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Growing Strong in the Christian Life Trying to answer the question, “How do Christian’s grow?” can be something like trying to leap across the Grand Canyon. One has two big problems: knowing from where to leap and figuring out how to jump that far. Nevertheless, at Redeemer we want you to grow strong in your relationship with Christ. So, here’s our best shot. Spiritual Growth describes the entire life of the Christian after committing ourselves to Christ (For more explanation, please click on Establishing a Relationship with God.) For some of us, trying to grow can be a frustrating experience. We have “pressed on”, “been second blessed”, read the “right books”, “made Jesus Lord”, “given it over to God” and tried harder and still we are confused and discouraged. (Some of us have done none of these things and are simply trying to figure out where to begin). Sometimes it seems like we are on a “spiritual treadmill”, running and running, but getting nowhere. What are we to do? Grace is for the Christian Too: Our first misunderstanding about the Christian life is that the Gospel (Click here for more explanation of the Gospel) is only for non-Christians. Grace, God’s favor at Christ’s expense, brings more than simply forgiveness; it is the sustaining and empowering foundation of everything in our lives. We need God’s grace just as much after we come to Jesus as before. In other words, spiritual growth is God’s activity in me or a Gospel Activity, not “my activity.” Paul reminds us that “He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6) Strictly speaking, “growing” is not based on me—my efforts, my experiences or my knowledge—but God. It is not so much my holding on as God’s grace holding on to me. Grace Works Itself Out Through My Faith: The job of the Christian, if we can speak that way, is to believe what God has done in Christ and is doing in me through His Spirit. Believing What Christ Has Done: This means that I cannot allow myself to think that I am my own Savior. Someone has put it this way, “The irreligious don’t repent at all. The religious only repent of sins. But Christians also repent of their righteousness.” Even though Jesus lived and died 2000 years ago, his work alone is the foundation for why God loves me, accepts me, forgives me, perseveres with me, and yes, causes me to grow. No amount of Christian deeds, experiences or knowledge can ever add to His grace. It is a fountain to which nothing can be added or from which nothing can be taken away. As a result of this grace, I am free to struggle in every area of life to live for Jesus. Instead of living in fear and acting like my efforts will cause Jesus to love me more and give me more, I now live in the knowledge that Jesus has given me everything I need through his marvelous life and death. Believing What He is Doing By the Spirit: In Galatians 5:16 the apostle Paul writes, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” The second key area where our faith becomes action in the Christian life is the awareness of the Holy Spirit at work in us. The Holy Spirit is the presence of Jesus in our lives to empower us to obey and follow his will for our lives. The Holy Spirit is not something extra, but someone who comes into our lives when we believe in Jesus. As a result, we now fix our faith on Jesus’ Spirit to obey God, love God and our neighbor, resist temptation and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. God has given us specific guidelines how to do this. These include things like reading and meditating on God’s Word, seeking God in prayer, gathering for regular Worship (for more explanation of Worship please click here) and fellowship with other Christians (for more information about Redeemer’s Community please click here). This is what Paul means when he says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13) Of course, this process takes place during our whole lifetime. None has arrived at where we are going to be in Heaven. Yet, it is a wonderful encouragement that God takes us as babies and loves us into adulthood. Again, Redeemer wants to help you as you seek to follow Christ. Here are some opportunities you have to grow and mature in the Christian Life: 1. Bible Reading Program: This program will help you read through your Bible in a year by giving your passages to read every day. 2. Community Groups: These groups are small pockets of conversation about what God is doing in Redeemer and in individual lives. If you would like directions to, or would like to join a Redeemer Community Group, please call the church office at 930-4480. |
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