June 30, 2007
The Beatitudes: Clarifying Spiritual StarvationPosted by Bryan
Starvation is the absence of a necessity for life. You can probably think of people that you might identify as being "attention-starved" or "affection-starved." When compared to the template definition, their "starvation" does not quite meet the standard.
Starvation is only starvation if there is an absence of something necessary for the preservation or continuance of life. The most commonly understood manner of starvation is physical starvation. To eliminate physical starvation, you have to supply what sustains the body: food and water. Give a person food and water-even small amounts-consistently, and that person will not starve.
The other uncommon, but much more prevalent, manner of starvation is spiritual starvation. To eliminate spiritual starvation, you have to supply what sustains the spirit. The only prescription for this starvation is God Himself. Nothing else satisfies this starvation.
False world religions and cultic practices "feed" over two-thirds of the world's population. Followers of deceptive and false theologies dine on a diet void of spiritual nutrition and absent of any substantial nourishment for the soul.
Only one-third of the world's population claims to be Christian, and even that number falters under the microscope of further analysis.
Sadly, the vast majority of people do not even recognize that they are spiritually starved. Few recognize what one philosopher (ironically, an atheist) calls a "God-sized hole" in their hearts. Consequently, people all over the world vainly try to stave off this spiritual starvation with everything but God.
Everywhere, people try to satiate spiritual hunger with relationships, with lusts, with addictions, with toys, and with hobbies.
Yet, this spiritual starvation gnaws continuously in the souls of the hungry and thirsting.
The reason why spiritual starvation is pandemic is because every person is born spiritually dead. Don't fall for the bunk of certain babies being born with "old souls" or the new-age idea that God is in every being, from dust mite to man. Every person is born physically alive and spiritually dead.
When at the garden, God told Adam & Eve, "If you eat of the fruit, you surely will die."
They ate of the fruit.
Yet, they did not physically die. Not immediately. They still lived long lives, had children, toiled on the earth (Note, though, that they did eventually die a physical death, which also was a consequence of their disobedience). They also did not experience a "soul" death. They were able to think, to feel, to emote, to reason. However, when they ate of the fruit they lost their unity with God and thus experienced spiritual death.
This is why the Bible says the wages of sin are death, and that through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and spread to all men, for all men sinned.
Friend, you were born spiritually dead.
The Bible says you are born dead in your trespasses. And because you are born spiritually dead, you are born to die a defeated life.
When your spirit is dead, you are powerless to respond to the assaults of this world in a spiritual manner. When temptation hits, you respond with your body or with your soul (human reasoning, emotions, etc). You recognize that you are under assault, and you recognize the only way to fix it is if you are alive in your spirit.
The problem is, it is impossible to nourish a dead spirit back to life with anything less than the resurrecting power of God himself! You cannot bring life-bringing nourishment to your starved-to-death spirit with anything material.
Make no mistake about it, Romans 1 explicates that gods of your own creation are a material item and will never satisfy your spiritual starvation. This is important on so many levels:
- If you find your god in the bottom of a bottle or in something you smoke, or a pill you swallow, you will only keep starving.
- If you find your god in a fast-food drive-thru or in sneaking late-night snacks, you will only keep starving.
- If you find your god in feasting on online images or illicit conversations, you will only keep starving.
- If you find your god in indulging in purchases, racking up debt, or buying the next new toy no matter how much you cannot afford it, you will only keep starving.
- If you find your god in consuming a theology that fits your god in a box, elevates divine love over divine holiness, dismisses carnality, and permits, excuses, or even celebrates sin...you will only keep starving.
Jesus said that "blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." This is not a blanket blessing that covers everyone stumbling around ignorantly, feeding their souls with the empty and addictive things that only further starve and never satisfy. Rather, Jesus offers blessing for those who understand that the object of their starvation is righteousness.
The word "righteousness" literally means "to be justified," or "to have right standing" with God. You will never find nutritional satisfaction and nourishment if you are anorexic or bulimic. You will never be physically blessed if you live on a diet of Top Ramen, deep-fried Twinkies, or fast food. You need a healthy, balanced diet that supplies a wide-range of the essential vitamins and minerals that your body requires.
Likewise, are not promised blessing if you are a spiritual anorexic who never consumes the Word of God in study or hears it preached, of if you are a religious bulimic who forgets what you took in as soon as you walk out the door of the church. Also, you are not promised blessing if you do not embrace the whole counsel of God, both Old & New Testament. You are only blessed if your hunger, your thirst, and your starvation is for God Himself.
If you have a consuming desire to know God, to experience God, to see God's plan revealed in the earth, and to see God's justice unfold upon the earth, then God's blessing is promised unto you...
You shall be filled.
June 30, 2007 11:52 PM | TrackBack