In Rom. 15: 27 the word "spiritual" is used in opposition to the necessities of life.

"If the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also

to minister unto them in carnal things" (Rom. 15: 27; see also I Cor. 9: 11).  In

I Cor. 2: 13-15 and 15: 44-46, spiritual things are placed over against natural things.

These natural things have to do with the "soul", and Adam as he was created. It is the

risen Christ, as the last Adam, Who as the "life-giving spirit" introduces "spirituality".

It is opposed to a "fleshly" condition in Rom. 7: 14, and used of "gifts" in

Rom. 1: 11; I Cor. 12: 1; 14: 1; the wilderness provision in I Cor. 10: 3, 4; "songs" and

"understanding" in Eph. 5: 19; Col. 3: 10, and 1: 9; and of "persons" in Gal. 6: 1;

and I Cor. 14: 37.

The Corinthians were carnal, divided, and to them the apostle said: "And I, brethren,

could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in

Christ" (I Cor. 3: 1). Here "spiritual" is opposed not only to "carnal", but to the

condition of being "babes". By comparing Heb. 5: 8 - 6: 1 with I Cor. 2: and 3: we

find "spiritual" used as a parallel with "perfect" and opposed to "babes". A babe in

Christ may be very godly, very Christ-like, but, according to this usage, would not be

"spiritual". One more comparison with Heb. 5:, 6: and I Cor. 2:, 3: makes us see that

when the Church does reach the "perfect man" with its measure of the "full age of the

fullness of Christ", it will be then, and then only, able to enjoy "spiritual" blessings.

There is one other passage that throws light upon Eph. 1: 3.  I Cor. 15:, a chapter

that is devoted to the theme of resurrection, we read: "There are heavenly bodies

(epourania), and earthly bodies (epigeia) . . . . . there is a natural body (psuchikon), there

is also a spiritual body (pneumatikon) (I Cor. 15: 40-44). Here we learn that a "spiritual

body" and a "heavenly body" are parallel terms, which leads to the conclusion that

"spiritual" blessings in "heavenly" places can only be enjoyed when we possess a

"spiritual" and a "heavenly" body. This appears upon the surface of Eph. 1:, as we

believe we shall be able to show when considering the references to the words

"adoption", and "earnest".

Our conclusion is that the spiritual blessings that are ours according to the Will of the

Father, and ours by reason of the redemption of Christ, and ours by reason of the earnest

and the seal of the Spirit, will be ours in actual personal possession in that day when we

shall attain unto the "purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1: 14).

In another paper we must give attention to the other side of the question, namely,

What are our possessions while here on earth?