While looking at the book ‘Steps to Personal Revival’ I noticed that God’s Word differentiates between three groups of people in respect to their personal relationships with God. Within each of these groups there are many different shades depending on the parental training, character, training of oneself, age, culture, education, etc. But even with all the differences there are only three basic attitudes towards God:
i. No relationship – the Bible calls this the natural man.
ii. Full, real relationship – the Bible calls this person spiritual.
iii. Divided or feigned relationship – the Bible describes this as a person of the flesh or carnal.
The terms “natural“, “spiritual” and “carnal” in God’s Word are not evaluations in this case. They merely describe a person’s personal relationship to God.
These three groups are described in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-4. Right now we only want to touch lightly on the subject of the natural man. He lives in the world. A quick glance at the two groups within the church will help us realize where the problem is mainly hidden. The most important thing to realize is to which group you belong. Thus our examination also helps our self-diagnosis. We want to take a look at our own lives and not the lives of others.
What does Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins show us in respect to spiritual and carnal church members?
1) All 10 were virgins
2) Al had pure biblical beliefs
3) All had lamps
4) All had the Bible
5) All of them went to meet the bridegroom
6) All of them looked forward to the 2nd Coming
7) All of them went to sleep
8) All heard the call and woke up
9) All prepared their lamps
10) All the lamps where burning
11) Half of them noticed that there lamps were going out.
All of them prepared their lamps and all of the lamps were burning; but their lamps need oil. Energy was used. After a short time five of the noticed that that their lamps where going out. The lamps of the foolish virgins that only burned for a short time show us that they did have something from the Holy Spirit. But it wasn’t enough. There was too little oil. That was the only difference.
when the five came asking be let in. Jesus answered: “I do not know you.” They were too late in attending to the oil – the Holy Ghost. The door remained closed.
Jesus’ statement shows us that our personal relationship with Him has something to do with the Holy Ghost. Whoever doesn’t let himself be led by the Holy Ghost won’t be acknowledged by Jesus. In Romans 8:8-9 it says: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God……if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.”
Actually, we only have a real personal relationship with Jesus through the Holy Ghost. 1 John3:24 says: “And by this we know that He (Jesus) abides in us, by trhe Spirit whome He has given us”. This means that the assurance I have that I am filled with the Holy Ghost is at the same time the assurance that I am in Jesus and He is in me.
[Taken from the book titled “ Steps to Personal Revival” by Helmut Haubell]
Please grab a copy of the book from the ABC for yourselves.
Balcony Perspectives 