A. Several times in the New Testament, a person's
conversion to Christ is described as a new birth (John 3:3-8; 1Pet. 1:3, 23;
1John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7).
B. This new birth is indicative of a new beginning, and
it is evident that a new babe in Christ must grow to reach maturity.
Unfortunately, many Christians never grow beyond a spiritual childhood.
C. Presently, we will consider the Scriptures' admonitions
for Christians to grow in the Lord.
II. GROWING IN THE LORD
A. First of all, it is evident that the growth of a
Christian requires that he does not regress in faith.
1.
The blessings
that a Christian has in Jesus are qualified by this condition from Colossians
1:23, "if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast,
and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard." Conversion is not a one-time event, but
rather it is a permanent change of life.
2.
This point is
also made sure in Hebrews 6:4-6, which says, "For in the case of those who have
once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made
partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the
powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew
them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God
and put Him to open shame." Certainly,
the idea of "once-saved-always-saved" is false according to this passage.
3.
For some
Christians, the high point of their faith is the day of their conversion. Such a Christian "hears the word and immediately
receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only
temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word,
immediately he falls away" (Matt. 13:20-21).
B. Clearly, the Scriptures commend us to press forward
and grow in our faith.
1.
The first
principles of the Christian faith are vital, but they are not the whole of the
faith. There is much more to learn, for Hebrews
6:1-3 says, "Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us
press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead
works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of
hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment."
2.
The Scriptures
only describe two possibilities for a Christian's faith -- regression or
growth. Notice 2Peter 3:17-18 -- "You
therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are
not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own
steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ."
3.
Of his own
growth, the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14:
Not that I have already obtained it or have already
become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I
was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one
thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies
ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ Jesus.
C. Growth will only happen for those Christians who are
diligent in their faith and the word of God.
1.
Growth will not
come without effort. Consider the
encouragement given to Timothy by Paul concerning his person growth.
a. 1Timothy 4:15-16 -- "Take pains with these things; be
absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your
teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure
salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you."
b. 2Timothy 2:15 -- "Be diligent to present yourself
approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately
handling the word of truth."
2.
In order to grow,
we must crave the spiritual food that causes growth, which is God's word. Notice 1Peter 2:1-3 -- "Therefore, putting
aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like
newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow
in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord."
3.
In 2Peter 1:5-8,
the Bible gives a list of qualities that are to be cultivated by Christians by
"applying all diligence." Consider this
passage, and notice that these are not only to be added to our character but
are also to be increasing.
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence,
in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance,
and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness,
and in your brotherly kindness, love. For
if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither
useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
D. Growth occurs for Christians individually and the
church collectively when we "speak the truth in love."
1.
Consider Ephesians
4:14-16 -- "As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there
by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men,
by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to
grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the
whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies,
according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of
the body for the building up of itself in love."
2.
Love creates a
culture in which spiritual growth is promoted.
Christians who love one another impart the truth of God's word to one
another and encourage growth.
III. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT GROW
A. Those who do not grow in the Lord will remain as
spiritual babes and children.
1.
Spiritual
immaturity is a vicious cycle, for a spiritual babe cannot receive the solid
food of God's word, but he cannot become mature without it. Notice 1Corinthians 3:1-3:
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to
spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for
you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for
you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are
you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
2.
Christians who do
not grow do harm to themselves and others.
They cannot discern good and evil, and they cannot teach the word of God
to others. Consider Hebrews 5:11-14
Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to
explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again
for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and
you have come to need milk and not solid food.
For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of
righteousness, for he is an infant. But
solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained
to discern good and evil.
D.
Failure to grow
in Christ puts a Christian in grave spiritual danger.
1.
As we saw in Ephesians
4:14, spiritual immature persons are "tossed here and there by waves and
carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness
in deceitful scheming." Such persons are
easily manipulated and turned away from the faith.
2.
We noticed the
characteristics we are to add in 2Peter 1:5-8, but also notice what happens to
those who fail to gain these characteristics in 2Peter 1:9-11:
For he who lacks these qualities is blind or
short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent
to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice
these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied
to you.
3.
In 2Peter 3:17-18,
we saw that the contrast to growing "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ" is to be "carried away by the error of unprincipled men
and fall from your own steadfastness."
IV. CONCLUSION
A. Jesus Christ supplies all that is needed for a
Christian to grow and flourish in the faith.
God has given to us "everything pertaining to life and godliness,
through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and
excellence" (2Pet. 1:3).
B. Even so, we must supply the diligence to make Christ's
blessings effective to cause growth in us.
Without our own desire to mature and work to grow in the Lord, we shall
remain as spiritual children and never reach maturity.
