I. INTRODUCTION
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.