become ours by purchase (Eph. 1: 7 and 14). Until we reach the day of redemption, the

"seal" and the "earnest" must be our blessed portion.

Have we been led astray by the present-day use of the word "spiritual"? If this means

a state of mind that combines the qualities of piety, unworldliness, and Christ-likeness,

a mind and walk that is in harmony with Scripture and pleasing unto the Lord, how

comes it that the whole of the O.T. could be written, such characters as Enoch, Noah,

Abraham, Moses, Joseph and Daniel described, and the word "spiritual" never be

necessary? Only once do we find the word in the O.T. Hosea says, "The prophet is a

fool, the spiritual man is mad" (Hos. 9: 7). The correspondence here between "the

prophet" and "spiritual" shows that Hosea refers to those who, under the influence of the

Spirit, spoke to the people. This means that the word "spiritual" is virtually absent from

the O.T.

It is never wise to omit a reference to the LXX version when dealing with the O.T.

Accordingly we look to see whether pneumatikos (spiritual) is used, and, if so, how.

There is no need for search; the word never occurs. Instead of translating Hos. 9: 7 by

this word, another is used, which in Zeph. iii.4 stands for "light and treacherous

persons". It is clear therefore that "spiritual" blessings and "spiritual" persons mean

something very different from that usually intended by those who use the word to-day.

Such expressions as "the deepening of the spiritual life" and "spirituality" are not in

accord with the scriptural meaning of the word.

The epistle to the Ephesians uses the word of "blessings", but also of "wickedness"

(1: 3 and 6: 12). These expressions moreover coincide with the first and the last

occurrences of the phrase "in the heavenlies" that are to be found in Scripture. It is

therefore folly to omit their comparison. If the believer has blessings in heavenly places,

which are described by the same word as that which describes "wickedness", it is evident

that the word does not mean piety, godliness, unworldliness, or Christ-likeness, but has

reference to nature or condition. These beings are "spiritual" though "wicked".

The meaning of the word is made clearer when we discover its opposite or alternative.

Take for example the "light" in II Cor. 4: In verse 6 its opposite is "darkness", but in

verse 17 its opposite is "weight", which settles any ambiguity that might have existed. In

Eph. 6: 12 the opposite to "spiritual" is "flesh and blood". Our foes are not human, but

belong to a higher order, which for the moment we might call "angelic". All spiritual

blessings therefore must be interpreted in the light of the usage of that term and not

"spiritualized" away. The use of the word in Rev. 11: 8: "spiritually called Sodom and

Egypt", shows that it can have no reference to "spirituality", for these cities were

notoriously wicked, but indicates to us that "spiritual" blessings are "real", whereas

present pilgrim blessings--like the manna in the wilderness--are but "figures of the

true", but "earnests" and foretastes of the glory that awaits us at the right hand of God.