Almost everyone nowadays seems “into spirituality.” I read an article quoting a TV star saying, “I consider myself a spiritual person” and I saw a survey where even a majority of atheists consider themselves “spiritual” people. By this I assume they mean they often rely on intuition, consider feelings important in decision-making, and try to disassociate themselves from a merely materialistic view of life.
But spirituality is much more than learning to look within one’s soul. It goes far beyond just trying to live more intuitively and with greater “mindfulness.” Biblical spirituality, in contrast to the popular, self-defined spirituality of today, is above all a God-centered spirituality. Any spirituality without God is just self-worship by another name. It is the ultimate self-centeredness. In fact, it often uses terminology about “centering.” But the focus of the centering is upon oneself, not God.
The spirituality of Scripture is a Trinitarian spirituality. Christian spirituality is centered on the triune God: God the Father who is reached through God the Son who is magnified by God the Holy Spirit.
Jesus taught us that eternal life (the ultimate in spirituality) is knowing the God who is revealed in the Bible. “And this is eternal life,” Jesus’ disciples heard Him pray, “that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). But He also explicitly maintained that the only way to the Father is through Himself: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (14:6). Further, Jesus said that when He returned to Heaven that the Holy Spirit would come and His role would be to magnify Jesus: “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me” (15:26). In other words, the Spirit will call attention to Jesus and cause those whom He influences to love and obey Jesus.
Any other spirituality is merely self-effort, self-love, and empty. It is good to have a zeal for spirituality, but if it’s a zeal “not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2)—that is, the knowledge God gives through His Word—it’s a spiritual mirage. It is good to desire a simpler spirituality, but a spirituality that’s simpler than that taught in the Bible is simply wrong. So away with any spirituality without God—the one, true God. Away with any spirituality without Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Embrace a Trinitarian spirituality.
