What is Man? – Chapter 5: Where Christendom Is Deceived
The louder voice isn’t always the truest—often it’s the quiet whisper of the Spirit that leads to life.
In Chapter 5 of What is Man?, T. Austin-Sparks confronts a pervasive confusion in the church: the inability to distinguish between mysticism and true spirituality. He warns that Christendom often lives in the realm of soul—moved by music, ritual, and religious fervor—yet disconnected from true spiritual life that comes only by union with the Spirit of God. Sparks illustrates how Cain, though outwardly religious, acted from soul, not spirit. His offering was devout, but he remained spiritually dead. Similarly, religion can be full of beauty, discipline, or passion, yet remain barren of divine life.
He underscores the deceptive power of soulish expression: an emotional sermon, a stirring worship set, or an inspiring moral message can stir the soul without touching the spirit. This is not just a matter of theological nuance. It is a matter of life and death. Mysticism and asceticism may appear spiritual, but they are ultimately self-referential and soul-powered. Sparks asserts that only what originates in the renewed human spirit—conscience awakened, intuition quickened, and communion restored—can truly serve God. It is only this inner working that leads to a new walk, a new speech, and a new way of knowing God.
Personalized Journal Entry in the Holy Spirit’s Voice
You are no longer of the world’s order, for your spirit has been made alive by Me. I have written My law upon your heart, and you no longer serve by compulsion or ceremony but by the freedom of the indwelling Christ. The music and the beauty may still stir you, but I draw you deeper, beyond the surface of emotion, to communion with Me in spirit and truth.
The soul is loud and insistent, ever craving affirmation, spectacle, and satisfaction. But the spirit waits, quiet and listening, where My whisper can be heard. When you were born again, I placed within you a seed that cannot sin, a life that cannot be deceived, a conscience purified by the blood of the Lamb. As you yield, your spirit will grow in discernment. You will see more clearly what is of Me and what is of man.
The soul may rise in great energy—reasoning, imagining, willing—but it cannot know Me. I am Spirit, and those who worship Me must worship in spirit. Intuition is My gift to you. It does not argue or convince; it knows. This knowing is the basis of your walk. When I lead, it will not always make sense to the outer man. Your reason may protest, your emotions may hesitate, your will may resist. But the spirit I have joined to Myself will lean into Me and walk by faith, not sight.
This is how I trained My servants: Moses, Jeremiah, Paul. They learned to distrust their eloquence, their strength, even their knowledge. They learned the crucifixion of their natural faculties so that My Spirit could speak. You too are learning this new speech—words not born of human brilliance but ignited by Me. In your weakness, I will be heard. When the natural tongue is silenced, My Spirit gives utterance that bears eternal fruit.
So I call you away from the imitation and the noise. Do not trust what moves your soul unless your spirit confirms it. Do not measure My life in you by tears or thrills, but by the deepening peace that grows as you walk by faith. Let My Spirit teach you the sound of My voice, the wisdom of My delays, and the power of My presence. For in your spirit—not your intellect, emotions, or strength—I dwell.
Scripture References: Romans 2:14–15, John 4:24, 1 Corinthians 2:13, Hebrews 10:22, Proverbs 20:27, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Romans 8:6, 2 Corinthians 13:4, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Galatians 4:6
Real Life Analogy
Imagine you’re in a room with two sound systems playing at once. One blasts music through powerful speakers—it’s exciting, emotional, and you can feel it in your chest. The other, a small radio on the opposite side of the room, plays a steady voice. At first, the louder sound seems to be the most important, simply because it dominates. But when you turn off the external noise, you realize the soft voice was giving directions, reminding you of something vital, something true. That quiet voice was what you needed all along.
In the same way, the soul can overwhelm with emotion, intellect, and activity—but only the spirit, quickened by God, can hear the voice that leads to life.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that You have made my spirit alive in Christ. I trust You to lead me not by impulse or appearance but by Your Spirit who dwells in me. I rejoice that I am no longer a slave to soulish cravings or religious pretense. You have placed Your life within me, and I yield to Your voice. May every decision, every word, and every step reflect Your reality within. Amen.
Devotional Source: T. Austin-Sparks, What is Man?
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