Growing In Grace

How gracious God is to teach us and give us time to grow!  A farmer does not pull or throw out seedlings because they have not yet produced fruit, and God does not expect us to have a biblical perspective from spiritual infancy.  Like a child grows to walk and talk outside the womb, once we are born again God enables us to develop into mature children of God.  It may be a surprisingly quick process to the casual observer, but it still requires time and the wisdom of God to accomplish.

Children have many misconceptions of the world around them due to their naivete, ignorance or from being misinformed.  In a similar way, many Christians can bring misunderstandings into their relationship with God after trusting in Jesus and being born again.  The transformation of a heart justified by faith may be immediate, yet even the most mature believers require a renewing of their minds.  All believers have the potential to lack faith, to forget what God has said and done, and to be slack in seeking God.  Let us also not forget the impact of growth.  As it grows a sapling sends roots down deeper, the trunk grows thicker and the branches grow longer.  Before too long there are new branches and leaves where nothing before grew, and as we grow in grace and knowledge of God a framework of theology is established.

No matter how extensive or "correct" our theology may be, there is also a need for our lives to align with what we say we believe.  Without obedience to God we will not grow or be fruitful as we ought.  Heresy is as deadly to souls as sin, and fallacies potentially sap our fruitfulness.  There are many genuine believers who hold onto misunderstandings which have stunted their growth.  One of these which I encountered recently is the assumption that if Jesus did not say something on a subject, we have "open slather" to do as we please, to fill in the blanks with what seems equitable or fitting for us.  The problem with this perspective is it ignores the fact Jesus is the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us, the God who existed before He was manifested in human flesh, the same God who has given us 66 books that comprise the scriptures.  Those who hold to this perspective run the risk of invalidating all other scriptures which do speak on the subject because they are not printed with red ink.

We live in a "pick and choose" world where it is natural to choose the news coverage you prefer, to alter recipes, to order from a menu where you are free to choose what you want and refuse what you do not like, to build bespoke homes or vehicles where man's demands are king.  This is not how it works for a child of God, for God is not a doting Father who is at the mercy of the whims and dictates of His children.  God is; God has spoken, and He speaks according to what is written.  He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ but also as God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The words of Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life are to be heard and heeded, yet let us not forget the rest of the scriptures are also God-breathed.  It takes time to marinate or brine meat, and it takes time for the washing of the water of the word to cleanse us of the many misconceptions and errors we continue to make.  Praise the LORD Jesus is wisdom for us, for the Holy Spirit who fills us, and our heavenly Father who loves us.