personal being, this doubtless would have been no such novelty to his mind, as have excited his wondering incredulity. His philosophy could undoubtedly have mastered the conception of such a great change. But the utmost exercise of his natural wisdom could not comprehend "one who is born of the Spirit."

His confusion of thought and of feeling was perfectly known to the Divine Teacher. But he did not seek to relieve his perplexed inquirer and to reduce the mental chaos to order and harmony by intimating that his words were to be taken figuratively and not literally. He only added to the force and effect of his previous statements, and at the same time conveyed to the mind of Nicodemus a keen but merciful rebuke. As calling a question his ministerial competency and reproving his ignorance and unbelief, he answered and said unto him, "Are you a teacher of Israel and know not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto you, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and you will receive not our witness."

3. Spiritual life is identical with the "new man." The descriptive definition of spiritual life in Ephesians 4.24 is the following, "The new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Herein a distinction is made between the "new man" and "the righteousness and true holiness," in which after God he is created or constituted. This distinction is one that is properly and wisely made between a substance and its ascertained properties; a subject and its known qualities. The new man is the spiritual substance, the living subject; "righteousness and true holiness" are his moral qualities, and they answered to the excellencies of God, and so constitute his image as it is said "the new man, which is renewed in unto knowledge after the image of him that created him" Colossians 3.10.

Spiritual life is thus known to be more than the image of God, even as a living substance is more than its known qualities. And this distinction between a new man and the image of God. In which he is constituted will be illustrated by a reference to the case of man as his first creation when he was made. In the image of God. In this case, the man and the image of God were not only distinguishable but were separable also. But while the image of God is distinguishable, it is also inseparable from the "new man," as it consists in the intrinsic and essential moral qualities of spiritual life; even that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

4. The spiritual life is also identical with the "inner man" Romans 7.22; II Corinthians. 4.16; Ephesians 3.16.

The Law of God is spiritual. It is also "holy, just, and good." And everyone who is born of the Spirit delights in that law "after the inward man." All the activities of spiritual life are ever in accordance with the "good and acceptable and perfect will of God," and hence its manifestations are in all "goodness and righteousness and truth." Its special activities are in the way of faith, hope, and love, and its various and godly manifestations are in the work of faith and of labor of love and patience of hope of our Lord. Jesus Christ in the sight of God, even our Father. It should, however, be borne in mind that the inner man is in itself considered, has no innate vigor, no inherent power of action and manifestation. Every merely created being has its assigned degree of constitutional and active energy, but that which is born of the Spirit has no constitutional energy whatever. It is the perfection of weakness, and is preeminently distinguished by susceptibility and capacity, a capacity suited and designed to be filled with all the fullness of God. God is its vigor, the sufficiency for thought and affection, for volition and action, and for enjoyment and manifestation. And so it is written "My strength is made perfect in weakness," and "it is God that works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure."

The apostle Paul had a special regard to this truth when he said, "I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and the length and the depth and the height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. That you might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

This passage is further of exceeding importance because in it is so clearly and fully recognized the distinction which subsists between "the Spirit of God" and "the inner man." 

The Holy Spirit is God, and as observed deity is incommunicable. But spiritual life is a constituent element of personal being in the case of everyone who is born of the Spirit. Most thoughtfully, therefore, should we ever distinguish between the Holy Spirit and the "inner man." But we should also as thoughtfully bear in mind that they are inseparably united. In whosoever spiritual life exists, in him, the Spirit of God dwells and acts as in his holy habitation, and as in the subject of his gracious power. The degree of energy put forth by him in the spiritual life of a saint may be less or greater according to the ordained principles and methods of this imparted and realized sufficiency. This truth will serve to illustrate both the meaning and the object of the intercessory prayer of the apostle Paul, that God would grant unto the saints, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man. And through this same truth, all saints may learn how they may realize, and thus be able to manifest invigorated spiritual life.

5. Spiritual life is distinctly called the spirit. Romans 8.10 Galatians 5.16., 17, 22., 23, 25. 

The union subsisting between the Holy Spirit and that which is born with him is constantly assumed and proceeded on by the inspired writer of the Christian revelation. That union is original and indissoluble.

The Holy Ghost, the Comforter, as distinguished from the Father and the Son in the unity of Godhead, is frequently called the Spirit. The spiritual life of the saint as contrasted with "the flesh," is so repeatedly called "the Spirit." Moreover, the Holy Spirit and the spiritual life of the saint. are frequently spoken of in the same passage and are denoted by one and the same appellation, "the Spirit." Reflection and justice crimination are therefore necessary to our perceiving every instance in which that which is "born of the Spirit" is also called "the spirit." 

As a general rule, however, when this phrase is applied to the person and state of the saint and is thus contrasted with "the flesh," it means the spiritual life of the saint. For example, "The flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other. So that you cannot do the things that you would." Here the flesh and the spirit are mentioned as coexisting elements in the person of the saint as present, and are shown to be antagonistic the one to the other. And it is from this coexistence of essential contraries that the inward moral conflict arises, which the children of God are painfully conscious, and in which the moral conflict a great portion of their internal history consists. "The works of the flesh," in their evil and discordant manifestations, are also contrasted with the "fruit of the Spirit" and the unity of its harmonious excellencies, Galatians 5.19, 23. The moral evils enumerated under the former description are personal evils. And the Spiritual Excellencies commended under the latter are personal virtues. The former or the works of "the old man;" the latter or the fruits of the "new man."

