Spiritual Growth - Eph.4:11-16.
What does it mean? To increase in the Faith and reach maturity spiritually.
Why do we need this, what is the purpose? If we failed in this it would be against the will of God and we would be unfit to live in Heaven.
The whole of life speaks about growth. Humans, birds, animals, plants, etc., come into the world and go on to reach a stage in their lives when full growth is reached or achieved. Nature has the principle of growth in its foundation.
Someone put it like this, 'All things have built into them the Law of growth and if they do not grow they violate the purpose of living' . God has arranged the world with one view in mind-Life and Growth. Everything that happens to our Christian lives has one purpose and goal-that we may grow in Christ. Paul, the Apostle, in v.15, put it like this, 'Grow into Him in all things....'
In saving us God intends that one day we should live with Him in Eternity. That means that we will live with a Holy, Eternal God. But before that happens He intends us to go through a process that will enable us to live with Him in Heaven. Why does God not take us into Heaven immediately the moment we are saved? The answer may not be so obvious. Heaven is not made up of spiritual babies. If it were, we would not even know who God was, what holiness is, etc. etc. We prepare for Heaven here on earth-a long process.
When saved, God's plan and will for us is not just to join a Church or become familiar with the ins and outs of a Denomination but grow in Christ and become like Him. The job of the Church is to make believers real spiritually minded people, mature in the Faith and knowledge of our Saviour and God.
At conversion, the life of God that enters our being has within it the potential to develop us into the image of Christ. And so, the Holy Spirit enters our life and starts to prod us towards growth. He builds in us the urge to grow, naturally and spiritually. If we do not grow it is not because God has not set the stage for growth but because we fail to do so. There is nothing more distressing in the Christian Church than to watch people who do not grow in the Faith. We get anxious about a plant in our garden that despite the care we give it fails to grow. How much more should we be about our life which is eternal if it does not grow.
How do we recognize that there no spiritual growth?
In exactly the same way that a human being fails to grow physically or mentally. Believers who fail to grow simply live stunted lives spiritually, always learning but never advancing into the deeper things of the Word. Feeding on milk but not on solid food-Spiritual babies. 1 Cor.3:1-3.
To be continued
What does it mean? To increase in the Faith and reach maturity spiritually.
Why do we need this, what is the purpose? If we failed in this it would be against the will of God and we would be unfit to live in Heaven.
The whole of life speaks about growth. Humans, birds, animals, plants, etc., come into the world and go on to reach a stage in their lives when full growth is reached or achieved. Nature has the principle of growth in its foundation.
Someone put it like this, 'All things have built into them the Law of growth and if they do not grow they violate the purpose of living' . God has arranged the world with one view in mind-Life and Growth. Everything that happens to our Christian lives has one purpose and goal-that we may grow in Christ. Paul, the Apostle, in v.15, put it like this, 'Grow into Him in all things....'
In saving us God intends that one day we should live with Him in Eternity. That means that we will live with a Holy, Eternal God. But before that happens He intends us to go through a process that will enable us to live with Him in Heaven. Why does God not take us into Heaven immediately the moment we are saved? The answer may not be so obvious. Heaven is not made up of spiritual babies. If it were, we would not even know who God was, what holiness is, etc. etc. We prepare for Heaven here on earth-a long process.
When saved, God's plan and will for us is not just to join a Church or become familiar with the ins and outs of a Denomination but grow in Christ and become like Him. The job of the Church is to make believers real spiritually minded people, mature in the Faith and knowledge of our Saviour and God.
At conversion, the life of God that enters our being has within it the potential to develop us into the image of Christ. And so, the Holy Spirit enters our life and starts to prod us towards growth. He builds in us the urge to grow, naturally and spiritually. If we do not grow it is not because God has not set the stage for growth but because we fail to do so. There is nothing more distressing in the Christian Church than to watch people who do not grow in the Faith. We get anxious about a plant in our garden that despite the care we give it fails to grow. How much more should we be about our life which is eternal if it does not grow.
How do we recognize that there no spiritual growth?
In exactly the same way that a human being fails to grow physically or mentally. Believers who fail to grow simply live stunted lives spiritually, always learning but never advancing into the deeper things of the Word. Feeding on milk but not on solid food-Spiritual babies. 1 Cor.3:1-3.
To be continued
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