Articles
Our Spiritual Senses
Occasionally, we go to a doctor to get a physical examination. As much as we may dread going, we realize it is for our good and is beneficial because it helps us detect possible health problems. Important parts to physical well-being are the five senses we use to observe and take in our surroundings. Having keen senses keeps us out of harms way. For instance, if there was a fire in your home you would hear the smoke alarm, see the fire, smell and taste the smoke as you breath it, and feel the heat. Spiritually speaking, our five senses must be exercised and sharpened so we can serve God as He would please and stay away from spiritual dangers. We must constantly assess our spiritual fitness with the help of the great physician.
Perhaps the most obvious spiritual sense the Lord has given us is the ability to hear. When we read the words of the Bible, we are hearing those words in our hearts and and minds. The phrase “He who has an ear let him hear...” is used many times. In fact, this command is issued to each of the seven churches in Asia in the Revelation to John (2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). Our spiritual ears should be attuned to God’s law so we can heed the warnings given therein. Not only do we use our ears to learn how to avoid spiritual pitfalls, but we also use them to hear the life-giving message that produces faith. Paul wrote, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). Good spiritual hearing allows us to hear words that bring about faith. Jesus promised in John 5:25 that “an hour is coming, and now is here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” Here, Jesus is speaking of the authority he has over death. He promises that those with good spiritual hearing will live. Good spiritual hearing is necessary before we can have faith and be obedient.
At the end of the sermon on the mount in Matthew 7, Jesus contrasts those who hear and do, and those who hear and ignore. Not only must we have acute spiritual hearing, but we must have a good sense of touch as well. Although we can “feel” with our entire body, we generally associate the tactile sense with our hands. In a spiritual sense, our hands are connected with work. We must be ready to use our spiritual tactility to build (Matthew 7:24), sow (Mark 4), rescue (Jude 23), help the weary (Hebrews 12:12), and wield the sword of the spirit (Ephesians 6:17) with our hands. When times are tough and we grow weary, we must not become calloused and let our spiritual hands fall.
When we have faithfully carried out what the Lord God has commanded us to do, it is pleasing to Him. Many times throughout the Bible there are records of those who offered acceptable sacrifices which went up as a pleasing savour before the Lord. Noah’s sacrifice after he came out of the ark in Genesis 8:20-22 is an example of how obedience and sacrifice pleases the Lord. Paul encourages us to walk in love as Christ did. The sweetest smelling sacrifice ever offered was of Christ, who gave himself up because He loved us. Christians must always be seeking to be Christlike, godly people. Therefore, the things that please the Lord should be pleasing to us, too! When we consider the things we do, are they a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord or would he hate the smell? We must walk circumspectly and always be sure that what we do is to the Lord’s delight.
Strongly connected with the sense of smell is the sense of taste. King David apparently had a taste for the Lord’s goodness. Psalm 34:8 reads, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” The idea here is that the Lord is a feast set before us. All we have to do is try it! When we taste His blessings, we will undoubtedly see that the Lord truly is good. Not only did the psalmist see that God’s blessings are good, but he realized that all the words of God’s law are “sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103). In 1 Peter 2:2-3, we are encouraged to desire the spiritual milk of the word of the Lord, “if indeed [we] have tasted that the Lord is good.” Peter knew that the words of the Lord are good. Do we enjoy the blessings of the Lord or do we reject the feast and abundance he has set out for those who delight in His law? Our spiritual sense of taste is very important indeed.
We must not forget our spiritual sight. Perhaps the greatest spiritual sense the Lord has given us is the ability to see. As physical beings, we cannot see the spiritual realm yet. But, through faith we have the ability to use our spiritual eyes and look beyond this world to things yet unseen (Hebrews 11:1). While hear on earth, God expects us to grow and develop spiritually. In 2 Peter 1:5-7 we see a progressive growth that is to take place in each one of us. Verse 8 promises that if we have these qualities and increase in them, we will bear fruit in the Lord’s vineyard. However, verse 9 says that “whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind.” As sojourners, we must look beyond this life with a vision of faith while not losing sight of our service to God here on earth.
As we age, some senses grow dim. However, the spiritual senses of the faithful child of God will no doubt become sharper as the years advance. How keen are your spiritual senses now? Do you hear the gospel call? Are you willing to work for the Lord and offer up praises of sweet savour to God? Taste the goodness of God’s abundant blessings towards us, and look forward with perfect vision to that home He has prepared for the faithful.
