Spiritual Growth

Feature 2 – October 2021 — Grace & Truth Magazine

Spiritual Growth

Growth is one of the characteristics of living things. Those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Savior have life; we have eternal life. The Lord Jesus said that He, “the Son gives life to whom He will … but you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life” (Jn. 5:21,40

NKJV

). If you do not know the Lord Jesus you are spiritually dead, you have no life. “He who has the Son has life, He who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 Jn. 5:12).

Because we have life, we are expected to “grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). Our loving God and Father has provided all that is necessary for the spiritual growth of His children. He wants us all to grow and not to remain babes.

First there is milk. Peter tells us, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Pet. 2:2-3).

We will not grow if we do not desire God’s Word. Reading our Bibles, listening to God’s Word, is absolutely necessary for spiritual growth. We must read it prayerfully and meditate upon it with the desire to do what it says. Our lives must be regulated by God’s Word. Paul wanted Timothy to grow and progress, so he said to him, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Tim. 4:15).

Secondly, there is bread. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (Jn. 6:48). He not only gives life, but if we feed on Him we will enjoy more and more the life He gives, which enables us to have fellowship with the Father and the Son. Such fellowship will enable us to grow.

“Break Thou the bread of life, Dear Lord to me …
Beyond the sacred page, I seek Thee, Lord My spirit longs for Thee, Thou living Word.” — Mary A. Lathbury (1841–1913)

Is there anything which will prevent fellowship and thwart our growth? Yes, there is: unconfessed sin. Such will keep us away from the Word of God, from enjoying Him who is the Bread of Life. We must confess our sins to Him who is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).

If we are to grow we will need the cleansing which the Word of God affords. The Word cleanses us and keeps us clean so we can grow. The Lord Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (Jn. 15:3). The Word of God is that pure water which can cleanse us and keep us clean: “the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26).

We are to “cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Cor. 7:1). If there is not this cleansing, what the flesh dictates will control us and there will be no spiritual growth. The flesh is our corrupt nature in which there is nothing good. Although we have spiritual life, if we feed the corrupt nature there will be no growth spiritually.

Our Father desires that we become mature believers, able to enjoy solid food. “Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:14). Full-grown persons are those who have “come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:13-14).

May we all have the desire to grow spiritually, and as such become more and more like the Lord Jesus, of whom it was said, “and the Child grew and became strong in spirit; filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him” (Lk. 2:40).

By Paul Palmer

People set a standard of good they can attain, and one of evil to exclude themselves. Then they congratulate themselves for not doing evil that others have done. All this proves that men simply judge themselves by what suits them. But there is a standard with which all are compared and will be judged, for all fall short. It is a standard of righteousness – the righteousness of God. When a person begins to compare himself with God, his conscience is awakened to think of sin as before God. He finds himself guilty and ruined, and will not attempt to justify himself. The person will be anxious to know whether it is possible that God, before whom he knows himself condemned, can pardon or forgive him. “Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more” is the gracious message pronounced by the Judge to the ruined sinner, standing consciously convicted before Him. If you desire to have God’s full and free pardon, you must stand first as the guilty, self-condemned sinner alone with Jesus. —John N. Darby (adapted from his comments on John 8:1-11)