Foundations of Faith
SPIRITUAL GROWTH (II)
In the previous issue we noticed the apostle Paul’s desire to know Christ. What is involved in knowing Him? Just as “all Scripture … is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction” (2 Tim. 3:16), so knowing Christ involves these same three elements.
1. Doctrine. Knowing Christ, first of all, involves learning about Him (1 John 1:1), His Person and work, primarily as revealed in the Gospels.
2. Reproof. Knowing Christ involves recognizing areas of our lives that are contrary to His commandments, words, ways, and walk. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk even as He walked” (1 John 2:6).
3. Correction. Knowing Christ involves bringing our lives, attitudes, responses, and ways into agreement with His holy life. This does not mean simply that we make outward changes in our behavior, such as attending all the meetings of the assembly or legalistically saying “I am going to stop doing this and start doing that.” It involves deep inward changes in our whole way of thinking. It involves finding Christ more and more attractive, resulting in the things of earth losing their attraction to us. It involves a growing sensitivity to the mind and will of Christ.
This matter of spiritual growth is not something we do by ourselves, in our own strength. Rather, God gives us all the power and encouragement we need for this growth through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, for it is the Holy Spirit who ministers Christ to our souls (John 16:13-15; Eph. 5:18; Phil. 1:6).
4. Knowing Christ involves experiencing the joy of communing with Him, walking with Him, pleasing Him, trusting Him, responding in the way He would, learning and doing His will, and serving Him. The more we are occupied with Christ, the greater our motivation for wanting to know Him even better.
5. Knowing Christ involves longing to know Him in ways we cannot know Him here below. “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Phil. 3:10). Note in this verse that the ideal path to getting to know Christ the best of all involves suffering and perhaps even death for His sake (see also Phil. 1:29; Col. 1:24).
“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18).
“Till we all come … of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13).
“God would make known … Christ in you, the hope of glory; whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col. 1:27,28).
“We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
As noted above, our knowing Christ involves bringing our lives, attitudes, responses, and ways into agreement with His. Christ’s life as recorded in the Gospels serves as the perfect example for the devoted Christian to follow (John 13:14, 15; Phil. 2:5-8; 1 Pet. 2:21, 22; 1 John 2:6). Previously in GROWING (Aug94) we have listed some of the things we learn about Christ in the Gospels, including His purity of heart and life, His attitudes in various circumstances of life, His actions, His responses to those who opposed and mistreated Him, His responses to man’s sin, and His work. It is an immensely profitable study to go through the four Gospels and notice how the Lord Jesus lived His life and responded in a whole variety of situations. What a challenge it is to each one of us to seek to live our daily lives as Christ lived His. Let us be learning continually to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus have said or done in these circumstances?” and “What can I do to please and glorify the One who humbled Himself for my sake?”
The following evidences of spiritual growth in the Christian are based on verses that include the Greek word teleios, meaning “perfect,” “full-grown,” or “mature”:
1. Having love, even for one’s enemies (Matt. 5:44-48; Col. 3:14).
2. Acknowledging one’s own weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).
3. Having well-exercised spiritual perception with discernment of good and evil (Heb. 5:14).
4. Separated from unholy alliances and cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).
5. Able consistently to discern God’s will (Col. 4:12).
6. Like-minded with other mature Christians (Phil. 3:15; contrast 1 Cor. 3:1-4). (See Assignment 8)
7. Desiring even greater maturity (Phil. 3:12, 13).
Running the Race
WHY SHOULD I BOTHER?
“Why should I bother trying to grow spiritually? I want to enjoy earth now; I can enjoy Christ when I get to heaven.” Have you ever had questions and thoughts like these? Consider the following parable:
Fifty world-class chefs have gathered from around the world to engage in a competition. You have won a free ticket to a buffet consisting of the most special creations of these chefs. On the way to the buffet you pass a McDonald’s Restaurant. You think, “I don’t know what the buffet will be like. Maybe it will just be stuff like caviar, brains, and cauliflower. I think I’ll go to McDonald’s instead.”
Some Christians may have thoughts like that about heaven. “In case there is no tennis, Scrabble, Internet, videos, or (fill in the blank) in heaven, I want to make sure I get my fill here on earth.” What they do not realize is that the least of heaven’s joys will far exceed the best that this world has to offer. Furthermore, if we are truly saved, we will want to bear fruit (John 15:1-5), give evidence of our faith (Jas. 2:14-26), and grow to be more like Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). “The love of Christ constrains us … that [we] should not … live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for [us] and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:14, 15).
Assignment 8: Write out verses in James 1 and 3 and 1 John 4 that give evidences of spiritual “perfection” (or full growth and maturity).