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The Doctrine of Spiritual Growth

 

Dr. Alexander Kurian

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Pursuing Spiritual Growth

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“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18).

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“Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2).

“I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

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“But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).

“…..the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God” (Colossians 2:19).

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Nature teaches us that growth is natural and normal. A lack of growth is a sign that something is seriously wrong. This is true of spiritual life also. God’s expectation for individual growth in the Christian life is emphasized throughout Scripture. God has presented to us a clear roadmap in His Word for experiencing spiritual growth. We already possess everything we need to be a spiritual success. “Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). We only need to uncover the “secrets” and apply them.

Are you growing in Christ? Are you really enjoying the fruits of spiritual maturity? Do you know the way from spiritual infancy to maturity? Let not Satan defeat every goal you set. Do not be discouraged. God is on your side. “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31). Remember, for effective growth, we must remove the hindrances to growth while actively fostering the conditions which promote growth. When we maintain the conditions for spiritual growth, the divinely implanted life will assuredly grow and mature.

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The Core Values for Spiritual Growth

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Spiritual growth:

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• A worldwide revolt led by Satan(Rev.20:7-10)

• is essential, not optional for Christians

• is a process, not an event

• is God’s work, but requires my participation

• is not impeded by a person’s background, life situation or season of life. It is available and attainable to all who desire it.

• involves divinely prescribed practices, exercises, disciplines, experiences and relationships

• is ultimately gauged by spiritual character, attitude, discernment, maturity, fruitfulness and increased capacity to love God and others. Superficial or external checklists cannot measure it.

 

The following pages consist of a series of studies designed to communicate the basic principles that are so vital for new Christians to experience their abundant life in Christ.

 

Spirituality and Spiritual Growth

 

Spirituality, spiritual growth, spiritual maturity, spiritual health, spiritual formation, godliness, fear of God, and piety all are related terms and at times are used synonymously. In religions, spirituality is generally defined as the state of a deep relationship with God. In the Bible, the word maturity seems to hold the key to the concept of spirituality. “Christian maturity is the growth which the Holy Spirit produces over a period of time in the believer” (Charles Ryrie).

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The process of spirituality begins at salvation. No one can be spiritual or spiritually grow without having first experienced the new life through new birth into God’s family (John 3:3). The new life is given to all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17). When we are born into God’s family through faith in Christ, we are like new-born babes. Our spiritual life has the capacity for growth. Our state of babyhood need not last long.

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The Corinthian Christians and Spiritual Growth (1 Corinthians 3:1-4)

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When he rebuked the Corinthian believers for their carnality (living under the domination of self and sin though they are believers), the apostle Paul described them as being “babes” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not able to receive it. Indeed even now you are not yet able, you are still fleshly……”

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In 1 Corinthians 3, “spiritual” implies “mature”. Being “carnal” or “fleshly” denotes a condition of “babyhood.” It is characterized by lack of spiritual growth (3:1); lack of spiritual appetite (3:2); lack of spiritual unity (3:3); and lack of spiritual intelligence (3:4). The natural man (2:14) is unsaved; the spiritual man is saved and spiritually mature (2:15; 3:1). He has made distinct progress in his spiritual life; the carnal man is a believer, but weak, immature, self-centered and living under the domination of sin.

 

Like many Christians today, the Corinthians seemed quite content to stay on milk. They were unable to spiritually digest solid food (the deeper truths of God’s Word). Paul had ministered to them for eighteen months and after that they were taught by the highly gifted Apollos. They had no excuse for not being mature. They were not ignorant of the faith; they were fleshly – given to worldly desires and a self-centered lifestyle. This adversely affected their spiritual lives and they did not grow. Consequently, quarrels, divisions, personality clashes and party politics were created in the church. They remained infants in their spiritual development, for their sinning had blighted their spiritual growth. Spiritual retardation is primarily our own doing. This is indeed a warning for anyone who is not willing to pursue the path to spiritual growth.

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The Hebrew Christians and Spiritual Growth (Hebrews 5:11-6:1)

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The Hebrew Christians were not making progress as they should have. They had not grown. They had not developed proportionately with the time that they had professed faith in Christ. They were still in their spiritual infancy, desiring milk, and not solid food. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity…..” (Hebrews 5:12-6:1).This reminder is followed by a warning concerning failure to move forward to maturity (6:1-8).

