Spiritual Growth Eph.4:11-16. continuation
Do the Scriptures speak to encourage us to grow spiritually or is it left to our own devices to do so?
About a dozen references in the New Testament alone testify to the fact that it is God's will and desire for us to grow spiritually and not to do so would be against God's will. In 2 Pet.3:14-18, we are told to GROW in God's Grace and Knowledge. For Spiritual Growth to take place in our lives we need Grace and the true Knowledge of God. What sort of Grace and what kind of Knowledge?
Grace-Unmerited Favour. We are saved by Grace. We do not deserve it. God simply loved us and saved us from Eternal Hell.
We are, therefore, to grow spiritually in this undeserved Grace of God, not by our own efforts, goodness, good works, etc., but by allowing God's love to lift us out of sin and enrich us spiritually. Peter stresses the fact that we are to grow 'in Grace', not into Grace.
God lifts us from the soil of sin and transplants us into the soil of His Grace. We grow by remaining and functioning in His soil of grace. We do not grow by projecting ourselves into God's Grace. We are not the ones to do it or achieve it. We Grow by already being in the soil of Grace.
Peter also talks about growing in the Knowledge of God. Lots of believers are busy gathering a lot of Christian knowledge in their minds like, historical knowledge, Church knowledge, etc. All this will help in some respects to our overall Christian life but not necessarily to grow Spiritually. As believers, we need to learn who God is and what His desire is for us to live Godly lives.
Do the Scriptures speak to encourage us to grow spiritually or is it left to our own devices to do so?
About a dozen references in the New Testament alone testify to the fact that it is God's will and desire for us to grow spiritually and not to do so would be against God's will. In 2 Pet.3:14-18, we are told to GROW in God's Grace and Knowledge. For Spiritual Growth to take place in our lives we need Grace and the true Knowledge of God. What sort of Grace and what kind of Knowledge?
Grace-Unmerited Favour. We are saved by Grace. We do not deserve it. God simply loved us and saved us from Eternal Hell.
We are, therefore, to grow spiritually in this undeserved Grace of God, not by our own efforts, goodness, good works, etc., but by allowing God's love to lift us out of sin and enrich us spiritually. Peter stresses the fact that we are to grow 'in Grace', not into Grace.
God lifts us from the soil of sin and transplants us into the soil of His Grace. We grow by remaining and functioning in His soil of grace. We do not grow by projecting ourselves into God's Grace. We are not the ones to do it or achieve it. We Grow by already being in the soil of Grace.
Peter also talks about growing in the Knowledge of God. Lots of believers are busy gathering a lot of Christian knowledge in their minds like, historical knowledge, Church knowledge, etc. All this will help in some respects to our overall Christian life but not necessarily to grow Spiritually. As believers, we need to learn who God is and what His desire is for us to live Godly lives.
In Pro.9:10, we are told that the knowledge of God's holy ways will give us understanding- that is the correct the ability to know the truth of God's character, His ways, His will for our lives. We need knowledge of God in our hearts if we are to grow and become healthy beings in Christ. n We cannot go around getting hold of any doctrine that we meet and expect to live normal Christian lives
Sound knowledge of God's Word will produce sound believers planted and rooted in God's soil, watered by the Word of God to produce good fruit. To be continued
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