Psuchekos and Pneumatikos: Understanding Spiritual Discernment

God gives life to all things. Life is a gift in and of itself. Being a gift, it is ours to do with it as we see fit, as we are lead, as we are equipped. Those who want to live life as if it were a party have that right. God gives it to them. Those who live it as a means to know God more intimately also have that right. God gives it to them.

The Two Groups Within Humanity

I think that to a large extent God has His hand in the direction of our lives, but to some extent we choose “this day whom we shall serve.” In my estimation we can categorize the human race into two large groups today. Those who are psuche-kos people and those who are penumatikos people. I base this view on a passage of scripture in 1st Corinthians 2:14 which says, "But the natural man (PSUCHEEKOS) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (PNEUMATIKOS)"

Typically speaking, people of the PSUCHEKOS—people who are of the flesh—do not understand the world of the PNEUMATIKOS (the world of the Spirit) but those of the Spirit (the PNEUMATIKOS) ought to have a pretty good idea of what is driving the lives of the PSUCHEKOS. This often leads to frustration on the part of those who fail to understand spiritual things (or the things of God) because they see the world through the eyes of their own soul and not through the eyes of God and His Spirit.

The Challenge of Spiritual Understanding

We might suggest that this understanding (or lack therefore) is akin to a person (who has personally experienced alcoholism) being able to identify and relate to other alcoholics while those who have never had a drink failing to comprehend their struggles or the experience. As a former man of the world, “a psuchekos,” if you would, I fully understand the wisdom of the world and what drives it. It was once my method of operating in the world. And I can attest to the fact that when I was a soulish man I could not for the life of me, understand the spiritual things, the Godley things, that came out of “pneumatikos” or spirit-lead people.

Now that I have been born from above, I am able to not only understand the things of God, but I also been given a compassion on those who do or cannot. For this reason I suggest that it is incumbent on people of the Spirit (who were once people of the Soul) to exercise all the fruit of the Spirit when dealing with those who have never tasted the reality of spiritual discernment.

Embracing Spiritual Patience and Love

I also suggest that as men and women of faith it is important for us to realize that all things are in God’s hands and whether a person obtains spiritual eyes to understand the things of God (or not), it is the Christians duty to love all people, all the time, along the way. Sometimes I think that this is lost on those who are Pneumatikos driven. We forget what it was like to be of the soul, what it was like to have issues with the flesh – and they do a lot of condemning of others. May this never be the case of those who seek to truly follow God and Christ in Spirit and truth.

For those of you who are psuchekos souls, and who cannot comprehend the things the Spirit, I want to offer you a gift. It’s a gift of second sight. When I was without it I could not imagine that it existed. But now that I have it, I cannot imagine life without it. How do you get it? You ask for it, from God, from an honest heart. And then you patiently wait for it to arrive. And it will arrive. And when it does, you will NEVER be the same. You will see it as a good thing, a great thing, a truly amazing gift.

(beat)

OUT