That the Holy Spirit is not predicated of in the passages now referred to will be immediately perceived. For it could not be said of him that he is engaged in an agonizing conflict with the flesh, of which conflict the saint is himself painfully conscious. Neither could it be said of him that he bears the fruit which is the combined excellence of the experimental and practical character of a saint of God. But it is at the same time most true, that he is originally the communicator of spiritual life. So also is he in perpetuity its sustaining and prevailing energy in respect to the saint's inward conflict with moral evil. You just by virtue of his indwelling and power, that the sons of God are overcomers, characteristically overcomers, and that they have their "fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life."

6. Spiritual life is the communicable life of Christ. Romans 8.10; I Corinthians 6.17; 15.45, 48; Galatians 2.20.

The doctrine of "Christ our life," is the central orb of light in God's system of truth concerning the salvation of his church. The teaching of the Holy Spirit ever presents the Lord Jesus as the depository center and head of life; that is, of new and spiritual life. And this life is also shown to be in all who are in Christ. He lives in them, as it is said, "I live yet not I, but Christ lives in me;" and again, "he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit."

When the apostle Paul treats argumentatively of the resurrection of the dead in Christ, he institutes a contrast between the state of that which is sown and of that which is raised. This contrast extends to a diversity of embodied constitution. And the opposite conditions indicated he accounts for by saying, "And so it is written. The first Adam man, Adam was made a living soul. The last Adam was made a quickening spirit." And he proceeds to show. that the progressive order of God, according to his eternal counsel; is "first that which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual.” Our minds are thus led to consider the two opposite spring heads of distinctive and contrasted being; the first man Adam and "the last Adam." The word natural, however, in the above reference does not correctly represent the ideas and fact contemplated by the apostle.

The original word an adjective is derived from the word translated soul, just as the word spiritual is to arrive from the word spirit by the addition of the adjectival termination. And there is no word found in the original of the passage which can be correctly translated nature. So also is there is no word which can be correctly translated or rendered natural. This letter term, therefore, was used by our translators not because it is in meaning equivalent to the original word, but because they knew of no English word more appropriate. This warrant of an appropriate word may, however, be accounted for by the genius and working of philosophy and vain deceit.

But the difficulty thus occasioned. Maybe readily obviated by forming an English adjective to correspond to the original. And after the example, the word spiritual. The Spirit's spiritual soul. Solo. This latter term most correctly represents the original word translated "natural." We are now able to distinguish clearly between a souual life, and being a spiritual life. And the being.

Solual life, which is commonly called natural life, is that which is derived from Adam, who by creation became a living soul and was in the wisdom of God constituted, capable of imparting and thus multiplying the soul life of which he possessed. This imparted life is originally possessed of the power of embodying itself in an organism suited to its own nature and is derived from Adam as from a sinful and mortal progenitor.

Spiritual life is the communicable and imparted life of Christ, the last Adam, the life-giving Spirit. It is communicated from him, and yet it is in him and is inseparable from himself, and therefore it is and can be possessed only in real and spiritual union with him.

The contrast between Adam and the Incarnate Son of God is further stated thus: "The first man is of out of the earth, earthy. The second man is the Lord from heaven."

The immediate origin of the entire living substance of the first man is just declared to be Earth through life which he possessed as the creature of God was an immaterial but solual life. This his foundation and origin is contrasted with the original and heavenly state and the eternal Deity of him who in the fullness of time became "the second man."

This contrast having been thus instituted, we have further the following statement: "As is the earthy, such are they. as which our earthy. And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.3

Endnotes

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1 It is written "vain man would be wise," &c. And some of the ancient philosophers, as Socrates, Plato, and others attributed to themselves and to all men, an essentially eternal and immortal life, which they held to be an emanation not only from but of Deity.  Their chief doctrines were that mind and matter are the same uncreated and eternal, that mind originally formed and organized and still sustaining matter ins its existing manifestations; that eternal mind is Deity, and that the soul of all men is discrete portions of that same eternal mind.  These were their doctrines concerning God the heavens and the earth, the souls of men, and the immortality of the souls.

They did not by searching find out God, neither by their wisdom did they know him; nor did they conceive a thought of truth, that in the beginning, God created out of nothing, the universe of both matter and mind; nor did they know that all men are by nature children of wrath, but in their vanity of their mind, they assumed themselves the dignity of being, by nature, participants int eh life and immortality of God.

2 In repeating the necessity of a second but new and spiritual birth. The Lord employed a simile, water to denote the necessity of death and of the cleansing power of death. That is, he thereby alluded to the necessity of his own dead. As a sub, as our substitute. And as the medium through which the new life must be imparted and developed. And also to the necessity of the ultimate death of the flesh in the case of the children of God, in order to be reembodiment and mature manifestation of the life of the spirit, and in order to their entrance into the Kingdom of God. But he dropped the simile when he said that which is born of the spirit is spirit, and thus declared both the nature and the moral qualities and character of the life which is imparted in regeneration. The use of the above simile and its application to the death of Christ will be found to be illustrated in observing John 13.24, Romans 6.3..6. Colossians 2.12

3 The heathen philosophers, before mentioned in their blindness, ascribed a heavenly and even a divine origin to man. They spoke of the soul of man as being an emanation of deity, and therefore as being an essentially immortal, an indistinguishable principle, and as being, for the same reason, capable of an unlimited degree of self. Culture. They vainly amused themselves and their confiding disciples with the notion that death could never prove to be more than a change in a mode of human existence. For that they were as gods and by philosophical self-culture were capable of rising into fellowship and unity with the Supreme Felicity, Glory, and dominion of the Eternal Mind. And they indulged in these vain speculations on the assumed and baseless supposition, that their souls were derived immediately from God, even by a direct emanation of his own essential and immortal life.  Thus they thought and speculated because they knew nothing of the wisdom of God, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory.