What Is Spirituality?

By Charles C. Ryrie

[Charles C. Ryrie, Dean of Doctoral Studies and Professor of Systematic Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary.]

Oddly enough, the concept of spirituality, though the subject of much preaching, writing, and discussion, is seldom defined. Usually anything that approaches a definition will be in the nature of a description of the characteristics of spirituality, but one searches in vain in literature for a concise definition of the concept itself. The reason for this is that the concept includes several factors, and it is not easy to weave these together into a balanced definition. Too, the only verse in the Bible that approaches a definition is rather difficult of interpretation (1 Cor 2:15—”But he that is spiritual judgeth all things”). Consequently, it is avoided. Nevertheless, it is important to try to formulate a definition, for this is like the cornerstone which determines the shape of the entire building.

The Concept of Spirituality

Genuine spirituality involves three factors. The first is regeneration. No one can be spiritual in the biblical sense without having first experienced the new life that is freely given to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior. Spirituality without regeneration is reformation.

Second, the Holy Spirit is preeminently involved in producing spirituality. This is not to say that the other persons of the Godhead do not have their particular work in this, nor that the believer himself has no responsibility, nor that there are not other means of grace; but it is to affirm His major role in spirituality. The ministries of the Spirit involve teaching (John 16:12–15), guiding (Rom 8:14), assuring (Rom 8:16), praying (Rom 8:26), the exercise of spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:7), warring against the flesh (Gal 5:17), and all of these depend for their full manifestation on the filling of the Spirit (Eph 5:18).

To be filled with the Spirit means to be controlled by the Spirit. The clue to this definition is found in Ephesians 5:18 where there is contrast and comparison between drunkenness and Spirit-filling. It is the comparison which gives the clue, for just as a drunken person is controlled by the liquor which he consumes, so a Spirit-filled Christian is controlled by the Spirit. This will cause him to act in ways which are unnatural to him, not implying that such ways will be erratic or abnormal, but asserting that they will not be the ways of the old life. Control by the Spirit is a necessary part of spirituality.

The third factor involved in spirituality is time. If the spiritual person judges or examines or discerns all things (1 Cor 2:15), this must involve time in order to gain knowledge and to acquire experience for discerning all things. The Amplified Bible elaborates on the verse in this fashion: “He can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him.” This could not be accomplished overnight; it is something which is true only of a mature Christian.

In that word maturity I think we have the key to the concept of spirituality, for Christian maturity is the growth which the Holy Spirit produces over a period of time in the believer. To be sure, the same amount of time is not required for each individual, but some time is necessary for all. It is not the time itself which is determinative of maturity; rather it is the progress made and growth achieved which is all-important. Rate multiplied by time equals distance, so that the distance to maturity may be covered in a shorter time if the rate of growth is accelerated. And it will be accelerated if none of the control which ought to be given to the Holy Spirit is retained by self.

Here is a proposed definition of spirituality which attempts to be concise and at the same time to keep these above-discussed factors in mind. Spiritually is a mature and maturing relation to the Holy Spirit. While this may simply be another way of saying that spirituality is Christian maturity, it tries to delineate more openly the factors of Spirit-control over a period of time. Certainly the definition satisfies the requirements of the description of a spiritual man in 1 Corinthians 2:15, for one who is experiencing a grown-up relation to the Holy Spirit will be able to discern all things and at the same time not be understood by others.

If this be a correct definition, there are certain ramifications of it which ought to be thought through.

A new Christian cannot be called spiritual simply because he has not had sufficient time to grow and develop in Christian knowledge and experience. A new believer can be Spirit-controlled, but the area of control is subject to expansion in the normal process of Christian growth. A young Christian has not yet been confronted with many areas within the general sphere of Christian conduct, for instance; and while he may be completely willing to let the Spirit control his life and actions, he has not yet gained the experience and maturity that comes from having faced these problems and having made Spirit-controlled decisions about them. When he is first saved he may not even know that there is such a person as a weaker brother, and, although he may not be unwilling to curb his liberty for the sake of that brother, he has not yet faced the doing of it, to say nothing of having guided others into right decisions about such matters. Spirit-control may be total over the new Christian’s life insofar as he has knowledge of that life in his newborn state, but as his knowledge increases and his growth progresses, new vistas of life break upon him which must also be consciously yielded to God’s direction. Time to gain maturity is needed for genuine spirituality.

