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Some people have asked me what I meant by the phrase, “spiritual retardation”. Some have taken issue with the coined phrase, so in the interest of cultural “sensitivity”…I am changing it to “spiritually challenged”. It has nothing to do with intelligence or IQ. It has nothing to do with the level of education or how much you have read. It has nothing to do with “physical” characteristics. What it has to do is with the condition of the natural man and his inability to comprehend spiritual concepts and truths. Everyone is “challenged” in one thing or another. I am “technically challenged”. Watch me try to program a remote control. Some people a “physically challenged”. Some people are “analytically challenged.” But everyone is born into this world is to some degree or another …”spiritually challenged”. Let me give you an example. Jesus is talking to Nicodemus as recorded in John 3:1. Nicodemus asks Jesus, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher from God; for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him”. Jesus replies, “Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Here is an example of being “spiritually challenged”. Nicodemus quite confused, answers, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” It had gone completely over his head. He didn’t have a clue. The good point is that this condition does not have to be permanent. It all depends on you. Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Those who seek him…shall find him. Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.” Suddenly a little light pops on in your head and you say…”Now I understand, how could I possibly not have understood that?” Two people are sitting in the front row during a sermon. They hear an exposition on John 3:16. One guy thinks, "My life is busy...and yet empty. I really need God." The other guy heard the same thing and thinks, "The Dallas Cowbay games is in 15 minutes."
Most of the world’s most brilliant and intelligent people have fallen into this category of “spiritually challenged”. As I said the first reason for this condition is the fallen nature of the race of Adam. The Bible says that we came into this world “spiritually dead” but in Christ we are “quickened” or “made alive. That is what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus that “he must be born again” . Another problem, besides the fallen nature of man’s spirit, is “spiritual atrophy”. If you never used your physical body, then its weakened condition would prevent you from being able to perform some actions. The muscles would have to get used to a variety of movements and motions to be able to properly function. If you never used your mental capabilities, the ability to use deductive reasoning would have to be learned. When an individual, such as an atheist, refuses to even consider their “spiritual” nature even exists, is it not a wonder that they would be incapable of understanding even the simplest spiritual truth or precept. Just as an example, Thomas Paine and Thomas Jefferson were brilliant men, but also men who were “spiritually challenged”. Reading some of the works of John Calvin, they both replied, “I could never agree with someone who believes in three Gods.” The trinity is not three Gods, anymore than an egg white, yolk and shell...are three eggs. Concepts that could be clearly understood by a child, were like a foreign language to them. They could read the same Bible that others read and see nothing but disconnected tidbits and data from history, and stories that they believe myth. The patterns and message of the Bible was completely lost to them.
The prophet Isaiah speaks of this condition, “Hearing, you will hear and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of the people have grown dull, their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes have closed”.
Jesus gives an analogy of this in Matthew 13:18, the “Parable of the Sower”. “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he that received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he that hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received the seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. Be he who received the word on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
So, how can the condition of the soil (the condition of the heart) be changed to receive the seed of the word? (I am using the analogy of the parable) First, Are they truly seeking to know the truth? Nicodemus wanted to know the truth. At first he doesn’t understand, but as he seeks “wisdom and understanding”…he finds both. Many do not want to know the truth. They want answers which fit their preconceived worldview. Answers that feed their ego. Second, I think that God tills the soil of the heart before the seed is sown. Does he do that to everyone. No. Why, well that is an entirely different theological issue regarding predestination and election. And after all these years, I still wrestle with most of these concepts. I do believe though that before I finally came to Christ, that someone was praying for me, and even though I had heard the gospel hundreds of times before…the “soil” of my heart was right, so that the seed of the word would take root and bear fruit. It seems that timing is everything with God.
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Posted by journeyman on 2008-05-24 02:00:31 | Rating: | Views: 195
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This is the only post I've read of yours and so I know nothing of your coined "spiritually retarded" label, but it seems to me that "spiritually challenged," which is likely a P.C. way of repeating the first remark, is misplaced as well.
If a new age pseudo Buddhist were to say that "we must transform the matter of this world to light," would not the average person be confused by this, not understanding the deeper symbolism of consciousness and enlightenment that this statement holds for that person.
I don't believe the fact that the man in your story had never heard the word "born" used to describe anything other than childbirth indicates a problem with his spirit.
Not understanding another's terminology or point of view does not, in my opinion, denote anything more than lack of exposure.
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Posted by FauxReal
on 2008-06-11 09:41:33
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Actually Nicodemus was raised a Pharisee in the teachings of the Tenach (Law, Writings and Prophets) as well as the early teachings of the Kabala (the more mystic Jewish philosophy)and was a members of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Two people can sit and hear the exact same words..one will understand on a spiritual level..and one will not understand any thing said accept on a purely superficial and material level. Buddhism calls this "enlightenment". Some things go beyond just physical language and terminology. What I meant in the concept of "spiritually challenged", goes back to what Jesus said, "You must be born again". One of the basic fundamentals of Christianity, is that we call come into this world "broken" spiritually and to truly have an understanding .."enlightenment", God wants to fix that problem. The message of the Bible never was to reform society, but to re-form the heart of man. Jesus said he was "the Light of the World". That is "enLIGHTenment".
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Posted by journeyman
on 2008-06-15 00:26:47
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If God wants to 'fix' us because we are 'broken', your words, does this not mean he made us broken? Is this not the definition of incompetence?
