How Is Your Spiritual Growth?
INTRODUCTION.
A. What type of diet are you on?
1. If you are an infant, your diet is limited. You take only milk and very soft and mushy foods.
2. As you grow older, you can eat heavier foods such as meats.
3. Then you have to decide, will it be no carbs, low carbs, or all carbs but no fat?
4. Eating used to be as simple as picking your garden, washing and preparing your harvest and eating.
B. How about your spiritual diet?
1. Do you partake daily of God’s word?
2. Do you starve yourself, partaking of God’s word only once a week?
3. Do you mix God’s word with the wisdom and reasoning of man?
C. With this lesson, we will examine the subject of spiritual growth.
1. We will first show that Bible study promotes solid spiritual growth.
2. We will then show some dangers or threat to your growth as a Christian.
I. BIBLE STUDY RESULTS IN GROWTH.
A. Rightly Handle the Word of God. (2 Timothy 2:14-18)
1. Charge them not to strive about words to no profit. (v 14)
2. Study diligently to rightly divide or handle the word of Truth. (v 15)
3. Shun profane (irreverent) and idle babblings. They increase to more ungodliness. (v 16-18)
4. It is our responsibility to rightly handle or use the word of God. Many people will use or handle the word of God, but they do so wrongly. Consider the following example advocating suicide:
a. Judas, an apostle killed himself. (Matthew 27:5)
b. “To make ourselves an example of how you should follow us,” said an apostle. (2 Thessalonians 3:9)
c. Therefore, we are to follow Judas’s example.
d. While absurd, and incredibly wrong, I am sure that I could find someone in dire emotional state who would be susceptible to this teaching.
B. You Will Grow. (1 Peter 2:1-2)
1. As newborn babes, desire (long for greatly) the pure milk of the word.
2. The pure milk of the word promotes growth. It does the spiritual body good.
C. You Will Grow Up in all Things in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
1. The Lord has given us apostles and prophets (through the Word), evangelists, and pastors (elders) and teachers. (v 11)
2. Why did the Lord appoint or give us apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers?
a. To equip the saints for the work of ministry. (v 12)
b. For the edifying of the body of Christ. (v 12)
c. To bring us to the unity of the faith. (v 13)
d. To bring us to the knowledge of the Son of God. (v 13)
e. To bring us to a perfect man (complete, of full age). (v 13)
f. To bring us to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (v 13)
g. So that we will not be children, tossed back and forth by every wind of doctrine and by the trickery of men. (v 14)
h. So that, speaking the truth in love, we will grow up in all things into Christ. (v 15)
3. Since we have the apostles and prophets in the written word, how do the evangelists, pastors (elders) and teachers help the church to grow up in all things? By teaching the word of God. By studying the word with fellow Christians.
D. Equipped for Every Good Work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
1. All Scriptures have been inspired (breathed) by God. They are profitable for: (v 16)
a. Doctrine.
b. Reproof.
c. Correction.
d. Instruction (training) in righteousness.
2. If you will study the Scriptures, then you, the man of God, the Christian, will be perfect (fitted, complete), equipped for every good work. (v 17)
II. THREATS TO OUR GROWTH.
A. Lack of personal Bible study. (1 Peter 2:2; Hebrews 5:12-14)
1. You will not grow. (1 Peter 2:2)
2. You will not be able to rightly handle the Word. (2 Timothy 2:15; cf. Hebrews 5:12-14)
3. You will not grow up in all things in Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
4. You will not be equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
B. Not receiving teaching from the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (elders), and teachers.
1. If you do not receive teaching, then you will:
a. Not be equipped for the work of ministry.
b. Not be edified.
c. Not come to the unity of the faith.
d. Not come to the knowledge of the Son of God.
e. Not grow to a perfect man (complete, of full age).
f. Not grow to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
g. Be tossed back and forth by every wind of doctrine and by the trickery of men.
h. Not speak the truth in love.
i. Not grow up in all things into Christ.
2. Consider the Gentiles who did not receive teachings in Ephesians 4:17-19.
C. Listening to corrupt communications or companions. (1 Corinthians 15:1-34) (This passage generally brings to mind foul language, dirty jokes, wicked influences. However, we must look to the context of 1 Corinthians 15:1-34.)
1. 1 Corinthians 15:12: "Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (NKJV) Some of the brethren in Corinthians were saying “there is no resurrection of the dead.”
2. 1 Corinthians 15:13-19: Paul explained the logical consequences of the teaching. (Many times people will formulate a belief or doctrine without taking the belief to it's logical conclusions.)
a. If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not risen. (v 13)
b. If Christ is not risen, then the apostles’s preaching was empty and the Corinthians’s faith was empty. (v 14)
c. If Christ is not risen, then the apostles were false witnesses of God because they testified that God raised Jesus up. (v 15)
d. If the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. (v 16)
e. If Christ is not risen, then the Christian’s faith was futile and he is still in his sins. (v 17)
f. If Christ is not risen, then those Christians who had died (sleep) have perished. (v 18)
g. If Christ is not risen, then of all the men, the apostles were the most pitiable. (v 19)
h. Note: In Corinth, some Christians were teaching religious error. While they likely presented the belief within the context of religious discussions and studies, it was still error.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:20-28: Paul taught the truth regarding the resurrection of Jesus and, therefore, the resurrection of all believers. (When a person is teaching religious error, we must be prepared to teach the truth on the subject.)