A Christian of longer standing may not be spiritual not because he has not had enough time but because during the years of his Christian life he has not allowed the Holy Spirit to control him. Whereas the new Christian may lack the time required to become spiritual, the believer of longer standing may be deficient in yieldedness. And without complete and continued control by the Spirit he cannot be spiritual. This, of course, was the burden of the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, for his readers were in this exact condition.

A Christian can backslide in certain areas of his life without losing all the ground he has gained during his Christian lifetime. The flesh may control his actions during a period of backsliding, but when he comes back to the Lord he does not necessarily have to start the process of growth all over again. For example, a believer may backslide with regard to personal Bible study, but when he comes back to it he will not have forgotten everything he formerly knew. However, this principle does not apply in every area of life, for there are some aspects of living, such as fidelity in marriage, which if violated can never be fully redeemed. The sin can be forgiven, fellowship restored, but the ground lost cannot be recovered.

There are stages of growth within the area of maturity. The best illustration is that of the human being who, though in adulthood, continues to grow, develop, and mature. The spiritual man who is experiencing a grown-up relation to the Holy Spirit is not stagnant in his Christian life, for he also has a growing relationship in his walk with the Lord. Although we never arrive at perfection in this life, it is also true that we never ascend to a plateau above and beyond which there is no further ground to gain. Spirituality, then, is a mature and a growing relationship to the Spirit.

The state of babyhood need not last long. Let no one try to take refuge in a fraudulent kind of piety which demeans or ignores the processes of growth that have advanced him to a state of maturity which he refuses to recognize. False humility is sometimes the reason for such lack of recognition of maturity which has actually been achieved. After all, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians those believers were about four or five years old in the faith, and he expected them to be spiritual by that time. He makes it quite clear that, although when he was with them he could not speak to them as spiritual people (for they were then babes in Christ), he fully anticipated that by the time he wrote this letter to them they would have matured to the point where he could address them as spiritual (1 Cor 3:1–2). With the passing of only a few years, babyhood should also disappear.

The Characteristics of Spirituality

Spirituality is more easily characterized than defined. And in these biblical characteristics of spirituality we have concrete tests by which one may determine whether or not he is spiritual.

Spirituality will be seen in one’s character. If spirituality involves control by the Spirit (Eph 5:18), and if the Spirit has come to glorify Christ (John 16:14), then a spiritual person will manifest Christ in his character and actions. To glory is to show, display, or manifest. The evidence that the Holy Spirit is in control of a life is not found in manifestations of the Spirit, but in the display of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22–23) is a perfect description of the character of Christ; thus, the Christian who is spiritual will display love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. These are the traits that will describe his character.

In his conduct the spiritual believer will imitate Christ. One of the wrong emphases in victorious life teachings today demeans this aspect of the truth. We are told not to imitate Christ since this involves striving which is a work of the flesh; rather, we should simply allow Christ to live out His life through us. Actually it is not a question of one view or the other; both ideas are scriptural. Christ lives in me, and the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God (Gal 2:20), but I am also exhorted to “follow His steps” (1 Pet 2:21) and to walk as He walked (1 John 2:6). Obviously if the Holy Spirit is allowed to produce the character of Christ in an individual, the life that he lives will imitate Christ. One of the most rewarding studies in the Gospels is to note the details of our Lord’s life which we as His followers would do well to imitate.

Spirituality will be seen in one’s knowledge. The strong meat of the Word of God belongs to mature Christians (Heb 5:14), and Paul expected the Corinthians after four or five years of Christian experience to be able to understand strong meat of the Word. The milk of the Word is for babes in Christ, and Paul does not scold the Corinthians for feeding on milk when they were first converted. But when their diet continued to consist only of milk, he, like the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, denounces them as defective Christians. What is meat truth? Of course, the Bible does not label passages milk or meat so it is not always easy to answer that question. However, one subject is clearly designated meat, and that is the matter which reminded the writer to the Hebrews of the inability of his readers to understand what he was writing about. And that subject is the truth about Melchisedek and his priesthood (Heb 5:10–11). Here is an example from the Bible itself of the meat of the Word, and it may rightly be used as a test of one’s spirituality.