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Spiritual babies are unskilled in the word of righteousness, while spiritual adults (mature) are those who by reason of use have their senses trained to discern good and evil (5:13-14). “While the baby has the Word, he does not use the Word. The adult on the other hand, not only has the Word, he uses the Word. It is this continued use of the Word that causes a believer to progress from infancy to maturity. The opposite is also true. If a believer has used the Word in the past but no longer uses the Word, he will move backward spiritually from maturity to immaturity” (Dwight Pentecost). Spiritual babes lack the skill that goes hand in hand with maturity to apply the Word effectively. As a result, they are not able to make appropriate moral choices. The strong meat of the Word of God belongs to mature Christians (5:14). The writer to the Hebrews laments the inability of his readers to understand the truth about Melchizedek and his priesthood (5:10-11). Had they been sufficiently mature, they would have bee able to understand and appreciate this truth. In 6:1, the author exhorts them to move on to Christian maturity. “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about Christ, let us press on to maturity.”

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We find some basic principles of Christian growth (maturity) in this passage. It involves:

1. Time (5:12)

2. Growth in the knowledge of the Word of God (5:13)

3. Experience in the use of the Word in discerning between good and evil (5:13-14)

(Ryrie Study Bible)

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Christian life is not static; it is dynamic. We are either progressing or regressing in our spiritual development, for there is no standing still. A distinctive use of the word spiritual in the New Testament is in connection with the believer’s growth and maturing in the Christian life. This must involve time in order to gain knowledge and to acquire experience. This cannot be accomplished overnight. A Christian who has not had sufficient time to grow and develop in Christian life cannot be called “spiritual” in the biblical sense. Time to gain maturity is needed for genuine spirituality. A Christian of longer standing may not be spiritual if he has not grown in his Christian life. We must also realize that there are stages of growth in the process of maturing.

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Spiritual growth to maturity is similar in some ways to physical growth to maturity. A child may be growing but still not be grown or mature. In the same way, a Christian may have grown some spiritually but still not be spiritually mature. Baby Christians can have a measure of spirituality without being spiritually mature. Wherever we are on God’s scale of spirituality, we can and should grow more (Philippians 3:13-14). Remember, God places no speed limits on spiritual growth.

Let us press on to maturity.

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The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Growth

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The Holy Spirit is preeminently involved in producing spirituality (spiritual maturity). The word “spiritual” means pertaining to the Spirit. The Bible affirms the major role of the Holy Spirit in leading us down the path of spiritual growth. The Holy Spirit is the “Helper” or the “Enabler” in Christian life (John 14:16, 26). Because of our human weaknesses, we fail, backslide and get discouraged in our spiritual journeys. We cannot live the Christian life without God’s enablement through His Spirit. That is why God has given us His Spirit to indwell in us permanently. “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him” (Romans 8:9). Jesus Himself promised the disciples the permanent indwelling of the Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever” (John 14:26).

 

The Filling of the Spirit

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The Holy Spirit is our enabler and power for the Christian life, for victory and growth is ministered to us as we walk by faith in dependence upon the Spirit’s control. This is the meaning of the doctrine of the “filling of the Holy Spirit.” To be filled with the Holy Spirit means to be controlled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Just as a drunken person is controlled by the liquor which he consumes, so a Spirit-filled Christian is controlled by the Holy Spirit. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are under His influence.

In the book of Ephesians, the filling of the Spirit produces worship, submission, and changed relationships in the home and on the job (5:18-6:9). His filling is not registered by our physical senses, but it is indicated by Christ-likeness and the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). As we spiritually grow, we will become more mature in our attitudes and actions. The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in producing this maturity. The description of the fruit of the Spirit is a clear picture of true Christ-likeness. Who can exhibit it except a mature Christian? As one spiritually grows and matures, his knowledge and perspectives will deepen and broaden. This will be reflected in his character, outlook and service for the Lord and for others.

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How can I be Spirit-filled? Since filling relates to the control of the Holy Spirit, it requires:

1. Yieldedness. We must yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s direction and submit to His leadership in all areas of our life.