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Posted by freethinker
on 2008-06-23 10:23:25
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I don't agree w/ freethinker's tone but I do agree with his notion, if he is alluding to how absurd it seems that we are born in need of repair. I see a beautiful world with wonderfully challenging problems to be solved. I see my beautiful child with pure untapped potential to meet and possibly solve the issues that she perceives as problematic. I hope that she goes forth confidently without ever feeling hindered by the thought that there is something inherently wrong with her.
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Posted by FauxReal
on 2008-06-23 15:51:49
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What you have here is a misunderstanding with basic Christian Theology involving the concept of “original sin”.
The phrase “original sin” is not found in the Bible, but the concept goes back to Genesis and is a foundation of Christian Theology. Original sin is said to result from the Fall of Man, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of a particular tree in the Garden of Eden. This first sin ("the original sin"), an action of the first human beings, is traditionally understood to be the cause of "original sin", the fallen state from which human beings can be saved only by God's grace. God told Adam and Eve that if they disobeyed and ate of that forbidden fruit, they would surely die. Although they did not physically die immediately, they began to age, but on a spiritual level they had “died” already. They had become separated from their creator. They were “unplugged” from the source. This fallen nature would be carried down through Adams lineage to the entire race. This disobedience to Gods will (what is called sin) created a wall between man and God. But God had a plan to bring man back to himself.
Romans 5:12-21 (12) “Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (17) For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ”.
1 Corinthians 15:22 “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
1 Corinthians 15:45 “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit.
As we look around us we see man has a problem. A “spiritually” genetic propensity toward evil. As an analogy, imagine a genetic flaw, totally hidden, which does not even become apparent until the child reaches a point of accountability. Western Christian tradition regards original sin as the general condition of sinfulness (lack of holiness) into which human beings are born, distinct from any actual sins that a person may or may not commit later. In other words, this is the natural state of all of mankind. And yet the closest thing to the innocence seen in Eden, is the innocence of a child. Jesus said, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And the most unconditional love seen in the human race is a love of a child by his mother.
A friend of mine writes, ““Man is like water…he seeks his lowest level”. Almost as an example of entropy, man’s behavior throughout history has a tendency to follow the path of least resistance. It is always easier to destroy than create. Easier to kill than to invest one’s time and resources to save a life. Man looks generally to a short term pleasure through evil, than a long term vision seeking good. A look at our history does not show a complementary evolution of man and at the same time, an evolving of ethical and moral norms.” If man had evolved from lower primates…than this area of “man’s virtue” was left out. Yes, there are those that rise above that “fallen nature” but you can usually see it was at least partially due to the philosophy or wisdom of a mentor or living by a code or set of laws as a standard of virtuous behavior. The point is man in a fallen state needs God. Needs to be reconnected to his Creator
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Posted by journeyman
on 2008-06-29 03:31:21
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you know, journeyman, i see your point, and it's not that we were "made broken", not that freethinker entertains the idea of a Maker ( how can you place incompetence on what you don't believe in?)
anyway, i would rather not use the term spiritually challenged, too many connotations; doors open for insult, thus assault. But if one stays in the vein (bloodline ;) of agreement regarding the fall of man, it's quite evident that an enemy was at work as well -still is- we took the first step in becoming disconnected and the Enemy works hard to keep our ears and eyes deafened and blinded to the fact that we need a Savior because of that initial disconnection.
There are SO many things that God has brought to my understanding since I've been open to His word. You know how it goes...even what you once thought was a simple verse from scripture, thought you knew it inside and out, goes deeper upon honest pursuit.
I never understood why Christ spoke SO OFTEN of eyes and ears. "He who has ears, let him hear" and "He who has eyes, let him see" what silliness it used to be to my unquickened spirit...of course I have eyes, of course I have ears...why does He keep saying that!?
Regarding "brokeness",our part, our "stains" ,so to say, are in our lineage, because of our nature. This nature WAS indeed created by God, but it doesn't make us "broken", it makes us human, as opposed to making us robots. Even the angels were created beings who have the "option" of falling from grace, but really there is no grace extended to them. He offers this salvation to us only. God could've made us so-called "WHOLE" ,that is without the propensity for evil, but then He would've been forcing us into positions of obedience and love. It's SO CLEAR TO me when a non-believer uses this argument....that IF there was a god, why didn't He just create us without sin...He DID, and He knew He could do it over and over again with the same end results. THAT IS, you cannot have both free will and perfection. He gave the Israelites so much time (extended life, which also had to do with original perfection and was before the loss of the "canopy" pre-flood) to "get things right" before He paid the ultimate price to offer us the choice of redemption. All He is asking of us now, after all of this, is to believe, and He still cannot gather all the souls, "that not one should perish."
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Posted by paperlily
on 2008-07-30 21:55:38
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Many do not see the difference between innocence and righteousness. One famous theologian said, "Righteousness is innocence tested". Adam and Eve were innocent...but not righteous. Abraham's faith...which was tested was counted to him as righteousness. What an opportunity for the race of Adam, to be in a better standing than Adam was. Not as Creator to creation...but as sons and daughters of the most high. What a marvelous plan that God would provide Himself a lamb for the sacrifice (Gen 22:8). I love the way this translates in the English idiom. God would both provide...and He himself would be the lamb. What an awesome God we serve.
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Posted by journeyman
on 2008-07-30 22:26:37
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SO awesome!!! And you are serving Him well!
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Posted by paperlily
on 2008-07-31 14:23:01
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