While biblical spirituality ties into who we are in Christ, it’s the Holy Spirit who makes Christ known to us (Jn. 15:26). Consequently, we need the Spirit’s work, with a capital S, in and through us, to be spiritual.
How the Holy Spirit’s Work is Reflected in Us
First, we must acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes spiritual realities known (1 Cor. 2:12-16).
The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. (1 Cor. 2:14)
Second, we must walk in the Spirit in order to become who we can be in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the One who bears spiritual fruit in us, those Christ-like traits that enable us to not only “do” what we should do but “be” who we should be (Gal. 5:16-26).
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)
Third, we must serve in accordance with the spiritual gifts distributed by and empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4-11).
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. … All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Cor. 12:4, 11)
Biblical Spirituality Results in the Spirit Working Through Us
If you want to assess your spirituality, ask how loving, joyful, peaceful, and good you are but also how patient, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled you are (Gal. 5:22-23). Biblical spirituality affects how we relate with others, not only if we’re engaging in spiritual practices. Remember that who we are also affects how we serve.
The Holy Spirit teaches us and produces Christ-like qualities in us but also empowers us to impact other people’s lives.
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Cor. 3:3-6)
… our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. (1 Thess. 1:5)
And, the Holy Spirit can bring a diverse group of people together, building us up into a spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5) so we can “stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27).
If we don’t see these results, we have undoubtedly not attained to biblical spirituality. We cannot “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph. 4:30) or quench His work in our lives (1 Thess. 5:19) and call ourselves spiritual from a biblical standpoint.