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Who Is the Spiritual Man?

“However, the spiritual man examines indeed all things, but he himself is not examined by any man. For ‘who has come to know the mind of Jehovah, that he may instruct him?’ (Isaiah 40:13) But we do have the mind of Christ.”—1 Corinthians 2:14-16

“I say to you that if your righteousness does not abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.”

Those were Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 5:20. And he said this just after saying what appeared to be in agreement with the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees regarding the Law:

“Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these least commandments and teaches mankind to that effect, he will be called ‘least’ in relation to the kingdom of the heaven.”

They were experts in keeping the letter of the Law—even beyond by giving a “tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin” while disregarding “the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness.”

The Pharisees had perfected a code of observance better than Roman Catholicism’s practice of indulgences and penence, a sort of credit-debit procedure like accountants use to determine profit and loss on the right and left of accounting ledgers, whereas to the layman there is no real profit or loss, right or wrong, good ot bad. (Matthew 23:23-24)

So while the Pharisees prided themselves in keeping the letter of the Law, Jesus remained “thoroughly grieved at the insensibility of their hearts,” and kept repeating to them the words of the prophets saying, “their hearts are far removed from me.” (Mark 3:5; 7:6-7; Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31; Jeremiah 3:10; Psalm 78:37; Hosea 7:14)

Whether born or proselytized, all male Jews had to have the forskins of their penises removed. It was a sign passed down from Abraham even though Abraham himself was not circumcized. And yet circumcision became the most contentious issue of the first century congregation. Why? Because while some viewed circumcision as a sign like the Law was a sign, to the physical man it meant everything, including salvation. So while laws and rules are always given, is it any wonder that there will always be those who abided by them while having no concept of their meaning?

For example when Moses wrote, “to serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul,” the outward sign was “to keep the commandments of Jehovah and his statutes that I am commanding you today, for your good” was it not? And when he said further “you must circumcise the foreskin of your hearts and not harden your necks any longer” was he not telling them to become more like Him “who treats none with partiality nor accepts a bribe, executing judgment for the fatherless boy and the widow and loving the alien resident so as to give him bread and a mantle?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-19)

And when Christ came to inaugerate the Christian congregation, did he not inspire Stephen to say, “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears, you are always resisting the holy spirit; as your forefathers did, so you do. Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute?” (Acts 7:51-52)

So really, while Paul fought the ‘dogs of circumcision’ whose only interest was to “mutilate the flesh,” his real intent was to reiterate what only the spiritual man could understand, “For we are those with the real circumcision, who are rendering sacred service by God’s spirit and have our boasting in Christ Jesus and do not have our confidence in the flesh,” (Philippians 3:3)

“But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and [his] circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code. The praise of that one comes, not from men, but from God.” (Romans 2:29)

“And he received a sign, namely, circumcision, as a seal of the righteousness by the faith he had while in his uncircumcised state, that he might be the father of all those having faith while in uncircumcision, in order for righteousness to be counted to them; and a father of circumcised offspring, not only to those who adhere to circumcision, but also to those who walk orderly in the footsteps of that faith while in the uncircumcised state which our father Abraham had.” (Romans 4:11-12)

“Circumcision does not mean a thing, and uncircumcision means not a thing, but observance of God’s commandments [does]. In whatever state each one was called, let him remain in it. Were you called when a slave? Do not let it worry you; but if you can also become free, rather seize the opportunity. For anyone in [the] Lord that was called when a slave is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he that was called when a freeman is a slave of Christ. you were bought with a price; stop becoming slaves of men.” (1 Corinthians 7:19-23)

Through The Eyes Of A Cat

Perhaps of all animals in the history of ancient civilization, nothing was less understood than the mind of the domestic cat. Indeed, as stupid, bumbling and foolhardy as so many seem to be (giving meaning to their supposed nine lives) I believe that domestic cats possess an intellect far beyond that which we give them credit for. One need only watch with what relentless patience they exercise to just get their way in even the smallest of things. And while the Bible often speaks of dogs, sheep, goats and camels, there is not even one mention of the domestic cat—not once.

Now admittedly the domestic cat comes in a variety of mysterious personas, from some being lazy and docile to others being absolute terrorists or just stark raving mad. Yet despite these idiosyncrasies cats also seem by nature to possess this strange desire to connect with humans on some intellectual level. Maybe they are intrigued by the various mundane tasks that humans carry out in their daily function, most disconcerting of which end up with those long staring matches which occur when we’re not certain whether they want something or are simply sizing you up for the next lesson they so desperately want you to learn, but for the lack of, causes them to finally depart, leaving you to shrug it off as of little consequence.

Of course there is to me a great spiritual message here in that while we are quick to judge our fellow humans as to their intended motives, rarely would we judge that of a cat as they sit patiently at the door, meow, and then proceed to tear into the rug or some piece of furniture to get our attention because they have no other way of communicating what we should have by now learned. And so we, in our frustration of torn furniture fabric, will open the door and heave them into the night—giving greater meaning to the expression, “just give me one more kick at the cat!”

In an even deeper spiritual sense, there seems to me an object lesson for those who too quickly judge by how they see things through their own eyes alone. Try seeing the human world through the eyes of a cat. Then try to imagine what gift they were given to be so patient with us—always waiting for us to do the right thing while never carrying a grudge very long for being so stupid as to not understand the nature God gave them.

And so the spiritual man, while he might lack many things in the eyes of the physical man, there is one thing that is not lacking. The spiritual man is working with what God gave him without pretence or prejudice, and he will always be patient with the physical man with the underlying hope he might one day see the light—the world as seen through the eyes of what God gives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rooyt3ptNco

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