WHAT MUST WE DO TO GROW SPIRITUALLY?

The Apostle Paul had learned a very important lesson that would serve him well for the rest of his life:

·       For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.  (2 Corinthians 1:8-10 ESV)

Our trust must be in God alone (Psalm 62). This can only happen once we begin to learn that we cannot trust in ourselves and despair. Paul learned this at a time of great affliction, when he found that his own efforts were to no avail.

I’m glad that God has made it obvious to me that any good that had come out of my life was not of my own doing (James 1:17). Let me give you one example of this. When I was first saved 43 years ago, I was continually distressed with what I saw about myself. I didn’t want to serve God and had little heart for His people. To no avail, I would respond to many altar calls to be healed of my self-centeredness. However, years later, I suddenly noticed that this had been changed (and am still being changed). I just wanted to seek the honor of the Lord and to build His Church.

This took me by surprise. Clearly, these new desires didn’t come from me but were His gifts – entirely. It was also clear that these changes and others weren’t the result of my spiritual disciplines and efforts. I suspect that if it had become obvious to me that Christian growth was the result of my own efforts, it would have gone to my head – the last thing that our Lord wants.

I have learned that spiritual growth is the fruit of the Spirit. Paul had confessed as much:

·       But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV)

Paul even thanked God for his efforts and hard work. He later wrote that we are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10). Jesus also claimed that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:4-5). However, this is hard for us to see but essential to understand so that our hopes will reside in the right place – in our Lord. I’m afraid that if I take any of the credit for myself, God will begin to shut the spigots of His mercy. In fact, He warns us against any form of self-glorification:

·       “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)

We tend to misunderstand this and conclude that we are the primary mover behind our sanctification. Inevitably, this misunderstanding will lead to discouragement. It places undo emphasis upon our own ability to change and tends to lead to either pride or depression as we begin to realize that we cannot shoulder this extra burden.

Therefore, I would like to list a few popular and seemingly Biblical hopes that will disappoint. Then, I’d like to close with what I think is a Biblical understanding of obedience in regards to spiritual growth. Here are some misconceptions about spiritual growth:

1. ABSTAINING FROM FOODS AND FASTING TRANSFORMS US OR BRINGS US CLOSER TO GOD:

o   But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. (1 Cor. 8:8)

o   For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

The Bible never gives us the slightest indication that fasting purifies us or enables us to better receive or hear from God. However, fasting and other forms of humbling behaviors serve as a plea to God.

2.    PHYSICAL TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE CARRY OVER INTO A DISCIPLINED SPIRITUAL LIFE:

o   Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8) 

While bodily training will help the body, it will not make us more spiritual.

3. SELF-DENIAL AND HARSH TREATMENT OF OUR BODIES TRANSFORM:

o   Colossians 2:16-23  Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Self-punishment is a denial of the sufficiency of the Cross of Christ. We cannot pay for our sins, since they have already been paid for.

4.    PURSUIT OF A MYSTICAL EXPERIENCE OF GOD TRANSFORMS:

o   1 Corinthians 14:6  Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

o   May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence 2 Peter 1:2-3 (ESV)

While the Spirit is always working supernaturally in our lives, there is not a single verse that instructs us to experience God or to seek mystical experience. Instead, these are granted sovereignly by God. Instead, we are instructed to seek Him through prayer and meditating on His Word. Consequently, even the speaking in tongues did not transform unless it was accompanied by the knowledge of God.

5. MOSAIC TEMPLE OFFERINGS TRANSFORMED THE ISRAELITES:

o   The gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order. (Hebrews 9:9-10)

Instead, our conscience is cleansed by the once-and-for-all offering of Jesus for our sins. This alone enables us to draw near in confidence (Hebrews 10:19:22).

God has to initiate the entire process of transformation. This includes salvation and sanctification:

·       He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5)

·       For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephes. 2:10)

·       Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philip.1:6)

What then is our role? Are we mere puppets? Certainly, the Bible teaches much about necessity of obedience. The Bible conveys this in many ways – countless ways. Here are just a few:

·       What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:1-3)

·       About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14)

If we do not ask, we will not receive. If we do not use what we have, we will lose it, and the list goes on. However, I want to suggest that God must do the heavy-lifting. Why? Because we are incapable of adding an inch to our height or a day to our lives, at least by ourselves!

Instead, we should regard our necessary duties as a plea to God to change the things that we are unable to change, to provide what we cannot provide.

I am grateful for the knowledge that Paul had received from the Lord:

·       Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God. (2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

Nevertheless, obedience is essential. Consequently, I must humble myself if I want my Savior to raise me up and transform me:

·       Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7; James 4:6; Luke 18:14; Matthew 24:12)

Transformation comes in His timing. It is His work. All we need to do is to cooperate through our obedience to His Word. I like to think of us as midwives. It doesn’t matter how skilled or hard-working we might be, we can only bring forth new life if it is already in the uterus. Despite the fact that our Lord calls us to be His partners, it is He alone who grants the increase:

·       And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Let us keep our eyes on Him as plants that follow the trajectory of the sun. To Him be all the glory!