You May Grow Up

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV

A pastor of mine once asked, "How long have you been a Christian, ten years? Well, has it been ten years or one year ten times?

The point is: are you maturing or are you stuck in perpetual baby mode? Do you know not just that you sins are forgiven but, him who is from the beginning? Do you know that in Christ you have overcome the evil one? Have you learned to walk by faith even when you don't feel like it?

You know the Lord is good. You know you live in a world that is diametrically opposed to everything you believe. The world hates you because the world hates God. Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Maturity is knowing that God is Sovereign and has unfailing love for us and acting accordingly whatever the circumstances are around us. 

TIME TO GROW UP

"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance for acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hand, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment." Hebrews 6:1-2

I grew up in churches that emphasized the need to share the gospel with the unsaved world. That's not a bad desire. I remember sitting in a service while the preacher waited for someone to come forward to accept Jesus. Finally, some ninety year old lady would go forward, again, and we could all go home. They were sharing the gospel, fulfilling the great commision...

The author of Hebrews says it's time to grow up. Time to build on the foundation of the elementary teachings about Christ. Time to take your faith to the next level. 

So, the question is: Where do we need to mature? Where do we need to take our faith in Christ up a notch? 

Father, help us to mature in you. Praise be to you in us today!

FAITH AND LOVE THAT GROWS: II Thessalonians 1:3

Occasionally, we forget that we are supposed to see some actual changes to our lives. Yes, sometimes the inner work seems slow and it is hard to notice what God is doing, but, there are a few things we should be able to "monitor". 

"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every on of you has for each other is increasing." II Thessalonians 1:3

This verse contains two parts of our walk with God that we should always have in mind. One is our faith, which is toward God, and the other is love which is toward others. 

It all starts with our faith in God. Why do we read our Bibles and pray every day? To know more about God. To increase our faith in God. We attend church and listen to sermons to increase our faith in God. We read devotional blogs. Our faith does not grow without activity. We must take steps of faith. At church, Pastor Christ is challenging us to follow what moves us, what makes us hurt for others. I am being challenged to increase my faith, to step out and allow myself to be used by God. 

This leads us to the other half of the verse. Our love for each other. Love grows, matures  and increases if nurtured. I am nearing my sixteenth year of marriage. How I demonstrate my love for my wife now can be a bit different than when I first met her. I don't actually say as much. I try to do more. I love my children in different ways now than when they were babies. I am involved with Scouting and coaching for my children. I try to love other parents in those positions. 

As Christians, we grow and we mature. Our faith in God and our love for others should grow and mature too. How has your faith and love grown and matured?

Father, help our faith in you and our love for each other to grow and mature in Christ. Praise be to you in us today!