A Key to Spiritual Growth

Something simple James Edwin Orr said in a sermon about spiritual growth always stuck with me:  "If you don't obey, you don't grow."  Spiritual maturity comes through obedience to God in what we already know rather than learning something new.  New things have their allure, but often new things are not necessary.  Take golf clubs, for example.  I have played with people who constantly tinker with their equipment instead of taking lessons to learn how to hit the ball properly.  They hope buying a new driver or new shafts will help their game instead of focusing on developing a game with the decent clubs they already have.  They always seem to have a new club in the bag but perpetually shoot the same old score.  A new club does not eliminate the need for practice, and reading a new Christian book or listening to a sermon will not grant instant maturity.

As believers, we can imagine spiritual growth is facilitated by the discovery of new truth, experience, or gift of the Holy Spirit.  Of writing books there is no end, and there is no shortage of people happy to put a new spin on scripture.  There is more information readily accessible today than ever before.  At our church years ago we had a "Tape Lending Library" where the pastor's sermon was copied onto a cassette tape, was checked out for the week, erased, and the following week a new copy was made.  Today there are hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of new sermons and podcasts available online every week.  Does it mean people are growing?  Listening to more sermons isn't the key to growth, but putting into practice even one thing God showed you through His Word today.

We mature and grow most spiritually when we commit to doing fundamental things better.  Professional athletes illustrate this well.  A quality cricketer enlists the help of coaches to play cricket at the highest possible level – not to switch from cricket to chess or powerlifting.  It is phenomenally rare (based on my observation) for an athlete to reach elite professional status without coaching along the way.  Even the very best rely on coaches who know their game to scrutinise their form, put them through drills, assist with diet, all to elevate their game.  There are some quality multi-sport athletes, but if an athlete were to abandon the fundamentals of a sport under the guise of advancement, their skills would ultimately erode.  During seasons of slumps and struggles, going back to the basics is key to becoming the best player possible.

For Christians, the good-old Gospel saves us as truly now as it ever did before, and maturity comes when we actually start believing and trusting it more.  To grow we do not need more books or sermons (useful and good as these things are) but to read the Bible ourselves and obey what God says, to do the things we already know are true.  We do not move beyond prayer because it is basic but should pray more faithfully.  Jesus gave the command we are to love one another as He has loved us, and notice the disciples did not immediately say, “And?  What next?”  Love is the fulfiment of the entire Law.  Learning new things is amazing, for God has given us the joy of discovery and the capacity to grow.  The key to spiritual growth is obeying God in what you already know.  Be faithful in the basics and who knows what God will teach you!  He undoubtedly will.