Spirituality will be seen in one’s attitudes. A spiritual Christian will exhibit at least two basic attitudes throughout life. The first is an attitude of thankfulness. “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:20). This admonition follows the command to be filled with the Spirit (v. 18) and is thereby one of the characteristics of a Spirit-filled life. It is to be an all-inclusive attitude in the life of the believer. It should apply at all times (“always”) and in all situations (“for all things”). No time and no circumstance is expected. This means that grumbling, carping criticism, discontent, etc., will not characterize a spiritual Christian. This does not mean he can never be discontented in the proper exercise of godly ambition nor that he should never criticize in the sense of exercising discernment (Phil 1:9–10). But the kind of attitude that blames God for that which we do not like or that is vexed with His dealings with us is not a characteristic of genuine spirituality.

The other attitude of life which characterizes the spiritual Christian is, in the words of Paul, that of “endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:3). This is not entirely a positional matter; that is, it does not only relate to the unity within the body of Christ which the Holy Spirit has brought about by baptizing every believer into that body (1 Cor 12:13). It is true that we could never make such unity, but we are exhorted to endeavor to keep it. The very fact that the word keep is used shows that the unity has been made by the Spirit, but the fact that there is also an exhortation shows that we must not disrupt that unity. Obviously, there is no problem about keeping unity with members of the body of Christ who have predeceased me; nor is there any difficulty in maintaining unity with those other Christians whom I do not know or with whom I have no contact. Therefore, the only sphere in which this exhortation has any relevance is the group of believers with whom I am thrown in contact. And it goes without saying that there are many practical problems in trying to keep the unity of the Spirit among believers I know—and the same is true for believers who know me. But, difficult as this may be, it is a requirement of spirituality.

It was the lack of this attitude that called forth Paul’s scathing denunciation of the Corinthians (1 Cor 3:1–7; cf. 1:12–13). Disunity had developed among believers who should have been worshipping together. Actually, there were four parties in Corinth (1:12). The “Paul Party” was perhaps a large group in the church who had been converted under Paul and who continued to adhere to him. But as is often the case, they seemed disposed to be more Pauline than Paul was and to disparage other gifted men, all of which resulted in detracting from the glory of Christ. The “Apollos Party” (Acts 18:24–28) also contained some personal converts as well as those who had been won over by Apollos’ genial manner and eloquent preaching. Some may have followed him because they considered his teaching more advanced than Paul’s plain gospel preaching or they were attracted to his more cultured manner. The “Peter Party” would undoubtedly have been composed of conservative Jewish believers who rallied to the hero of Pentecost. The “Christ Party” was perhaps the most difficult to get along with, for those in this group prided themselves on being His followers, not any mere man’s disciples. They were Gnostics before Gnosticism, and they unquestionably strutted their supposed spiritual superiority before all.

This is the kind of situation, attitude, and activity that Paul unhesitatingly labels “carnal” (1 Cor 3:3), for it broke the unity of the Spirit.

However, this is an area in which there needs to be very carefully balanced thinking, for all division is not necessarily wrong, and all unions are not per se right. In the same epistle (11:19) Paul said: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” The noun heretic is used one time in the New Testament (Titus 3:10), but the adjective is used twice (here and Gal 5:20 where the action is condemned as a work of the flesh). The word means a willful choosing for one’s self which results in a party division. Even though heresy is a work of the flesh which is often performed by a carnal Christian, it may be used for good so that those who are not involved in heresy will stand out in the churches. But heresy seems to involve the espousal of error which in turn causes the division. In such instances the heretic is to be admonished twice, then ignored (Titus 3:11), while the part of the divided group that did not follow the error goes on demonstrating its purity of doctrine by abounding in the work of the Lord. Thus to put in balance 1 Corinthians 3:1–5 and 11:19 we may say this: divisions involving heresy may be good and necessary, but divisions over personalities are carnal.

Thankfulness at all times and in all circumstances and the maintenance of unity in that part of the body of Christ with which I live and am concerned with all of the implications pertaining thereto are the two basic attitudes of life that must characterize genuine, biblical spirituality.

