"I'm spiritual, but not religious." "I believe in Jesus, but not in the church." Perhaps you have heard these expressions before, or even thought them yourself. In the current day and age, many seem to perceive that being spiritual and being part of a Christian church simply are not compatible.
I have recently began to take a great interest in what it means to be spiritual and to be a Christian. As a Lutheran Christian, I am looking at these from that particular perspective. Thus, part of my "research" has been in looking at what Martin Luther had to say about being spiritual and a Christian.
Essentially, Luther summed up the development of the Christian's spiritual life by centering it on God's Word. He specifically looked at texts such as Psalm 1:2, "...his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." From such meditation, and from looking in-depth at Psalm 119, Luther came up with three primary "rules": prayer, meditation/reflection, and then the struggle with the Word and the world.
We'll spend time this week looking at each of these, and considering how they play a part in the spiritual life of a Christian. I welcome your thoughts on what it means to be spiritual and a Christian.
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