4. 1 Corinthians 15:29-32: Paul explained the further consequences of the religious error, “there is no resurrection.”
a. If there is no resurrection, then what will they do who are baptized for the dead if the dead do not rise at all? (v 29) In other words, why are people baptized if they will not be raised up in the end.
b. If there is no resurrection, why did the apostles stand in jeapordy every hour? (v 30)
c. If there is no resurrection, what advantage was it to Paul to have “fought with beasts at Ephesus”? (v 32a)
d. If there is no resurrection, if the dead do not rise, then throw all moderation and caution to the wind and “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” (v 32 b)
5. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34: Paul warned the brethren against listening to such religious error.
a. Evil or bad company or communications will corrupt good habits, manners, morals, etc. In this case, the “bad company” was the brethren teaching there is not resurrection. The corrupting brought in sin. (v 33)
b. Paul told them to wake up and not sin. They were to stop listening to those people who did not have the knowledge of God. They were to stop listening to those who taught there was no resurrection. (v 34)
6. Application for Us: We must exercise caution when we have as friends and acquaintances those who advocate religious error. The more we listen to them, the less we study our Bibles, the greater the chance that we will follow their error. Examples of bad company and what they teach:
a. “Not all religions are wrong.”
b. “God just wants everyone to be happy.”
c. “Baptism is not necessary to be saved.”
d. “We need to isolate ourselves, remove ourselves and our children from all aspects of society.”
e. “The home church is what God wants. The father is the patriarch and priest of the family. We do not believe in organized religion.”
f. “Church of Christ is too legalistic . . . not enough attention to love . . . too concerned with works and procedure than with love and compassion.”
g. “Church of Christ is too strict on MDR. God wants two people who love each other to be able to marry and be happy.”
h. “Let’s agree to disagree (no matter the religious differences) and accept each other since we all believe in Jesus.”
7. How do we deal with those who teach error? (This only works if you are a diligent Bible student.)
a. Point out the logical conclusions or consequences of their belief.
b. Teach them the Truth (what the Bible says) regarding their religious error.
c. If you are unable to do either of the above, then avoid having religious discussions which may influence you away from the Truth.
D. Listening to corrupt communications or companions. (Galatians 1:6-9)
1. Some of the Christians throughout Galatia had been listening to those who pervert the Gospel of Christ. These Christians were turning away from the Truth. (v 6)
2. These teachers of error were trying to trouble the saints. (v 7)
E. Listening to corrupt communications or companions. (Ephesians 4:14)
1. If we do not study the Scriptures and establish firmly our faith in Jesus Christ and His word, if we do not learn to rightly handle the word of Truth, then we will be “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plottings.” (NKJV)
2. In other words, if we listen to our religious friends more than we listen to book, chapter, and verse, then we will be tossed back and forth between differeing doctrines and beliefs.
3. Consider a few examples:
a. Some of the brethren in Corinth were influenced to believe that there was no resurrection.
b. Some of the brethren in the region of Galatia were turning to a perversion of the Gospel.
c. Some followed the teachings of Hymenaeus and Philetus who taught the resurrection was already past. (2 Timothy 2:17-18)
4. We must consider carefully with whom we talk Bible and how much faith we put in their words and teachings.
5. Your religious friends may seem knowledgeable. They may talk greatly about “religious” things. They may express baseless concerns with great zeal.
6. You must remember that if your religious friends do not rightly handle God's word, then you must not be influenced by them.
F. Seeking man’s wisdom over God’s wisdom.
1. The wisdom of man is foolishness when compared to the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 3:18-23)
2. Do not listen to the reasoning of man when he attempts to reason away or change the word of God.
G. Seeking something new.
1. Every Christian should seek to know all the Scriptures and to understand all that the Word of God teaches.
2. There are those who are always looking for something new. (Cf. Acts 17:19-21)
a. A new way to teach something.
b. A new position to advocate.
c. A new understanding of centuries old teachings found in the Bible.
d. Hidden messages in the Bible text.
e. Prophecies about tomorrow in those “Bible” codes.
f. Things metaphysical and beyond our comprehension which seem to be explained in a book for $24.99.
3. There is only one faith which was once delivered to the saints. (Jude 3) Let us all:
a. learn it,
b. believe it,
c. follow it,
d. teach it.
CONCLUSION.
A. If you desire to be a strong and mature Christian, then you must daily study God’s word and apply His word to your life.
B. Do not mix God’s word with the wisdom and reasoning of men.
C. Do you allow yourself to be corrupted by those who may seem religious, but do not know God’s word.
D. If you are a babe in Christ, then it is crucial that you study every day. Tackle the simpler passages first. Then, as you understanding grows, you can begin to digest the more meatier or difficult areas of the Scriptures.
E. If you are a more mature Christian, make certain that you do not allow your understanding of God’s word to be corrupted by the wisdom and reasoning of men. Many religious people have different ideas regarding what the Bible teaches. Study daily to make your foundation in God’s word solid. Be able to refute with Scriptures those who do not know the scriptures.
How Is Your Spiritual Growth? - June 13, 2004 - File #: 110 - Bible Study
by John M. Duvall -- Lawton, OK