The Reason for Spiritual Denseness

The Reason for Spiritual Denseness. A complaint by typical churchmen is voiced when one presents anything other than the rudiments of the faith, or the first principles thereof. “Too deep!” is the cry. “We cannot understand what he is talking about.” There is a reason for that denseness concerning the things of God, and it needs to be recognized, and diligent effort made to correct the involved situation.

 

The things of the Spirit are discernible only to those who have, live, and walk in the Spirit. The natural man receives them not, “neither indeed” can comprehend them—his “word studies” and Greek lexicons, notwithstanding (Rom. 8:7; I Cor. 2:14).

 

The cause of his denseness is evident. It is earth—and flesh—boundedness. “They that are in the flesh” can neither please nor understand God (Rom. 8:8). That was Nicodemus’ trouble. He could not comprehend the simple things of which Christ told him because he was contemplating them from the flesh’s standpoint (Jn. 3:1-12).

 

If people are sincere in their professed desire to grasp the things of the divine kingdom, they must meet the conditions therefor. They must come fully into the kingdom, spiritually leaving the flesh and the world, where sense and time prevail. That is because the things of God are “spiritually discerned” (I Cor. 2:14). “He that is spiritual” readily understands and delights in them (v. 15)—they, in fact are, as Jeremiah declared, “the joy and rejoicing” of his heart (Jer. 15:16). --Fred O. Blakely