2. Confession. We must deal with known personal sins, for these grieve the Holy Spirit. When we become aware of sin in our lives, we must repent and confess this sin to God.

3. Dependence. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to do His work in us as we do ours and adjust ourselves to His presence and power.

 

Walking by the Spirit

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We are also commanded in the Word to walk by the Spirit. “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). The alternative to walking by the Spirit is the control of the flesh. In essence, the believer is either controlled by the flesh (the sin nature, or the capacity to sin and to leave God out of one’s life and actions) or controlled by the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit is a Spirit-dependent walk which means a conscious determination to rely on the resources of the indwelling Spirit.

The filling of the Spirit initiates the Spirit’s control through submission, whereas walking by the Spirit maintains the Spirit’s control through total dependence. We must be filled with and walk by the Spirit. It is commanded in the Word and we are powerless without it. There is no spiritual growth without it.

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Defining Spiritual Growth

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In the light of what we have studied so far, there are some key factors that will help us to define genuine spiritual growth.

1. The Holy Spirit plays a major role in producing spiritual growth

2. Spirituality is related to spiritual maturity

3. Spiritual growth involves time

4. As one matures, his knowledge and perspectives will deepen and broaden. He will reflect Christ-likeness in his attitudes and actions.

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Therefore, spiritual growth is the spiritual maturity which the Holy Spirit produces over a period of time in a believer which results in spiritual discernment and Christ-likeness of character. It is a grown-up and growing relation to the Holy Spirit.

 

The Goal of Spiritual Growth

 

The ultimate goal of spiritual growth is to be conformed to the image of Christ (Christ-likeness). We are predestined to Christ-likeness (Rom.8:29). This is brought about by the activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives (2 Corinthians 3:18). This process of growth will only be completed at Jesus’ coming for us (the rapture of the church) when our bodies are also redeemed and made like unto Jesus’ glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2). Meanwhile we should be progressing (growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ) in our becoming more like our Lord in our character, attitudes and actions. Spiritual growth leads to spiritual maturity which results in spiritual transformation. Thus we can glorify God in all areas of life.

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“Therefore you are to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). “Perfect” means to reach an intended end or a completion and is often translated “mature” - mature and complete in the likeness of God. This is utterly impossible in our own strength. That which God demands, He provides the power to accomplish. “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

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Sanctification and Spiritual Growth

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The word “sanctify” basically means to set apart. Sanctification is the activity of God whereby He sets His people apart unto Himself and for His use. It has the same root as the words “saint” and “holy.” There are three aspects of sanctification that relate to us who are now saved.

 

1. Positional Sanctification. This is the believer’s position or standing before God. We are set apart unto God in Christ. The believer is accounted holy before God; he is declared a saint (Romans 17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Eph.1:1). All believers are saints because they are sanctified or set apart unto God (1 Corinthians 6:11).

2. Practical/Progressive/Experiential Sanctification. This concerns the spiritual condition of our daily lives. We express this aspect of sanctification (holiness) when we separate ourselves from sin. This aspect of sanctification is related to our spiritual growth and holiness of daily life (1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Peter 1:16; Romans 6:11-13). It is the process of maturing in Christian life. Every exhortation in the Word of God to godly living relates to practical sanctification.

3. Perfective/Final/Ultimate Sanctification. This aspect of sanctification is in the future and anticipates the coming of the Lord for His own (rapture), when our bodies will be delivered from inherent corruption and will be made like unto our Lord’s glorified body (Philippians 3:2-21; 1 John 3:2; Ephesians 5:26-27). In this stage, we shall be as holy in our condition as we are in our position (sinless perfection).

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The relationship between the three types of sanctification can be summarized in the following way:

 

Positional Sanctification: Justification, spiritual birth, past, salvation from the penalty of sin, adoption as God’s sons (“I have been saved”).

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Progressive Sanctification: Sanctification, spiritual growth, present, salvation from the power of sin, maturation (growth) as God’s sons (“I am being saved”).

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Perfective Sanctification: Glorification, spiritual perfection, future, salvation from the presence of sin, manifestation as God’s sons (“I will be saved).”