5th Sunday after Epiphany

February 6, 2011
1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16)
Pastor Dena Williams

“I’m not religious; I’m spiritual.”

Spirituality is a very popular word in our society these days.

There is a newfound interest in things spiritual.
There are people who seek spirituality in many interesting ways—
through meditation, crystals, nature, candles, incense, prayer. When people I meet find
out I am a pastor, they often feel the need to explain their spirituality to me. In fact, what
they usually want to explain is why they are not active in a community of faith! With
some pride, they tell me: “Well, I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” Usually, my
response is: “How interesting! I have found that it is possible to be both, spiritual and
religious. I do not find it necessary to distinguish these two things so carefully.” People
often look puzzled, suddenly a little unsure of themselves and certainly unsure of me!
They seem to doubt that it is possible to be religious and spiritual at the same time.

What do we mean by religious? In general, I think we understand a religious person to be

someone who participates in some sort of organized religion. They go to church or
synagogue or mosque. They’re active in a community of faith.
That’s what we mean by religious, but what do we mean by spiritual? When someone
says to me, “I’m spiritual, not religious” what do they mean? I usually don’t know what
they mean! Sometimes they can explain it; sometimes they can’t.

There is someone, however, who explains it very well. He knows what he means by
spirituality. That “someone” is Saint Paul! In today’s reading from Paul’s letter to the
Jews in Corinth who believe in Jesus, we find Paul’s understanding of spirituality.
Now Saint Paul is certainly religious. He participates actively in the Jewish community of
faith. There are no “Christians” when Paul writes his letters. There are Jews who believe
Jesus to be the messiah, and Paul is one of those. Paul is religious—he participates in a
community of faith. Paul is religious. He is also spiritual, and he is able to clearly explain
his spirituality.

He writes: “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from
God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” (1 Cor 2:12) For Saint
Paul, spirituality comes from God through the work of the Holy Spirit.

He continues: “And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but
taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.” (1 Cor 2:13)
For Saint Paul, the ability to interpret spiritual things, to be spiritual, comes not from
human wisdom, but from God, the Holy Spirit.
He concludes: "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we
have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor 2:16)
For Saint Paul, the ability to interpret spiritual things comes from God and through the
Holy Spirit we can know the very mind of Christ. To be spiritual, then, for Saint Paul, to
be spiritual, is to know Christ. To know Christ . . .

Our friend, Saint Paul was not always consistent in his teachings. He taught in the form
of letters to communities of faith in various cities. He addressed the struggles of those
communities, teaching what the people most needed to hear for their situation. He was
not always consistent, with at least one exception. Always for Paul, to be spiritual is to
know Christ.

So Paul greets the believers in Rome in the name of Christ:

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is
proclaimed throughout the world.” (1:8)

So he reminds the believers at Corinth in the name of Christ:

“For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for
you sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (8:9)

So he confesses to the believers at Galatia in the name of Christ:

“I have been crucified with Christ, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now
live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for
me.” (2:20)

So he witnesses to the believers in Phillipi:

“I regard everything as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss
because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…I want to know Christ
and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings . . .” (3:8-10)

Paul’s message to ancient believers, Paul’s message to us: to be spiritual is to know

Christ. What about religion? What about the community of faith? Is it possible to be
spiritual and religious, a member of a community of faith? For Paul, it is not only
possible, but necessary. Paul’s letters are not addressed to individuals; they are addressed
to communities of faith.
He writes:
“To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints.” (Rom1:7)
“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints.” (1 Cor 1:2)
“To the churches at Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ.” (Gal 1:2-3)
“To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi…” (Phil 1:1)
“To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ . . .” (1
Thes 1:1)
“To Philemon . . . and to the church in your house: Grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Phile 1:1-2)
For Saint Paul, to be spiritual is to be religious, to be a part of a community of believers.
We, as spiritual and religious people, are not alone in our efforts to know Christ, we have
one another; we have the Holy Spirit, for we “are taught by the Spirit,” who interprets
spiritual things to those who are spiritual. To be spiritual, to be religious, for Paul, for
ancient believers, for us, is to know Christ.
Amen

Pastoral Prayer
Holy Spirit, We give thanks for your presence among us today as our community of faith
gathers for worship. Help us to listen as you teach us to know Christ. Lead us to grow in
faith, love, and understanding. Make us spiritual and religious followers of Christ that we
might cause your love to be known by all people. In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

Visual Images:
1. A contemporary French artist, Macha Chmakoff, portrays the Holy Spirit in
colorful abstraction. To find images of his work, go to: http://www.biblical-
art.com/index.htm
2. Ice cubes, water, and a teapot/steam demonstrate the Holy Trinity to children.
Just as all are composed of water molecules and appear in different forms, so the
same God is present to us in three forms. The teapot/steam represent the Holy
Spirit.