|
St. Gregory of Nyssa (d. c. 390), in The Creation of Man, speaks of what occurs at what he calls “the crossroads of the spirit.” He writes, “The doors of the various senses are filled with many things. The spirit examines these, it distinguishes between them and sorts them out, sending each one to the place where it will be dealt with appropriately.” This is in keeping with use of body parts. The mouth and ear function for different purposes. The mouth does not listen, and the ear does not speak.
St. Gregory compares the senses to a city, referring to the spirit as “the city of the spirit.” He says to imagine a big city. Many persons enter by many different gates. But not every person goes to the same part. Some go to the market, and some to their homes. Some go to the public halls, while some go to wide streets. Some go to narrow alleyways. Some go to the theatre. Each person goes according to his preference.
St. Gregory is teaching on spiritual discernment. He refers to the spirit, or the True Self, as many would now speak of it, as the aspect of the person that judges all data entering through the senses.
The spirit never loses capacity to discern, neither is that capacity marred in any manner. The spirit is the innermost aspect, and it remains untouched by the data of the senses. Still, the spirit can cease discerning incoming data due to a blockage within the self-system. This, as I will note, can occur in a communal context, also, such as a Christian congregation.
What can cause this blockage to spirit? One word suffices: sin. Sin is missing the mark, failing, in any way not fulfilling the potential of faith, hope, and love in the context of human relationships.
St. Paul urges us not to hold back the Spirit. I Thessalonians 5.19 reads, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit” (NLT). The Authorized Version reads, “Don’t quench the Spirit.” The Message has, “Don't suppress the Spirit.” Immediately afterward, St. Paul has “and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master.” This indicates a likely connection, giving an example of stifling the Spirit. Prophesy is a means of the Spirit speaking to the faith community. To resist that gift of the Spirit is to suppress the Spirit. Indeed, entire faith communities can so stifle the Spirit, suppressing its Operations in its midst, that the congregation no longer demonstrates any openness to sensitivity to the Spirit. They no longer have any capacity to discern what is and is not of the Spirit. They might, therefore, easily ascribe to the Spirit matters that are not evolving from the Spirit, while judging as wrong or misplaced what the Spirit is doing or trying to do.
St. Paul affirms that the Spirit can grieve, for the Spirit is personal, not just a Higher Power or some other life force. Our being personal beings reflects the Spirit. St. Paul writes, “29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4, ESV). The context suggests that habits of behavior within communion either can bring joy to or grieve the Spirit of God.
|
|
Understanding of sin has to be enlarged beyond its individualistic context to include its primary context, that of communion, of community. Without right relations in communion, the spirit of the communion and persons within it are closed off to discerning the Presence and Operations of the Divine Spirit. Therefore, communal attitudes and actions in congregations either promote or detract from persons within remaining sensitive in daily life to the Spirit and the Spirit working in the larger world.
Many fine Christians who are sensitive and discerning find themselves in communities that are grieving and quenching the Holy Spirit. Indeed, one could argue that the normal, sad to say, congregation in the States is largely dead to the Operations of the Spirit and, therefore, has lost the art of spiritual discernment—if it ever practiced the art.
A church is normally a Charismatic, or Pneumatic, organism. That is, it lives from the Spirit; the Spirit spiritualizes it, making it to see and act in accordance with the Spirit. Yet, it seems that many churches have become either entertainment parties or social clubs.
Communions will only become charismatic, that is spirit-filled and spirit-led organisms through one avenue. Many churches only hope of renewal is from a minority who are determined to continue to live daily in communion with the Spirit. Otherwise, churches will not be Pneumatic. Such churches might continue to exist, but they will not exist for the purpose of the Spirit.
Within us each is the crossroads of the spirit. If our spirit is daily aligned with and nurtured by living contact with the Spirit, then, our lives can combine to transform groups into communions bringing joy to and responding to nudges and shouts of the Holy Spirit.
Reflections
What encouraged you in the writing today? Explain.
Did you disagree with something in the writing today? If so, explain.
How do you daily remain in living contact with the Spirit?
Is the faith community you belong to bringing joy to the Spirit? Sensitive to the Spirit? Practicing spiritual discernment?
How might you help the faith community you belong to be more sensitive to the Spirit?
Spiritual Exercise
Have a journal nearby during your devotions to record what the Spirit might impress on your heart and mind?
Make sure you have a sacred space in your home for time alone in prayer and spiritual reading.
Make sure you are in a covenant group. For more information on covenant groups, write me at the address below.
Consider, if you are not already, sponsoring a child through Compassion International. You can find out more about Compassion International by going to www.compassion.net to read about sponsoring, in the name of Jesus, children living in poverty. Thanks! Brian K. Wilcox
Brian’s book An Ache For Union can be purchased at major book dealers.
To contact Brian, write briankwilcox@comcast.net .
|
