GROWING IN CHRIST
The Need for Growth
2 Peter 3:18
The life of a Christian centers around our relationship with Jesus Christ. Remarkably He is the central figure around which this world revolves. You cannot say the date without being reminded of His existence. You cannot make this world a better place without incorporating the principles He established, even before He came to this earth (though often man tries to avoid giving Him the credit). The book that tells of His life is still the number one best seller in the world and more widely discussed and followed than any other writing in all of history. And as a Christian, He is your true hope and the reason you do what you do.
When you became a Christian, He became the focal point of your life. He became a part of you. Paul tells us, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27). Earlier in that same letter he described his relationship with Christ by saying, “I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20). When one first becomes a Christian he may understand what this passage is saying, but in time as he grows and develops he comprehends more fully what it really means. And that ought to be the goal of every Christian – to grow to the point that we understand what it means to be in Him. After years of serving Jesus, Paul could say with full confidence, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long: We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39). Even at the end of his life, he boldly proclaimed, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). Paul penned these words while in prison, knowing his physical life is almost over. He writes to Timothy because he is lonely and has been forsaken and disappointed by so many who should have stood with him. Yet he says, “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Tim. 4:17-18). What confidence Paul had as he said these things. He spoke not as a newborn in Christ, but as a veteran with the scars to prove it.
But what gave him that confidence? It was actually a number of things including:
· His changed attitude – he learned how love and to care
· His conduct in life – he lived consistent with his teachings
· Knowing who he was fighting for and against – He chose sides early on
· His brethren – in the churches he helped establish or visited everywhere he went
· His hope – knowing what was waiting for him after this life is over
In all of these things Paul had grown closer to Jesus Christ. He cherished his relationship with Him. But what about us? Do we have the faith and confidence Paul had? Are we as close to Jesus in our lives as he was to Him? How can we develop these things? In the lessons I intend to present in this study, I will show some things that I believe can give us that type of confidence and a meaningful relationship with Jesus in our lives. There are many things we need to do and to develop, but it all centers around this one thing: Growing in Him!
I. The need for growth
a.
Growth
is a natural process. Everything needs to grow – plants, animals, businesses,
nations and people. A part of life is growing. When a child is born, it starts
growing – physically, mentally and emotionally. If a child does grow in any of
these areas there is great concern – in fact we as soon as we KNOW something is
wrong we take whatever steps we can to get things back on track. Tragically,
there are times when one cannot develop properly – and to whatever degree they
are incapable of developing, they go through life with a disability. In most of
these situations they had no control about their circumstances. Yet most seem
to make the best out of what they have – and they live their lives as normally
as they possibly can.
But the real tragedy is when someone has a disability and chooses to do
nothing about it. They can make their lives better but they choose not to.
b. We are expected to grow in Him
i.
We understand lack of physical growth, but what about spiritual growth?
In a very real sense one who fails to grow spiritually is more tragic than the
physical growth.
First, because it is almost ALWAYS by choice.
Second, because the consequences are eternal.
But equally tragic is the fact that we are not all that concerned when there is
no spiritual growth. We seem to accept it as normal in our own lives and in the
lives of others.
ii. Christians are commanded to grow
1. 1 Peter 2:2 – As newborn babes, we are to desire the pure milk of the word that we might grow.
2. 2 Peter 3:18 – grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Note that Peter is not presenting an option or a suggestion. He is concluding a letter in which he warns of the dangers of false teachers. He points out they NEED to be growing in knowledge lest they be led away with the error of the wicked. (vs. 17)
3. Ephesians 4:15 – Paul tells us that leaders are given in the church to, among other things: cause us to grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.
4. Ephesians 2:21 (the church) is supposed to be growing into a holy temple of the Lord.
5. 2 Timothy 2:15 commands us to give diligence to present ourselves approved toward God being able to handle God’s word accurately
iii. The failure to grow is condemned
1. Hebrews 5:12-6:1 – the Hebrew writer rebukes his audience because they have not grown as they ought to. Actually this text is what I refer to as a footnote to his discussion of the superiority of Christ over the all things (the law, angels, etc.).
2. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 – Paul had to treat them as babes also, because they were not able to digest strong meat.
c. 2 Peter 1:5-11 – the process of growth. Here Peter describes the importance of developing in every aspect of our lives. Building upon our faith, he calls for virtue (moral excellence, integrity), knowledge (the facts, wisdom, etc.), self-control (we are ruling our lives instead of our lives ruling us), perseverance (we don’t give up), godliness (pleasing God in all things), brotherly kindness (our love and relationship toward our brethren) and love (agape – the characteristic word of Christianity, the foundation behind all that we do [because we care], active good will toward God and others).
d. There are many other words and concepts that show the importance of
growth
Edification which means to build up
Pressing toward a goal which calls for progress
Spiritual maturity and the idea of completeness
The idea of producing fruit – the product of growth
You CANNOT be pleasing to God if you are not growing!
II. What happens when we don’t grow?
a.
We place ourselves in danger - We have already noted two passages from 2
Peter. A letter written to warn brethren about the dangers of false teachers.
That is why Peter begins and ends the letter with admonitions to LEARN GOD’S
WORD and to mature in the faith.
Jude 3 – another letter written to warn of false teachers admonishes us to
“contend earnestly for the faith…”
2 Corinthians 2:11 warns us to be cautious lest Satan take advantage of us. We
must not be ignorant of his devices.
2 Corinthians 11:2-3 – Paul expresses his concern for these brethren, lest they
be deceived by the devil
Galatians 4:11 – Paul was afraid for them.
b.
We
grow further away from Him -
The nature of Christianity is such that we have to be continually moving
forward. Like everything else in life, if we are not progressing, we ARE falling
behind.
Jesus Himself said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not
gather with Me scatters abroad” (Matthew 12:30)
Hebrews 2:1 – give the more earnest heed to what we have heard, “lest we
drift away”
c.
Eventually, we die
You can only go so far without growth before you die. When a plant is not
watered and nourished, it will stop growing, and then if it continues to be
neglected it will die.
Hebrews 3:12-14 – we are told to beware lest an evil heart of unbelief spring up
causing us to depart from the living God – which will lead to being hardened
hearts
Luke 8:13 – in describing the thorny ground in the Parable of the sower, the
heart described as stony ground has no root, so in time of temptation – they
fall away or “wither away” as the actual parable says (8:6)
2 Peter 2:20-22 – the latter end is worse than the beginning
III. Why We Don’t Grow
a. We don’t try – the real reason why so many don’t grow. We simply don’t put forth the necessary effort. We are satisfied in our present state and think that is all that is expected.
b.
We
don’t act – disuse. A fact of life is that when you don’t use something,
eventually it quits working. When we don’t use God’s word in our life, we are
not going to grow in it in any way.
The Christian can’t retire as long as he is upon this earth – Revelation 2:10
c. Discouragement – often we let the setbacks of life cause us to give up or to stop progressing. Sometimes we reason, what’s the use? The sad thing is that when we give up – we have lost. Galatians 6:9 – don’t grow weary while doing good.
d. We don’t care – indifference is such a dangerous tool of Satan. If he can just convince us to not care today, he can win our souls. And as long as we don’t care – he has us.
IV. Growing in Christ
a. Our study during this series will concern growing in Christ. Everything we have said about growth in general applies to growth in Christ Jesus. Because He is the very foundation of our faith. Christ and our faith are interrelated – as you grow spiritually, you can’t help but grow in Him. And as you grow In HIM, you will be growing in every other area of your life. That having been said, there are still other passages that link our growth directly to our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us notice some of these as we bring our study to its conclusion.
b. Matthew 28:19-20 – Jesus instructed His apostles to “Make disciples of all nations”. The idea of a disciple is one who is a learner. A follower of Jesus – that necessitates growing in Him.
c. John 15:1-6 – producing fruit IN Him. Producing good fruit is the product of our growth. Jesus here warned His disciples, if you do NOT produce fruit you will eventually be cut off and cast into the fire.
d.
Colossians 1:10 – walk worthy of the Lord – fully pleasing Him – how can we
please Him if we are not growing closer to Him.
fruitful in every good work – fruit is a product of growth
increasing in knowledge of God – also a product of growth
e. 2 Peter 3:18 – grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How well do you know the Lord? Philippians 3:7-11, esp. 10, “that I may know Him…”
It has been my intent in this lesson to establish first the importance of growth in our lives as Christians and second, that we grow in Him. Where do you stand in Him? If you are not a Christian, it all begins “in Him” – Galatians 3:27