SPIRITUAL GROWTH 1
Spiritual growth is not a growth of spirits. This is so because spirits are discrete individualisticallly individualised entities that do not grow, for no man knows the way of the spirit, Eccles 11:5. The way of the spirit is like the wind that bloweth where it listeth, for thou hearest the sound thereof..., john 3:8.
Spiritual growth is not a growth of or in activities of ecumenical or ecclesiastical commitment more than a neonate becomes muscular by playing football.
On earth, we work hard on physical growth before activities, because we know that growth ought to presipitate activities. Howevever in Christianity, so saddening enough, we claim to be growing, or to have grown considerably because of church activities, like getting the facilities ready for use on Sundays.
It is not about titles of attainment in a local assembly, or special ordinations as earthly human rewards for gifts to the ministry. It is not mandated by time, rather it is relative to time, which means, it is possible that inspite of time, growth has still not occurred, I cor 3:1, heb 5:11-13.
Spiritual growth is the development of our (Christians ) minds, which results in outward transformation in our earthly walk after the nature of Christ within us. It is the development of our minds after Christ, as we understand the nature within us, called the "new creature", whom we are in Christ, as we read redemption in the bible by the power of eternal life. The growth is proliferation, extention, increase, broadening of soulical (mind) capacity, which results in a walk after the new creature. Our hitherto dead spirit, now born after God in Christ's death and resurrection is called the new creature.
Spiritual growth is predicted on some indices
1. There can never be spiritual growth without a craving after the unmitigated, pure, shear, unadulterated word (reasonable, logical, truthful, core and cardinal message ) of God, I Peter 2:2.
2. There can never be spiritual growth without a definite encounter with the truth of whom God made us in him. Many times, we attend church, and listen in on nonsense. At other times, we are not attentive, alert ..too busy with church, not blessed by the word at church.
3, 4, 5.
The Jews at Berea had a better charter than their counterparts at Thessalonica because they received the word of God with a readiness of mind, and went back to search if the things they heard were so, Acts 17:10-11.
A medical doctor in our church walked into a Wednesday service and I preached that since it takes the spirit's departure from the human body to die, the Christian must not die till he decides to. I declared that even if your head is cut, place it back carefully, and move on...John 6:63. You can decide to live in the worst ailment..read Paul at Phil. 1:23-27
She listened rapturously, was "blessed" by the word. Sometime later, she was involved in a accident, and according to her, she was laid streched out by passers by on the side of the muddy road on a rainy afternoon. Suddenly, she felt herself slipping out of her body, lifeless. She suddenly remembered, it takes the spirit's departure to die, she decided to stay back in her body...SHE IS STILL A LIVE TODAY!
Do you receive the word, or you just attend church? Do you really encounter the truth of redemption each time you hear the bible preached? .....