CHRISTIAN GROWTH
(By Emerson Blythe)(Luke 2:51-52 KJV) "And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. {52} And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."
Luke indicates that the young Jesus grew (1) intellectually, increasing in wisdom; (2) physically, increasing in stature; (3) spiritually, Growing in favor with God; and (4) socially, growing in favor with man. Thus He grew and matured like any other person. (BSB)
CHRISTIANS ARE EXPECTED TO GROW
(Eph 4:11-16 KJV) "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; {12} For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: {13} Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: {14} That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; {15} But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: {16} From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
(2 Th 1:3 KJV) "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;"
(Heb 5:12-14; 6:1-3 KJV) "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. {13} For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Heb 6:1-3 KJV) "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, {2} Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. {3} And this will we do, if God permit."
(1 Pet 2:1-3 KJV) "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, {2} As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: {3} If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
(2 Pet 3:17-18 KJV) "Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. {18} But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."
THE BIBLE EXHORTS THE CHRISTIAN TO GROW.
TODAY WE WILL MAKE SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT HOW THIS GROWTH IS POSSIBLE.
1. MUST FIRST BE BORN.
(1 Pet 2:2 KJV) "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:"
(John 3:3&5 KJV) "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. {5} Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
(The New Birth involves the Spirit of God and the Waters of Baptism!)
(Eph 5:25-27 KJV) "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; {26} That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, {27} That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
(James 1:18 KJV) "Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
(1 Pet 1:23 KJV) "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
(Rom 6:3-5 KJV) "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? {4} Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"
2. MUST HAVE THE APPETITE OF A NEWBORN BABY.
(1 Pet 2:2 NASB) "Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation."
3. MUST BE GUIDED TO THE RIGHT FOOD.
1 Pet. 2:2: As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Babies will stick anything in their mouths. We see newborn Christians (as well as more mature ones) sticking all sorts of unfit things in their "mouths." --TV, songs, movies, magazines; even erroneous religious literature!
People can't grow spiritually while letting their eyes and minds feast on the ungodliness and greed and adultery and fornication and immorality on TV's and movies!
People can't grow spiritually while going about singing and humming to the tune of osongs of honky-tonk, worldliness and greed!
People can't grow spiritually while reading magazines and books laced with worldliness and immorality!
And people can't grow spiritually while reading erroneous religious literature like that of the Jehovah's Witnesses, and even in some of the new Nelson's Bibles that teach Calvinism and impossibility of apostasy!
4. MUST BE GUIDED TO THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE WORD.
The term "milk" of the word in 2 Pet. 2:2 may be simply referring to the Word as a whole as milk. But there are other passages that make a distinction between the MILK and the MEAT of the Word.
So, Don't start out swimming in too deep waters!
(John 16:12 KJV) "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."
(1 Cor 3:2 KJV) "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."
(Heb 5:14 KJV) "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
5. MUST HAVE LIGHT
Neither plant or animal can grow and remain healthy in the dark! We need LIGHT to grow.
(John 8:12 KJV) "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
(John 1:4 KJV) "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
(John 3:19-21 KJV) "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. {20} For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. {21} But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
(Acts 26:23 KJV) "That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles."
6. MUST HAVE PROPER EXERCISE
Heb. 5:13: "
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. {14} But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."(1 Tim 4:7-8 KJV) "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. {8} For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
Don't wait 'till you feel you have learned it all before you start to take action.
Find work in the church you can do; practice the exercise of godliness in your everyday life.
I am told that if you put your arm in a sling, it won't be long before you lose the use of it. And if our godlieness or spirituality is going to develop, WE MUST MAKE USE OF IT; we must EXERCISE it!
Good spiritual exercises you can do on your own are church attendance, worship, prayer, meditation in the Word, Bible study, being kind, helping others, doing good deeds, using upbuilding speech, and so forth. Othger spiritual exercises are gained in participating with the church where you attend.
CONCLUSION
Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. How are we doing in these areas? Are we any farther along than we were a year ago? If a child hasn't grown any for the past year, something is seriously wrong. And if a child of God hasn't, there is, too!
Do you need to be born again? Do you need to start growing?
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