Our Spiritual Senses

The Apostle Paul indicates that our spiritual senses are an important part of our Christian walk and sanctification.  (Hebrews 5:14). However, he does not provide any further detail or even name them for us. Traditionally, we think of our spiritual senses in only vague and general terms, without specifics.

This issue of the Herald proposes that we have five distinct spiritual senses. Furthermore, it proposes that the words of God, Jesus, the Apostles, and the Prophets name our spiritual senses through metaphors. Our expectation in dedicating an entire issue to this subject is that the scriptures will come alive for you with a new layer of meaning to enrich your growing faith.

For the best results, please read the articles in order. Each article is placed in purposeful order to show a progression of our faith from the smallest beginnings to living fully and powerfully in the narrow way.

“Our Spiritual Senses” is an introduction to the list that the Apostle Paul referred to but did not detail. This article will help you fully grasp the concept and includes at least one anchor scripture for each spiritual sense.

“Sight” provides an unexpected twist by trying to get in the head of the blind man who was healed by Jesus. How did he hear the world around him as he walked down to the pool to wash? Do not be surprised if you have a song in your head when you finish reading this article!

“Hearing” explores the complicated and delicate physical sense of hearing to reveal why Jesus emphasized it to his disciples as the second stage of faith. Our hearing of God’s word includes: what God says and what we hear,what we understand and remember, and what we repeat. Are we in tune with God’s voice?

“Smell” details both the good and the bad smells in the Bible. It provides compelling evidence why the smells of the Bible point to something far more important: our spiritual sense of discernment. If we are to be part of the true Church of God, our Christian character must be a fragrant aroma to God.

“Touch” will surprise you by explaining how Eve could have easily prevented her sin of disobedience. We would do well to learn by observing her mistake. Touch will teach you what happens when you touch bad things and how to train your heart to cling to good things.

“Taste” reveals why Jesus may have told his disciples that they would have to eat his flesh and drink his blood early in his ministry. By instituting the Memorial emblems at the very end of his ministry, Jesus quickly closed the gap in their understanding by providing them with a group experience that knit them together as one. You will see how the Memorial emblems were both a physical and spiritual lesson that delivered the emotional strength to the Apostles to do the difficult work of the gospel.