A call to spiritual growth (2)
Spiritual growth is deliberate. It requires a conscious effort. You don’t just wake up one morning to realize you have grown spiritually. It is cultivated and worked out.
In 2Pet. 3:17-18, Peter shows us that a man is either growing spiritually or falling from steadfastness. We have seen how that steadfastness is in knowledge. This means that spiritual growth will be absent where the word of God is absent.
Spiritual growth looks like knowing. Therefore, every Christian ought to desire to grow in God’s word.
Matt. 28:18-20;
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.1
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew puts it as ‘teach all nations’. The word ‘teach’ is the Greek word ‘Matheteuo’ meaning to disciple or make disciples. Thus, when people get saved, the next thing is that they will be taught. Discipleship is in the teaching of God’s word, primarily. True discipleship births hunger for the spiritual and feeds the same.
Again, it is critical to reiterate that the church isn’t an all-purpose center where people come to have all their needs met. The church is not where we come to teach saints how to succeed in their businesses or do well academically. The church is for the knowledge of God’s word. What grows the saints is that knowledge of God’s word. It becomes an anomaly to bring in other things that the church should have no business with.
After salvation, what is next?
The next thing is to know God’s word. It’s a journey of a lifetime. It’s called spiritual growth, you never stop growing.
Spiritual growth is not in dressing, not in one’s account balance or in singing Christian songs, even though it will affect your conduct. It’s stability in knowledge.
Col. 1:9-11;
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Paul shows us that spiritual growth looks like increase in the knowledge of God’s word. So, this will be a prayer of spiritual growth.
However, something critical needs to be pointed out in verse 9. Whenever you see ‘being filled’, there’s always an action to it. For instance;
Acts 2:4;
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance
Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness
Being filled is not passive.
Spiritual growth will be in knowledge. This means that I will have the knowledge and be filled with the knowledge such that it influences my actions.
So, much more, spiritual growth will look like walking worthy of the Lord.
“walking’ is the Greek word ‘peripateo’ – the way one walks around to show authority or familiarity with the grounds.
‘Worthy’ is the Greek word ‘Axios’ meaning ‘what fits’.
Paul shows us that being filled with the knowledge of God’s will will look like walking worthy, that is, the believer will allow that knowledge of God’s word affect his conduct.
James explained growing spiritually the same way;
Jam. 1:21-25;
21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
He explains spiritual growth as seeing who one is in the mirror and walking in line with that.
For instance, the fruit of the spirit is patience. Spiritual growth will now look like walking perfectly in patience. Also, God’s word teaches forgiveness, I’ll now do so. Another instance is that the bible teaches that worrying is a sin. What will I do? I’ll stop worrying and pray about everything instead.
In other words, you walk in that which fits your calling.
Our conduct is part of our spiritual growth. Spiritual growth looks like walking worthy. To find a believer who lives according to the word is to find a believer who is growing spiritually.
Being under grace is not a reason to abuse it.
Tit. 2:11-12;
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The believer ought to live soberly in this present world. Spiritual growth is denying ungodliness. You don’t begin to act any how because you now know God’s word because if you truly know the word, you’ll live the word.
Spiritual growth looks like walking worthy of who you are in the word of God. Your conduct starts to gain shape in the word. A man who truly understands the word, like James says, will see who he is in God’s word and do what he sees. This is the man who is blessed in his work.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Gen. 8-11
TEACHING OF THE WEEK
https://www.ghcmedia.org/how-to-have-a-fruitful-year/