Deeper Life #156

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

—Matthew 5:19

JESUS TAUGHT THAT IF WE are to be spiritual we must sacrifice the natural, or physical and material, life. One of the greatest principles that we do not seem to grasp, but was very evident in our Lord’s life, is that the natural life is neither moral nor immoral; we make it moral or immoral.

Jesus says the natural life is meant for sacrifice. We give it as a gift to God. This is the way to become spiritual.

That is where Adam failed. He refused to sacrifice his natural life and make it spiritual by obeying God’s voice. Consequently, he sinned by insisting on his right to have his own way.

If we say, “I like this natural life. I do not want to be a saint. I do not want to sacrifice the natural life for the spiritual,” then Jesus says we barter the spiritual life we could have had. It is not a punishment. It is an eternal principle.

Spirituality is not a sweet tendency toward piety in bad people who do not have enough life in them to be bad. Spirituality is being possessed by the Holy Spirit of God, who makes the most corrupt and twisted, sin-stained life a truly spiritual life if He is obeyed.

Prayer Thought: I love You, Lord. Fill me with more of Your love.

SUGGESTED READING: Matthew 5:18–22