Spiritual Life Is What Goes On In Your Heart (Proper 30)

 The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector teaches us the difference between religious life and spiritual life. The Pharisee is religious but not really spiritual. The Tax Collector is spiritual but not really religious. These words can be confusing as their meaning overlaps. To understand this teaching we need to think of ‘religion’ as formal teachings and outward ways of showing devotion to God. In contrast we can think of spiritual life as what goes on inside a person – in their heart. Do they really love God and other people - or is what they do just a show to gain approval by other people?

1.    In Luke 18.4-14 Jesus teaches us the importance of repentance

Overcoming Temptation Grows Our Spiritual Life (Lent 1)

The Readings for the First Sunday in Lent are chosen to help us prepare ourselves spiritually for the celebration of Easter through a time of deep self examination, repentance and confession. The goal is not to make us feel guilty but to help us draw nearer to God by overcoming the things – particularly the temptations to sin; that distract us and pollute our personal spirits and so we cannot survive in the presence of God who is holy.

• The Deuteronomy Reading (26.1-11) reminds us of our Old Testament Covenant and Baptism obligation to give thanks and acknowledge God as the one who gives us life.
• Psalm 91 reminds us that God also gives us protection and refuge in a dangerous world.

1. In Romans 10.8-13 we learn how God’s forgiveness of sin works

First of all we are told that the “Word” is near us, in our hearts. We do not have to go to a special place such as Israel or India. God wants an emotional relationship in our hearts – our soul and spirit. But God is so holy, pure and undivided He cannot be where there is spiritual pollution. Spiritual pollution would burn up in the fire of God’s holy love. This is why we all need to clearly understand and believe in the legal and spiritual process of “justification: