Spiritual Growth
  1. INTRODUCTION:

    1. THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF GROWTH:
      1. Physical growth.
      2. Spiritual growth.
    2. WE MUST GROW OR WE WILL DIE:
      1. The physical body can not grow without physical food to sustain it – it will die and return to the earth from which it came.
      2. The spiritual body can not grow without spiritual food to sustain it – it will die and be lost in eternity.
      3. In either case the body will wither away and die if it does not receive the proper food to nourish it that it may grow and develop as God had intended.
    3. WE WANT TO CONCENTRATE ON SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND FOR THAT WE TURN TO GOD’S WORD - THE BIBLE:

  2. DISCUSSION:

    1. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS ONLY IN JESUS: Ephesians 4:11-16 = "And he gave some, apostles: and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of "God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
    2. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS THAT OUR BODY MIGHT BE THE TEMPLE OF GOD THAT WITH OTHERS WE MAY GROW – BE BUILT TOGETHER – FOR A HABITATION OF GOD IN THE SPIRIT.

      3. I Corinthians 3:16-17 =- "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

      Ephesians 2:19-22 = "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."

    3. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS DEPENDENT UPON FOOD – THE RIGHT KIND OF FOOD:
      1. Babies need food. I Peter 2:1-3 = "Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."
      2. As adults we need strong meat. Hebrews 5:12-14 = "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 ever one that useth milk is unskillful 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." [See I Corinthians 3:1-3].
    4. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS EVIDENT BY PROGRESS IN:
      1. Love. I Thessalonians 3:11-13 = "Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."
      2. Fruit bearing. Colossians 1:10 = "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
      3. Making continued progress toward God. Philippians 3:12-14= "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." …….. Hebrews 6:1 = "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God."

  3. CONCLUSION:

    1. ONE MUST BE BORN INTO CHRIST BEFORE IT CAN BEGIN TO GROW.
      1. That birth is baptism [Galatians 3:27].
      2. Babes need the sincere milk of the word [I Peter 2:2].
    2. SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS THE DEVELOPING OF THE TEMPLE OF GOD
       [I Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-22].
    3. WE ARE THE LIVING STONES THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE HOUSE OF GOD [I Peter 2:5].
    4. WHICH HOUSE IS TO BE WITHOUT BLEMISH, SPOT, OR WRINKLE [Ephesians 5:27].
    5. QUESTIONS:
      1. Have you been born into Christ?
      2. Have you progressed in Spiritual Growth?

Back to the Top