Discovering spiritual growth (3)
Spiritual growth is essential to the believer after salvation. Peter noted and reiterated this in 1st & 2nd Peter:
2 Peter 3:18;
“but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen”
1 Peter 2:2;
“as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby”
We have previously seen that spiritual growth doesn’t mean that we are growing into something, but it is to act on and remain who we are in the mirror (James 1:22-25). We have also seen that it is a deliberate step or action and not an event that happens in an automatic fashion.
To reiterate, whatever came from the resurrection is perfect (body, soul and spirit). The believer is born from the resurrection. Hence, he is as perfect as Jesus was upon the resurrection because the believer is identified with him. This would mean that the believer isn’t growing into any more perfect state, instead, he is bringing the perfection in his nature into his conduct. Spiritual growth is a journey that starts from perfection.
Therefore in 1 Peter 2:2;
(as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby).
As newborn babes simply refers to how the believer should act on the word (that reveals their nature) which reflects in his conduct. Thus, Peter says ‘desire the sincere milk of the word to grow’. The focus is to desire the word so as to grow. The word reveals the real nature of the believer which is his real perfect state. To always remember, and remain in that nature revealed from the word is WHAT SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS.
Hear Peter in 1 Peter 2:9;
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
To show forth here will refer to spiritual growth. ‘Praises’ translates to perfection – to show forth the perfection of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. We are to show forth His perfection because we are perfect. He made us so. We are showing forth our nature, who we are in what He has made us. As we have earlier said, that will be to always stay in the know of our perfection, that is, our nature.
1 Pet. 2:11; “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul”
This is in consonance with all that has been said earlier, that is, the believer is perfect because he’s born of the resurrection and anything that comes from the resurrection is perfect.
FLESHLY LUSTS HERE ARE NOT IN THE SOUL. RATHER, THEY WAR AGAINST THE SOUL. They are an external war against the perfect soul since the soul is in a perfect state. How to war against is to always remember who you are.
Spiritual growth would be basically done in the mind. That is where the continuous remembering of your nature is done. That is also where fleshly lusts warring against the soul is done. Therefore the mind is the primary place where renewing, thinking, and remembering is done. (Rom. 12:2)s.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
2 Chronicles 14 – 17
TEACHING OF THE DAY
The believer and emotions