Spiritual Enlightenment

Yet, in the midst of Neo-Corinthianism the Church must rise above the Carnal. And so, I thought it would be helpful if we could tap in on this Pneumatical Movement of the First Century. A movement that was marked by a Rejection of Carnal Social, Religious and political Ideas. A movement that had a strong and sustained emphasis on the Spiritual. I call this Pneumatical Movement Spiritual Enlightenment, a Renaissance of the Sacred.

To rise above the Carnal, a people must consider and commit to the Spirit.
Therefore to realize that, we are Summoned to the Summit to Sup with the Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit. We must comprehend as well as apply His Absolute Sovereignty over the Subjects and Service of the Church of Christ on Earth.

And so, cognizant of both the Spirit’s Sovereignty over the Church and our Usefulness as we are subjected to that Lordship, Paul writes in Verse One: “Now concerning Spirituals…” He deals here first and foremost with Spiritual Enlightenment. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren,” says Paul, “I would not have you ignorant.”

Hence Paul knew that Ignorance and even Idolatry were implied concepts in the idea of Enlightenment. So first, Paul deals with the Darkness before he holds forth the Light. And we do well to follow his train of thought as we consider –

I. First, Ignorance and Idolatry as recorded in Verses One and Two.

Spiritual Enlightenment follows upon the heels of Ignorance.
So first, let’s consider our Ignorance as revealed in Verse One of out text (read). “Brethren, I would not have you Ignorant” says Paul, “concerning spiritual gifts.” The implication there being they were ignorant. “Brethren, I would not have you ignorant…”

No pastor wants to shepherd an ignorant flock! One of his divine mandates is to diminish and dispel ignorance by feeding the flock with knowledge and understanding of the Spiritual according to God in Jeremiah 3:15. “And I will give you pastors according to My heart,” says God, “which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

However, many just don’t know of the spiritual; they don’t know because they haven’t been taught. They are Actively engaged in the pursuit of ignorance because they aren’t questing and thirsting for knowledge of the Spiritual.

They do have a degree of knowledge. Knowledgeable of their Position – they know they are saved. Yet, they are Ignorant of their Possessions – the Spirit and His Gifts.

So Paul says, “Brethren, I would not have you ignorant concerning Spiritual Gifts.” You can be ignorant about anything else, but know the Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit. Because ignorance of the Spirit results in Idolatry. For he continues in Verse Two saying, “Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.”

Second, Ignorance leads to Idolatry. There is one thing that we all Know Now – we know our Previous State, Gentiles! The phrase “ye were Gentiles” is in the Imperfect Tense in the Greek Text; meaning, we used to live in an existing state of Alienation. The word “Ethnos-Gentiles” does not signify Ethnicity, race or nationality, although there is Ethnic Ignorance as it relates to God in the form of Superstitions. But “ethne-Gentiles” as it relates primarily to our Ethos; that is, our Ethics in our moral and religious customs and practices. Ethically in our religious