CHRISTIAN GROWTH

Victor M. Eskew

 

          “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2).  “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and for ever” (2 Pet. 3:18).  These two verses from the pen of the apostle Peter exhort all Christians to grow in Christ.  When we became Christians, we experienced a new birth (John 3:7).  We were born into the family of God.  At that time, we were babes in Christ.

          God does not want any of His children to remain in infancy.  He wants all of His children to grow and to mature into full adulthood.  Some of the Hebrew Christians of the first century had not done this.  The inspired penman of Hebrews rebuked those Christians for their lack of Christian growth.  “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.  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness:  for he is a babe.  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. 5:12-14). 

          We live in a strange world today.  We have adults encouraging small children to grow up too quickly.  They want 4-year olds and 5-year olds to be able to determine their own genders.  They want them reading books about homosexuality, transgenderism, and the drag queen culture.  They want them to start voting at the age of 16.  But, they allow young people to be on their parent’s insurance until they are 26 years old.  They have increased the age of buying cigarettes and alcohol to 21 instead of 18.  They allow young people to borrow money for college.  However, instead of holding them accountable to pay the money back, they promise to pay off their student loans for them.  More and more young people are still living at home well into their twenties.  They can’t find work, but they have plenty of time to party, and complain, and riot.  Young people are encouraged to have sexual relationships before marriage.  However, they are not held accountable for the consequences of unwanted pregnancies.  We are told that abortion is just a reproductive right of a “mother.”  This is the chaos that develops when a society abandons common sense regarding growth and maturity. 

          Christians must not allow this to happen within the body of Christ.  Church leaders and mature Christians must seek to develop newborn Christians into full grown Christians in the manner authorized by God in His holy Word.  Maturity begins with an increase in one’s knowledge of God’s Word.  Paul tells us that this is why God’s Word has been revealed to us.  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  Did you hear the words:  “…that the man of God may be perfect…?’”  The word “perfect” involves the development of the individual into a full-grown person.  Paul echoes this teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:20.  “Brethren, be not children in understanding:  howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.”  The word “men” is defined as “those who are full grown.”  When it comes to our knowledge and understanding of the truth, God commands us to be full grown individuals.  As long as a child of God is ignorant of God’s Word, he will continue to be an infant in Christ’s service.  Christians need to put in plenty of time studying God’s Word at home.  Too, the church needs to have an education program that will help every Christian grow into adulthood.

          Another aspect of Christian development involves the addition of various Christian “graces” into our lives.  Peter’s second epistle challenges us to put eight qualities into our lives.  “And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity.”  Did you pick up on the little word “add”?  It means “to supply.”  All new converts come out of the world.  The qualities Peter mentions here are lacking in their lives.  In order to become mature Christians, they need to supply these things to their lives.  In fact, Peter exhorted his readers to give “all diligence” to add these things to their lives.  These are the qualities that make a person like the Lord Jesus Christ.  There are other lists of qualities found in the Bible as well.  In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul notes the fruit of the Spirit that are supposed to be grown in our lives.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.”  Every Christian would be wise to develop a list of Christian virtues that God longs for him to possess.  He needs to learn the definition of those virtues and, he needs to make certain that he securely implements them in his Christian conversation.

          Another way the Christian develops is by doing good works.  Good words are the exercise of one’s faith (Jam. 2:14-26).  Ephesians 2:10 teaches us that we have been created in Christ Jesus for this purpose.  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  In his epistle to Titus, Paul writes a similar statement to his son in the faith.  “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:14).  Good works involve planning, execution, and interaction with others.  The doing of good works involves challenges, struggles, and difficulties.  Good works require effort and patience and a positive attitude.  All of these things help us to use our knowledge of God’s Word and to exercise the graces we are trying to develop in our lives. 

          Dear reader, are you really growing in Christ?  How much knowledge of God’s Word do you possess?  Have you focused on the development of Christ-like traits in your life?  Have you given yourself to good works that will help you exercise your faith and strengthen your Christian graces?  Please don’t remain a babe in Christ.  An adult who still acts like a child is not a pretty picture.  Grow up!  Become someone who is truly fit for the Master’s use.