Spirituality will be seen in one’s conduct. Spirituality is also demonstrated in one’s self by proper conduct which is the result of the correct, discerning, and mature use of knowledge (Heb 5:13–14). We have already noticed that knowledge of the Word including meat truth is a prerequisite for spirituality, but such knowledge must be used properly in order to be spiritual. The readers of the Epistle to the Hebrews were unskillful in the word of righteousness (v. 13 ); that is, the word concerning uprightness in both doctrine and practice. As a result, they were unable to discern between good and evil (v. 14). This should not be limited to things morally good or evil, but includes things superior versus inferior, things better versus those things which are best. A spiritual Christian will be able to tread his way carefully through the complexities of Christian living so that he not only does that which is right and scriptural but also that which is useful and for the good of others.

Notice that again in this passage the matter of time is involved in maturity or spirituality. These people had had time to use and exercise their spiritual senses though they had not done so. But time is required to reach this state and achieve the ability to use God’s Word skillfully.

Spirituality will be seen in one’s home. The easiest place in which to be spiritual is in public; the most difficult is at home. The relationships of the home are intimate and continuous, while our activities and impressions made in public are intermittent and casual. This axiomatic reminder is especially necessary for Christian workers who too often can make a show of professional spirituality in public ministry while living a carnal life at home.

Again it is the Ephesian passage concerning the filling of the Spirit (5:18–21) which provides the biblical basis for this characteristic of spirituality. The command to be filled with the Spirit (v. 18) is followed by four coordinate phrases each of which begins with a participle. Together they constitute results or characteristics of the Spirit-filled life. The four participles are speaking, singing (v. 19), giving thanks (v. 20), and submitting (v. 21), and the last is not only the conclusion to verses 18–21 but it is also the topic sentence to that which follows beginning in verse 22. In other words, submission which is an evidence of the filling of the Spirit will be seen in the relationships of the home most vividly.

The word submit means to place one’s self in a subordinate rank. This means distinctive things for the husband and for the wife in the home, but both are to be submissive to one another (not just the wife to the husband as is commonly taught). For the husband it involves at least three things. (1) He is to lead, for he is the head of the wife (v. 23). This does not make him a dictator, but the responsible leader of the family who not only has the privilege of making the final decision but also the responsibility. (2) He is to love his wife (v. 25). A man needs this reminder, for he by nature is prone to be less demonstrative if not less loving than a woman. (3) He is to nurture his wife (v. 29). The word translated nourish means to bring to maturity and is used in the New Testament in this verse and in 6:4 only. The word cherish means to warm and in the New Testament it is used only here and in 1 Thessalonians 2:7. The point is simply that the husband is ultimately responsible for helping bring to spiritual maturity his wife and family. The contemporary tragedy is simply that usually the opposite is the case. It is too often the wife who is spiritually astute and who is forced, so to speak, to pull her husband along. Both should be spiritually keen, and it is the husband’s responsibility to take the leadership in this most important matter.

The spiritual wife will be subject to the leadership of her husband (vv. 22, 24). In other words, she will not work at cross purposes with her husband’s leadership in the family. This does not mean that she has no voice, for the husband is a presiding officer over the members of the family (that word is used in 1 Tim 3:4).

Spirituality will be seen in one’s church. The other principal area in which personal spirituality will be demonstrated is the church. We have already seen that a spiritual person will try to keep the unity of the Spirit in the sphere with which he is chiefly concerned—his own local church. A factious spirit is carnality.

The positive contribution a spiritual Christian will bring to the church is through the exercise of his spiritual gifts. The immature Christian promotes division; the mature one, unity through the use of his gifts (1 Cor 12:25). It goes without saying, then (or does it?), that the church member who is always creating problems and who constantly demands to be catered to is not a genuinely spiritual person. But the one who is serving the Lord by promoting the welfare of the church is evincing a mature spiritual life. Accusing the brethren is the work of the devil (Rev 12:10); caring for the brethren is the work of the Lord through His mature children.

This is genuine and wholesome spirituality. The concept is that of a mature and maturing relationship to the Holy Spirit which will be demonstrated in one’s personal life. This is biblical spirituality.