What’s next after salvation?
After salvation, the believer is now to grow spiritually. One can not have full knowledge upon salvation though salvation starts with knowledge, so we must keep growing in insight. Peter admonishes:
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
To grow in grace is to grow in the knowledge of Jesus, hence Paul’s prayers for the churches in his epistles, of which most of it were prayers pertaining to knowledge.
Growth is not a miracle and it’s not a finished work, growth is a result of a deliberate act and mindset to grow; your attitude towards God’s word is your attitude towards growth.
The believer ought to be fed appropriately the meal for growth which is the knowledge of Jesus, not knowledge of finance or romance or economy. The Lord gave us gifts to this end.
Ephesians 4:10-13;
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
You have a pastor for your perfecting, for your growth. What kind of growth? Growth in the word. Till we all come to the unity of the faith which is the knowledge of the son of God.
Knowledge of the son of God is what counts for maturity.
So, after salvation, I start to know who Jesus is, and in seeing him clearly, I see myself too. As such, growth is not possible where knowledge is deficient.
The church is where we receive the word, this is why every believer ought to belong to a local church. The importance of our family gathering can never be over-emphasized, spiritual growth will always be tied to the local assembly you submit to. The writer of Hebrew tells us never to be like some who shun the gathering of the saint
Hebrews 10:25; Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
We know who not to be like. The church is where we grow, Paul calls it the mainstay for truth.
1 Timothy 3:15; But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
It is where we teach and share truth, not for comedy and entertainment. He calls it the place where we keep giving out information, we keep teaching.
2 Timothy 2:2; And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Spiritual growth is specific, it is the result of the knowledge [Epignosis- Full and precise knowledge] of the son of God, this is what the pastor is authorized to teach.
So, are you growing spirituality? It is deliberate, you must make conscious efforts to grow, and invest in your spiritual growth.
Church is where you come to change how you think, the essence of Christian meetings is that we get better, choose to grow, submit to a local church, learn, be zealous. No one will do this for you.
Choose to do the needed, grow!
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
2 Chronicles 4 – 6
TEACHING OF THE DAY
A prophet without honour